The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1912-12-27
THE CROSS AND
THE CRESCENT
A Story Of the Balkan War
BY F. A. mitchell

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When the war between the Balkan
states and the Turks broke out Il
placed Arthur Andrews, an American
living In Servia, in condition calcu
lated to drive him mad. A few years
before. having come of age and in
heriting a fortune, he went abroad tC
travel for pleasure. The Balkan PENN
sula attracted him owing to its rugged
scenery, the gay costumes of its PEG
pie and its general oriental appearance
The inhabitants of Turkey in Eu.
rope are a mixture of the white and
Turkish races, Christians and Moham-
medans. Andrews was at an impress
lently in love and, being In love. not to
consider the consequences of an Ill as.
sorted marriage. A young Turkish
girl to whom he was introduced car
ried him clean Off his feet. and he be-
came so violently in love with her that,
throwing caution to the winds. he beg
ged her to marry him.
The lady. Zaide, the daughter of a
pasha. born In the highest Turkish cir
cles, did not consider Andrews her So
cial equal. but her heart was enlisted
as well as his own, and she consented
that he should ask her father for her
hand The pasha. being an admirer of
western civilization. looked favorabiy
on his suit and at last consented. pro-
vided he would embrace the faith of
Islam. The young man declared that
he would embrace any faith on the
face of the globe IL he might be
permitted to embrace the pasha'
daughter. The marriage was celebrat
ed. and the groom, realizing that his
and his wife's religion would he out of
place In America. remained in Turkey.
Andrews Mohammedism, being skin
deep. wore off With the first freshness
OF love Indeed, the more he saw of
the Turks he deeper he syinpathlzed
with those who would be glnd to see
the crescent driven back into Asia,
from which 1t had emerged many cen
turtles before to make its European con
quests Born Christian, II CALLED him
that the Turks should occupy Chris
tian ground. that their capital should
have been founded toy the first Chris
tian Roman emperor or that the church
Of ST. Sophia should be mosque
When the Montenegrirs. in order TO
forestall an order from the powers,
broke, sword In hand. into Turkish ter
riiory and Seryia was preparing 10 do
htr part in the war. crisis came in
I {. Affairs of Andrews and his wife.
Her father was not only devoted to
the cause OF Islam. hut was m officer
high In the service of the sustain The
young wife declared that she would
stand by her father her eountrymer
and her religion. Andrews asserted
that he would join the Seryian forces
and aid In banishing the crescent to
Asia. where 1t belonged. They parted
though their hearts were welded.
agreeing that after the struggle they
would fly again to each other.
During those first few weeks when
the allied forces we're winning victory
after victory and driving their enc
my before them there were some tenn
porary setbacks to the allies. In one
OF these Andrews. who commanded a
squadron of cavalry in the Servian
army, was wounded and captured. He
and those taken with him were hnr-
ried to the rear to a reserve corps.
which II happened was under the com
mand Of Rustom Pasha his fatherin-
law
Zaide. who was woman OF strong
character. had while living with her
husband become much interested in
many European institutions, among
others the Red Cross. She had no
sooner Joined her father than she pro-
ceeded to organize similar corps as
an auxiliary to her fathers command.
One day upon passing hurriedly down
between two rows of cots In hospi
tai her eye fell upon face which
Notwithstanding It's pallor she recog
nized at once as her husband. She
was about to fly TO his embrace when
the horror of the situa tion rushed
upon her. Andrews had professed TO
be disciple of MohamnIed and had
drawn his sword against the prophet
So long as he was unrecoguized as a
Mohammedan he would be treated as
a prisoner of war, but if he were
known to be or have been OF the faith
nothing could save him.
The glances of the two met, and this
same thought occurred to both. There
was momentary lighting of each
pair of eyes. Then the wife with
drew hers, and she passed on down
the aisle and left the room.
The hospital, though In the Turkish
rear, was not considered permanent,
for the allies were pressing forward,
lighting like tigers. But for one day
and night the sick were undisturbed.
During the evening Mrs. Andrews,
though worn out with the distressing
work of the day. went In among the
sick. ostensibly to cheer them, but real
~ to steal brief interview with her
husband Taking the precaution to
stop and speak with number of suf-
ferers before reaching the bed he oc-
cupied. she at last came to his and
said In the Turkish tongue and voice
loud enough to be heard:
Are you badly wounded. sir?"
''Oniy slightly" was the reassuring
reply.
rs there anything ! can do for your
Eyes. During the night | am fever
isb and troubled with burning thirst. !
III you can send about midnight some
water I shall he grateful"