Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-10-16
MRS. MANSFIELD.
ACTORS WIDOW. .
ESCAPES TURKS

Mansfield, widow of Americas
great tragedian, returns home
next week after her years sojourn in
Turkey, she will have a tale of ad-
venture, beside which all the drama
in which she and her late husband
have played will seem pale and
painted.
Beginning with bombardment of
| Turkish bullets and ending with a
Turkish massacre when the "con-
quering heroes rode through the
streets with the heads of their vic
tins raised a1oft on their swords,
the performance in which Mrs. Mans
field played her latest lead surpassed
for thrills any that Broadway at its
best can achieve.
For sixty-two days of nerve-rack-
ing uncertainty the six Americans
! waited for the French reinforce
ments, while their food and fuel sup
| ply dwindled. It was February when
| the siege began, and lack of fuel
was more than an inconvenience. The
Turkish bullets battered against the
doors and windows and crashed
through the roofs Of the buildings
next them.
Mrs. Mansfield has been preceded
to the states by Lieutenant Weeden,
one of her co-workers, who brought
with him letters from Mrs. Mans
field written during the siege and de-
terrible days.
Most difficulty of all was the fore
ed inactivity. After the doors were
barricaded and windows sandbagged
there was nothing to do but sit an
listen to the booming of the guns
and fhn nr9Pl< Of tho YiHo M
to give what comfort they could to
the little Armenian orphan hud-
died together in the basement.
OCCASIONAL French soldiers made
their way to the compound at night,
wrapped in white shets, in which
snow unobserved by the enemy. But
they brought only tales of the suffer-
ings of the troops, whose supplies
were fast going and whose hopes of
rescue by the promised column were
every day growing more dim. '
By the light of an improvised lamp
made from a dipping piece of rag
in a jar of automobile oil Mrs. Mans
field wrote her letters home-letters
which she realized might never be
be read might never be sent.
Fight for Life
In the big living room, scantily
heated by the meager fire which was
kitchen, the Americans sat together
helpless, and almost hopeless, while
from the basement below came the
melancholy sing-song of the little
orphans, chanting their native
the hiss of the bullets and the boom
of the guns without.
The French post on one side was
captured, the American building. on
the other was gouged with bullets.
frantically for their lives. And all
about them to make the gloom more
oppressive the snow fell heavily or
the thick white fog close, shutting
out the outside world.
party yS' wer s' auartere ao in the e. base
they at least knew that they were
safe from fire. On the nights when
Mrs. Mansfield. who resented being
I taken care of. insisted on sleeping
after a few hours restless sleep by
the alarm of an attack on the build
ing.
Then, followed hurried retreat to
the cellar.
vb Fna a G GoDt the day
was lost. the French hoisted the
white flag. The Turks granted them
truce, guaranteeing their safe re-
treat from the city.
But the jubilance, of the Ameri-
Scarcely had the last of the
French column disappeared in the
distance, when Mrs. Mansfield, who
had at once gone to the city to look
after her Armenian friends, heard a
frightful shrieking and shouting,
smeared with blood. their daggers
dripping, galloped into the town,
bringing the news of the massacre
of the French troops.
A few moments later the war
r1ors" returned singing and shout
carried on their sword points or
borne On their saddles while the
poopulace thronged about them wild
with glee.
Armistice Ended
So ended the Turkish-Freneh
armtstice.
With this demonstration Of the
Turks hoeor. it wac witE great ire
piuation that the American relief
under promise of safe convoy
But the Turk was weary of ,lood-
shed apparently, and the party made
its way without molestatfon to
Aleppo. Where they were offered
Mrs. Mansfield, however. was not
yet ready toeome home. She signed
for service in Jerusalem, where she
carried on relief work with the
refugees there until a few weeks
ago, when she started for home.
An interesting and most unusual
feature of the actresses work in
Jerusalem was her dramatic read
ing. When the soup gave out, Mrs,
Mansfield. torn with pity but help
less to offer food. gave what com
fort she. could BY dramatic recitals
Though there is suggestion of
hungry people in lieu of stew. 50
great was the interest and pleasure
which she aroused for time suf-
tering and pain were forgotten and
her hearers were transported to a
world beyond their troubles.