Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1883-05-10
0UTWlTTING THE BRIGANDs

""S oh stlcu IL morning as we fog
nurtured islanders seldom witness tha
stood upon the deck of the 800,
steamer Coumoundouros, watching til,
nearing shores OF the Pnmus, which. q,
al the world knows, or should know. i.
the port OF the classic city of Athens
me beautiful, nnclouded sky; the bright
outline OF the sun-bathed coust. the nj,
!aden with the scent tf the dstan,
Hymettus; the far eminence with the
grand old Acropolis standing out white
and bold III the clear atmosrAere, .anC
close at hand the mo!deripg tomo OF
Ihemlstocles-all combined to rouse
such poetic tancies in my mind that I
forgot for the moment the prosaic busi
ness on which / had come. The scream
ing engine on the busy little railway
winch carries the traveller from he
Pn@us 10 Athens, soon reminds me.
hoWevr, that / was accredited with d
MISSION from aLondoA Greek firm to its
irienas In the Attic city; and was soou
"hillifg ever che sacred groupd-
Who're history gives to every lood page.
we passed the monuments of those
doughty champions Of the war of indie.
pendence, Katpiskakis and Miaulis, and
many other objects of interest; and. after
aride OF three or four miles [ found nv.
self at my destination.
z After the first few days | certainly
haa very pleasant time OF it, the few
hours work each day acting only as a
stimulus TO my varied pleasures; and,
having examined the Acropolis, lunched
by the fallen pillar ci Jupiter, and
seated myself in the ruins of Phyx-
whence Demosthenes declaimed and
Pericles evolved his plans-I looked
around, like Alexander, for more worlds
to conquer. [ therefore consulted nv
genial but unwashed host, Kyrie An
tonic Pericles Pappademetia acopoulos-
who, although Plato was to him a text
book, aud the sayings of Socrates as ia
miilar Us the story OF Tommy and Harry
to an English school boy, was always as
dirty rs sweep-upon the propriety of
betaking myself to where
The mouatains look on Marathon,
And Marathon looks on the sea.
For one might as well go to Egypt with
out visiting the pyramids, or 10 Rome
without entering st. Peters, as to "do''
Greece and leave Marathon unexplored:
and when my host tried to dissuade me
by assuring me that a gentlemans ear
had been sent fortnight ago by the
briRapds to bis obstinate relatives. TO
hurry The negotiations for his ransom.
it so reused my blood that l vowed /
would go II | returned as close. croppe d
rs an English terrier. So away we
started-myscf and Themistocles. the
son of my host, q sallow, unshaven
youth, dlriler than his father-mounted
upon two high-spirited donkeys, our re-
vclvers well plimed, and our commits
sariat we'll stocked.
Z "Adios Kyriew shouted my long
named host as we cantered off.
"Never fear" replied waving nv
revolver deiantly, and feeling that L
should be greatly disappointed if the
rascals did not show themselves.
On We went enjoying the scenery and
holding a hybrid conversation-he in
broken English, and L in sadly mu'ila-
ted Greek-until i'll the excitement OF
the ride, and the glorious panorama
constantly unfolding itself to our view,
| entirely forgot that there were such
beings rs brigands in existence.
Now" said to Themistocles, after
a riSgsof some hours, during which nv
appetite bad become unpleasantly
sharpened, s'let us look about for spot
where we can bivounc in comfort"
We soon found a delightful place,
sheltered all round, save where through
small opening we obtained view of
n charming landscape. Dismouutirg
and allowing our animals to refresh
themselves on the grass, we soon made
havoc of the good Thugs we had brought.
was lying upon my back smoking a
cigarette after the meal, gazing dream-
lily at the blue armament, and being too
lazy to rise, had called upon Themisto-
clcs to pass the bottle.
Has the fellow gone to sleep?"
thought l, still indisposed to turn my
head. Themistocles!
But Thenistocles heard me not; and
when l raised myself upon my elbow.
saw him standing as ii struck dumb and
mohonless with fear, staring upon the
opening. lnstinctiyely / leaped up and
clutched my revolver, but before TOOK
q step the cause of Themistoclca' fear
became apparent, and three shaggy
forms behind three blunderbusses aimed
directly at me made me fully aware that
was IN the presence of those scourges
OF Greece, the brigands! But, oh, what
metamorphcsisl Where were the
natty green jackets with silver buttons.
the plumed hats, and the tout ensemble
OF the brigands of my youth, of the
operas, and the picture books {? Three
ragged, disreputable looking figures,
clad in greasy sheepskins and dirty
clothes, unkempt, unshaven, took the
place o. those tinseled heroes, and with
stern gestures and muttered threats or
aered us so follow them. My first
thought was resistance, but when I
showed the slightest signs, the three
bell-mouthed muskets were bent toward
me, and felt that the odds were too
many, and, determining to await events,
grimly submitted to be led down The
Z mountain by our unsavory guides.
At last, after winding through ravines
and holloTs, across glens and over
mountain paths innumerable, this most
unpleasant Journey ended, by our guides
calling a halt as we gained the summit
OF an eminence surrounded by trees and
tall rocks, forming an extraordinary pa
tural fortress. Beneath our feet, in a
deep ravine, with seemingly but one
outlet, and excellently sheltered byoyer-
hanging foliage, was the camp of the
brigands; and here we found the rest of
the shaggy ruftians-with the exception
OF one who stood sentinel-enjoying
their siesta with indolent content.
shrill whistle soon rou sht the ras-
calls to their feet; aud rushing up to
meet us they displayed a dozen of as
unfavorable specimens of the human
race as could be found. Seizing our an
lmals by the brides, they relieved cur
captors, and led us down the ravire; and
having roughly assisted us to dismount,
brought us into the presence of the chief
af the baud
Bravo. lada! excellent! excellept !'
ne shouted, as his sparkling eyes bent