Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-01-31
THE ALBANIAN.
A TALE OF THE KOSAKS.
ADAPTED FROM THE POLISH.

N peacefuI, were to-day crowded with mar
tial figures The gazing flocks have had to
make way for soldiers and steeds; alike the
fogers and the ripening grain have been
trampled under foot, and mingled with the
voice of the rushing water comes the neigh
Ing of horses and the clank of arms.
For many days past the country had been
alive with horses and men; from all direc-
tons, all sides, solitary riders had been seen
vending their way across the desolate step
pes, now and then joining together in little
groups of threes and fours as their practiced
eyes recognized comrade in distant speck
on the horizon or distinguished lance
through the brushwood of a copte-all con-
verging toward one point, all animated by
the same motive. Red kdlpdcss were spot
ted over the country as thickly as peoples
among the ripening corn till all were drawn
together into one long garland and the entire
army assembled on the banks of the river.
1t was the Attaman Kunicki, the father of
the KOsaks, who had thus summoned tOgeth-
or his forces, and when all were collected,
entering the assembly of chiefs, he spoke as
follows:
ssNoble chieftainsI / have received an or
der from our master the King, but without
your advice and concurrence l neither can
nor will decide anything, and have therefore
resolved to inform you of it, and after the
reading of the message we can then deliber-
ate upon what answer is to be given. Let
the Secretary produce the royal letter and
read it aloud"
The Attaman, having finished speaking,
made way for the Secretary, who, taking
from his breast the letter wrapped in linen
cloth, unfolded the parchment and thus
read:
Sieur Attaman Of Ukranial
The dangers which threaten alike Chris
tianity and the safety of our kingdom have
decided us upon conducting an expedition to
put barrier to the Ottoman powers. For
this reason L have summoned you, Sleur At
taman, along with your brave K0sakS, to join
us In war to which we have pledged our
selves, your fidelity, readiness, and Valor be-
Ing well known to us.
We therefore expect and desire that on re-
celV1ng our letter you Will put yourself at
the head of your troops, and, traverSing all
the provinces which recognize the Sultan's
authority, will cut off the passage of the in
fdels should they attempt to send reinforce
mentS to headquarters.
on will divide your forces as you think
best and intrust the subordinate commands
20 those you deem worthy of confidence.
commenting you to the protection OF the
Almighty and counting on your pr0mptness
and fidelity, your King and master.
JOHN LII.
Dead silence followed the reading of this
letter, but when the tongues are quiet the
minds are all the more busy at work, and
every brow was drawn together in thought
full perplexity. l. was an ancient chieftain
who finally broke the silence, and stroking
his snow-white beard thus spoke:
my brothers and my lord Attaman, 1t is
now late in the year, and this undertaking
is difficult and a perilous one; it had, me
thinks, been more wise to await the coming
of Spring, but when the King has spoken
1t is not for the KOSaks to hang back. There
fore, If it so please you, let us go forward in
the name of the Lord and seek to destroy the
infidel Turk"
Noisy acclamations greeted this speech.
ITO wari to warl Lead us forward, Faith
er Attaman against the enemy"
My brothers, said Kunicki, when silence
was again restored, lit is now full nine years
since you did me the honor to elect me as
your Attaman and until now it has pleased
the Almighty to bless my sword with sue
cess and to enable me to lead you victorious
ly in all encounters with the enemy. When
five years ago, contrary to the uSages of our
people, | took to me wife wished to
resign my authority and hand over the
cranes feather to some other man unfettered
by family ties. But you, my brothers, you
would not accept my demission, and so L re-
manned your Attaman as before, in which
position | have always striVen to do my duty
toward you and my country"
Loud cries of Thou hast thou hast! Faith
er AttamanW interrupt him; then he pro-
ceeds:
II have always kept in mind that an Alta
man has no right to think of himself, and the
moments l have snatched from you to press
to my heart my wife and child have been
few and far between. Now, however, that
our master, the King, summons us to a long
er and more perilOus undertaking, l wish to
ask you again whether you are indeed salts
fed to place yourselves under my guidance?
If you have more confidence in some other
man, if you have miSgivingS lest the remem-
brance of my home should make me less
eager to advance into the enemy's country,
lest the thought of my Handzia's dark eyes,
the smile of my little Sawka, should render
my vision less keen to mark a foe, you have
only to speak and l am ready to yield my
place to whatsoever you choose, accompany
ing you as your comrade and brother where
ever my successor may think fit. Let not a
false regard for my person restrain you from
expressing your wishes. Whatever you de-
eide will be well chosen"
But the KoSakS answered him as with one
voice, which rises and SWellS like the rolling
of thunder:
ITO whom should we ntrust ourselves If
not to thee Father Attaman? Is there an
other man who can WELD his lance as thou
canSt as lightly as a clerk yields his pen?
Whose sword can like thine make the enc
mics heads to drop like overblown poppy
flowers? What other can swim like the wild
duck, and dive like the otter under the waves
of the Dnieper? Which man knows better
how to castgate rebel with the flat of the
broadsword? And who can lead us as thou
hast done many time in the wild dance
against the Tartar hOrdeS? Lead us now
against the infidel Turk; we will have no
other Attaman but Kunickir'
And they pressed around him, embracing
his feet and his knees; they raise him on
their shoulders, eXclaiming, GLORY be to
Godi Long live our Attaman! Long live
the Kosaks! Death to the infdelsr' till the
banks of the river re-echo for miles around
with the sound of their cries.
When at length kunicki has extracted
himself from their embrace he speaks again:
$50 be 1t, my brothers; we shall start with
the early dawn, and be far on our way ere
che sun reaches the summit of the sky. In
time of war the drink of KoSak is water,
and his food dry bread and sailed fish. Be
fore the forty days of Lenten fasting even
the monks are allowed to eat and make mer-
ry, and God alone knows how long our Lent
may last. Master YeSSoul, deal out the
mead, the spirits, and the provisions among
our Kosak brothers; let each one feast and
rejoice to-day, for who can tell what to-mor-
row may bring?'
Provisions and drink are distributed among