The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-04-12
The Courier
BY F. A. MICHEL

Damien was courier III 'iio
states while the people In Maceu'
800 ,repar;u. for the REVOLUTION
AGAINST the Turks In l9oo' DIS .so
wss to carry messages between Ine
towns in each Of which was d re'o'u
tionary committee. Macedonla VIZ
81, ~ turkish soldiers and TURKISH
robbers, both Of whom oppresne. .ho
Christians. The soldiers patrolleu 'ns
country. while the robbers s"oope.
down on the farmers. appropri".e
their provisions and animals and' "na'
called for their undying vensea"'e'
carried OF their women.
Damien at times carried us ine
cages on foot. fighting his way tnrous
nnderbrush, over the mountains anu
c-o..inu the streams either by fordihs
or on an improvised raft But ae "as
usually expected to cover consiueran
distances and at such times tra'e'eu
on horseback. His horse-nis nan
w.s Peter-had been obtained Tor nln,
from racing stock. since ne neeue"
neetness to escape from the askars'
ar Turkish soldiers, who. should they
capture him. would torture then pu'
him to death. But Damien always
carried a tiny bottle of poison u ell
able him to escape the torture
often would Damien ride Into VII
laee and warn the inhabitants that
their oppressors were on the way 10
vard them. which meant that they
must expect to be looted. This wouiu
give time for the Christians to nide ar
ticles of value and for the women 10
climb into the mountains ana nue.
But the great work done by the courier
was carrying the messages OF the UT
panizers of the revolution and those OF
the revolutionary committees between
the towns.
One evening Just before dark Da-
mien, loaded with messages that II
captured would draw down on numer-
GUS towns the wrath Of the Turks-be'
ing evidence that they were plotting
rebellion-was riding along ROAD.
Suddenly his horse pricked up his ears
turning them to the right Presently
Damien heard the soft tread of horses
hoofs on soft turf. They were In ad-
vance Of him. and he turned to go
, back, but as he did so he saw Turkish
, horsemen leaving the timber for the
road behind him. He determined to
keep on. trusting to Peters speed. that
had saved him on so many occasions.
Peter" he said, "you must make
the effort Of your life. Never would
a capture Of dispatches with which !
have been intrusted result 80 disas-
trously to so many Of our friends az
now"
Peter may not have understood what
each word meant, but he knew by bis
masters tone that a supreme effort
must be made. He heard the tread Of
horuemen making for the road In ad-
vance of him as well as that Of those
behind. Gathering his legs under him.
he made a spring that was followed
by another and another In quick sue
cession. He succeeded In passing the
point where the advance Turks enter
ed the road several hundred yards
ahead of him. The pursuers sent
shots after him. but did not hit either
him or his horse.
Peter, as usual. carried his master
away from his enemies. but there were
other parties out looking for Damien,
who had been Informed upon by 20
maks, MahOmetan citizens Of the coun.
try, who were ever ready to give the
Turkish soldiers information Of Chris.
tan rebels. Fearing to meet others,
Damien turned Off the road and enter.
ed a field 1t was now quite dark. and
he could not be seen beyond very
short distance. and his horses tread
was not likely to be heard on the soft
ground.
There are many irrigating bitches In
that country. and Peter stumbled into
one Of them that was covered with
long grass. He went down. He tried
to rise. but could not Damien got of
his back and examined him One OF
his fore legs was broken.
That meant the death Of the horse
and probably the death of his master
for now the courier could hear Turkish
cavalry all about him. What should
he do-leave Peter and get away on
footf 1t seemed the only thing to do
But he would not leave him to die In
pain He would kill him, but not by 8
bullet. for that would be heard by the
Turks. While he was planning hs
heard the Turks about him searching
for him. He was surrounded.
Damien knew that he had carried hi,
last message. His 6rst thought wa,
for the dispatches he carried. n,
could not burn them for the light the,
would make. Tearing them into bits
he lifted a stone under water In III,
bottom Of the ditch. thrust them un
der and let the stone fall on them
Then he returned to his horse and nm
his arms about him. holding Peter,
head against his breast.
Peter. dear Peter" he said. "v,
will die together"
Taking the poison he always carriet
-prussic acid-he emptied most Of |,
> on refers tongue, In a moment IN,
horse was still. Then. pouring tn,
rest OF 1t on his own tongue, he fel
q forward
The Turks found courier and bors,
dead together. one Of Damien's arm
apout Peters neck They knew whom
they had taken and searched him an,
ABOUT MIN for his dispatches Rn
tney Old not think to look under
stone at the bottom Of the ditch ON,
even II they had found the papers /
p is doubtful. In their Wet ana 80,