Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1913-06-21


guys I'd kick 'em all out, and elect a
president; let him serve his four
years and then tell him to run along
now and give some other fellow q
show. But, goshl don't dare talk
like that around here. They'd take
me out and shoot me for treason.
like enoughl"
However. we overcame the scrupies
of this good American, and toward
p. M had the satisfaction OF seeing
the scattering houses OF Plovnitza
just ahead of us, in a valley that mar
rowed until It was a mere ranne.
This was the end of the lake. In the
road at the back of the pier there
were about dozen three horse car
riages waiting to relay travellers on
to Cettinje. Despite his protests tnat
he would Just as soon walk we
packed the volunteer into one OF them
with us and soon were rattling over
the smooth macadam through Piovnit-
"a, which did not take many SECONDS,
and then up the precipitous clins into
the mountains.
Splendid Mountain Road.
This well built road entities Monte
negro to claim to be the most ad-
yanced nation of the Balkans. In all
our trip we had seen nothing to COM
pare with It, 1t rivals the nnest
mountain roads of Italy, France ana
England. Though the ascent is con-
tinuous all the way to the national
capital, which lies on a plateau IN
the very lap of the peaks, we were
drawn by the wiry little horses az
trot good part of the way.
It was twilight now. The stars
came out bright and sharp. The
sounds from the village houses far
below rose faint and peaceful to our
ears-the barking of dog, the rattle
Of wheels, the glad cry OF a child.
Suddenly rounding the broad curve OF
a precipice. we we're startled by the
glaring searchlight Of an automobile
descending upon us at sharp speed.
1t slowed at sight Of us. edging up
close against the Cliff 80 that as st
passed I could plainly make out the
bIuff and grizzled features OF the
elderly man who sat with two others
in the rear seat.
He was King Nicholas. Looking
back, we saw the carriage in which
four Serb officers had been following
us. draw to stop. The automobile
stopped also. The officers got out
and were presented to his majesty,
there in the road In the clear night.
We could even watch them deliver 10
him the dispatches of which they had
been the bearers. Their mission
was ended. The automobile sped on.
and the carriage turned back That
night as we afterward learned, the
Turks made sortie from the Scutari
trenches, but the Montenegrins had
been forewarned. Instead of finding
the besiegers unprepared the Turks
were received by terrible fire which
left many dead or groaning on the
plain ere they could regain the shell
ter of their fortificatfohE
King Nicholas. as the foregoing In
cident Indicates, keeps close watch
upon the status of his army. The
story is told of visit he, made short
ly after the beginning Of the war to
one OF the villages in the rocks near
Cettinje. On returning to the capital.
he sent message to the local ad-
ministration OF that village. saying
that he had been amazed to see as
many men in the village street as II
the land had been at peace instead of
at war, and that he desired that every
able bodied male. no matter what his
position or what his excuses. be
straightway mustered IN.
The kings automobile is familiar
sight on such of the mountain roads
as will permit; But, while the scenery
is magnificent, motoring in Monte
negro is not without danger Four
days before our arrival. on the very
curve we we're now traversing,, local
merchant had been spinning down
to Plovnitza In his machine. when
something appened-nobody will
ever know just what The automo-
bile with it's passenger and chauffeur
plunged over the low guard wall and
down 500 feet to be flattened to bits
on the rocks at the base OF the crags.