Dr. Eli Smith says, “In a word, the expectations Mrs. Smith had formed in taking her, were fully answered; and she was often heard to say, that she had every day been amply repaid for the pains bestowed upon her.  It will not be wondered at, that her affections became entwined very closely around so promising a pupil, and that the attachment assumed much of the character of parental kindness.  Mrs. Smith’s sharpest trial, perhaps, at her departure from Beirut, arose from leaving her behind.”

After the departure of Mrs. Smith, her fellow-laborer, Miss Williams, afterwards Mrs. Hebard, took charge of Raheel, who remained with her five years.  She then lived successively with Mrs. Lanneau and Mrs. Beadle, and lastly with Dr. and Mrs. De Forest.

When in the family of Dr. De Forest, she became engaged to be married to Mr. Butrus Bistany, a learned native of the Protestant Church, who was employed by the Mission as a teacher.  Her mother and friends were opposed to the engagement, as they wished to marry her to a man of their own selection.  On Carnival evening, February 20, in the year 1843, her mother invited her to come and spend the feast with the family.  She hesitated, but finally consented to go with Dr. De Forest and call upon her family friends and return before night.  After sitting several hours, the Doctor arose to go and she prepared to follow him.  Her mother protested, saying that they would not allow her to return to her home with the missionary.  Finding that the mother and brother-in-law were preparing to resist her departure by violence, Dr. De Forest retired, sending a native friend to stay in the house until his return.  He repaired to the Pasha and laid the case before him.  The Pasha declared her free to choose her own home, as she was legally of age, and sent a janizary with Dr. De Forest to examine the case and insure her liberty of action.  On entering the house, the janizary called for Raheel and asked her whether she wished to go home or stay with her mother?  She replied, “I wish to go home to Mrs. De Forest.”  The janizary then wrote down her request, and told her to go.  She arose to go, but could not find her shoes.  There was some delay, when her brother-in-law seized her arm and attempted to drag her to an inner room.  The Pasha’s officer seized the other arm and the poor girl was in danger of having her shoulders dislocated.  At length the officer prevailed and she escaped.  Her mother and the women who had assembled from the neighborhood, then set up a terrific shriek, like a funeral wail, “She’s lost! she’s dead! wo is me!” It was all pre-arranged.  The brother-in-law had been around to the square to a rendezvous of soldiers, and told them that an attempt would be made to abduct his sister by force, and if they heard a shriek from the women, to hasten to his house.  The rabble of soldiers wanted no better pastime than such a melee among the infidels, and promised to come.  When they heard the noise they started on a run.  Raheel, having suspected something of the kind, induced Dr. De Forest to take another road, and as they turned the corner to enter the mission premises, they saw the rabble running in hot haste towards her mother’s house, only to find that the bird had flown.