The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1889-01-25
AMONG TIE ALBAIANs.
The Sc sayagery Which Marks
the Inhabitants of An orien.

rs ar"HI e. - AAhDCs
Youths Companions: The nlyrians
were pirates when Rome conquered them;
they remained wild men, even in their
subjugation. Their descendants, the
modern Albanians, are still wild mount
aineers, more devoted to robbery and
piracy than to farming and cattle raising.
Every man goes about armed to the
teeth, for village is at war with village,
and blood feuds are as abundant as stones
on the ground. Several years ago the
Turkish government tried 10 arrange the
blood feuds between the Sharia tribe.
robbers by profession, and their neigh.
bors. Three hundred feuds were paid for
and wiped off and there were as MANY
more which the government did not
settle.
The code of revenge ordains that when
a man is killed his relatives shall kill the
murderer or n of his male kinsmcn, If
q mans arms or horse are taken from him
the code says that the dishonor can only
be wiped off by killing the robber or n
OF his male relatives, but if both parties
agree that it be done the blood NAV be
paid for and the feud thus extinguished.
A poor mans life is valued at 1925 and
the blood money increases in proportion
to the rank of the victim.
The savage virtue of hospitality affords
safety to a fugitive from a feud or from
justice. The fleeing mar may enter any
house and claim food and shelter for
twenty-four hours. His hosts are bound
either to defend him or send him to some
place of safety.
women are always exempted from a
blood feud, even while their male rela-
tives are shooting one another at sight.
II a man puts himself under a woman's
protection he is safe. If two families in
a village quarrel, Il family usually re-
moves and resides elsewhere; but the
women are left behind to take charge of
the family property, without any fear
that the other family will modest them.
During harvest time the eXiled family
returns, and for a month the deadly foes
may be within a few yards of each other,
but the peace is never broken. The code
of honor prescribes that no one shall be
molested while gathering his crop.
me Albanians are, as q class, misery
n their love of money prevents them
from parting with coin save to buy a
rifle or q revolver. The author of "a
Winter in Albania tells an amusing
story to illustrate the p~enuriousness Of
the Albanian character.
A gentleman staying at Cettirje, the
capital Of Montenegro, found the prices
charged at the Que hotel of the city ex
cessive, when measured by the comforts
supplied. He, however. contented him.
self with demonstrating; but his Albanian
servant, having brooded over the extor-
ton until ne could endure it no longer,
went to his master and asked permission
to leave the hotel.
But, Mark" said the master, ''you
don't pay, so what does it matter to
your
Mark insisted, because the bare idea OF
living at such a cost irritated him. He
went to the house of a fellow country.
man, where, for a nominal sum, he lived
in a state of semi starvation He derived
no pecuniary benefit from the change,
but was saved the pain of seeing his
master pay an extravagant price fol
board and lodging.