The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1906-11-09
A MODERN GREEK TRAGEDY
Albanian Villager Whose Snit
was Rejected. Takes Re
venge on Girl.

Greece mas just reacneu us idSt cfsdp-
ter. The scene of it is the village of
Medini, which lies about ten miles
north of Athens at the foot of the
Parnes Mountains, and the people
are of the Albanian race and pre-
serve a number of old traditions and
customs which even to-day have m
almost religious force.
One of the most remarkable So
perstitions is that of the relation he
tween a young girls veil and her
honor. The peasant girls all wear
veil, not the yashmak of the Turk,
but head covering. something like
that which Italian peasant women
wear, and popular opinion holds a
girl dishonored if a man steals that
head dress away from her. The only
efficient way to re-establish her rep
utation is to have their veil robtsr
marry her.
Three years ago young man Of
the village, named Michas, began
paying attentions to a young girl
named Stavrula. His approaches
were not favorably received. He lay
in wait for her one evening. when
she went to draw water at the well.
snatched her veil from her head and
disappeared in the twilight.
Now the tables were turned. All
the relatives of Stavrula began pay
ing their addresses to Michas. But
now it was his turn to be coy. He
would not marry Stavrula. He
would not even return the stolen
veil and so make a minor PREPARATION
for the injury he had done her.
He began, however, to force his
attentions on her at such times as he
could find her unprotected, and at
last he made forcible attempt TO
carry her off to the mountain. A
village gendarme arrived in time TO
save the girl, but was himself shot
down by Michas. Michas was ar
rested and condemned to a short
term of Imprisonment.
Returning to Mendini about tvo
months ago, Michas found Stavrnla
betrothed to another man. He lay
in wait for her. When she appear
ed she was accompanied by three
women and two men.
He opened fire from his place of
concealment and did not stop until
he had MORALLY wounded every one
of the six. Then, dashing out to the
road, he imprinted kiss on the lips
Of Stayrula, who was already in The
throes Of death, and at the same
instant drove his dagger through
her heart. Then he disappeared.
The Government promptly offered
a reward of 5000 drachms (about
1000 for the arrest of the murder
er. All the police and gendarmerie
in the kingdom were busy searching
for him for month, but not trace
of him was found. The crime was
drifting into oblivion, when sudden
iy, a cousin Of Michas went TO The
authorities and offered to beb nv
him.
In order to reach the guilty man
stratagem had to be used. Two
soldiers dressed themselves as traBps
and, steered by the cousin, scraped
up an acquaintance with him as if
by accident.
After a while they proposed to
him that they all three should 90
to America together. In this way
they got him to place near Athens,
and there, under pretense of ceIe-
brating their departure, they maze
him half DRINK.
The two then fell upon him Micl,as
fought like wild beast and inflict-
ed serious injury on both of his rs
sailants. They succeeded, however,
in holding him and in doing him UP
in neat package with ropes so that
he could he carried off to prison
without further trouble.
He is there now awaiting tria:
and sentence. 1t is expected ihat
the Government will exact full gsi
ue for its Grachms and that ,te
career OF Michas will som Ec
brought to close.
Good for everything a saIve il; 8a"s
for and especially recommended Tor
piles. That is what we say vi De-
Wits Witch Hazel Salve. On u E
market for years and a standby in
thousands of families Get De
Wits. Sold by all druggists.
Sending Christmas PreSeatS ~