Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-01

sunny little hamlet on the west coast built
where the River Temo lazily Joins the sea.
To students of Sardinia 1t is known that
MORO and its surroundings are particularly
famous for bandits and that OrgoSoIo Is the
worst part Of the island. Grazia Deledda, Sar-
dinian woman Of letters and Nobel prize win
ner. is from Nuoro and her books are based on
the violent habits and passions Of her people.
Therefore. not because Of any surplus courage,
but because I was most interested in this part
OF the country. chose to 60 to Nuoro via
OrgoSolo.
A T OrgoSolo found clean room and passed
the night. Heaven knows the village Is
peaceful and quiet enough Next morning I
awoke to find the ground covered by several
inches Of snow, but decided 1t was advisable
TO go on, as, by taking the short route passing
Oliena. could be in MORO that night, and
didn't care to find myself Snow-bound In Or
goSolo despite its apparent calm. The donkey
gave evidences Of not liking the snow much,
but on she plOdded, the patient little beast
that she was. Hour after hour we trudged
tnrougn the snow until was sure we should
have reached Oliena but there wasn't a house
or hut in sight
on to the left rose high hill and from
behind its crest thought could distinguish
column Of gray smoke curling skyward. I
determined to have q look for was beginning
W lear we were not On the rlgnC road. Sure
enough. on reaching the top of the hill I saw a
fire burning far OFF in the valley on the
opposite side From my high vantage point
many miles in every direction were visible but
not a village was in sight.
Down we climbed in the direction of the
smoke. for there was nothing to do but find
out where we had wandered to and get q
new start. necessary Crash!-I had stepped
on something and it had given way and falling
with the whole weight of my body, I dragged
the donkey with me. Down-down-down we
slid over the snow and rocks. first the donkey
on top. then I, until the white snow became
black and lost consciousness
Some time had elapsed when I came to and
found myself lying on a crude but not I'M
comfortable bed The room was small and
dark, seemingly windOwleSS and lighted only
by candle. few skins adorned the walls.
A chair and q table were the only other fur
niture. Little by little my brain cleared and
remembered the fall. One by one tested
each bone. and, although was badly bruised
and scratched. I was delighted to find that
nothing was broken. With great effort 1
raised myself to sitting position.
Something moved to the left and as my
eyes became accustomed to the dim light I
could see the door. guarded by q young noun
taineer with shotgun under his right arm
was a prisoner In that section of Sardinia
famous for the most desperate bandits.
As I stared at him my guard opened the
door and called to some one in the next room.
A handsome but fierce-looking old fellow, gray
haired gray-bearded. and in national costume,
entered. saluted and addressed me in dialect
OF which understood only a few words.
Seeing that I could not follow he turned to
the guard and ordered him to fetch Theresina
The young man obeyed and soon returned with
a bright-faced girl of about 10.
The old peasants rarely speak Italian and
are usually illiterate, but the younger genera
tion thanks to the efficiency of FaScism has
the benefit of state education. Theresina had
been to school and spoke Italian so she was
to act as our interpreter. I Immediately asked