The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1906-04-19
saeskxse*.* OSMA was a powerful man,

AeasxXAsx* OSMA was powerful man,
*S heavy set, with piercing,
= . G steel-blue eyes and heavy
e. " moustache. 4 rough man
EAeEx2 was Cosma. ever on his
horses back, rifle across
his lap, and long knife stuck in his
belt.
lam an old man, and have Travelled
through many land and seen much,
but the like of Cosma Racoare I never
met. He was of medium height, bony,
sunburned, looked like the average
man, yet was unlike any of them.
In those days our country suffered
many tribulations, Turks and Greeks
devastated our Rumanian land, and our
people lived in misery and fear. Sor-
roYful times they were! Cosma
seemed the only human being exempt
from suffering, going and coming with
out a thought of tomorrow. All fed
before the enemy, but not so did he.
Taken prisoner. they put him in chains;
these he cast off, as by magic, jumped
on his horse and fed. 1t was written
in the stars that none but silver bull
let could harm him. No such man
lives in our time; these were the good
old days. You may have heard of
the other hero, the son Of the Maid
with the Golden Hair? Well, he stole
in Wallachia, on the other bank of the
Milcar River, while Cosma piundered
in the Muldan. At nightfall they
would meet and exchange their booty.
No gendarmes ever caught him, for his
horse was the feetest Of the feet, ard
their bullets whistled powerless about
his ears. He lived in the forests, knew
neither pain, fear nor love. The hour
when be should know the latter was
drawing near.
At that time the estate Vulturesti
belonged to a Greek. Nicola Zamfride.
Nearby, at Frasini, lived the beautiful
Rumanian, the widow Sultana. Nicola
vowed she should be his, but all efforts
seemed futile; neither soothsayers nor
witchcraft were powerful enough to
help him. Was he .unsightly, mis-
shapen? On the contrary, he was
proud Greek, brown-eyed, black
bearded, tall and handsome; yet in
spite of these physical attractions, she
would none of him.
One day Nicola sat in his room cogi-
tating. He was thinking of the young
widow. Why did she reject his WOO
ing: "a few nights ago l hired q
gypsy who sang touching serenade
under her window, but the house re-
mained dark and silent. What must
I do:'' Nicola reflects: II am we'll to
look at and have clear mind; why
then does she scorn me? She has nc
lover, for I have had the house
watched. but no one has been seen
to enter" Nicola loses his temper.
AS he steps into the courtyard he sees
a groom currying horse. do you
call that a well-curried horse:" he BEL
lows; and with that he lashes the
poor fellow with his whip. The gar
dener, whom he finds resting in the
shade, fares no better.
on innocent parties?
He strolls into the garden and lies
down under a linden. Sadly. autumn
winds are signing and golden leaves,
like butterflies. futter to the ground.
An old man enters by the garden gate.
"Vasili, Vasili, come here.'
what would'st thou, MASTER"
"Vasili. thou hast ever been faithful;
neither the old soothsayer nor the
gypsy wench have been able to help
me; have but you to look to. Nasili,
the Sultana must be mine
II might counsel, but l dare not, "
replied Vasili.
Here is q ducat; speak,"
Il know my master will find my
counsel worth two, yea, three ducats.
NV advice is that the master ride to
Frasini and carry the Suitana off by
force
Il will do as you say, Vasili. Here
are two ducats."
That very night Nicola, accompanied
by six sturdy young grooms, reaches
Erasini. The castle seems shrouded
In gloom. BY means of rope ladders,
Nicola and his followers scale the outer
walls AS they enter the open gate
cries Of Help are heard. A door
opens, and there appears the Sultana
radiant in flowing hair and soft white
garment. She turns her glowing eyes
on Nicola. who. beside himself. at
tempts to throw his arms around her.
How dare you! And now 1 see il
Is only the worthy Nicola, when had
feared to face q band Of robbers
Suddenly she strikes Nicolas head
with the fiat of her scimitar blade. He
is stunned. His men rush to the reg
cue. One is wounded. the rest take
to their horses. By this time the alarm
is sounded and the Sultana's servant:
come rushing in. Nicola gains hi!
horse and reaches Vulturesti more deat