HONOR, WORD AND FAMILY
Everyday was spend in play and work and nobody ever think about how hard life is because better was not known and elders was always working for young ones will accept the work as something natural what's just here, and have to be done. Everybody was taught one simple reason and very early in to the life: "Who don't work-don't eat" so everybody have work, the best they know and can and all was fine. Youngsters will inherit the close of elders, those younger, shoes of the elders, which have overgrown them, and oldest ones which did not leave house no more will wear all that what was no more to be used in every day work but was still good enough to be used around the house. Sometime the all generations of a one family will wear the same jacket or pants for a years before was too old for anything else than like rugs for covering of the hole on somebody pants or sleeves. In the summer little kids will run around but naked and enjoy the hot rays of a summer sun on the skin, after while so tanned to was hard to say if it was bunch of local kids or somebody dumped all bunch of children from Arabia. And nobody minded. This was the way how all grow up and clothing was to precious and also too fast overgrown to parents will waste time and money in effort to cover them up. All kids was healthy, slim and trim, no fat on they body to be found. Play and work will come all tighter and no one will ever think to they children was too young to work. As grandparents used to said: "You
are old enough to run around, You are old enough to work what you can". So, there was everyday duties, bring the firewood, pick up the wood chips, clean the yard, clean after the animals, feed the dogs, water the horses and this and that, and all was coming just natural. From very young age children will learn to only if one work, it will be rewarded. Nobody ever try to get something for nothing and all have learn to only team work paid off. Nobody have to ask for a hand, because always was couple of willing hands around. Trade was learned in play and no kids ever thought about learning. That was something unknown. You will after a while just know what to do, how to do, when to do and why to do. And that was not hard. Nothing was ever hard. Elders in they sixties or seventies will never said to something is hard or heavy, they will just one day announce to particular job is not for them any more and leader of a family will assign some of come to age kids, to do that chore from now on. And that was normal and nobody will question. Anyway, elders work was never questioned or doubted. It was known to each man is worthy as much as his work and great pride was taken to nobody lie, or said wrong on somebody else. If you borrow something and said you will return on particular day and time, that was worthy more than all papers of the world.
Grandpa used to said: "Only people which know in advance to they can not do it, or know to they don't have intention to respect they word, will make paper. Honest people do not
need papers and witnesses".
So many time town people will sign paper and not honored, but if people from the village said so, this was as carved in the stone and if have to be, live stock will be sold, or long journey made to honor the word given to somebody. It was never, ever, even in afterthought to somebody from a village can not tell the truth. Lie was the no- no word and somebody who lie will not survive in the society with so high moral standards. Also gendarmes never show in to the houses by business. They know to family do care about its honor. So they will come and eat, and relax under almond trees in the front yard and be gone by their business. Filip remember once as kid he was still awake when one of his uncles come home from town and all elders man have congregate in to the kitchen, door was shut tight. He was pretending to he is asleep so nobody did touch him. Uncle was telling the story how in the town he was accused of thievery, so he have to run.
Grandpa ask him only once, and only on question: "Did you do what they accuse you for?.
Uncle try to said something, but one sight in grandpa gray eyes have let him know to he was read as book and, nodded, whispering admittance: "Yes father I did it".
After that they told him to go get the water from rain catchment tank and come back. When he left the Grandpa look ling and hard on all man of the family and said quietly: "I did have son, I do not have son no more. Our family is in jeopardy to get stained name so
you all know what is my decision. No member of my family was ever on the court and will not be as long as I am alive."
Uncle come back and without anyone say the word he knew. His head hang deeper to his chest and shoulders hang down. Like some superior power have taken all living power out of his body. Slowly he stand up face the father, bend down, and get in hold of his hind, kissed lightly and said: "Thank you father".
He knew what coming, and accepted, at the same time he was afraid to his father will not make decision and he will have to be arrested and lead by foot back in town, stand the trial and finish in jail. He was not able to spend time behind the bars. The prospect of the bars and locked doors was something he can not take. All man got up on their feet, and in silent column follow him through the door. No word was said, no woman was called, not ever his mom.
Column left the front yard and take the path toward the bay. After that, silence in the kitchen really put Filip asleep. Next morning when he wake up, grandma was silently crying, tears was running down her soft face in fast tracks, but she did not brake or part of the duty. That fatal morning they found the uncle in the bay, drown still holding in his clutched hand bottle which smelled on home made figs brandy. Grandpa have said to all in the family to uncle must to come home late last night from town and start drinking, decide
to go for a swim and drown. And that was it. No inspector, detective or gendarme from the town will question grandpa's word. They knew to Uncle did it. We knew to Uncle did it. And all was happy on they own way to Uncle do not have to go and stand trial. It will be waste of tax money, it will destroy the family honor. That will destroy Grandpa which will have to march in to the town to a trial and listen how his son was bad, rotten etc….
Brothers have bring the uncle on Tralje, wooden device made of two long poles bridged with several short ones across home. Grandma was there, wash him out, pull the bottle from his dead hand. Two younger woman help her change his clothing. She kissed his cold forehead once for a last time. Plain pain wood box was brought in, he was laid in it, Grandpa hammered the nails in still soft and fresh wood. No prayer was made publicly. Everybody pray for themselves. Grave was dig outside the fence of the family graveyard. People which commit suicide and not lay in the same holly ground with rest of the population. He was lowered in the grave. Dirt, dully bumped to a box and it was all over. Uncles name was never mentioned in the family again. Few days after, grandpa make simple marker for the grave which said to he was found drown, and year of birth and death. And that was it. No fuss, no hush, he was born, he liver the worthless life, he died.
Few days after Gendarmes have come and ask to have a drink. Grandpa make sure to they have the best. He seat down with them and light the pipe. After a while Sergeant of
gendarmes ask Grandpa very politely did he have seen his son lately? Grandpa slowly bow his head and told them to couple of days prior they arrival they just buried him. Then he take them to a cemetery and show them a fresh grave. Sergeant ask to talk with Grandma, but Grandpa refuses on the grounds to she is naturally very upset and to that will not be necessary. Sergeant make mellow effort in front on his man to like, persuade Grandpa to a further talks and give up after that effort.
They was sitting in silence for awhile. Grandpa did not offer no more drink. He did not offer the food. So gendarmes get up, shake hands with grandpa and leave in single file column with rifles over the shoulders and bayonets hanging from the belts and biting they left thighs in ritam of march. No word have been spoken for a while. Than, one of younger gendarme ask the Sergeant: "How come no people from this villages was ever arrested, jailed or other vice processed?" Making sure to it is no unwanted ears around his reply was short and stern. "This people do not need judge, do not need us, do not need advocate and lawyers. They were taking care about themselves before, and they will in the future. This people do know justice and have better judges than Government ever will. Now shut up and do not ask stupid questions any more or else."
FRENCH ROAD CONSTRUCTION
When some years back Marshall Marmmont's troops pour in Dalmacija, it was refreshing. Where was no other ways than goats paths, Napoleon have ordered to build the highways of that time. Where were highways he ordered to be renewed and reinforced, where was ports he ordered to be designed new and enlarged. Napoleon and his Marshal Marmmont did not order that because they love Dalmatians. He order that in knowledge, to sooner than lather he will ned means of quick transportation of troops back and forth. But for a time bean most of the Dalmatian man have find the job on construction of the highway's and tunnels on they path. At the same time they was acquiring new knowledge. How to use new explosives which French have developed for a Military purposes How to use and design new tools needed for a development of different tasks. They was building on equal distances rain catchment's, large enough to big military formations have enough when they pass by. They was installing the highway signs with distance chiseled in (as Romans did long time ago), distances will tell the traveler how far is to next town or how far he was from the town he just come from.
Grandpa have sign up with most of the family man for this jobs. Far sighted as always he decided to will make good to participate, learn and make some money if that can be done. So some man was working on stone carving, others in mason division, Filip was still in the
Velebit taking care of that part of Family business, Grandpa was assigned for a foreman position. That did not come just out from the blue. Marmmont's people have make they're intelligence ground work in advance, and they knew who is who, and where they have to call upon, to task be done with less effort. What make they work more easy was the different approach. In the time when Venetia have rule the Dalmacija, all was done by force. So Napoleon assigned Marshal Marmmont to use different tactics. So after thinking and studying for a while, he decided to will be the best to use approach of benefactor. And he implement the wide open enrollment in what he called Public works. Who enroll will have decent pay, decent food and decent barracks for a that time. Also he have number of Scientists of different kind with him. There was Geometers, Surveyors, Land book makers for a Land management, Archeologists and so forth and so forth. Most of the people in Dalmacija have respect for a French's grow even bigger when they start paying for a land they needed for a projects. People did not see them as intruders any more but for a Government of prosperity.
And Adriatic highway start to advance in quick pace. In less than few years major ground works have been done. Finishing touches was been added to the route. Where was ravines and local people said to flash floods was rampant, engineer will construct aquaducts, bridges or underpasses for a water. Where was danger of strong Bura winds, walls was
build to protect the travelers on the highway. Edges of the road was build of chiseled stone, where was needed to elevate road, skarpa was build of chiseled stone and build under 45 to 75 degree angle to support the road on the top. On that way road was in one level which did not have large up hills and down hills. Road was build to support a military six man column one way, or two military carts in opposite ways. This was revolution. Where people before must to spend days traveling paths, not was road in use which make all this short and more pleasant.
When French's start on the border with Italy, they pass through Istra peninsula and around it , they come to Port of Pula on they way, build the military outpost, arrived in Port of Rijeda, continue down the coast, pass the Port of Senj and in just very short time they was building near Rovanjska. From Rovanjska road was split in two major directions. One across the mountain and inland to the North, other continue toward the Port of Zadar, and down the coast to Port's of Sibenik, Split and Dubrovnik…
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