The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-05-27
An Escape
By ELlNOR MARSH

across the border and while there fell
father refused her to him unless he
would renounce the Christian religion
and become a Alohammedan. Ivan was
averse to doing so, but it is easy for
one who is in love to find salve for
his conscience. and he finally consent
ed. He professed adhesion TO the
prophet, and the two were married.
This is simple matter with the
Turks, for the bride IS conducted to the
groom's house and left there with him.
There is no such ceremony as among
Christians.
OF course the young husbands con
version was form, but he was obliged
TO go to prayers in the mosque like any
Mohammedan and otherwise conform
TO that religion. After awhile he grew
! tired of this and, taking his wife with
him, went back to the other side of the
F., border.
! Now, 1t was not long after the Ivano.
/ witch family made this move that the
Grand Duke Nicholas marched by, i'm
4 DItSSlHS lltll lllO Ills dIllN as ut du-
vanced taking Ivan among the num-
ber When the latter found that they
, were marching on ErZerum he was
much concerned, for it was near that
! city that he had married his wife, and
, if he should be captured and recOg
nized fighting in a Christian army
against the followers Of Mohammed he
would suffer as dreadful fate as could
= be visited on renegade.
! Ivanovtch was on the flank of his
army and ten miles to the northwest of
Erzerum. There he was captured by
the Turks and carried with them in
their retreat before the Russians to
ward Trebizond
Just before the Russian advance into
Turkey, Nine. Ivanovitch went on II
visit to her people and was there dur
ing the surrender of Erzerum by the
Turks. One day while looking at some
Russian prisoners who were being
marched by, she saw her husband
among them.
The good woman was seized with
the same trepidation as Ivan, that he
might he recognized as Mohammed-
an renegade. Wishing to be near him
to afford him such protection as she
might be able. she followed the prison.
ers, their captors taking them along
in retreat, and saw them go into
bivouac for the night
Now, there was no opportunity for a
woman to mingle among men in Tur-
key, for Turkish women and men do
not associate together as i'm other coun.
; tries. The only way Nine. lvanovitch
could 60 among the soldiers and prison.
, ers was by assuming mans attire. En-
tering the women's quarters of house
near by, she prevailed upon wife tc
, procure her a suit of her husbands
which she put on and, carrying hel
own clothes in bundle under her arm
went to the place where the prisoners
, were. There she made friends Will
the guard and offered her services foI
any duty she might perform. She was
, told that she might take part in watch
ing the prisoners, and, obtaining q
! gun, she stood guard with the rest.
/, Toward midnight she took position
, near her husband and dropped hel
bundle beside him, at the same time
making signs to him to roll into some
, underbrush few yards from him
Slowly cdging in that direction, he
came to the edge of the brush. Most
, of the guard were drowSy. One OF
: them was near enough to observe
Ivan. and Nine. Ivanovitch placed her
, self between the two. Then the pris
, oner rolled into the brush.
, AS soon as he examined the con
tents of the bundle he saw his wife.
, design. AS man in Russian uniform
it would be impossible for him Il
make his way through the Turkish
: lines, but as a woman he would have
a every advantage. especially as the face
2 of Turkish woman is always bidder
a by veil. Under cover of the dark
, ness he took off his clothes and pu
! on those of his wife, then made hi
way out of the bivouac of guards ant
prisoners.
, Coming to the road over which b
had been marched during the day. h
walked along it till lie came to house
There he took refuge in an outhous
. till morning. when he raped at tn
/, women's quarters. He was admitted
!, made up story of having been to Sc
!, an officer to whom she (he) was maj
ried, and was treated with kindness.
~ Here he wSs in double danger. for h
+ was not only a renegade MussulmaT
! but man in the women's quarters,
:, place where not even husband ma
4 enter unless his wife is without WISH
! ors. However, he insisted on remain
. ing yelled and got out as soon as h
could without exciting suspicion.
|, Following the road back toward tn
Russians, he modestly withdrew to on
side ON meeting Turkish soldiers VIII
were hurrying before their conqueror'
:, At last he met the Russian advanc
and, lifting his veil. revealed himse
as a man and a Russian
u The next meeting between IvanOvitc
u and his wife was in a hospital With
the Russian lines. He had been take
~ i'll and relegated to the quarters of til
= sick. Mime. Ivanoviteh had made he
way back toward ErZerum and ha
u been hoping that he had made goo
u his escape. She had gone with Re
L Cross nurses to help in the hOspita
he and one day as she was passing his c.
the two met.
III She was free to kneel beside him, an
the two embraced with thanks, the OF
to God, the other to Allah.
Kaan a , it4Ie ia SRoeL