The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-10-19

negro, when the average man gets only thirty or forty. At the time Marko as- saulted the fort of Medun there was a tiny Christian church wit thin its pre- cincts The church was badly damaged during the attack, and Marko rebuilt It afterWard as thank offering for his two decisive victories. All through his life he showed great love for Medun. His house was situated directly under meath the fort, and now his mortal re- mains lie buried in front of the chapel.
 Yaissuf Mucic, governor of Podgorit- za which was then Turkish, set great sum of money on the head of Marko, but for long time no one could De found to undertake to kill him. The name of Marko struck terror into the hearts of the people, and he was com monly supposed to be supernaturally aided and invulnerable. At last crin- inal offered to kill Marko, and was set at liberty for the purpose, and this led to one of the most incredible episodes in Markos life. On lonely part ot the road to Cettinie the criminal lay in wait for Marko; on hearing his horse steps approaching he sprang out into the middle of the road, and covered Marko with his pistol. Marko made no attempt to defend himself, but simply glance that he became transfiXed with terror and shot himself instead. This incident can be easily accounted for, when the superstitious nature of the people is taken into consideration. Yussuf himself was soldier of some repute, and, besides setting sum of money on his head, he boastfully de- clared that he would meet Marko in single combat. When Marko heard Of this challenge, he rode off straightway alone, on a half tanned steed to Podgo- ritza. and, galloping through the town, refined up at the Pasha's house. Not a hand was raised against him, and, fur ther, it is told that the Turks hastily closed their shops in panic. In a loud voice. Marko called to Yussuf, saying that, to save him trouble he had come to him to answer the challenge. Now Marko knew that Yussuf was hiding in the house, and when Yussuf's wife ap- peared at window to say that her husband was away, he called out that YI1ssuf was a coward and with such he would never fight. So saying he rode away unharmed as before.
 The love in which Marko was held by his people made them even sacrifice their lives for him. It was known that after the public insult offered to Yus- suf no pains would be spared to mur- der Marko. Accordingly, a relation of l Marko's journeyed to Podgoritza on a market day, concealing a pistol in load of wood; he lay in wait outside Yussuf's house, and, when he appeared, shot him down. His devotion cost him his life for he was literally cut to nieces by the enraged Turks, which he well knew would happen. His people tell how, in every way, Marko was an ideal leader of men in the truest sense of the word. He was ever the hrst man in an assault, but his invulnera- bility did not last through his life; lat terly, he was often wounded, and car ried two bullets to the grave.
 Tn the war which lasted till 1877, Marko took an important part The town of Podgoritza was taken unuer his leadership, and in the storming or Niksic he played an important role un- der the generalship of the prince At the end of the war the towns and dis tricts of Podgoritza, Niksic and Mar kos own province of the Kutsch, be- came Montenegrin, so that he dld not fight in vain Numerous other stories are told of his daring, and as an eX- ample the following may suffice: A Pasha. who had made himself particu- larlv obnoxious to the kutscn, was camping one night with three attend ants on hill near Medun. Marko crept up to them, and, taking them completely by surprise, killed all fouf' 1 brinping hack the heads, and the Pa sba's arms and horse as trophies. The hill where this took place is still point | ed out with pride.
 Not only was Marko hero and general. but he was also a celeorateo poet and historian. It was not, hoWeV- I ar fill he had reached the age ot forty that he learned to write, then he wrote down from memory the poems ana songs of heroes which he had composed as a young man. He also wrote com plete histories of the Kutsch and of AL bania, but the latter was unfortunately destroyed by fire while in the press. Marko's physical strength was enor- nous, and his power as rifle shot far- 1 famed He was never beaten in any thing. One of his celebrated feats was to place a man on a slope and running up the hill towards him. he would jump right over him. Marko, who was very happily married, met his wife under romantic circumstances. As he was entering the town of Niksic with the victorious Montenegrins, he saw a beautiful girl in the street; he fell in | love with her and married her on the spot. She loved him most devotedly,