Finds Girl Soldier In Servian Army.

New York Times 100 years ago today, November 17, 1912:
Her Father, Having No Son, Made Her Swear to Fight the Turks if War Came.
REGRETS LOSING HER HAIR
Has No Compunction, However, About Using Her Rifle or Hurling a Bomb at Enemy.
Special Correspondence The New York Times.
    LONDON, Nov. 9.— A correspondent of The Daily Mirror who has been with the Servían Army in Macedonia sends a story of a young woman who has won distinction for herself as a soldier in the hard marches and fighting that have marked this campaign. She is Miss Sophia Yovanovitch, who is described as being 19, fair, slim, of medium height, and expressive dark blue eyes, with "hair cropped, dressed in rough but serviceable military uniform, and carrying a carbine, looking a soldier and being a soldier."
    The correspondent had a talk with the girl at Uskub, and this is what she said:
    "I was born at Belgrade on Jan. 26, 1893, and my parents were comfortably well off. My farther and his parents at one time owned a great deal of land in Macedonia, and had suffered much at the hands of the Turk.
    "My father's one sorrow was that he had no son to whom he could hand his rifle. When he was on his death-bed in September, 1911, he called me to his side, and, placing my hands over his heart, asked me to swear by his memory and our name that if ever the occasion arose I would take the place of a son in fighting the Turk. I swore that I would do so, and ever after that oath was like something burning in my brain.
    "When there was talk in September of a possibility of war with Turkey I twice wrote to the Committee of Public Safety, and begged them to obtain for me an audience of the King, as I wished to join the army. They replied that the King was very busy, and that they could do nothing for me.
    "I was eating my heart out with grief, but, of course, could do nothing. Then one day I had a happy idea. I would approach the King direct. I waited until King Peter opened the Skupstchina, and then approaching his Majesty implored him to let me serve with his soldiers. The King was most kind. He told me to see Gen. Yankovic, (now commanding the third army,) and the next day I received a letter to take to the General.
    "By the time I got to Nish, where the General had preceded me, I found that he had gone further on, but had left instructions for me. I was sent to Procupje, and there I was taught how to use a rifle and was made member of a comitatje.
    "After a fortnight's stay we moved on to Vrania, I then had my hair cropped quite short. I am afraid that I did mourn the loss of my hair, of which I had always been so proud.
    "A day before the declaration of war we crossed the frontier. Our comitatje was fifty strong, and the men were just like so many big brothers to me, but of course I did my full share of the work.
    "Our first fight was on the day before the declaration of war at Veyaglave (Veya's head,) when a band of Albanians attacked us. We intrenched ourselves behind a karaul (stone blockhouse) when the enemy fired on us. At the word of command I took aim and fired.
    "Afterward I was hoisted on to the top of the blockhouse and threw a bomb at the enemy. There is something fascinating about the sound of rifle fining. I don't think I bothered about the danger.
    "Then we marched to Czernatchouka and had a long struggle against the Albanians. Being town bred I suffered much in hill climbing and sprained my foot, but that did not stop me from taking part in the fighting."