The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1906-03-30
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MS*axxTx was Cosma, ever on his
horses back, rifle across
his lap, and long knife stuck in his
belt.
l am an old man. and have Travelled
through many land and seen much,
but the like Of Cosma Racoare l 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 trlbulations. Turks and Greeks
devastated our Rumanian land. and our
people lived in misery and fear. Sor-
rOWful times they were. COsma
seemed the only human being exempt
from suffering. going and coming with
out thousAt Of tomorrow. All fed
before the enemy but not so did he.
Taken prisoner. they put him in chains;
these lie cast off, rs by magic. jumped
on his horse and fled. 1t was written
i'll the stars that none but a silver bul-
let could harm Linn. No such man
lives in our time; these were the good
old days. You may have heard Of
,he other hero, the son Of the Maid
with the Golden Hair? Well, he stole
in Wallachia. on the other bank Of the
Milcar River. Willie Cosma plundered
in the Muldan. At nightfall they
would meet and exchange their booty.
No gendarmes ever caught him. for his
horse was the fieetest of the fleet, and
their bullets whistled powerleSs about
l.; a.,
neither pain, fear nor love. The hour
when he should know the latter was
drawing near.
At that time the estate Nulturesti
belonged to n 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 We're 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 "A
gypsy who sang a touching serenade
under her window. but the house re-
mained dark and silent What must
do:' Nicola reflects: II am well to
look at and have a clear mind; why
vhen does she scorn me? She has no
lover. for l 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 n horse. DO you
call that n well-curried horSe:" lie 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.
But what avails venting ones fury
on innocent parties?
He strolls into the garden and lies
down under n 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 10 look 10. Nasili,
the Sultana must be mine"
Il might counsel. but | dare not"
replied Vasili.
Here is a ducat: speak"
Il know my master will find my
counsel worth two, yea. three ducats.
Ny advice is that the master ride 10
Fraslni and carry the Sultana off by
force"
II will do as You say, vasili. Here
sre two ducats."
That very night Nicola, accompanied
by six sturdy young grooms, reaches
Frasini. 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 / see il
IS only the worthy Nicola. when I'had
feared 10 face band OF robbers"
Suddenly she strikes Nicolas head
with the fat of her scimitar blade. lie
is stunned. His men rush TO the res
cue. One is wounded. the rest take
TO their horses. BY this time the alarm
Is sounded and the Sultana's servants
come rushing in. Nicola gains his
horse and reaches vulturesti more dead