Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1890-04-25
LEAPED TO DEATH.

In southern DalmAtla there IS DIT
of coast stretching from Cavtat RAJ
,yusS Veccha, to Sutorina, which IS
called Konavie, aud is noted far and
wide for the beauty of it's 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 nOighbors,
the HerzeSovinians and the Bosnians,
are not ut all prepossessing in Mien or
feature.
About the middle of the last century,
while Konavje still formed a part OF
the republc of Ragusa, the family
Radovic settled in the frontier village
of Uviece. 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 ut last been forced to give up the
struggle and abandon Uvjece to the
TURKS. The villagers were naturally
dissatisfied with the result. and Minko
Ra&ovic, 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 lovely girl of II;
the other, Ljubica, a child of IL. Ko-
sara was the fairest maiden in the viii
lage. and had 10 end of admirers
among the young men. Her most
eager suitors were two friends of her
ta
4Io 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 n good friend
to Kosara. She was still heart-whole,
and, as her father made no effort TO in
fluence her choice. neither Stanko nor
Toma received any encouragement.
Things stood in this way when one
bright September morning Turkish
aga with two companions appeared in
Uviece 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 bis 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 gold-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
ducats!" cried Toma at length, in de-
light. "That'll make fine dowry for
you, Kosara.
How SOP" replied the maiden in as
constituent. THE spoil belongs equal
ly to all, and father gets but third
besides, you seem to forget, my dear
little sister has claim as well as /.
IN 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."
WHO said it WASP" rctorted Toma,
in an angry tone. do you think I'd
try TO win Kosara with money!"
at looks little that way" replied
Stanko, his face disfgured with a
hideous sneer.
Toma, now thoroughly enraged, was
about to turn upon his rival, when
Minko interfered and restored peace.
Let there be no quarreling," he
said, in a conciliatory tone. The
deed we have committed was perhaps
rash and ill-considered, but it can't be
helped now, and we shall have to
stand together. and the best thing we
can do is to consider how we can avert
the evil consequences of our act. For
when the aga is missed the Turks over
yonder in Trebiuje will commence an
Investigation. and if they discover the
real state of the case we'll have to pay
dearly for it."
The long consultation which followed
brought the friends to no other con-
clusion than to quietly await develop
ments.
The disappearance of the aga was
soon remarked in Trebinje, and his
friends became uneasy. Learning in a
neighboring village that he had set out
for UEjece and had never returned the
Turks directed their march to that
place. The approach of one hundred
troopers naturally awakened the great
est alarm in the hamlet There was no
doubt the Turks were coming to avenge
the murdered aga. The terrified VIII
layers were on the point of flying
across the Roumanian border, but
Minko urged them rather to draw the