The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-02-05
"A BALKAN
EPISODE
Bv LOUISE 8. CUMMINGS

The Balkan states are half dozen
little kingdoms that have been fighting
one another from time immemorial.
and all Of them have been fighting the
Turk. II the many occurrences in the
Balkans of a romantic nature could be
gathered together there would be-
enough OF them to supply story tellers
for hundreds Of years. The following
Is a sample:
Not far from Adrianople there lived
q country girl named Tarissa. She
was a Christian inhabiting a region
ruled BY the Turks. Tarissa's home
was just south of the border line be-
tween Turkey and Roumelia. One day
a party Of Roumelians headed By Il
young man, Boris LOvatz. came down
the valley Of the Martha river in pur
suit Of band Of Turks who had car
ried of some Roumelian women. Be-
fore his return he had met Tarissa and
there had resulted love affair. Lo-
vatz was successful in rescning the
women be had come for and went back
into ROumelia.
| Had 1t not been for having met Ia
| rissa he might never have come into
| Turkey again and been safe from the
revenge due him for the rescue. But
/ there Is no risk man will not take
for love. and 1t was not long before he
was again across the border on visit
to his sweetheart. Indeed he came so
often that it got out among the Turks
that this enemy had been captivated
| by girl and was making periodical
| visits to her. So a watch was set for
! him.
One day the spy who was selected
/ for this service went to Turkish off.
Ger who was on duty in the neighbor.
hood and told him that Boris was with
Tarissa. The officer directed several
of his men to mount their horses, and
placing himself at their head. he rode
toward the hamlet where Tarissa liv.
ed. Dusk was falling. and the Turk
before reaching the hamlet. directed
his men to remain where they were
and rode forward alone to reconnoiter
for he knew that Boris was as slippery
as an eel and II he was aware that a
| force was coming to take him be would
be or like the wind.
When near Tarissa's home the officer
! approached cautiously. and since 1t was
dark he reached window without be-
ing seen. In the room into which he
looked were Boris and Tarissa. Boris
was trying to induce the girl to go
back with him and become his wife.
She hesitated since he was marked fol
destruction In Turkey and could never
come back with her to her home. So
intent were they with each other that
they did not notice the appearance Of
the Turk ut the window till they heard
a click and. looking up, saw him level
ing pistol at Boris.
The Roumelian realized that he was
doomed and. preferring to die by bull
let without being tortured, as he doubt
less would be II he were captured, put
his hand to his hip for weapon. But
he had unclasped his belt and laid II
on a chair. Tarissa saw his eye turn
toward the chair. and. anticipating his
intention to die defending himself. SHE
threw herself between him and his
weapon.
This placed her between the officer
and her lover. Since the former could
not shoot without killing her he sprane
in through the window and. covering
Boris, called on him to surren6es:
There was nothing else for the captive
to do since he had nothing with which
to make defense except to induce his
captor to shoot him.
The next move Of the Turk was t.
get his prisoner to his men or bis
men to his prisoner. The latter was
not an easy thing to do, for the mel
were beyond call. and he had no one
to send for them. Keeping his pisto
pointed toward Boris, he glanced Out
through the window to see II any one
was near. for he was In a Christian
hamlet. and II he attempted to drive
his captive to his men he might gel
bullet from some one Of the little
clump of houses.
During these few moments In which
he was obliged to keep so many things
In his mind there were two very i'm
portant matters that he failed to grasp
One was Tarissa and the other Boris
belt. to which was slung his pistol
though he may not have seen the lat
ter. The Turks glance through thu
window enabled Tarissa to take steI
backward SO that BY placing her hand
behind her she might reach the weapon
Not seeing any one without to senC
for his men. he ordered Boris to pre-
cede him through the doorway and
out OF the house. Boris obeyed. and
rs the men passed out, the Turk keep
ing his eyes fixed on his prisoner. Ia
rissa possessed herself of Boris pistol
She now had every advantage. fol
she was behind the Turk. Only the
knowledge that her lover would die O
frightful death enabled her to kill q
man in cold blood. Stealing up close
to the Turk. she shot him through the
head.
Boris turned. saw the Turk fall and
Tarissa with a smoking pistol in her
hand.
60" she said. There must be 9th
ers near"
Without word he sprang on to the
horse on which he had come. and as
he passed out of sight the Turkish
soldiers were heard coming.