THE MONTENEGRINS.

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12467, 17 February 1909, Page 4

THE MONTENEGRINS.

i- — — — — ---• — The Montenegrins are a nation under arms. Every man of military ag) is- given a rifle and ammunition by the Government and even in time ci peace always carries a loaded revo.ver. "A Montenegrin loves Kis weai> on as. his children, and a native proverb says: "You might as well tako from me my/brother as my. rifle." With a ferocious temperament he con.-: bines -an . unimpeachable ihtegrit;-.. Throughout the Levant his service s as.a-Consular guard or bank messen-ger-are in great reqiiest,- because hij employers know that he will Jay down his -lift for them. Having given his .'word, to be faithful, he much prefers to die to breaking faith. There ha\e been Montenegrins .; who ... have gdiio back on their pledge, but they have been killed by their indignant fellow -countrymen on their return to Montenegro. Montenegro is the '!only place lef t in JGurope where you can get a man to die for you for twenty dollars a month." . But you must treat hi: ;i as agfentleman } if you strike him cr insult 'Kim he will; have no compnuctiori about shooting you. .' The ruler of these, fierce people. who have bera so inuch in the public eyei-lately, ; --.;i's ; considered by even the severest critics to be the ablest of the Balkan sovereigns. . "My country, is a wilderness of stones," he said once, ''but I adore it ! And. if I wero offered the whole of the Balkan Peninsula in exchange .1 v/ould not hear one word!" In his character are united a poetic vein ar.d stiong common sense Finding that farriery was despised among his subjects he caused a smithy to be set tp or.t side his palace and there hamnie: ed out shoes with : his own ' hancb. While Ferdinand of Bulgaria worships pomp", and circumstance .Nicholas, of Montenegro i& so indifferent- to etiquette that he has been known, in thb course of. a Court procession, to hail a postman for- his letters arc! newspapers. He is father-in-law to the King of Italy and the Eing of Servia.i and is related by marriage fo half the reigning, houses, of Eurono. -When a visitor once told : him that his countrv w*s very beautiful, and interesting," but appeared to have no, valuable exports, he. replied with a tivinkle in his eye, "Sir, you forget my daugh-: 'ters.";"'-.: ■ -'■:.■■■ Y^y ■'"• r :' :