The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-12-27
BULGARIAN AMAZONS,

In the desutory warfare which is be-
ing carried on against the Turk in the
Balkans women have come to the front
again as soldiers Among the Bulgarian
insurgents who invade Macedonia and
raid villages are a number of amazcns.
who are sure of foot in climbing noun
tains and sure of aim in the fighting
which is carried on in "a village and on
the mountain side
These women, ualike others who have
enlisted in the ranks of armies do not at
tempt TO conceal the fact that they are
women. Some of them wear their hair
hanging free to display the fact that
they are amazons.
For a civilized, or supposedly civilized
country. the woman soldier is an almost
unknown quantity. ard for that reason
the fair soldiers of Bulgaria who are
warfare against the Turk. are attracting
attention.
Kristina Petkova is one of these sol
diars. The uniform she wears is a DIS
tinctly serviceable one-strapped leggins,
coarse wooden trousers. ana loose fitting
blouse, with cartridge belt around the
waist and around the shoulders. musket
strapped TO the back ind saber at the
side
There is a romance connected with her
service in the Bulgarian ranks of the
Macedonian army. Her nance - a young
officer in the same army. During one
of the Notwithstanding raids which are
undertaken to drive the Macedonian peas
;,,-r ~, IL. he loJ
a detachment against village where the
Turkish forces We're found in unexpected
numbers. A quick retreat was all that
saved the Bulgarian soldiers but In this
fight the young officer was captured. be-
ing In the rear OF the retiring Bulgarians.
His comrades. having escaped TO the
mountains, carried the news Of his cap
ture TO Kristina. In her despair. know
Ing that there was little chance OF any
thing but death for him, she gathered
about her number of insurgents for an
attempt at rescue
mountain TO the village. and were plan
They retraced their way down the
mountain to the village and were plan
ming a night attack. when the young Off
Ger suddenly appeared among them. He
had succeeded in eludiag the guard placed
over him. and had mae his escape.
The young girl, however. Ia cast her
lot with the Bulgarian cause ana to be
with her lover during the campaigns she
decided 70 enlist as a solder He pro-
tested at first, but finally relented. being
willing TO allow her 10 brave the dangers
since she showed the spirit neces AIRY for
it
Among the other women who are See
ing service IN the Bulgarian army In
Macedonia are SOME who are officers.
most of ihom being non-comr,.ss. oned,
Arnoudova is a sergeant. but unlike Kris
tina. she Is DESTROYS OF appearing as a
man. In her uniform she appears to bc
a sturdy. good-lcoking youth OF TWEEN
ty-one.
The character OF the warfare being car
ried on in the Balkans is OF a kind which
would attract women 70 the service At
least, II Is repetition or the kind which
has attracted them il times pasta rere-
,itiol OF the desulto-y but fierce sgrug-
giles which lave been wacsd with all the
greater feroclty because they have been
unorganized
Religion and race prsindtces are among
the causes which make the Bulgarian and
Macedonian troops the natural enemies Of
the Turks II = a struggle for homes
and churches. ard such : struggle always
has claimed the most active interest on
the part OF women
When foreign poiitics cause 4 war II IS
seldom that women get closely IN touch
Vith il. bat as soon rs homes are threat
onel they will oe found identified with
the men. Frontier lie in Arnetica &C.
maafed that the women be AZ ready with
rite as The I1sa. ard she cordition IN
the Baikars now presents a similar prob
lem TO the bulgarian wcEea--chEcaso
Chronicle.