The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1902-05-17
MISS STONES TALE
TOLD IN WASHINGTON
MISS STONE TALKS OF
HER MISSIONARY WORK
Former Prisoner of the Bulgarian Ban
dts Recalls That Adventurous
Period.

The name of Miss Ellen NJ. Stone has
undoubtedly figured in more sensational
headlines than that of any other woman
five years; but there is nothing sensation.
al about Miss Stone herself.
AS she hustled into the parlor Of the
Riggs House yesterday evening on re-
turning from drive, she WAS the picture
of the comfortable. wholesome. kind
hearted woman Of mature years with
whom most neighborhoods are happy
enough to be familiar: the sort of woman
who is sent for in cases of sudden illness
or dire need. when nobody else has time
or inclination to attend to them.
Does Not Pose.
In talking with her one finds it some
what difficult TO realize that she has been
the heroine of adventures as sensational
as are to be found in any novel Of the
melodramtic order. There is no pose
about Miss Stone. She was simply
dressed in black and her manner was
that of a woman who has been accus-
toned to think of other people instead OF
trying to make them think of her.
MY dear" she laughed. as a friend
begged her to take a more comfortable
chair. there were months when | didn't
have chair to sit on; we had to sit on
the ground"
How long have you been in foreign
mission work, Miss Stone?" was asked.
Ever since 1878. Ii was my first inten-
tion to go to India, but / cannot stand
heat very we'll. and they told me
shouldn't like working just little while
In the morning and little while In the
evening, as they have TO do there
There was a twinkle in the mission
ary's eye which showed that she under
stood her friends appreciation of her
Overlooking energy.
Sent to Mountains.
SO they sent me to Samarkov, which
is among the mountains, and it is cooler.
/ taught for some time in the girls
school. and then took up field work"
"And what is the field work."
1T is going about from place to place,
finding out where the people need and
want workers. and what sort of work is
most needed, and then supervising the
workers. / could not say what particular
kind Of work is most needed. We try
material side of it. but medical mission
work is not SO much needed there as in
some other places, because they have
good physicians
Some of the mission workers, how
ever, are qualified as physicians or nurses.
Madame Tsilka was one of these. She
came to this country and went to Mr..
Moody's school. and took up nursing, pay
ing especial attention to Obstetrics. You
know her baby was born while we were
in captivity, and she understood Just what
to do for herself 1t was one OF the lead
ings of Providence that she should have
been SO prepared for that terrible expert
erce."
Feared the Worst.
did you have the feeling, during all
that time of suspense. that you were to
be rescued. as people sometimes do feel
that they will come safely through
great DANGER"
''Oh. my dear. II was all the other way |
We never expected TO be rescued. II |
seemed almost impossible. Day after day |
we thought they would surely kill US this |
day or the next. l did all ! could to keep |
myself from thinking of it, of course. But |
IL never seemed as if we were TO get away |
snte
They never told us anything of what |
was going on outside, whether our friends |
even knew that we were alive or not. |
We did get an inkling at one time that |
they were trying to find out whether we
were alive. and were trying to ransom |
us. But II was all hopeless uncertainty |
for the most part"
Your mother must have been exceed
ipgly thankful to find that you were really
safe home again
Miss Stones eyes softened, and her
brisk voice did. too.
Act of Providence.
Yes; 1t seemed a special providence
that she was able TO endure the shock
Of hearing the news of my capture, and
then the great shock of Joy. You know.
she is nearly ninety years old. really
don't remember what she said when she
saw me. / did not see her the first
night, for / reached home very late, and
II wouldn't have been right to break her
rest. She may have said oh, my dear
Ellen: am SO thankful you are safe or
like that. don't know.
las to going back TO the work, / can't
tell anything about that yet. ! shall wait
10 be led. You know we must all follow
where God leads us. Perhaps ! shall go
back, after this tour is over"
ARMY CAISS0N TO BEAR