Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1901-08-16
no substitute.


old fellow. HAD you got hold or kocR'
efeller, Gould or Vanderbilt you might
have made raise and bought a 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 "You 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 it would fetch the cash in
reply. 1t was sent off by messenger,
who would be gone at least ten days,
and then we went into 'retircment."
1t Is the rule with all brigands who
have prisoner on hand to lie low and
take no chances. l thought it well to
prepare this gang for disappointment,
and when the messenger had departed
l told them that he would only have
the journey for nothing.
at cannot be for nothing" grimly re-
piled Bobetto as he brought out knife
and felt of its edges. IF no money
comes, then your ears 90 to Athens! If
they fail to bring it, then we will send
on your heads"
Sentinels were posted on the hills
n tn n ,t,vir,n nd
had nothing to do but loaf about. b.
betto thought he knew the game Of
poker, and it WIS for us to undeceive
him. In three days Gillian and had
won every cent he had. We offered to
put up 5000 against our ears, but the
brgand assured us with great dignity
that it wasn't regular. About once a
day l thought it my duty to inform
Bobetto that we were moneyless Amer
leans and that there was nothing in it
for him, and he always replied to me
with n lift of the eyebrows and a shrug
Of the shoulders and the words:
Cline will tell, my lord; time will
tell. 1t has happened that l have had
to send ears and head to Athens be-
fore"
For the first five days of our captivi.
ty we We're closely guarded, and there
could be no thought of escape. Then,
as we appeared to make ourselves at
home, the vigilance of the brigands
was relaxed. While only four had been
concerned in our capture, there We're
really six in the band. One of them
had a broken leg, and the other was
acting as a nurse Two sentinels were
always stationed at points half a mile
away, and occasionally brigand fell
asleep during the day. think it was
on the eighth day and at about 3
o'clock in the afternoon when the bri-
gand nurse was sent for provisions.
AS two We're acting as sentinels and
a third was lying helpless, this left
only two men to deal with. One of
these was Bobetto, and he sat with his
back to rock doing with the heat
Of the day. Gillian was lying on his
back, while l was looking carelessly at
a Greek newspaper. All Of sudden
the artist sat up and whispered to me:
Lets end this right here and now!
You tackle the leader, and I'll 90 for
the other fellowv'
The ''other fellow" was at the fire
heaping the brands together. We rose
up in unison and made the attack. 1
gave old BObetto q kick on the law
which knocked him over and caused
doleful bowls, and Gillian hit his man
such blow on the neck as to render
him unconscious for half an hour.
There were two guns in camp, and we
seized them and made for the high.
way, only mile distant. Before de.
parting l gave the leader tap on the
head to quiet his yells, and so far as I
know we were not followed a rod. We
reached the highway Just in time to
get lift in passing cart and in a cou-
pie Of hours were in Marathon. AS to
the letter, 1t was delivered at the con-
sulate, but was looked upon as a Joke
and the messenger sent off empty
handed. We might have lost our ears
on his return, but were not there to
have them sliced off. Bobetto died
two years later, us I read in the m.
pers, and it is said that he was badly
disfgured by a broken jaw-the one
"my lord gave him with an American
.oIfstin shoe NJ OrAn
II the action of your bowels Is not easy