The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-12-14
An Escape
BY ELINOR MARSH
BY ELINOR MARSH

north of the boundary line between
Russia and Turkey, found employment
across the border and while there fell
IN love with young Turkish girl. Her
rather refused her to him unless he
would renounce the Christian religion
and become Mohammedan. 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 |
'Th1s 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
border.
Now, 1t was not long after the Ivano
witch family made this move that the
Grand Duke Nicholas marched by, i'm.
pressing men into his army as he ad.
vanced, taking Ivan among the mum
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.
Ivanovitch 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
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 be recognized as a 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
| hiyOuac for the night
Now, there was no opportunity for a
key, for Turkish women and men do
not associate together as in other coun-
tries. The only way Nine Ivanovitch
could go 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 to
! procure her a suit Of her husbands,
/ which she put on and, carrying her
own clothes in bundle under her arm
went to the place where the prisoners
! were There she made friends with
the guard and offered her services fol
any duty she might perform. She was
told that she might take part In watch
. / l1S tlle DllSblltlS.
gun. she stood guard with the rest.
Toward midnight she took position
near her husband and dropped he
bundle beside him, at the same time
making signs to him to roll into som'
III underbruSh a few yards from nm
IL | Slowly edging in that direction, III
III came to the edge of the brush. Mos
III of the guard were drowsy. One o
II them was near enough to observ
III Ivan. and Nine. Ivanoyitch placed her
II self between the two. Then the pris
n oner rolled into the brush.
III AS soon as lie examined the con
IA tents of the bundle he saw his wife
III design. As man in Russian uniform
III It would be impossible for him t
N make his way through the Turks
! lines. but as q woman he would hav
every advantage, especially as the fac
Of q Turkish woman IS always hidde
by veil. Under cover of the darl
ness he took off his clothes and pu
on those of his wife, then made hi
way out of the bivouac of guards an
| prisoners.
II Coming to the road over winch L
had been marched during the day, |
walked along it till Ire came to nous
There he took refuge in an outhou'
till morning, when he raped at q
womens quarters. lie was aGmitte
made up story of having been to So
an officer to whom she thel was ma
ried. ana was treated with Kindness.
Here he ~; in double danger Tor
was not only renegade Mussulma
bur a man in the women'S quarters
Mace where not even husband n;
enter unless his wife is without vls
ors However lie insisted on renal
inc yelled and got out as soon as
could without exciting suspicion.
Following the road back toward u
russians, he molestly withdrew to o.
side ON meeting Turkish soldiers WI
: were hurrying before their conquerol
At last he met the Russian advan
= and, lifting his veil, revealed hills'
as a man and a RUSSIAN.
= The next meeting between lvanovlt
.,d his wife was in a hospital WIN
the Russian lines. He had Deeh lah