Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1900-05-19
CAUGHT BY BANDITS.
THE INCONVENIENCE or BEING MIS-
TAKEN FOR A LORD,
With Two Pairs of Ear. and Pessi-
bly, Two Lives ~ stake a"a y"
RaasOM Ia sight, the tuptiNes de-
etded u Was Ttme FOR nasinsss,
Icopyright, 100, by Z, u, Lewis,l

Oh cash cnpitnl OF SJOO, tltfc N no
law 10 prevent, even II he h u news
paper man who has iaved ana econo'
mixed for six or seven years 10 get that
much wealth together, When ! started
Out with my friend Gillian, who was
an artist instead of u journalist, and
had $50 less capital ~ well, We took
sleorage passage on u steamer hil
planned 10 do Europe on foot nnd hvoli
all rSlnyagnnccs, ~ 10 how We got
along unlll We struck Greece nnh
certain event happened II NJ no great
consequence, We trampcd here nEl
there. ate, slept and had u fairly good
time,
From Athens We went on u tramp MP
the country. viewing tombs and rains
by the way, and after putting IN Two
DAYS ~ Marathon We started ouI one
morning for u hamlet called liis'ro'
phus, We were first met by about u
dozen dogs of all sizes, ages aud colors,
and each one u worse looking dog than
the one who came after After we had
dubbed the pack of We were charged
down upon by nine children Of various
sizes and ngcs, all Of whom needed
soap and water, They rallied around
nv for small coin, and not getting any
they fell back and gave four women u
chance We got rid Of the latter 7"
encounter three men. one or whom
could speak II little English, They
were dirty, ragged villains, who ~ not
hesitate 10 threaten ~, and not word
could we get out of them about the
ruins until We had come down with
hncksliccsl. Gillian started out after
n bit to do some skctchlng, while !
found place to take a nap, AMI tho
Inhabitants OF lIistrophus finally got
out Of breath begging for coins and
trying to get us Ia huy skeleton old
goat for So ana went back To their llra
infested huts.
At the end of two hours | was awnk'
encd by some one giving me n smart
! kick on the hin. aud ! reused M 10 SEQ
/ that we had been taken prisoners hy
four brlgands. The fellows Lad corr"
down of the nnuntains. about four
miles away. having probably been mo-
titled by a messenger from the village.
| | have many times read Of the pctur'
esque Greek brignnds. but the four
who gobblcd us up that day must have
! gone out of the picturesque business
some weeks previous. They were
ragged, ugly lot, no better than th"
men of the village, and we were far
more dlsgusted with their brcaths than
afraid Of their knives. The leader spoke
English fairly well, and ] have always
felt grateful to him on that account.
| All leaders of Greek brigands should
learn three or four languages before
proceeding to business, rs It Is great
help toward an understanding about
Identity. money matters ana SO forth.
| 1t was the leader who had kicked me.
which | have always taken ms II COM
pliment, and as l sat up he salutcd me
and said:
"Aiy lord, you will please consider
yourself n prisoner and come along
without resistance"
"But don't make any mistake on
me-" replied. "As near as ! can
make out from this short range you
are brigands."
81 am Bobetto," he said rs he laid
his hand ON his heart and bowed low.
excuse me that never heard of
you before. You are n brigand and in
it for money, and this is yolH Dahd'
"AIy lord Is correct"
"Now, about this lord business. Let
us have an understanding. Who do
you take me for!'
IAN English lord, my lord. ! have
been expecting you for several days.
The name | cannot pronounce. but l
know you to be the gentleman. Have
no fears for your safety. as 1t Will be
case Of ransom"
"This is kind Of you. If you take
me for an English lord, who do you
make this other chap to be-"
"Your companion, sir His name
heard, but cannot give it. He will also
be held for ransom"
Then we started off to the west. The
particular retreat Of this band was
half way up mountain, and consisted
of two brush huts and fire In front
of them. We were in no manner III
used. They could have robbed us Of
our few dollars and personal property,
but they did not even search us for
weapons. AS soon as we had arrived
at the huts however, BObctto brought
out stationery and commanded me to
write to the English minister ut
Athens and obtain the sum of S3O,ooo
Both Gillian and burst out laughing
at this demand. and after little |
said to the leader:
"Of what use to play the fool IN this
matter? AS told you before, we are
Americans, and poor men ut that. we
can raise about 5000 apiece. but not
another cent. and If you take that we
shall have to turn brigan'ls and COM
pete with you in business"
You may be Americans. but you are
my lord just the same" replied Bo-
bettO.
but there are no titles in America.
II should write to the American min
ister he would take it as a joke. You
haven't got n soft snap in this thing.
old fellow. Had you got hold Of Rock
efeller, Gould or Vanderbilt you might
have made raise and bought garlic
factory, but we are almost down to
hardpan. Sorry for you, but you can't
always hit it. even in the brigand bust
ness"
But you must WRITE" persisted the
wooden headed rascal. "iOu must
write to the American minister that II
he does not send us $4,000 by our
messenger your ears will be sent him In
. package"
read the letter to BObetto after 1t
was written, and he was perfectly sat-
isfied that 1t would fetch the cash In
reply. 1t was sent Off by messenger,
who would be gone Mt least ten days.
and then we went into retirement. v
IT is the rule with all brigands who
have prisoner on hand to lie low anu
| .o,.o no .boncoS 7 thoupht II well TO