Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1913-06-05


guys I'd kick EN- 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, gosh! I don't dare tax
like that around here. They'd take
me out and shoot me for treason.
like enough"
However, we overcame the scrupies
of this good American, n to"aro
4 D. m. had the satisfaction OF seeing
the scattering houses OF PioVnitZs
Just ahead of us, in a valley that mar
rowed until it was a mere raVine'
This was the end Of the lake. In II
road at the back of the pier there
were about a dozen three horse car
riages waiting to relay travellers on
to C%ettinje. Despite his protests 'nae
he would Just as oon walk. we
packed the volunteer into n OF them
with us and soon were rattilng over
the smooth macadam through
"a. which did not take many SECONDS
and then up the p%recipitous ciifs into
the mountains.
Splendid Mountain Road.
This well built road entities Monte
negro to claim to be the most ad-
vanced 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 anu
England. Though the ascent Is con,
%tinuous all the way to the nationai
capital. which lies on a plateau In
the very lap of the peaks we were
drawn by the wiry little horses al /
trot a good part Of the way.
It was twilight now. The stars
came out bright and sharp Ihe
sounds from the village houses iar
below rose faint and peaceful to u
ears-the barking of a dog. the rattie
Of wheels. the glad cry of a child.
Suddenly rounding the broad curve OF
a precipice. we we're startled by the
plaring s%earchlight Of an automobile
descending upon us at sharp speed
It slowed at sight Of US. edging up
close against the cliff, so that as VI
passed l could plainly make out the
blum and grizzled features OF the
olserly 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 a stop. The
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 thu M%ontenegrins had
been forewarned. Instead OF finding
the besiegers %unprcpared, the Turks
were received by a 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, Peeps a close watch
mon the status Of his army. The
story is told Of a visit he made short
" after the beginning of the war to
one of the villages in the rocks neal
| Cettinje. On returning to the capital,
he sent a message to the local ad-
ministration OF that village, saying
that he had been amazed to see as
mauy 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
nosition or what his excuses, be
straightway mustered in.
The kings automobile is a familiar
sight on such Of the mountain roads
as will permit. But, while the scenery
ia magnificent, motoring in Monte
negro is not without danger. Four
days before our arrival, on the very
curve we were nov traversing, a local
merchant had been spinning down
to Plovnitza in his machine, when
something happened-nobody will
ever know Just what. The automo
bile with its passenger and chauffeur
plunged over the low guard wall and
down 500 feet to be fattened to bits
nm the rocks at the base OF the crags
..n