The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1921-07-29
lode of Honor as II Is Enforced
in Sardinia, Corsica and
Elsewhere
DIFFICULT TO STAMP OUT
lost Persistent Disciples Are Among
the Most Mild hammered and Most
HospitabIe People In the World
Ceremony Of Reconcile
afian

New YOrk.-Yendetta still fourishes
II many parts OF the old world. but
b no place is 1t more firmly estab-
hsbed than In the Island of Sardinia.
Why II fiourishes there Is mys-
terry still unsolyed, for the EaI dini-
ans themselves are probably among
the mildest hammered men In the
world. Travel all over their island
and you will be received with the
greatest hospitality.
There are few inns, except in the
two or three chief towns, but inns are
not needed, for every door is open
to the stranger, the best of fare Is Of
fered-nay, lavished with open hands
the fatted calf is instantly slain, the
cellars are ransaeked for the oldest
wine. Indeed, you might almost start
= vendetta by refusing hospitality or
wanting to hurry away too soon
So long as you do not smile at the
women folk you are an honored guest
for much longer time than you wish
to remain. But the etiquette about
women Is as strict as in any harem
land in the East, and no intercourse
Is allowed with strangers.
Next to Sardinia in the vendetta
business comes Corsica, where the peo-
pie, after all, are not very different.
There is plenty On a.oodshed in Sicily,
but 1t is organized by secret so
riety and has nothing to do with ven-
delta.
Albania runs the blood-feud on very
similar lines and Albania's hereditary
enemy, Montenegro, oddly enough,
cherishes almost the same traditions.
whereas the Serbians, the cousins of
the Montenegrins, are bloodthirsty in
quite different way. 1t is probably
not an accident that feuds and feudal-
Ism have the same derivation, and
clannish traditions must have some
thing to do with the custom, writes
Herbert Vivian.
Part Of Their Code Of Honor.
The great difficulty that govern.
ments find in suppressing vendetta ID
that its disciples regard 1t as part Of
their code Of honor. Men who 60 to
church regularly and observe all the
religious feasts-black- coated gentle
men Of Infinite responsibility, who
could be trusted anywhere with un.
told gold and frivolous females-nev.
ertheless consider 1t their sacred duty
to slay the second cousin twice re.
moved Of some one who has killed a
member of their family in legitimate
self-defense. Indeed, there is stigma
on their whole elan If blood has not
been wiped out with blood, If many
molars have not repaid single tooth
1t ceases to bet never is, in fact
q personal affair. 1t is just primitive
savage justice.
In Sardinia church and state have
been frantically at work for genera
tons trying to suppress the vendetta
but II is very slow work.
From time to time, however. rec
oscillations do take place. Sixty-fivs
years ago there was solemn cere
mony of forgiveness between two fam
lilies that had been at war for two cen
turtles, killing one another and de
streying one another's cattle ant
farmsteads. 1t made an enormou.
sensation, and marked an epoch in tn,
history Of the island. Only the othel
day there was similar event. fol
which the parish priest and the mayor
of Temple, amid the savage rccklant
of Angina, are Jointly responsible.
Almost endless negotiations preced
cd the formal kiss of peace. No on,
wished to forego his vengeance; tn,
honor Of FIVE hostile families was q
stake. Again and again, for a who'll
generation. men and boys have beef
stabbed, and though everybody knev
the culprits and all the reasons 70