The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1856-01-05
Tho Vow Of Vengeance.

At~NSAA
Tho Vow Of Vengeance.
On the death Of Vely Bey, the father of Ali
Pacha, Khamco, his mother, woman of extra
ordinary strength of character and splendid
talents, undertook the charge Of educating her
sou, who was at the period only fourteen years
ofage; the qualities we have named were how
ever sullied by an implacability Of soul, in
which she too nearly resembled Olympias, the
mother Of Alexander the Great, who, like her
self, had been born at Epirus. The Buge and
Agas in the neighborhood Of Tepelini, taking
advantage Of the seeming unprotected state Of
Khamco and of Ais minority, despoiled them
Of the greatest portion of their dominions
these circumstances reused all the energies Of
her nature, and she directed all her talents to
the establishment of the fortunes of her
family she instied into his mind all those
principles that were likely to attain the object
nearest her heart: My son." would she say to
him continually, he who does not defend his
Inheritance deserves to be deprived of it Re-
collect, that the property of others only belongs
to them by the right of the stronger why then
should it not be yours?" At this PERIOD
Albania was not yet subject to the authority
Of an absolute vizier. Each canton, and often
each town and every village, formed its own
particular republic, divided into phares. Fa-
vored, by the progress of these divisions, the
widow Of Vely Bey, far from bending beneath
the stroke of adversely, rose superior to the
weakness Of her sex. Renouncing the delights
Of the harem, she seized the musket, mounted a
charger, and, with an Amazonian spirit, uni
ted the partisans of her family with those of
her late husbands vassals who still retained
their fidelity. To these she showed the scion
on which she placed her every hope, and, per-
forming at once the duties of the general and
the soldier, she tried in various skirmishes her
strength against the enemies of her race. In
the mean time she gave her son compete mil
itary education, accustoming him to all the ex-
ercises essential to an Albanian warrior, and,
by inculcating habits of temperance and self
denial, she strengthened still more constitution
which was naturally vigorous. Ali did not
disappoint his mothers expectation she ami
mated his zeal, and kept up his emulation, by
relating to him the history and recounting the
exploits OF his ancestors she was also careful
to temper his impetuous temerity with the les
Sons of experience. About this time the tribes
who were in the immediate vicinity of Ichor-
noWo and Gardili, alarmed at the warlike pre-
parations and extraordinary influence of wo-
man, began to entertain serious apprehensions
for their independence F; they therefore prepared
Tor combat, and anticipated Khamco by
declaration Of war. Without being discon-
certed, Ais mother placed herself at the head
OF her troops, and successfully resisted the at
Jacks OF her confederated enemies but her sue
cess was temporary, and she was destined to
undergo the most dreadful calamities. The in
habltants Of Gardiki, a considerable town, sit
uated not far from Argyro-C Castron, in the
midst of the desert mountains of Liakuria sue
ceeded, in nocturnal excursion, in carrying off
from Iepelini khamco and her daughter Chai-
mtza, who was theHin all " the flower of youth
and beauty's PRIDE" Ali escaped them, being
absent upon distant expedition. His mother
ana sister having been led in triumph to Gar
alkl, Khamco was accused Of having poisoned
ner rlval, and even Of having assassinated her
cana' 1or the purpose Of concentrating the
rights OF her inheritance in Ali she was then
imprisoned with her daughter in dungeon,
wnere they were brought out daily to suffer the
OF Drutal embraces Of the principal inhabitants!
mus their lives seemed only spared to them
mat they mimght endure the extremity Of suf
ierlng and violence.
The horror Of their captivity excited the
compassion of the Bey Of the family of Desti,
VINO had been called upon in turn to contribute
70 their dishonour; this generous man, with the
assistance Of few faithful servants, rescued
them from their state of slavery and wrechedness,
ana brought them in safety to Tepelini. There
they found Ali, bursting with rage and indig-
nation, engaged in uniting his forces for the pur
pose OF flying to the rescue Of his parent and
ni MS sister. The Gardikiotes, on perceiving the
night Of their 'captives, pursued them with the
utmost expedition; but failing in their object,
returned home, and, upon entering the town re-
uuced to ashes the house Of their deliverer. In
.he opinion Of the furious Ali this stain on the
none, honor Of his family could only be ef1aced by
blood this thirst for vengeance was increased
oy all the influence of his mother, and the un-
oseasng lamentations of his sister, who inher-
lted all her parents qualities. Khamco con-
stantly conjured her son to taste no repose till
ne ne had exterminated the guilty race; while
Chalnitza, in all her conversations with her
brother, concluded by declaring that she should
never die in peace till she had stuffed the
cushions Of her apartment with the hair Of the
Gardikote women
Ali, under the tuition of his mother,
soon became celebrated for his military knowl-
edge; in fact, so highly, so that the Porte
deemed it advisable to cultivate his friendship,
and bestowed on him an important command,
under the Grand Vizier, Iousouf, in the war Of
1'e7, bstween the Porte and Austria, in con-