WHAT ARE THE MACEDONIAN SLAVS?--THE RIFT CAUSED BY
RELIGION--VERSATILITY OF THESE MACEDONIAN SLAVS--HOW FOREIGNERS HAVE
STIRRED UP TROUBLE--AUSTRIAN, RUSSIAN AND TURKISH MANOEUVRES--THE
DEPLORABLE MILAN--NIKITA THE COMEDIAN--THE GREAT STROSSMAYER--RELIGIOUS
DISPUTES BETWEEN SERBS AND ROUMANIANS--THE BURDEN OF THE OBRENOVI['C]--A
HAPPY ADVENT--AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN WRATH--THEIR MONTENEGRIN FRIEND--AUSTRIA
GIVES HOSTAGES TO HISTORY--THE DREAMS OF AN OLD REALIST--VERY HIGH
POLITICS--THE RIDDLE OF SARAJEVO--THE MISERABLE MACEDONIANS--FEROCITIES
OF EDUCATION--THE STORM IS PAST.
A wealthy gentleman of Belgrade, one George Weiffert, who brews
admirable beer, is said some years ago to have sworn an oath that if
his wished-for ice, that was strangely lacking, should appear by Saint
Sava's Day (January 27, New Style) he would adopt this old archbishop
as the patron saint of his family. Another Teuton, of Hebraic origin,
whom I met at Zaje[vc]a, had placed himself and his house under the
protection of the Archangel Michael, whose festival is on November 21.
The Roumanians of eastern Serbia seem, all of them, to have assumed
this custom which the Serbs call the "slava," and those inhabitants,
say of Pirot, who did not consider themselves Serbs at the time of
their annexation would gradually fall into line with their neighbours
and select a saint, if only because the annual "slava" celebration is
a day of tremendous hospitality, when the peasant is glad to squander
his savings in the entertainment even of persons unknown to him. And
those who are in the habit of attending "slavas" naturally feel that
they must have a "slava" of their own. It may also have happened in
Macedonia that a traveller has been told by the very adaptable
peasants how Saint Nicholas or Saint Alimpija is their house saint, a
commitment which the holy one has but lately had thrust upon him. One
would therefore do well to look for some other test, and not to follow
those people who roundly assert that the man who honours the "slava,"
and no other man, is a veritable Serb.