The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1854-07-26
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From Household Words. ]
The Little Flower,


The Little Flower.
Half the legends of wild countries re-
fer to the exploits, good or evil, ,of brig
ands. In general, the tone Of such mar
ratives is rather favorable to the lawlcss
than otherwise, and it is easy to under.
stand why this should be. The rank of
Outlawry, when power is in the hands of
tho violent OF the corrupt, are recruited
from those very glasses which in better
times become the warmest friends of So
ciety. There is no reason why the
Mokan of whose exploits we are about
to speak, should not under more favora-
bic circumstances, have become All orua-
ment to his name and country
The Mokans are wandering shepherds
from Transylvania, who come down to
the plains of Bulgaria and Wallashia, on
permission to pasture their fochs aud
herds. They are not necessarily Of one
tribe, or race, and arc indeed joined 10y
many free spirits, from the surrounding
unsettled countries, who see in that vaga.
bond kind of life a means of escaping tho
tyranny to which all stationary citizens
are liablo Michal tho Mokan, as ho
was generally called after he become
famous, was a native of Bulgaria, aud
was born in the environs of Sophia.
Some tyraunical Pasha. wien lie wa.
very young endcavored to seize and make
servant of him, but ho escaped, and.
after wandering as bcegar through
Servia, at length crossed the Danube,
and proceeding still ncrthward. met a
company Of Mokaus on their wav, with
herbs of cattle, to the lower plains of
Wallachia. He at once enlisted himself
amongst them, and having been used TO
the care OF cattle, soon was regarded as
valuable acquisition. In process Of
time lie became chief herdsman. und
prosperously continued his annual voy-
ages in search Of pasture, sometimes as
far as the levels Of Uubri.za.
lie had reached the ago Of nearly
thirty, without having suffered further
vlclssltudes in his new state than arc
commonly Incident to it, whom one au-
tumn, he was returning to his elected
country, with many companions aud vast
herds. BY engaging in the pedlary trade
across the Austrian frontier. in addition
to his ordinary duties, he had now ac.
CURED comparative wealth and although
lie was attred in worn leather garments.
covered with a shccp.skin cloak. tie
wool of which look rather dirty, any one
who had seen him reclining beneath n
temporary tent made of a couple Of
blankets supported By two uprights and
cross stick, little apart from the rest
near ths banks Of the Dinibouritza, in its
lower course, would have at once guess
cd hun to bo a man Of respcctability. 1t
was near the oveutide. The SUN was set.
ting over the vast plain, covered partial.
ly with forest beyond the river: The
land around, as far as the eye could
reach, was vas dotted by small groups
OF men, driving in tue cattle that had
strayed towards kind of field enclosed
on two sides BY the winding stream, and
on the other BY the struggling camps
Tents, if such they could be called, we're
scattered hore and there. Piles of lug
gage formed pillows for weary men, who
had supped, and were smoking their
pipes Fires, fed by half dried shrubs.
hastily collected. smouldered rather than
blazed at intervals sending up columns,
as it were, to support the canopy that
was gathering overhead.
ThcMckan looked with pride at certain
vast bulls that hustled upwieldilv bv.
some raising up their horns as if to avoid
doing damage, others going head down,
and goring right and left in their hurry
to avoid the goad-thc kindly and the
esotlstical of the herb. lie knew that
those splendid animals boro his marks {;
and from much association with Turks,
could not rcpres' the selfcongratulatory
exclamation Of Mashallah p The
word was scarcely out his mouth. when
sharp cry of pain Or fear came across
the river. lIo turned somewhat listless
ly In that direction, and behold upon o
slip OF level land on the opposite side
a number offorms moving rapidly. They
were horsemen galloping but the sound
which had attracted his attention must
have come from a nearer point than that
at which they had arrived when he first
saw them. \ lad who had draw nigh t.
give an account of the bulls, now direct
ed his attention to something that wal
struggling in tho water just in front
1t was swimmer vainly endeavoriDg t.
make head against the current. Th
light was down, but Nichal who la,
good eyes, exclaimed BY my saint, III
a child hunted by some robbsrs-o
perhaps an escaped serfl / have beel
hunted too, before now" So away wen
the sheep-skin cloak, aud portion Of th
other garments, and out plunged Mcha
into the stream-hand ovor hsnd-no,
rising to look about Illuminating obi
quely to the place where the curren
would probably carry the weak swim
mer Before long he saw face glanc
upwards not far from his but it won
down, and then the arm only was cas-
into tho air. He caught the wrist of tn
swimming child, and raised its head q
bove tho water, Holy Virgin u b
muttersd, "'tis girl. Though confuse
with her plunge, the girl had not los
her consciousness. and assented. if sh
heard what be said, with wild smilt
Michal was swimming powerfully bacl
when something struck the water shapl
} close by, making sound like q pebbl
on window pane Again and again th