The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-02-06
The Vendetta.

IFraser's Magazine
The uendettd, like the duel, does not
make men less ready to take offense, as
one might have fancied it would, but
more ready. To be touchy, bully,
wash-buckler, and to prove your met
tie, becomes point of honor, whereas,
if you do not carry weapon, and pub
lie opinion does not sanction personal
violence, it becomes obviously better
breeding not to offend and provoke, nor
to be too easily provoked yourself, as
also more convenient in every way. A
Corsican stabs a man on the smallest
provocation, and thinks it no dishonor to
shoot at him from behind stone wall.
Having killed his victim, he escapes
into the n,aguis, the wild, open country,
covered with impenetrable, odorous
brushwood, and there lives supported
BY his sympathizing fellow-countrynen,
| practically safe from pursuit, for the
gendarmerie do not care much to ven
ture into the wilds on such an errand.
So a Corsican gendarme in the French
service, bound with others on service
of pacification in a disturbed district,
and who climbed up behind our mule
4 cart, without leave asked, chatting
affably, informed us. Moreover, the
people of the neighborhood always give
these banditti," as they are termed,
timely warning of the approach OF the
police. Some of these gentry have killed
quite a large number of men; and ii
only the murders have not been COM
mitted for purposes of robbery, the
banditti are most popular, especially
among women. But robbery and theft
are counted dishonorable, and the Cor.
sican banditti, therefore,ciju justifably
object to be confounded with the
banditti of Greece, Italy or Sardinia
A traveller is perfectly safe, though the
district through which he travels be in
tested with them; and when acts Of
pillage have been committed in theil
name, they have always executed sum
mary vengeance oD the offender who has
thus dared to take their dreaded name
in vain. A poor man was robbed OF
the mountains of all his belongings by
one who said that he was Seraphina, s
celebrated bandit; the poor man wen
on his way weeping; as he went, re
spectably-dress and kindly-mannereC
, person came up to him and asked wha
!, was the matter. Upon being told, h,
, took the direction in which the robbie
. had Just gone, and soon after the poo
wayfarer heard shot fired. This wa
followed by the return of his friend
who brought him back his goods ant
chattels, informing him that the THE
was dead, and that he himself was Ser
aphino, the bandit. Honesty is Coz
} sican virtue so are hospitality and gen
: erosity. Sexual morality does not az
pear to be their strong point, thoug
any insult to an unmarried girl incur
? the implacable vengeance of her rels
tives. 1 was told, however, on exceiien
authority, that the father of distlr
: guished Corsican having been mul
: dered, the son, who was too enlightene
to revenge himself after the approve
b fashion Of his countrymen,A handed tn
culprit over to French justice, whic
a sentenced the man to only few year
l imprisonment, the result being that thl
e miscreant, now at large, threatens
s exterminate, not this son only, but a
e his family. 1t is difficult, one mu'
d own, to feel much liking for such rae
: of rascals. Yet l am disposed to thin
a that a really good Corsican, when yo
a do get hold of him, is very noble pc
o son indeed. Such was Paoli, and sue
S was. we believe, the coachman WI
drove us in all our subsequent exped
e tions from Ajaceio. 'sH'ki asF zss