Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-04-17
LEAPED TO DEATH.

wide for tire beauty of its women and
the valor of its men. Faces and forms
of antique Grecian mold are by no
means rare among the inhabitants of
this picturesque region, and this is the
more surprising since their neighbOrs,
the Herzegoyinians and the Bosnians,
are not at all prepossessing in mien or
feature.
About the middle of the last century,
while Konavje still formed part of
the republic of Ragusa, the family
Radovic settled in the frontier village
of Uvjece. The possession of the ham
let had long been bone of contention
between the Bosnian vizier and the re-
public of Ragusa. The little republic
had at last been forced to give up the
struggle and abandon Uviece to the
Turks. The villagers were naturally
dissatisfied with the result and Minko
Radovic the head of the family, was
active in keeping up the discomfort.
He persuaded his neighbors to consider
themselves citizens of Ragusa, and to
resist with arms every attempt on the
part of the Turkish agas or beys to
collect taxes.
Minko had two daughters. The
elder Kosara, was a lovely girl of II;
the other, Ljubica, a child of II. Ko-
sara was the fairest maiden in the vii
lage, and had no end of admirers
among the young men. Her most
eager suitors were two friends of her
father named StankO and TOma. STAN
ko was refugee, who, for some rea-
son, had fled from Turkish vengeance
and found an asylum in Uvjece. His
ugly Weather-beaten face wore an eX-
preston of vicious cunning, and there
was nothing in his appearance or dis
position to win upon the young girl.
Toma, on the other hand, was far
more agreeable character, but still he
was nothing more than q good friend
to KOsara. She was still heart-whole,
and, as her father made no effort to in
tluence her choice, neither Stanko nor
Iona received any encouragement.
Things stood in this way when one
bright September morning a Turkish
aga with two companions appeared in
Uvjece and demanded the deserina
(tenth) and the harass (poll-taX). The
three friends acted as spokesman for
the villagers, and boldly declared
that Uvjece belonged to Ragusa, and
would never pay taxes to the Turks.
The enraged aga drew his sword, but
before he could make use of the weapon
Stanko barred his scimitar and with
one stroke cut off the officers head.
Minko and Toma, for their part, threw
themselves upon his companions and
cut them down in an instant. Then
Stanko promptly set to work to plum
der the bodies.
They found rich booty. The pock-
cts of the fallen aga were full of money,
the weapons of the soldiers were set
with precious stones, and the horses
Were richly caparisoned with silver
mounted harness and -broidered
cloth. The loot was taken to the
house of Radovic to be divided. Stan
kos face wore its ugliest leer as he
spread the rich trappings on the floor,
and Toma investigated the contents of
the purse, while Minko looked on with
a satisfied smile. Ljubica, nesting
close to her father, and Kosara, lean
ing carelessly against the wall. watched
with attentive interest the result of the
investigation.
Three hundred and sixty three
ducatsr' cried Toma at length, in de-
light. ''That'll make a fine dowry for
you, Kosara.
How SOP" replied the maiden in as
tonishment. The spoil belongs equal
~ to all, and father gets but third
besides. you seem to forget, my dear
little sister has claim as well as L.
I'm not touch my part exclaimed
Toma, with enthusiasm. Il give it to
the lovely Kosara."
But | can't accept your present,
returned the girl, quietly.
Right you are interposed Stanko.
.'Kosara's heart is not to be won with
ducats.n
=" no said it WASP" retorted Toma,
in an angry tone. DO you think I'd
try to win Kosara with money!"
1T looks little that way" replied
Stanko, his face disfgured with 6
hideous sheer.
Toma now thoroughly enraged, wa;
about to turn upon his rival, wher
Minko interfered and restored peace.
Let there be no quarreling," he
said. in conciliatory tone. THE
deed we have committed was perhap:
rash and ill-considered, but it can't bt
helped now, and we shall have tt
stand together, and the best thing we
can do is to consider how we can aver
The evil consequences of our act. Fol
when the aga is missed the Turks owe
yonder in Trebiuie will commence al
investigation, and if they discover tn,
real state of the case We'll have to pa,
dearly for it."
The long consultation which followe,
brought the friends to no other con
clusion than to quietly await develop
ments.
The disappearance Of the aga wa
soon remarked in Trebinje, and hi
friends became uneasy. Learning in
neighboring village that he had set GU
for Uvjece and had never returned tn
Turks directed their march to tina
place. The approach of one hundre
troopers naturally awakened the great
est alarm in the hamlet There was n
doubt the Turks were coming to aveng
the murdered aga. The terrified vi
layers were on the point of fyin
across the Roumanian border, br
Minko urged them rather to draw tn
Turks into ambush and receive thei
with bullets. His counsel prevailed
and all the able-bodied men in til
place, about twenty in number, hui
ried out to meet the enemy.
About quarter of a mile from tt
village the peasants secreted then
selves behind the rocks which line
both sides of the road, and as tt
Turks approached. opened upon thel
with a deadly volley. Before tt