The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1902-05-17
Narrates the Experiences
of Her Captivity Among
the BrigandS.
PRISONERS ONCE NEAR DEATH
Brigands Had Almost Decided to Kill
Them When Ransom Seemed Doubt
ful-The Birth of Mime. Tsilka's Baby
-captors Celebrate Event.

Miss Ellen Stone spoke of her expert
ences last night to an audience that filled
the First Congregational Church, and
showed its appreciation by periods OF
.breathless attention alternating with
hearty applause. DR.. S. NJ. Newman in
troduced the speaker. who opened her adj
dress with the words:
Il come before an American audience
with mingled emotions. chief among
which is gratitude to the noble Chief Elk
ecutive, who, when others were discuss
ing questions of diplomacy, cut the Cor
dian knot by saying, First let the women
be freed. and We will settle the question
of responsibility afterward.'
Miss Stone then told her story in SIM
pie but graphic language. giving slight
sketch of her work in Bulgaria and Mace
donna. and of the conditions under which
the missionaries were travelling when cap
tured by the brigands. and then describing
in detail the experiences undergone by
herself and Madame TsillSa. While the
main points of the story have of course
been given in the reports of the press,
there was vividness about the narrative
which held the audience in close atten-
ton. Miss Stone is not given to oratori-
cal OF rhetorical flights: il is the siory
itself, and the earnestness and simplicity
of her manner which are impressive.
Once Near Death.
One TART of the address which proved
especially thrilling was the story of a
certain Sunday when the ransom seemed
not to be forthcoming. and the brigands
had almost decided TO kill their prison.
ers. At that time the two women were
confined in little sheepfold on hill
side. and Miss Stone could see from her
position that the brigands were having a
conference over pepper which they were
examining, farther down the hillside, and
she could also hear a part of the con-
versation.
Il saw them take out their pistols" she
said, land examine the cartridges. 10 see
If they were all right. / saw them lay
those pistols down, and knew from their
gestures what their purpose was. II only
remained for us to wonder whether they
I'll evening.
I'VE thought of our friends, going to
church on that peaceful Sabbath morn
ing and wondered what they would feel
if they could see US in that little sheep
fold, surrounded by those fierce men. We
wondered If everyone had forgotten us.
Il heard two or three of the brigands
who we're near us, talking together, and
one. whom we had always called the bad
man.. said in a low tone:
why do you use the pistols? Why
not dagger? Is ii because they are
women
And then he went on to tell of the
death cries of various victims which he
had heard, and We heard them say that
they hoped these people would not make
much noise.
I'VE soon learned that we must do at
once whatever they told us to do. We
learned that when we saw cloaks or straw
or blankets spread down in one corner OF
any place, that was to be our sleeping
place. and we were expected to 60 to that
place and stay. They would take what
They fed us as well as they could. Just
as one would feed blooded stock on which
he expected to make money. We were
usually so hungry that we could eat any
thing they gave US"
Birth of Mime. TsiIka's Baby.
The most pathetic and touching part of
the story, OF course, dealt with the birth
of Madame Tsilka's baby in captivity; and
when IT came to the attitude of the
brigands toward this little creature the
narrative was a comical mixture of hu-
NOR and pathos.
"A brigand came TO the door OF the hut
about o'clock said the speaker. when I
] told him that he could go and tell his |
that mother and daughter I
were doing well, instead of going away /
he came rizht in and went 10 a cask of 4
wine In the corner and got some wine with |
which to drink the baby's health, for he ,
knew they would all want to do that.
THE next day some of the others came
and asked if they might see the baby.
And SO they all filed in. in full dress
their kind of full dress-clean hands and
faces. The rest of their attire was Just
as usual
"one man. ] knew by the look on his
face. had a wife and some children ~ his
own. and / let him take the baby In his
arms. This man had been driven away
from his home by the Turkish govern
ment.
His house was searched for concealed
weapons. and the spies began to heat
water and irons with which to torture
hirn. and he determined that when that
water and those irons were hot he would
rot be there. So he managed to elude
he guards and slipped out OF the house
md escaped by taking a leap OF twenty
Get. landing on hard snow and ice.
His pursuers did rot think he would
AXE that leap. and they went around to
read hiri of by a oircuitous route. But
lie took IT. and though he lost two toes
N one foot ard all the flesh off the other,
,e Travelled for seven hours that night
n that condition. and Joined these bril-
,ands. That Is what the Turkish govern
ncnt does for some men.
Part of Gods Providence.
We'll. they all sat around the fire. and
ooked at the baby. And know that some
4 them thought OF the baby that was