"It was terrible in many ways. Those first days at Kara Youssouff, but I feel it was the greatest privilege to be there. One felt helpless before such a demand but it was all so real and every breath meant so much." Once finished with the Balkan war, Nelka returned to America and joined her aunts. Before leaving she spent several days with my mother and me in our country place.
She wrote several short goodbye notes, one of which was written to my mother, which I reproduce here. I am grateful to think that at that critical moment she remembered me. Kara Youssouff. 29 February 1913. "Dearest Veta: We are under fire the projectiles are going over our heads, one just fell on the other side of our tents, and the ground is torn up before our eyes.