Page:Islam, Turkey, and Armenia, and How They Happened.djvu/165

Rh 3. A New Pupil Brought to the School. As the Turkish schools have no vacation, no division of terms and no class system, a new pupil may be brought in at any tine. It is afternoon. All the children are in their places and a pile of small bundles near the teacher's seat, and he seems quite delighted with them. A father enters, leading a little boy by the hand, and addresses the teacher: "Peace be unto you, lord teacher." "And peace unto you, haji aga! Let us see what is that?" "What will it be, lord teacher? I brought your slave to pour water on your hand and to turn your shoes." "Allah spare his life; you have done very well." "By Allah, lord teacher, I saw that he was loafing in the streets and I thought if I leave him so he will be a donkey like me." "Allah forbid, haji aga; may your life be preserved safe from the evils of the devil; you are one of the noblest Muslims of our district. Oh! the past days; they are gone! What a noble father you had; may Allah illumine his grave. I can faintly remember your grandfather also; he used to wear, it comes to my mind as a dream, a large green turban, and he always had his long pipe in his hand. He was a pious Mussulman. Allah may perpetuate his posterity. By the way, is you mother still living?" "No, lord teacher, prolonged life for you, she passed five years next winter." "Is that so? Oh! Allah may grant long life to you. *** How many children have you?" "Only this one, your slave, lord teacher?" "What is his name?" "Mustafa, lord teacher." "Oh!