The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1893-08-12
THE TURKISH MAIDEN.
FOUND UPON THE BATTLE
FIELD OF PLEVNA.
Adopted by the Russian Reximent-She
Grew Up to BE a Beautiful, Brilliant
= Woman and Married Russian Omcer
"A Romantic Story. = ,-:=E

On a dark night in 1878, following
the mad stormlng of grim Plevna by
the brave forces of the white Gar"
in the Russo-Turkish war, small
body Of troops, under command of
Sergeant Schipow, was sent on re-
connoitering expedition near the vii
lage of Haskioi Fearful Of surprise
the soldiers cautiously felt their way
along one of the rock roads, little
more than a mountain path, leading
to the dorf. Their guns were at
portarms, orders were whispered,
and careful watch was kept for lurk-
ing outposts behind the great rocks
and trees which thickly lined the
way on either side.
When about to emerge from the
forest into a more open place which
separated them from the near town
the men were startled by low cries
on their left. They came to quick
halt and listened. The faces of the
etalwart Tartars blanched; they felt
that they had fallen into ambush.
I But the sounds grew louder and
louder and more and more like the
walls of child. The Russians were
+ soldiers and fear had no place in
their hearts. Determined to learn
whether the cries were those of one
in distress or the mocking tones of
ambushed Mahometans, Schipow and
a companion pressed nearer the place
whence they came. A moment later
la shout of pity burst from the manly
leader and the Tartars hastened up
lths road.
In a little corner made by the
/ gnarled roots of a great tree lay a
little Turkish baby girl, 8 years old.
Her clothes, once of the finest quail
ity, were tattered; the shoes were
worn and torn. About her neck was
little golden chain to which hung
a small gold coin. The face-lovelv
to look upon-bore traces of suffer-
ing, and great tears filed the dark,
eloquent eyes In vain Schipow
tried to understand the few words
which the child lisped as she threw
her arms about the soldiers neck.
They were words of a foreign tongue.
The band Of soldiers returned to
camp with their pretty booty and re-
ported the discovery to the prince 81
Oldenburg, then commander Of their
regiment. The child was placed in
the hospital in the care of DR.. P. q.
tlerotf, the surgeon, clad and fed.
After "egain1ng it's strength, it was
sent by couriers to Adrianople, then
to San Stefano, and finally to St.
Petersburg to the family of A. ].
Popowiski, a well-known pastor.
Months later the regiment-the
Slemenowl body guards returned
from war to the Russian capital bear
ing the trophies of victory But the
commander had not forgotten the
little waif of the mountains. - In the
regimental barracks one evening the
representatives of the highest society
of St. Petersburg met to witness the
formal adoption by the regiment and
the baptism of the Turkish maiden,
DR.. Fleroff, who had treated the
child on the night she was taken to
the camp, and the Duchess Eugenia
Maximiliania of Leutchenburg, wife
of the commander, stood as her god
parents. The ceremony was inter
esting and impressive, and henceforth
the child was known as Eugenia
Pawlowna Slemenowskaja-af the
duchess, the doctor and the regiment
-''the daughter of the regiment -
A large sum of money was set aside
for the education of the child. as the
Slemenowl officers are among the
wealthiest in the Russian capital.
The child grew to be young girl,
beautiful in face and form, and known
in all the first families in St.. Peters,
burg. When old enough and
sufficiently advanced in her studies,
she was placed as a pupil in the
.aristocratic Nikolai Institute There
she distinguished herself above
almost all the pupils, and became
favo vorite Of teachers and visitors. =
Upon graduation two years ago
Mile. Eugenia was sent by the regi-
ment to Sdaraja, Russian bathing
resort, for the benefit of her health,
which had been somewhat injured
by close application to her studies.
The duchess Of Leuchtenoerg, her
god d-mother, was there as her chape-
ron. 81 ~
The romance surrounding the
young. woman's origin, the marvellous
beauty of her features and figure,
her intelligence and prepossessing
manners soon made her favorite in
the gay society OF the resort, as she
had been in St. Petersburg. Among
her numerous admirers was the
young lieutenant, A. j. Redauski,
the bearer of a famous old name, who
was stationed with his regiment
the Eighty-sixth infantry at
Sdaraja. He was soon a victim to her
charms The girl returned to ST. !
Petersburg, and was followed by the
officer, who renewed there his suit.
The duchess encouraged the love
affair, and a few months ago Mile.
:Eu genia asked the regiment to unite
her fortunes with those Of Lieuten-
ant Redauski.