Photo by F. J. Koch 



A HAPPY pe;asant maid 



Every Servian woman, whether princess or peasant, is a needleworker. There is an 

 association of carpet weavers known as the "Pirot Carpet Zadruga." All of its members 

 are women. It was founded in 1902 and is managed by a council of seven women and two 

 committees of five members each. One of these committees has supervision of the work, 

 and the other values the carpets after their completion. The output of this organization has 

 been awarded several grand prizes in different European exhibitions. 



masse and elected "Black George" the 

 national leader. He was a pig-driver who 

 could not write his name, it is said ; yet 

 by 1807 he had paved the way to Turkish 

 recognition of the autonomy of Servia. 

 During the Napoleonic wars, while Rus- 

 sia's attention was called to western 

 fields, Turkey again invaded Servia and 

 banished most of her leading men. In 

 181 5 a new insurrection broke out, and 

 two years later the Servians had regained 

 their autonomy, which was confirmed by 

 the Treaty lof Adrianople between Turkey 

 and Russia in 1829. Since that time 

 Servia has had a somewhat eventful 

 career. She was bitterly disappointed in 

 the failure of the Congress of Berlin to 

 consolidate Bosnia, Herzegovina, Monte- 



negro, and the sanjak (territory) of 

 Novibazar. This disappointment led to 

 a temporary breaking of her friendship 

 with Russia and the establishment of a 

 new, one with Austria-Hungary. When 

 Bulgaria took over eastern Rumelia, 

 Servia, in order to get a compensating 

 territory, waged a war on Bulgaria, v/hich 

 was stopped by the interposition of Aus- 

 tria-Hungary. In 1908, following the 

 Young Turks' Revolution, Austria-Hun- 

 gary formally annexed Bosnia and Her- 

 zegovina ; whereupon Servia and Monte- 

 negro prepared to go to war with her as 

 a result. The big Powers threw their 

 influence on the side of peace, and the 

 irrepressible conflict that broke out in 

 1 9 14 was staved off six years. 



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