Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1913-11-06
NJ MANS LANn--ALBANIA,
Volona, Albania


this letter will know where Albania
is or whether 1t is a country or a
breakfast food. AS matter of fact
it is the newest state Of Europe al
though its name has been on the
map for centuries. Along the coast
OF the Adriatic sea for about a hun
dred miles between Greece and Mon
tenegro and extending back from
the coast about a hundred miles Is
what might be called the No Mans
Land of Europe. 1t is all noun
4 tain land and very rough and
unprepossessing kind of that. Its
soil is not fertile except in spots and
most of 1t will never be good for
anything but to be cause for war
in Europe. 1t is inhabited by about
200 different tribes, each of which
has it's chief and these tribes diff
fer in race and religion. They are
Serbs, Turks, Greeks and descend
ants of the original folks in the
Balkans who, escaped and took to
the hills when their kinsmen were
killed or enslaved. They are Ro- |
man Catholics, Greek Catholics and
Moslems. For centuries they have
been Turkish subjects but the sui
tan was never able to manage them.
When he went to war they furnish
ed an irregular force of Bashi Ba-
zouks who fought fiercely and vic
iously. They were about the best
of the Turkish army when it came
to the kind of fighting which means
death and destruction to the enemy
and which has no knowledge of
what are called the rules of civiliz-
ed warfare. They were dreaded
more than the Turk and they re-
joiced in their reputation. When
not engaged in war against an out
side enemy they are at enmity with
each other and their tribal feuds
and individual vendettas are their
national pastime.
g. AAA
The Albanian men folks remind
me much of the old cowboys of the
west. They wear gay costumes and
carry in their belts big revolvers
and long ugly knives. They look as
If they would kill you without not
7no hire ~ Font unIouc vou aro an I
enemy, they seem to be rather gen. s
tie and friendly There used to be
a saying in the cattle trade days l
Of western Kansas: 'West of New {
ton, no Sunday; west of Dodge, no {
Cod" In Volona today kept think 7
Ing of this phrase and imagining a
It was the good old time and was
put about Cimarron.
The Albanian costumes are some o
hing worth the price of admission. e
An Albanian gent from the south Il
Will wear white skirts to his knees. G
Here in Volona the skirt has dis n
and the Albanian wears b
,lue or white bloomer trousers to "
he knees, with white leggings and "
pointed red shoes with tassels. His e
rest is blue or red and embroidered II
most georgeously while an embroid- Il
red or furry coat falls back over CT
lis shoulders. On his head Is a r.
White fez. Around his waist is Of
road sash belt, usually of many a
olors, and out of that belt stick
ong revolvers and knives with jew
led handles and inlaid work that b.
Tould be worth lot in any antique p
hop in New York. A massive and al
rnate watch chain goes with the 81
est. He is tall and handsome, and Ell
ealizes himself that he is a vision We
I loneliness as he poses in the cafe tn
r as he rides his horse out of town VI
t the cowboy gallop. He will not &c
rork unless forced to do so by stern flu
and then in a mild man m
er indicating that it is novel ex- at
erience which he heartily disap- tn
roves. When he turns his hand to alb
and skilled handwork XII
e is artistic. with the love of color. tn
{ the oriental, and with the same in