Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-08-10
nlis:ellancous.
from Fffstf'3 NayazIIlV
STORY OF A FaEEBOOTER.

is easy to understand why this should bc. The
ranks Of oatlawry, when power is in the hands
4 OF the violent OF corrupt, ara recruited from
those very classes which in better times become.
the warmcst Giends Of society. There is no
reason why the Mokrn, Of whose exploits we
are about to speak, should not, Under more fl-
vorahle circumstances, Eigc become an orna-
mont to his name and coantry.
The Nlokans are wandering shepherds from
Pennsylvania, who come down.tp the plains Of.
Bulgaria and Walachia, on permission, to pas
turc their aocks and herds. They gre not ne
ccssarily Of one tribe, orrace, and are indeed
fJnihed BY many 4osspirfrs; from tc ssstotiitl-
ing unsettled countries, who 800 in that vtgs-
bond kind of u life u malns of escaping the ty-
ranny to which all stationery citiz,ns are liable.
Alichal the Mokan, as he WAS s,hMally called
after he became famous, WAS native Of Bulgl-
ria, and WAS born in the cnyirons Of Sophia
Some tyrranicll Pls'la, whon he WAS very young,
endeayorcd to saiz9 and make servant Of him,
but he escaped, and, after wandering as IL beg
gar through S,ryiA, at length crossed the Dan
ube, and proceeding still northward, met a
company Of Mokans on th,ir way, with herds
of cattl,, to the lower plains of Wallachia. lie
at once enlisted himself amongst them, and bav-
/ ing been used to the care Of cattls, soon was
regarded as 4 valuable acqaisition In process
Of time he b,cam, chief hcrdsmln, and pros
pcro :sy continued his lnnn,l voy tgos in search
of pastur2, som,timos Us far rs the yvols Of the
| Dobrtz,.
He had reached the age Of nearly thirty with
out having suffered further virissitudos in his
new state than are commonly incident to it,
when, one autumn, he Was returning to his elect
ed country, with many companions and vast
herds. BY engaging in the pcll,ry trade across
the Austrian frontier, in addition to his orlinl-
ry duties, he had now acquired comparative
wealth: and, although he was attired in worn
leather garments, covered with shcepslin cloak,
the wool of which looked rather dirty, any one
WHO had seen him reclining beneath a tempora-
ry tent made Of q couple Of blankets supported
by two uprights and cross-stick, little apart
from the rest, near the banks of the Dimbouri-
guessed him to be IL man of respectfully. 1t
was near the eventide. Th3 sun was setting
over the vast plain, covered partially with for
est beyond the river The land around, as far
as the eye could reach, was dotted by small
gro rs of men, driving in the cattle that had
strayed towards Il kind of field enclosed on two
sides by the winding stream, and on the other
by the struggling c"mps. Tents, if such they
Fcould be called were scattered here and there
Piles Of luggage formed pillows for weary men,
who had sarped, and were smoking their pipes.
Fires fed by half dried shrubs, hastily collected,
smouldercd. rather than blaze: at intcrvales
sending up columns, as it were, to support the
canopy that WIS gathering oY2rhoad.
The Mokln looked with pfilo at certain vast
balls that hustled unwcllly by, some raising up
their horns as if to avoid doing damage, others
going with head down, and soring right and
left in their hurry to avoid the goard-the kind
ly and egotistical Of the herl lie knew that
those splendid animals bore his marks; and
from much association with Turks, could not
reprcss the self-congratulatory exclamation of
6 Mashalah." The word was scarcely out Of
his moath, when sharp cry of pain or fear
came across the river. lie turned somewhat list
less in that direction, and bchcld upon slip Of
) lovel land on the opposite side, a number of
forms moving rapidly. They were horscmcn
ralloIing; but the sound which had attracted
his attention must have come from nearer point
) than that ut which they had arrived when he
first SAW them. A lad who had drawn nigh to
give an account of the bulls, now directed his
j attention to something that was struggling in
the water just in front. 1t WAS swimmer vain
Q ly ondeavering to make head against the current.
The light was down, but Michal, who had
good eyes, exclaimed, "By my saint, It's child
hunted by some rob5crs-or perhaps an escaped
serf! have been hunted too before now." So
| away went the sheepskin cloak, and portion
' of the other garments, and out plunged Michal
into the streAm-hand over hand-now rising
. to look above him-naking obliquely to the
r place where the current woald probably carry
the weak swimmer. Before long he saw u face
: glance upwards not far from his; but it went
down, and then the arm only cast into the air.
He caught the wrist of the swimming child, and
raised it's head above the water. "Holy Virgin -
he muttered, g It's a girl" Though confused
n with her plunge, the girl had not lost her con-
C sciousness, and assented, if she heard what he
: said, with wild smile. Michal was swimming
!. powerfully back when something struck the
r water sharply clos, by, making sound like a
pcbbel on window pan,. Again and again
the same sound was repeated. "As | live,"
said Michal to himself, II heard that before.
\ The villains are shooting at US. If make the
bank, then | shall be ridded to certainty.
Girl, are you afraid to dive Z"
The girl whispered that she was not So,
just as several shots were fired at once, they
: both went under water, to rise many yards
down the steam. As it was now nearly dark,
this was quite sufficient; but to make matters
) sure, they dived once more, and at length cane
% up under the shadow of Wallachian willow
. that dropped from the bank. Miehal caught on,
!. of the long, strong branches, and soon 60
m ashore.
c. "Now," said he, setting down, and not heed
ing the shouts that was passing to and fro eros
the lines, between the pursuing party and tn
s. Mokan herdsmen, who, in great alarm, wer,
re asking what this attack meant g now tell me
it's child, the story of thy misfortunes. Hast tho,
y done anything wrong! will protect thee al
ed the same"
His heart was ovcraowing with the recolec