The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-03-12
The Greece Of To-Day.


Modern Athens-HOw Its People Eat,
Dress, and Talks 1t ''Living Greece"
Once More
Among the best promises which the
Athens of to-day makes to herself are
two schools, one ladies' college called
the Arskeion, after its founder, Mr..
Arskes, and blessed with 1000 stu
dents the other the university of
Athens, supported by the state, boast
ing forty five professors, 1900 students,
four professional schools, an observa-
tory, anatomical and natural history
museums, library of 120, 600 Volumes,
and rare collection of Greek coins.
Tuition is free.
The fantastic fustinello still some
times walks abroad on the streets of
Athens. It is a male attire. bound at
the wrist, below which it flows loose,
reaching to the knee. It is usually
white, contains in some cases 100 yards
of cotton cloth, and with its compile
ment of jacket, waistcoat. and leggins,
costs from $50 to $500. A woman may
also now and then be seen wearing a
long-tasseled fez, which, seen from be-
bind, would bespeak Magyar pirate
underneath. But such fantasia are
rapidly surrendering to Paris fashions,
and will soon be things of theatres and
ancestral wardrobe chests.
Taine says the Atheniaps eat but
little. One would think they might
live on the air. But if it be true that
one IN that climate requires little food,
then the prices at which that little can
be purchased would seem to make ex-
istence possible even to poverty. For
instance lemons, 6 for a penny
oranges, ha' penny each; Gin ordi'lGjre
Common wine), 5 cents a pint, and
drinking water, which is brought on
donkey's backs from a spring at the
foot of Mt. Hymettus, about as dear as
wine grapes apricots, and pomegran-
ates, 5 cents per oke (24 lbs. meats
and vegetables, cheaper than in Amer
lea. Indeed, the laborer must buy
cheaply, for see what wages he gets ;
common laborer, drachmas (S2 400
month. Yet fcanty as is the return for
his efforts when he does work; there
are in the year more than one hundred
fete days, which the laborer celebrates
by an enforced idleoess.
Taine says drunkenness is unknown
among the Athenians. He must have
carried his eyes in his pocket, or lived
in a Good Templar's lodge, from which
he emerged only ON pitch dark nights.
One hackman is like mother. He
wears little old shabby genteel silk
hat, slightly tipped to one side, and his
name is Themistocles Diophites. He
mounts the box with Instructions as to
your desired destination. Presently
he comes to a pump. He unhitches
his horses, drives them to the trough,
and let's them drink. On again, and
directly whisky-shop confronts him.
Jehu alights and takes leisurely
drink. This duty done, he proceeds.
A pump again. Tho horses are un-
hitched ard watered. Oh where is
unhappy Bergh now? Will he not see
Athens and die? A saloon heayes in
veiw. Shall the beast drink every half
hour, and not the man? He shall not.
Another pump, followed by another
whisky-shop. It is touching, but it is
getting tedious. After q time he be-
gins to climb upon the box with great
difficulty as we'll as uncertainty, and
roll about on his seat like top in its
dying revolutions. It is enough. The
horses have proved their ability to
stand more drinks than the man, and
the latter does nothing now but go to
sleep and race horses with the other
hackmen.
The Athenian OF to-day reminds enc
far more of the ancient Athenian than
the Roman of to-day does of his pro-
genitor. He is vivacious, polite, indie
pendent, proud Of his origin, and full
of aspiration. The people which
nodded its independence in such fur
naces SIS the Greeks passed through
half a century ago has future as we'll
as past. Since that time Athens has
grown from 10000 to 45, 900. All its
newer houses are substantial and fresh
in appearance, bu 1t of limestone or
Pentelic marble, and quite American
in fashion, save their balconies and
other adaptations to more summary
climate. Tue kings palace is located
with the true Athenian genius for site
choosing, so as to crown the highest
spot in the city-hills, of course, ex-
cepted. Back and around it ia the
royal park, thick forest grove, inter
twlned with paths, undergrown with
red and white roses, and ever voiceful
with the singing of the nightingale.
Quite possibly few more years of
the sway of Periclean memory will re-
store to the street corners of Athens
the dialect of Thucydides, only wear
ing the harness and drawing the vehi-
Gle of the nineteenth century thought.
The leadership of this remembered
past is also seen in the revival of art.
Not that they have achieved much,
even in copy less in creation. They
have been too busy hedging about
their liberties, resurrecting their COM
merce, perfecting their schools, and
dreaming out railway schemes. Like
the crafty Ulysses of old, they are first
practical, then sentimental. So with
the present Athens. But it sacredly
guards the Acropolis and it's other
ruins, and is just beginning to sculpture
and paint for itself. There remains
the same ether haloing every beauty,
and inviting it where it is not; the
same climate, rainless from June to Oc-
tober, and bathing the spirit in cease
less soft delirium; the same deep wealth
of waiting wilderness in the side of
marble. ribbed Pertelicop.