The Savannah morning news., 1901-12-01

and of which the Greek war office was
so entirely destitute.
They were splendid marksmen and
wonderfully deft in welding the for
midable yataghan; "a very distinct &C
QUESTION" said the minister, and so,
with the assent of Gen. Smolenski
Mavroyenis received full plenary abb
solution of all his peccadilloes and a
warrant emitting him to the title of
Kapetanos with authority to harry the
enemy's TANKS. To him were joined
two Cretans, chiefs of similar organi-
cations, Karakitron and Christopoulos,
who had just arrived with their bands
in Athens on the same patriotic mis-
sion. The three Kapetanol were
stripped of the too melodramatic items
of their costume, clad somewhat after
the semblance of the regulars of the
Hellenic army, and sent by boat to
Agia Marina. the nearest port to their
chosen region. In a week they had
formed a corps of splendid, patriotic
ruffians, numbering some days 200 or
300, falling off some times to fifty or
sixty, as the chances or spoil or the
whim of the moment dictated.
1t was curious to notice in their con-
versation, in the long evening talks
round the camp fires, how absolutely
they blended the two apparently con-
Trajectory sentiments, a burning love
of country and an intense desire of
booty. They were as proud of being
Greeks, or as they preferred to say,
"Hellenes," as an American is of his
proud citizenship of the great republic;
yet they were equally proud of being
"Klephts"-i. e., thieves" for the
word means nothing else, as witness
our derivative "kleptomaniac."
"Zeto Hellas!" Oong live GreeceD
they would cry with superb enthusiasm
waving their terrible yataghans In the
red light of the fires; and Zeeto hoi
Klephtoii" Long live the ThievesD
they would yell with the same fervor,
making the mountains echo with the
reports of their rifles. or the cracking
of their jeweled pistols. And they saw
no difference.
When l remarked this inconsistency
OF sentiment in a laughing way to
Mavrovenis he smiled charmngly over
the little cup of coffee he held in his
hand and said: what do you wish,
my brother? It is our life. our trade.
We ennoble it by glorying in It. If
we were ashamed of it, 1t would be
base" He further explained that he
looked on himself as a kind of prince
without definite throne or capital,
and the people that fell into the hands
of his men were simply a kind Of tax
payers he never took more than they
or their families could afford. He new
err moested poor people, except for a
little passing hospitality. which he
said was gladly given. His band, he
begged me to believe, ives much es-
teemed In the district.
This remarkable statement, strange
though it may seem. is literally true.
The Chorikoi, or small peasants In the
valleys Of Thessaly do absolutely re-
spect and admire the Kleptoi, looking
upon their life as entirely dignified and
as proving great courage and a ro-
mantle spirit Of adventure greatly 70
the credit of the possessors. This " IS
that makes any attempt TO capture
these bandits so difficult. Wherever
they may be, they are among friends.
When the Archon Of Larissa was cap
tured some six years ago by the terri
lie band Of Chief appakirltzopouios.
aud carried away with his secretary 10
Mount OthryB, the whole peasantry ~
the district became spies IN the inter-
eets OF the brigands. carrying informa~
flon by night Of the movements Of the
small army sent 20 rescue the officials.
rho fate Of the Archon BODIES M Tor
Miss Stone. for, although me Aieneh
himself sent q written request mat ihe
soldiers ceaae 10 attempt hiH rescue
fbov perelsted and ga nnaliy hnfsilse
me CAMP. 0nly 40 End The two eapilyrs
1ead. rfabbed vs. the feTOcioua chl9f
himself just as the Greek soi1lefH
swarne6 INTO fhe brigandF famnesr.
The victims we're amply feFenkfA iW