The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-07-23
RANSoMED MISSIONARY TELLS
GRAPHIC SToRY roF HER
THRILLING CAPTIVITY
& III -
SAYS, GOD HEARD HEP --- @ 4a
PRAYERS FOR sUccoR
:
Missionary,ra Pleasant Woman, Ear
nest and sin9easre-Tells How Brig
ands Treated Herself and Mrs.
7 Tsiika During Trying Days When
Death Seemed Very Near.

y
whose name has been a household word
since the nation was wrought to a
nigh pitch of indignation by the news
OF her capture by Bulgarian brigands,
and for whose ransom appeals were
made to the American nation for con-
trlbutions, told her story to a large
audience at the Central Presbyterian
church last night. The public is now
largely familiar with the thrilling ex-
periences of Miss Stone through the
papers and magazines, but her story
as 1T fell from her lips last night was
none the less interesting because por-
lions of it were already familiar to
those who heard it. AS told by the
ransomed missionary it did not sound
like a wonderfully thrilling story. She
told it simply and directly, but with
a spontapeity that had. the. genuine
ring. - 8 a
Miss Stone is rather sweet-faced
woman, with a soft voice and kind
ly smile, which bespeaks the gentle
disposition. In defneanor she is meek
and humble, and there is no Boosting
note in her speech. She regards her
deliverance from the hands of the
brigands as the direct act Of God in an
swer to faithful prayers, and this. is
the dominant note. of her discourse,
gratefulness to God for delivering His
servant.
.,.a ross Story of Captivity,
Miss Stone gave graphic recital Of
the way the ca49tives- were treated by
the brigands and how they suffered
during their ssixnmonthS' captivity. She
said that during the 172 nights she and
her friend, &MrS.Y Katerina Stephanova
Tsilka, had. been held as captives they
had been compelled by the captors to
travel most 0f. the nights in order to
th0 - a1.,o of I1,~ier Il
as secret She also told in graphic
way how they had been attacked in
the mountains by another band of
highWaymerE and the horrible night
they spent while under the fire of the
additional ehedy. z ~ r.
After her lecture number of
stereopticon views of the people of
Macedonia andU ttheir costumes were
given. These Views also included a
number of herself and companion, Mrs.
Tsilka, with her baby, that was born
while in captivity, and the costumes in
which they spent the six months with
the brigands who held them captives.
After the lecture an informal recep-
ton was held in the church pariors for
Miss. Stone, during which time she met
a number, of those who had listened
to her lecture, '-s
Hardships Encountered.
In speaking of the hardships endur-
ed during her captivity she said in
part: e19%F 7iaf,7sF'f'
eve had no soap or towels, scomboor
brush, nor any Of the indispensablesof
life, save the clothes we stood in. We
learned the value of a tooth brush and
of a button hook through our depriva-.
ton of them for nearly six months.
We learned, too, how few things one
can manage to live when one must.
That morning, after our. capture we
procured water for our face and hands,
and borrowed a comb from one OF our
guards. Mrs. Tsilka had let down her
hair and covered her head with a white
handkerchief on the road before
we were captured, and thus She wore it
during our entire captivity. l contin-
ued to do mine up, as usual, though L
adopted the handkerchief as a prOtec-
ton, My dress, had been torn during
the night, and we had no needles and
thread, but one of the guards promptly
supplied us. The needle, a large one,
of course. The etookl from the lining of
his cap, and, the coarse black thread
from the knapsack which he carried
upon his shoulders Without a thimble
I mended the rents in my garments,
and sewed on the braid which had been
ripped from my skirt in our hurried
climb the nights before. Our guards
occupied themselves in similar ways,
and in drying their wet feet. After
sent, to go to sleep. We were sure that
some were watching :us3sthen, as al
ways, but no one was in sight. 1t was
a good time to put our money and a
few valuables. more securely away,
for we yet, expected to, be p1undered
when it should suit the plans of the
brigands. titan c-ett,.H
GsT - =, +to. iaftarnnoy, caY,,a ono
brought us a chicken, only about half
boiled, and explained that we were to
have had onesearlier, but that the shep-
herd who WAS to- cook 1t had boiled it
with ten red hot peppers and oke. 1.-TWO
and three qiarter pounds) of flour,
making dish Which none Of the brig
ands themselves Gould eat. Hence they
had delayedscuntfl a second chicken
could be boi1ed..dOf course we thanked
them, and when they commanded US
to be readya to start on our journey,
and brought US a pair Of goats hair
saddle-bags, we wrapped it up and put
it with our other food, our Bible, tin
box and shawl strap into the bags.
Wearied With Travel.
"Could these brigands have foreseen
all the trials to their strength and pa
thence which they were to endure dur
ing the next six months, with their cap
tiVeS, l wonder Whether they would not
have released US at once. On the
first day they gave us no opportunity
for more than a chance word with
them. Finally the horses were started
off, and we began our climb, Mrs.
Tsilka and her guard having quite a
start of us. We climbed steadily, but
were soon putting and perspiring be-
cause Of the steepness of the way. eff
only Mrs. Tsilka would stop, for must
sit and rest 1 said, but. she continued
to climb, and was forced to follow.
Afterward she said that she was ready
to drop from fatigue, but as her guard
did not suggest a stop she feared to
ask him, and he almost carried her.
Finally we reached the horses, mounted
and started on our second nights
Journey. Now / noticed more clearly
than I did the night before that we
never Travelled by roads, but always by
mountain trails, or sheep or goat paths,
OF with no path at all.
eff we saw a road anywhere and hop
ed for an easier Journey on 1t, we were
here to be EsapWointed, for the ad-
vance guard always crossed over and
continued the journey through the un-
derbrush, where, their captives were
often in imminent danger of Absa1om's
fate from the overhanging branches"
+ Miss Stone then related how the brig
ands arranged for the ransom to be
paid, and how on several occasions
their death was planned, and they gave
up hope, butrwere finally delivered