The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-01-21
THE M%ONTENEGRINS.
CHARACTERISTICS OF A PECULIARLY.
INTERESTING PEOPLE.

Government an Autocracy Centered In tho
Princo-Men. Excepting Criminals, All
Go Armed-women DO All the Labor.
Honor the Dominant Sentiment.
Tho M~ontonegrins aro first of NIL SOL
diers. Thoy begin their military service
In childhood II remain soldiers oil their
lives. The military costume does not differ
from tho ordinary costume. Tho poorest
man mover goes abroad without having in
his bolt q pistol, and often other arms. It
Is nbout the only thing no consents to
carry, for he works but little. All the
hard, laborious work falls to tho women,
unfortunate creatures. miserably clad,
who aro always occupied, weighed down
under enormous bundles of wood or carry
Ing on their heads pails Of water or other
heavy loads, while tho men, adorned with
brilliant garments, walk before them
oMpty handed. Not only does tho woman
attend to her household duties, It Is she
who plows the field, and tho man will
rarely lend n helping hand. He thinks
that, aside from boing q soldier, no should
DO nothing. Tho Montenegrins arc a
handsome racc, very tall, brilliantly dress
ed, with q naughty bearing, which never
leaves thom. Thor hair Is black, and
their expression always serious nnd digni-
ilod. Thcy aro far moro attractive than
the l5osnians, of whom they arc tho issue,
but thor history explains why it is SO. If
thoy arc tailor, greater, stronger than tho
othor Slavs 1t is because thoir ancestors
woro tho bravcst and tho haughtiost of tho
Sorvians, who condemned themselves to OK
lilo and poverty rather than submit to tho
yoke of tho Mussulman. Jows are un-
Known In this country, no doubt on no.
count of tho poverty that reigns there.
Tho house of tho Montcncgrin peasant
consists of ono room. Tho four walls arc
built of stono, tho roof is thatched with
tho straw of Indian whent, and thero arc
ono or two windows, mere holes In the
wall, in tho winter stuffed with straw.
The door is Ill fitting, but tho stranger
can knock without fear, for tho people nro
hospitablo and always give II a hearty
welcome. Tho woman who opens tho door
Will kiss your hand and thon lead you to
q low scat near tho fire. Tho husband, If
at homo, gives n military salute. No mat
ter how poor they may be they make n cup
Of coffoo for you, and 1t is excellent.
An Inventory of the furniture in tho
smoke bluckencd room Is quickly made.
A gun hangs obtrusivcly on tho wall, and
q hugo pot is suspended over tho fire.
There is no chimney place, but holo mado
in tho roof lots tho smoke out. In tho
room thore aro two or three little beds
mounted on thick branches Of trees. Two
or three sleep in each bed. Add to these
two low seats, some pitohforks and rakes,
and II certain number of sheepskins and
goatslIins, dried and as hard rs wood,
which are hcaped mp in u corner waiting
to DO sold, so as to help support tho family.
Their expenses nro fow. They 1.-Two on what
vegetables they can raise. cat littlo moat,
and the women weave their own clothing.
/ Nhnn n IMAM ic fErcoJ Nv @-n, o. ...-t-
Tor others, no receives q form Gao cents)
for n days work.
Honor appears to BIO tho dominant sonti-
ment OF tho Montonesrin. L was surprised
TO 500 this morning on tho sQunr of Cot
t1nJo u certain number of inhabitants with
no pistols, contrary to tho custom of tho
country. This public square, open to oil,
Is n prison, md tho people who promo
nndod there, chatting and smoking with oil
tho dignity and pride which mark tho Mon
tonegrins, are condemned prisoners. When
l expressed my astonishmont, 1 was told
that those prisoners were not captives. The
only punishment inflicted on them is to DO
deprived OF their weapons, and this affects
thom moro than anything, for they arc,
above oil, linen CT honor" They arc not
thieves. Theft Is almost unknown In Mon
toneSro. They are murderors, and this Is
considered moro distinguished. Moreover,
1t Is not to be wondered Mt TINT mon ac-
customed to carrying arms should somo-
times give way TO tho temptation Of using
them. According to tho gravity of the
case, tho guilty ono is condemned to be a
| prisoner, as stated above, or his hands arc
chained together, and ho is allowed to cir
culato freely. In tho worst cases the man
Is condemned to DO shot, u spectacle that
may DO witnessed twice or throo times q
year. Tho condemned face death bravoly
and arc generally lnndo to undergo thoir
punishment ut tho very place thoy commit
ted their crime. l recently witnessed tho
execution of two mon. They walked to
their doom chatting and smoking with the
mon who wero destined to end thoir days.
When they reached tho fatal spot, thoy
each spoke in turn and said: ~ commit
ted u horrible crimo and am happy to OK
plato 1t by death. Long 1.-Two tho Judges
who sentenced mo; long live tho country"
And then they themselves gayo tho ordor to
fire. Tho execution of womon is unknown
In Montenegro. No man could be found or
hired to fro on a woman. Hu would con-
slider it q disgrace to use his weapon Tor
such n purpose.
Tho autocratic government of Monte
negro is n direct consequence of tho his
tory of tho pooplo. Th country does not
question tho orders of tho prince any moro
than an army would question tho orders
of its general. Nothing near or far rcscln-
blcs q parliament. Tho prince makes tho
laws. and, being sovereign judge, has the
power to apply them or not as he soos 1T.
Almost daily he goes and sits under n
beautiful elIn, which shades his sham pal
ace, and, pntriarchly, like st. Louis of old,
rondors Justice. His wisdom and discern
mont arc remarkable, but before many
years havo passed no will havo n difficult
l A--l.