The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-05-03
IN THE
BALKANS
By DONALD CHAMBERLIN


down on hamlet or single house, xii
what men they found there. loot the
place and carry off the women.
The Christian inhabitants held secret
meetings, which were the forerunners
Of rebellion. They would meet In eel
lars, In garrets-anywhere that they
could deliberate in secret These meet.
pgs gradually took the form of rev.
Iolntionary propaganda. They also be.
came fighting bodies. A meeting would
be held, and perhaps the next day a
body of Turks who were expressing
the people would be attacked while
they were asleep.
A young man named Alexander
Isvor was prominent among the revo-
lutionists, so prominent that he be-
came known to the Turks and was
obliged to remain In hiding-that is,
he hid himself when he was not on
some incursion against the Turks; then,
backed by armed men and with car
bine in his hands, his tall figure was
seen moving about encouraging the
Christians and fighting desperately
himself
Alexander loved and was loved by
young girl named Sonia Damotika.
She was very proud Of her lover. but
was in constant dread lest she lose
him by Turkish bullet. But so dread
their masters, that she could not con-
scientiously ask him to desist from his
efforts.
At last Alexander was betrayed, and
his enemies laid a plan to take him,
which meant death after torture. They
were informed that he was hiding in a
certain village. There a small party Of
Turks repaired, dashing into the place
just at dusk and searching every
house There was no force for de-
Tense. and they had their own way.
But their leader, who was bent on cap
turing Alexander gave orders that no
loot should be taken, no women inter-
fered with, till he had been found,
After an hours hunt the Turkish
leader while ransacking house
caught sight of woman's foot under
a bed. He ordered whoever was In
hiding to come out. and Sonia. pale
and trembling, obeyed. One of the
Turkish soldiers recognized her as
betrothed and told the Off |
GER In command Of the fact. Imme- |
diately In order to intimidate her he |
put pistol to her head and ordered
her to tell where her lover was hiding. |
Ii was some time before the girl |
could gather enough strength to reply. |
When she found her voice she said
that she could not tell where Alexan-
Ter was hiding: she could only lead
hem TO the spot. But this did not /
satisfy the officer. So eager was he
o get the man he was after that he
promised Sonia that IL she would re-
real to him his hiding place he would
rot modest her. IL she refused he
would carry her of with him. She
Knew well enough what 1t meant to be
'arried off by Turk.
Sonia insisted that II would be i'm
possible for her TO direct them TO Alex
nder's hiding place. To reach II they
would have 10 go through many secret
iassages. Besides. she must get out
nto the open air or she would faint
lnce she showed signs OF swoonlng ]
he officer consented to take her out !
{ the house and few drafts of {
resh air seemed TO revive her. AS s
Don as she was able to proceed she
tarted down the street which ran
trough the village.
by this time II was quite dark. and
be place WAS but dimly illuminated. /;
'oming TO a narrow side street. she
1rned into H. following II TN she a
cached a still narrower one. Pursuing I
his for short distance. she arrived {
{ a pair OF steps Mounting the steps. {
he entered deserted house.
There she said. weeping. you viii
nd him-that Is unless he has gone 7
nee you came.
Her tears convinced the Turks that r
he was telling the truth Indeed. so !
orrible would he her fate In case she :
nceived them that they did not doubt n
b. would prefer 20 lose her lover. "
acer 10 pounce upon their prey, they 2
-oke down the door OF the house. and :
Z rushed I'm. leaving the girl behind q
lem.
The place was hlllv. and this part q
the village was built on n declivity i
be- moment sonia found herself alone \.
le darted MP the incline. soon reach =,
2 a low growth Of timber The ter :,
bic fate that threatened her gave her N
rength 70 climb. and. though IN dark -
-. she knew the ground. Not far -
ON where she bad taken 81 Eight "
ss = Cliff that vas reached by 4 path ~
hich was known oniy - the villagers. -
snrhiue fhe summit - this ciif. she
aiied Few minutes g. catch Der
cath. Tho Turks. finding that the
siding was enptf iooked about FOR L..
mia. Noi finding her. thev ran ont =.
Il. l,ut rs this time shs had reHehed a.
3 rUr Hearing them running about a.
srrhinr far hrf. she ran IN. A.
Alexander and Ssnis hHd been caught ~
fhe same t5use and. bearing the 4
.fts t,eleu. tool refuge uuasr = hed 81
thp rem wtere tlsev uare The 81
rts lnfent cr tie CAPTURE - ~uris. ~
M fhsns b. ls.ak uudff the BOD fgr 81
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srrudar rarun ant rr0rn re hising =
~ and MADE ne csaarsa surta 1T
rn~H fatmpa kln. ard s3see d wns VI
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