The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-06-24
AVICTORIOUS
BULGAR
BY F. A, Mitchell


of the globe. concluded to have look
Is seldom visited by tourists, so found
1t difficult to secure information how
TO get there, but persevercd and final
~ reached Sofia. the capital OF Bulga-
rim. From there | made excursions
through the country. familarizing my
self with the people.
found the feud between Moham-
medan and Christian the same as 1t
had been for so many generations. The
Bulgarians We're then getting ready TO
rise against their masters. and the
spirit of resistance was rife.
! was one evening at small inn.
where there were a number of Turks
and Bugarians In the same room play
ing cards, though the two races did
not mingle in the same game. A con-
versation occurred In the Turkish Ian
guage between Bulgarian and Turk
sitting at different tables, which did
not understand though could see by
their demeanor that they were at en-.
nifty. When the Turk had finished his
game he left the inn accompanied by
the other Turks. The Bulgarian went
On playing for awhile; then he. too, left.
Curious TO know what had been GO
ing on between these two. each of
whom was fine specimen of man,
] asked the host in German, since he
spoke that language. He told me that
the Turk was at the head of band
who had for some time made their
headquarters In the town, terrorizing
everybody in 1t and in the vicinity.
They would make raids and return
laden with plumber. Thus far no force
of Christians had dared to drive them
out. 1t seems that the Bulgarian had
challenged the Turk to fight him sin
gle handed. The Turk had at first de-
clined, but the Bulgarian had so goad- |
ed him that he had consented.
1t had been agreed between them |
that they should meet the next morn |
Ing There was one main street In
the place, running north and south.
The Bulgarian was to start at a GER
the Turk at the other end. Each was
to be armed with the short rife used
In the country, but which in this coun-
try would be called carbine Either
could fire at the other on sight or
whenever he pleased.
There was a feature of the affair OF
which | was not informed at the time.
A number of Bulgarians had bound
to expel the Turkish rob-
bers 1t would be great advantage /
to them to get rid of their leader be-
fore beginning the attack. The Bull
yarian who had been selected to at
Tempt this was famous for his marks
1t was hoped that he would :
succeed, and il he did there would be !
little difficulty in annihiating his men. {
In the morning I arose IL daylight n
md put my head out of the window. a
10 far as / could see, the houses on f
ither side of the street were lined
With heads at the windows to see the p
light. 1t was not long before saw t
It either end, distance of q mile
part, single man In the middle of
he street carrying his weapon. As !,
Don as they saw each other they be- :,
AN to advance slowly, holding their h
Weapons so as to bring the butt to the T
boulder quickly. The Bulgarian wore b
he costume of his country, while the d
'urk wore the baggy trousers and p
leeveless jacket in which he is usual L
7 pictured u
While the two men were drawing -
within range of each other / cast an q,
occasional glance into the faces OF m
hose who We're leaning out OF the
windows beside and opposite me. 81
hey were all Christians and on every al
ace was intense anxiety. 1t was plain er
0 see that their hope was in the man u
rho was about to do battle for them.
( he killed the other their oppressors :,
hight be exterminated; II the other q,
illed him the yoke would be fastened IN
n them flrmer than ever. The issue to
hight be decided by a single shot be
Before 1t seemed that they were to
,ithin range the Bulgarian raised his nc
he to his shoulder. If it was a ruse in
, induce his enemy to waste a shot 1t NJ u
iiled, for the Turk did not change ~
lie position of his gun, which he held -
lose under his chin The Christian,
owever, held his rife at hts Shout
err. and as he now was much nearer
me than the Turk / could see by -
Is face that he was calculating dis =,
nee But he was so far from his ON
1emy that no one supposed that I'M
lllet could be relied on to do its work of
| such a distance. ha
But suddenly his rife cracked and a ye
lff OF smoke emanated from its muz- ma
e. When looked away from him TO !.
S enemy | saw him lying In the 9.
rect. A Turk was running toward 10,
m In a moment he or his lifeless fal
,dy flor he had been shot through the tn
.ad) was eDcircled by every member I'll
his band From up the street near de
e fallen Turk came a whistle. and ms
w shots fred from the windows at p
e robbers. The victorious Buga- gu
m ran by like a shot. and from -
uses along the street poured men vi
ho had hound themselves to annihi- MI
Re the Turkish bnnd. ar
Il was a hard fight. in which a num- tor
r of Christians were killed and
FUNDED before the last robber was TIN
spatched. Then the people Of the ne
wn turned out into the street shout an