Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-04-06
An Escape
By ELINOR MARSH

witch, living at Kars, not many miles
north of the boundary line between
Russia and Turkey, found employment
across the border and while there fell
in love with a young Turkish girl. Her
father refused her to him unless he
would renounce the Christian religion
and become a Mohammedan. Ivan was
averse to doing so, but it is easy for
one who is in love to find a salve for
his conscience. and he finally consent
ed. He protested adhesion to the
prophet, and the two We're married.
This is a 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 a 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, it 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 adj
vanced, taking Ivan among the num-
Der. 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
10 h. chn,,Il ho aanfYr,aJ onl roonn
nized fighting in a Christian army
against the followers of Mohammed he
would suffer as dreadful fate as could
be visited on a 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. I~vanoyitch went on a
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 tr~epidation 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
biVOuac for the night.
Now, there was no opportunity for a
woman to mingle among men - Tur-
key, for Turkish women and me2 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 a house
near by, she prevailed upon a wife to
procure her Il suit of her husbands,
which she put on and. carrying her
own clothes in a bundle under her arm,
went to the place where the prisoners
were. There she made friends with
the guard and offered her services for
any duty she might perform. She was
told that she might take part in watch
ing the prisoners, and, obtaining a
gun, she stood guard with the rest.
Toward midnight she took position
near her husband and dropped her
bundle beside him, at the same time
making signs to him to roll into some
underbrush a few yards from him.
Slowly edging i'll 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 on
tents Of the bundle he saw his wife's
design. AS a man in Russian uniform
it would be impossible for him to
make his way through the Turkish
lines, but as a woman he would have
every advantage, especially as the face
of a Turkish woman is always hidden
by a veil. Under cover of the dark
ness he took off his clothes and put
on those of his wife. then made his
way u of the bivouac of guards and
prisoners.
Coming to the road over which he
had been marched during the day, he
walked along it till he came to a house.
There he took refuge in an clubhouse
till morning, when he raped at the
women's quarters. He was admitted,
made up Il story of having been to see
an officer to whom she (he) was mar
ried, and was treated with kindness.
Here he w1s in double danger, for he
was not only u renegade Mussulman,
but Il man in the women's quarters, a
place where not even a husband may
enter unless his wife is without visit
ors. However, he insisted on remain
ing yelled and got out as soon as he
could without exciting suspicion.
Following the road back toward the
Russians, he modestly withdrew to one
side ON meeting Turkish soldiers who
We're hurrying before their %conquerors.
AT last no mot tha RuSSian advance