The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-05-30


my word of honor to the head of the
chourch a Volo that none other than
American eyes should rest upon it. They
distrusted Olopoulou from his Turkish
birth, and thought the good father had
bound him by most sacred promises and
curses, l could see the look of suspicion
which he regarded him when he babe US
farewell
knew how they would deal with Oil
opouou later in the cliffs, but 1 dared
not tell him.
Up. up we went, ever winding, ever
turning, ever climbing. Sonnet times We
were under the great palm trees in deep
shadow, at others in the searching light.
Oliopoulou said nothing, but 1 could see
him tremble in the open places and
grasp his knife in the dark.
Suddenly we came to a spot where we
could go no further. The path on one
side led up a cliff; on the other down into
a wooded abyss. Ahead of us was
huge boulder
Oliopoulou dismounted. Quick as a flash
the boulder rolled out towards us, and
behind it came pouring a company of
Greek women warriors.
SO terrified was l that, though 1 knew
how they would look, that I chung to my
horse and could say not a word.
No word was necessary. Before l could
have spoken a hand seized my horses
bit and led him past the boulder. There
was cry from OHopoulou, one awful hid
eous yell, and a crash. The boulder had
rolled back and We were in the cave in
deadly darkness, l trembling like an oak
leaf and my little horse shivering until
the perspration f1ecked from his sides
to me.
When / realized anything 1 felt that
the horse was being led along and that
there was distress in the party, for the
most pitiful groans filled the cave. An
angry curse from the Greek woman lead
er stifled them for a minute, but another
step on and they were curdling my blood
again.
"Dismount," cried a voice in such good
English that l thought intuitively of the
tales l had read of Graeco-American wo-
men who go home to fight. 'Dismount
and walk up these steps"
Like Mordecai in the arabian Nights"
tale, I counted the steps in the darkness.
There were ninety of them, all apparently
cut in solid rock, and each one as tail as
two ordinary steps. once 1 stopped from
fatigue, and in a second l felt myself
grasped by strong arms and lifted up.
There's no time to lose" whispered the
same Americo-Greek voice. And on up
we went in that endless climb.
OF a sudden we came to a dead stand at
the top, butting up against something
which flew back by magic hands. And
then we stepped out into the light.
The dazzling sunshine in which l found
myself blinded me for a moment. Then
the smiling faces of the women scowling
with their fierce brows while they laugh
ed, treasured me. and l looked around.
We were standing upon platform hewn
into the side of a tall shaft of rock which
walled up one side OF a mountain, the
steepest 1 have ever seen.
This is the Mountain Hagaii," said the
American-voiced spokeswoman, "and if
you look up you will see the monastery
of Hagios Barlaam."
Shading my eyes with my hand l looked
up to the stone wall which rose like
shaft behind us. and there, at a dizzy
hight, silhouetted against the sky, / saw
a monastery built of gray stone.
THAT is where the monks live" said the
woman, land to reach them we must as
cend in a basket, which they raise and
lower to us by means of an ancient wind
lass; not that we are ever allowed to visit
the monastery" she added. quickly, but
the monks wash our uniforms for us and
send us food. We keep our ammunition
and swords up there"
At this there was an awful creaking of
a windlass, and slowly down the noun
tain shaft came a rope. bearing on the
end of 1t big wicker basket enclosed with
a net
watch" said the woman.
As the basket paused upon the edge of
the rocky ledge one of the women reach
ed out and grabbed it. And then came
the most awful struggle | ever beheld
out from the rock whence we had emerg-
ed came three women dragging Oliopou-
lou, who held back, screaming and beg
ging for mercy.
What are you going to do with him." 1
asked.
Lower him to the plains" said the lead
er. He will suffer no injury II he keeps
quiet"
/ joined my entreaties with theirs to
Oliopoulou to keep still
This he did with a resigned solemnity
and swiftly, without a word. these wo-
men of steel ana patriotism forced him
into the basket, laced the net over him
and. dropping him over the side, began to
lower the basket.
1.-THE cliff Is 100 feet from the monastery
to the plains" said the leader "but the
windlass Is safe. For 400 years the monks
have used Il as their only means OF com
municaton with the outside world"
when stranger visits them he must
be lifted by the windlass and lowered in
The same way. tn monks have far-reach-
ing glasses and can tell a spy by his ac-
lions. only last week they dropped one
who sgnallcd 10 them, after lifting him
100 feet. The Turks have Thessaly hut
they cannot take the monasterles ON the
peaks-nor US, while we are protected by
the monks.
1--WE live here" continued she. grow
ing fierce as she talked. TO light FOR our
country-and for our honor They say
the war Is ended. but tho women OF
Greece know what such peace means.
They will fight as long as a Turk fingers
IN Ihcssaly or menaces Nolo. our war
cry g. 'BOuboullnar the Greek heroine OF
1921, who burned fifteen Turkish towns ("
DO you attack the enemy?" I asked.
mo. we remain here 10 protect the city.
only last week the women from the ham
LET OF Drcx came running 10 tho noun.
| tnins pursued by a hand OF Turks. They
sought refuge m fiaguil, ready TO take
their lives undorrthc shadow OF Hagios
Bariaam.
| But the monks saw them and slgnaled