The Climax-Madisonian. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1914-1917, 1915-09-22
A Story Of
TheBalkans
By DONALD cEIAMBERLIN


Shortly after the assassination OF the
Austrian royalties in Servia that
brought on the big European war /
was talking with my friend Hardegan
about it and noticed that he was under
considerable emotion.
eff the subject is disagreeable to
you, Ned" said, '1et us change it"
He made no reply for a few mo-
ments. then lowering his voice said:
"You know that my wife was born
and brought up In one of the Balkan
states"
Il know that you have been very
secretive about your wtfe's past" re-
piled.
There is a reason for my secretive-
ness. The people OF the Balkan states
have lived in constant state OF op-
preston by the Turks and Of late years
in dread of being absorbed by one or
another OF European sovereigns. My
wife had spent her childhood in IA
miliarity with the barbarous acts Of
the Turks and when she became q wo-
man saw her country In process OF
passing into an empire lying to the
west"
He then told me the following story:
MY wife. as you know. Is called
Anna. That is not her name, but
shall not give you her real name or tell
you where Is her birthplace. When
went abroad before settling down to
my profession put aside a year for
travel In Vienna 1 made the ac-
quaintance Of an Austrian OF promi-
nence who let me into the secret of
provinces lying to the eastward of the
empire. That summer Bosnia and
Herzegovina were annexed.
From Vienna went to Servia and
thence through all the Balkan states.
In one Of them-I shall not say which,
met my wife. We took q desperate
fancy to each other at once. Her fam
fly was noble, and, she being both re-
fined and intelligent, there seemed no
reason why we should not be married
except that we were of a different race.
After our engagement I told my
wife what 1 had learned about Aus
TRAN intentions concerning certain
Balkan states. noticed that she
listened with deep emotion. She hated
the Austrians and seemed to dread
their encroachment. My information
confirmed certain hints she had re-
ceived that the emperor of Austria
was about to appropriate her native
state and that a certain Austrian
diplomat was then in the capital-in
which she lived-who was taking GER
tain preparatory steps for the occupa-
80, IL 49,.
mind, distressing her very much.
Il was glad when our wedding day
arrived. for she was to leave her home
with me for America. The bridal was
solemniZed with a certain barbaric
splendor which was enhanced by the
picturesque costumes of all but myself,
| wearing the usual American clothes
and looking for all the world like a
weed in a flower garden.
In the evening after the ceremony
my wife bade goodby to her family and
friends with so much emotion that I
wondered If she would be content In
our far distant home. Then we entered
the carriage that was to take US to the
station. Before starting my wife told
me to ask the coachman to stop at
the house of a friend of hers to whom
she wished to say goodby. 1 noticed
that Anna carried In her hand small
package, and asked her why she had
not put it in trunk or satchel She
replied that it was glass and perishable.
When we reached her friends house
she asked me to remain in the carriage
while she went In and babe her friend
goodby. She would not be gone more
than two or three minutes. l assented.
She went to the door, still carrying the
package. A young woman admitted her:
the two disappeared inside for about a
minute; then Anna reappeared and re-
turned to me-without the package.
saw no evidence Of an emotional part
Ing between the two girl friends. In
deed, both seemed absorbed In some
thing else.
From Annals home we passed into
Hungary. In the morning we were at
Budapest, and at the hotel 1 noticed
knots Of persons talking excitedly on
some subject and on inquiry learned
that an attempt had been made during
the night in the city we had left to
assassinate the Austrian diplomat. who
was preparing the way for the states
annexation A woman had thrown a
bomb through an open window into a
room where her intended victim was
sitting He was badly injured. but not
killed The news did not appear in the
newspapers. 1t was simply whispered
from one person to another. Indeed,
1t was never published to the world.
When reJoined my wife I told her
what l had heard. She turned pale
and In two quick questions asked If the
girl who had thrown the bomb had
been captured and If the attempt had
been successful. The answer to the
first question did not know. The Sec
ond l answered mechanically, for my
wtfe's emotion, taken with other
events, led me to suspect that she had
delivered to the assassin the bomb that
had been used
The look OF horror on my face re-
vealed to Anna what was on my mind.
Clasping her arms about me, she con-
fessed that she had been a party to the
attempted assassination and begged me
not to turn against her. Despite my
repugnance to her participation in what
the world considered a crime, I could
not turn away from a bride of less
than day.
1--WE must get out of Austria at
once / said. and within half an hour
we were on our way to the train"