| Show the A womans comans stratagem stratus A story comes from athens about greek brigandage very refreshing to honest people and suggestive of the question whether women might not lot govern greece better than its men one of the curses of modem hellas as aa every averys body knows is the guild of brigande brigands bri gands who infest the land defying the government suppressing comme commerce ace demoralizing the peasant robbing and murdering strangers or rich natives one of those villains lately captured the youthful bon son of a widow woman of property well known upon the border I 1 the usual visual message was sent down from the hills the brigand chief must have one thousand drachmas by a certain day da ty or the life of the boy he was only welve twelve years old would pay the i for forfeit felt feit As usua asua usual too the last hope which a mother could cherish arish in such a frightful position was the chance of government help the wretchedly weak administrations ad min rations which play at I 1 in and out in athens still allow these scoundrels to hold the roads and passes of the country ebu and this poor woman had to trust to her own courage and wits neither were wanting there was some true old blood in her and she hit upon a plan for saving both her child and her drachmas she had a brother a young oung fellow of perfect pluck though lis ils kis K his is cheeks were as smooth as the dellan delian apollos and him she dressed up carefully as greek girl having appointed to meet the robber chief in a certain spot she took up two hundred drachmas and a present of cakes and fruit the greek girl going with her as a guide on reach ing the place they found the scoundrel i waiting with the captive lad ad bound hand and foot beside him the woma bomani first ascertained by cunning questions that the man was really alone and then them offered with many supplications ions her money and the present of cakes andt andl and fruit Thevilla the villain ln took the latter and andl munched them while he counted out oui out the drachmas then I 1 witha with a fierce oath he said it was far too little that slid bild must go back and send enough to make up a thousand or the head of the lad would be sent down to her without delay dejay while the woman clung su lica ilca ting to his knees the greek girt gir F P suddenly flung a grip of iron round the robbers arms and as the ellow was thus pinioned the tiie outraged f mother drew a loaded pistol and L shot hot him dead the pair lost no time in 11 berating the lad nor did they forget to cut off and wrap in a cloth the head of the I 1 chief I 1 I 1 an and as a reward of three thousand drachmas had been set upon this precious article they made quite an excellent days business of it on arriving safe and sound at their own village london teiei telo i graph |
