The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-05-20
STONE
IN SCRANTON
TELLS OF HER CAPTIVITY IN
BULGARIA.

BULGARIA.
Woman Missionary, Who Was Kid
mapped by Brigands and Held
Until Ransomed by Her Country
people, Delivers an Interesting
Lecture at the Lyceum-Declares
Unhesitatingly That She Believes
the Turkish Government Is in
League with the Brigands.
Miss Ellen stone should obtain re-
| dress from the photographers who are
responsible for her portraits, and from
| the papers that have printed thepl, for
| In no case do these pictures give her
| even faint justice. Imagine lady with
a fine carriage, Il well-shaped head,
| with Il brilliance of eye and mobility of
countenance which no photograph can
| reproduce. with a charm of manner and
Il richness of diction impossible to de-
scribe, and a slight idea may be gained
of her personality. What cannot be
portrayed are the ghosts of dmples
that were at the corners of her mouth
before the terrible strain of months left
her worn and wearied the quick flashes
of humor and the gentle pathos which
send varied expressions across her face
Miss Stone is II fascinating conver-
sationalist and is responsive to de-
gree. Last night she was a guest at
the home of Colonel and Mrs. E. II.
Ripple, and her cleverness of express
sion and swift thought were a delight
She has just come from Washington,
where she met the president. ooh. but
he is an energetic man." she said,
laughingly. He was there a moment
ana then he wasn't / never saw any
one make such haste to do things
Miss Stone believes that Consul Dick
inson. who. it will be remembered. is
Binghamton man, did all he could for
her release. That he failed was not due
to any lack of effort on his part, but
rather the inability of the western
mind to cope with the Oriental. He
was too unfamiliar with ways that are
dark and tricks that are vain, and
found it difficult to view matters in the
necessary line of obliquity.
She unhesitatingly admits her belief
that the Turkish government is in
league with the brigands, and does not
see why Europe hesitates in establish
ing some decent form of government
over those Christian divisions of Bull
garia which 50 desires them.
Miss Stone is accompanied by her
niece from Boston.
LECTURE AT THE LYCEUM.
To Rev. Thomas de Gruchy is due
the credit of securing Miss Stone in
Scranton, and while it was unfortu-
nate that this great lecture should have
taken place in the early days of the
strike, for no doubt it was affected by
this, still the Lyceum was we'll filled.
He has been assisted by Mr.. Fred c.
Hand.
Rev. DR.. de Gruchy introduced Miss
Stone in happily chosen words. He
was followed by Rev. DR.. Pierce. of the
Penn Avenue Baptist church. who also
made a pleasant speech of welcome to
the lady he placed in the same cate
CORY with Dorcas, Joan of Arc and
Grace Darling.
Miss Stone gave minute account of
her terrible experiences. Beginning
with a description of the political stua-
ton in Bulgaria, she told of the kid
mapping, the horrible days when she
and Mrs. Tsilka supposed they We're to
be killed, and of the other horrible days
that followed, lengthening into weary
weeks and months. The incredible
suffering, the hardships and the agony
of mind, make up tale of the most
tragic interest.
AS she described the death of the
poor fellow whom the brigands killed
on the day of the capture, the dra-
matte power of the speaker rose to
climax, Would that my ears had
been stopped that day." she said, "for
I think until the day of my death will
ring therein that death cry as they
stabbed him, after brutally beating
him about the head"
1t was long before they knew, these
poor, forlorn women, that they were
being held for ransom, but when they
heard that it was for such a large
sum. $4,000. their spirits fell again.
The brigands We're terrible creatures
indeed, but they did not rob their cap
tives, nor cause them to undergo in
dignities other than their privations
and weary marches through the nights
and their shut-in days, where often
they must whisper for days together.
They slept in sheep-folds. in wine cell
lars, in caves of the earth, under the
open skies, in the bitter cold. They
We're made to ride up the steepest
mountain sides in the darkness. They
We're ill-clad and often ill-fed.