The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-12-20
b. Nj. QUAD

TO prevent. When | started out with
my friend killam. who was an artist
instead Of u journalist and had so
less capital as well. we took steeraSe
on a steamer and planned TO do Europe
On foot and avoid all extravaganza.
AS TO how We got along until we struck
Greece ard a certain event happened Is
Of no great consequence. We tramped
here and there. ate. slept and had
fairly good time.
From Athens we went on q tramp
up the country. viewing tombs and
ruins by the way. and after putting in
two days at Marathon we started out
one morning for Il hamlet called His
trophus. After a long tramp | found
place 10 take Il nap.
AT the end Of two hours WAS
awakened By some one giving NE II
smart kicl-on the hip. and reused up
to see that we had been taken prison.
ers by four brigands. The fellows had
come down of the mountains .aliaat
four miles away. having probably bean
notified by messenger from the VII
lage have many times read of the
picturesque Greek brigands. but=FBV
four who gobJled Us up that day mist
have gone out of the picturesque bust
ness some weeks previous. They Were
a ragged. ugly lot. The leader ss.tttttsa
English fairly well. 1t was the leader
who had kicked me. which ! have al
ways taken rs Z compliment. and as /
sat up he saIuted me and said:
My lord. you will please consider
yourself Il prisoner and come along
without resistance"
Now. don't make any mistake on
me- | replied. If You are count NJ
on capturing a rich Englishman y0u
will get badly left. for / am an Amer
lean. and n poor one At that. AS near
as. | can. make out from this short
range. you are brigands."
Il am Bobetto." he said as he laid
his hand on his heart and bowed low.
Excuse ne that l never heard Of
you before. You are Il brieand and m
it for money. ana this is your band.".
My lord is correct"
Now. about this lord business. Let
Us have an understanding WHO do
you take me for
An English lord. my lord, have
been expecting you for several days.
The name | cannot pronounce. but !
know you to be the gentleman. Have
no fears for your safety. as it will he =
case of ransom"
This is kind of you. If you take me
for an English lord who do you take
this other chap to be-
Your companion. sir. His name |
heard. but cannot give it He will also
be held for ransom"
Then we started for the west. The
particular retreat of this band was
halfway up a mountain and consisted
of two brush huts and fire in front of
them. AS soon as we had arrived at
the huts Bobetto brought out station
cry and commanded me to write to the
English minister at Athens and obtain
the sum of $4,000. Both killam and
l burst out laughing at this demand
and after little while | said to the
leader:
"Of what use to play the fool in this
matter? AS l told you before. we are
Americans and poor men at that. We
can raise about 5000 apiece, but not
another cent"
You may be Americans. but you are
my lord just the same. replied Bo
betto.
But there are no titles in America
If should write to the American min
lister he would take it as a joke"
But you must write" persisted the
wooden headed rascal. You must
write to the American minister that il
he does not send Us $4,000 by oul
messenger your ears will be sent hin
in a package"
| read the letter to BoSetto after i
was written. and he was perfectly sat
isfied that it would fetch the cash il
reply. 1t was sent off by a messenger
who would lie gone at least ten days
and then we went into retirement
For the first five days of our cap
tivity we were closely guarded. ant
there could be no thought of our eS
cape. Then. as we appeared to make
ourselves at home. the vigilance of thu
brigands relaxed.
On the eighth day came our opportu
nifty The artist whispered to me
Lets end this right here and now
You tackle the leader. and I'll go 70
the other fellow"
The other fellow was at the fir
heaping the brands together. We ros
up in unison and made the attack.
gave old BobettO a kick on the jaw
which knocked him over and cause,
do1eful howls. and killam hit his ma
such blow on the neck as TO rende
him unconscious for half an hour
There were two guns in camp. and w
sieZed them and made for the highway
only mile distant. Before departing
| gave the leader tap on the head t
quiet his yellS. and so far as | know
we were not followed a rod. We reach