The Springfield herald., 1913-05-30

that yet"
However, we overcame the scruples
Of this good American. and toward
4 D. m. had the satisfaction OF seeing
the scattering houses OF Plovnitza
Just ahead Of US. in q valley that mar
rowed until It was q mere ravine'
This was the end Of the lake. In tne
road at the back Of the pier there
were about a 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-
IA. which did not take many SECONDS.
and then up the precipitous clins into
the mountains.
Splendid Mountain Road.
This we'll built road entities Monte
negro to claim to be the most ad-
vanced nation of the Balkans. In ali
our trip we had seen nothing to com
pare with it. 1t rivals the hnest
mountain roads of Italy. France and
England. Though the ascent Is con.
tinuous all the way to the national
capital, which lies on plateau IN
the very lap of the peaks. we were
drawn by the wiry little horses az
trot a good part Of tho 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 child.
Suddenly rounding the broad curve OF
a precipice, we were startled by the
glaring searchlight Of an automobile
descending upon us at sharp speed.
It slowed at sight Of US. edging up
close against the clifl. 30 that as "
passed 1 could plainly make out the
bluff and grixxled 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 a sortie from the Scutari
trenches, but tho Montenegrins had
been forewarned. Instead of finding
the besiegers unpropared. the Turks
were received by d terrible fire which
left many dead or groaning on the
plain ere they could regain the shell
ter of their fertilization.
King Nicholas. as the foregoing In
cident indicates. keeps a 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 a message to the local ad-
ministration Of that village. saying
while to the south we could see clear
to the mighty mountain. Tarabosch,
at whose eastern base the heleaguer-
ed city lies, to the north the waters
wind blindly through the rocks like
river. seeming at every turn to end
abruptly. but proving. as we glided
gently along. to extend always in one
more secret rearch to the right. and
then in another to the left. and in
another and another. till we thought
we should never come to the end.
all. Say. amt these kings the
blamedest foolishness? II was these
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 a
show. But. gosh! don't dare talk
like that around here. They'd take
me out and shoot me for treason.
like enough!"