The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-12-13
AN OPPORTUNITY.

They were wild men-those charcoal
burners. They lived close to the blue hea-
vens, but they were wicked. Some of
them were Albanians, some were from
Salamis; 1 hated both.
I was starving when I came to their
mountain with its ragged peak. I had
come from a village near to Athens; I
was tramping to Stoiia. And so soon as
saw their blue clothes my belly ached
more strongly for food. But I had no
money.
1t was July day. The fierce sunshine
was scorching the rocks. I was very
weary, for L had walked far. Yet when I
saw them hurting the oak logs from the
lofty rocks above 1 began to climb slowly
toward them. 1t was difficult work for me-
who had lived upon plain. And then the
great logs that came crashing past me to-
ward the road beneath, they frightened
me. The careless ones above, they did not
mind this. was only stranger, and they
laughed when the sharp rocks struck white
splinters from the logs and threw them at
my feet. Prosechete!" CTake care) I
shouted, and the rocks about me they
shouted, "Prosechete!"
Higher and higher climbed. could see
a great depth of air below me, and yet
had not come to them-those charcoal
BURNERS. May oU. CONSTANTINE guard
me!' 1 prayed, for the rocks were yielding
with chatter and crash to my touch, and
the sunshine was falling in golden flakes
through the whirling darkness of my
faintness. And of Il surety it was he who
took me by the hand and led me from
danger into safety, to there-where the
charcoal burners were hewing at the strong
oaks.
They would give me bread, they would
r-sx- n h,.+ r
to work for them during many weeks.
ate, drank red wine. Then they placed
heavy ak in my hand and pointed to an
oak that hung over the great depth of air.
understood, but trembled as I came to
it's roots, and the little bird that few gay
ly away from its branches-I wished for
its wings.
The ak was sharp, the wood was hard,
the splinters they fell like feathers from
the breast of an eagle that is shot. But
I had been brought up on the plains,
and as I watched the white splinters fall
my ak missed the tree, it Glove the air,
and its shining steel went grinning to the
stern rocks, far OH far below. They were
angry, those men. They said, "You wing
less owl, go down and hither fetch it for
your work" 1t was terrible thing, but
1 went. For what could I do. I who was
to work for them during many weeks?
they frowned. And though they laughed
at me, and felt for my knife, dare not
use it. I hated them, and hated their
work, for I was not slave
One day their master said to me- can
tonios, you will go with the mules to the
ship that lies in the bay" Let it be SO, -
l answered. Then l and some of those
others we flied baskets with the black
charcoal, and when we had filed them
| tia6 fhoTl0 rho hacks nf ho
| There were many mules, and each mule
| carried two baskets, one on each side of it's
| back. It was so that I and those other
| men were to carry the charcoal to the
! great heap that lay on the shore of the
| bay. I had been there once before. was
to go there again; the master said SO.
The mule bells were ringing. And the
| mules they followed one another along the
twisting path. I, who came last, could
see their brown bodies sinking lower and
| lower down the mountain. could see the
| heavy baskets swaying from side to side.
"Hun, hum I shouted to Polixeni, tho
| last mule, and cracked my whip above her
head.
Bah! But there were many of US; we
carried much charcoal.
Time passed; the mule bells rang
| through a green forest of stonepines, then
out and away over red rocks. Later their
| music was drowned in the roar of a hasty
| stream that rushed with white foam from
] rock to rock. It was now that the mules
walked very cleverly, for the red rocks
were slippery with the spray that came to
them through the strong sunshine. Pres
emily I lost sight of the mules in front Of
me, for they had passed around great rock
and away from the clamorous stream.
We had come far, but there was the sea
below us. Tt was very blue; it was very
quiet; its waves were asleep. 1 could see
the ship, it was lying by the shore.
could see the ship, but it's sails were fold
ed; it did not move The mule bells were