The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1875-03-18
The Greece Of To-Day.

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MOslerns Athens How It's PesP;e Eehs,
Dress and TRlaks-Is lt ssI4aVEne Ssreecs'i
Once More 3 IS ursaf h-s - -.
Z Among the best promises which the
Athens of to-day makes TO herself are
two schools, one a ladies' caiiegs called
the AFskeiOn, after its founder, Mr..
Arskes, and blessed with .0O0 stu
dents the other the university of
Athens, supported by the state, boast
ing forty five professors. j, go students,
four professional schools, an observa-
tory, ahaiomisal and natural history
museums, a library of 120, 600 volumes,
and q rare collection Of Greek coins.
Tui ton is free. ..,efao e
The fantastic fustineilo still some
times walks abroad on the streets OF
Athens. It-is a male attire. hou1d at
the wrist, below which it flows. loose,
reaching to the knee. 1t is usually
white, contains in some cases 100 yards
OF cotton cloth, and with its compile
ment of Jacket, Baistcoat. and. leggins,
costs from $50 to $500. "A woman may
also now and tden--bs- seen xFsa4iziE q
long, tasssied fez, which, seen from be-
bind, would bespeak hLsgyar pirate
Underneath. But such fantasia are
rapidly surrendering to Paris fashions,
and viii soon be things of theatres and
ancestral wardrobe chests. g-
= Taine. says the Atheniaps eat but
lhttle. One woHld tbiHk 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
istenee possible even to poverty. For
instance lemons, 6 for a penny ;
oranges, hai penny each; ViR OrdiRaire
Common wine), 5 cents pint, and
drinking water, which Is brought on
doDkey's backs from a spring at the
foot of Mt. Hymettus, about as dear as
VINE grapes apricots, and ZONE gran
ates, 5 cents per ol1e (2E lbs.); meats
and vegetables, cheaper than in Amer
lea. Indeed, the labOrer must buy
eheaply, for see what wages h gets :
common Iaborer, 2 l2-draehmas (S2 4O) q
month. 20 Yet Ecanty as is the return for
his efforts when he does work there
are In the year more than one hundred
fete days, which the laboret celebrates
by al enforced idleuess.
Taine saws drunkenness is unknown
among the AtheniRns. He must have
carried his eyes In his pocket, or lived
in Good Templar's lodge, from which
be emerged only on pitch dark nights.
One hackmhn is like ! mother. He
wears a little old shabby genteelI 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 unhitehes
his horses, drives them to the trough,
and lets them drink On again, and
directlya whisky-shop confronts him.
Jehu alighUs and takes a leisurely
drink. This duty done, he proceeds.
A pump again. The hOrseI are uo-
hitchei ard watefed. so Oh where Is
unhappy Bergh now? VIII he not see
Athens and die? a saloon heaves in
veiw. Shall the beast drink every half
hour, and not the man2 He shall not.
Another pump, followed by another
whisky-shop. 1t is touching, but it is
getting tedious. After time he be-
gins to climb upon the box with great
difficulty as we'll as uncertainty, and
Ioll about on his seat like a top in it's
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. -4
The Athenian of to-day reminds cne
far more of the ancient Athenian than
the Roman of to-day does of his pro-
genitor. He is vivacious, polite, iude-
pendent, proud of his origin, and full
of aspiration The people which
nodded its independence in such fur
naces as the Greeks passed through
half a century ago has future as well
as past. Since that time Athens has
grown from 10, 600 to $4,000. All its
newer houses are substantial and fresh
in appearance, built of limestone or
Penteiie MARBLE. and quite American
IN fashion, save their balconies and
other adaptations to more summery
climate. The 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 is the
royal park, thick forest grove, inter.
twined with paths, undergrown with
red and white roses, and ever Yoieeful
with the singing of the nightingale.
Quite possibly a 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 dra wing the vehi-
The leadership of this remembered
past is also seen in the revival of art.
Not that they have achieved mnch,
even in copy less in creation. Tney
have been too busy hedging about
their liberties, resurrecting their com
merce, peGfecting their schools, and
dreaming out railway schemes. Like
the crafty Ulysses of old, they are first
Dracticai then sentimental So with
the present Athens. But it Facredly
guards the Aeropolis and its other
ruins, and is Just beginning to sculpture
and paint for Itself There remains
the same ether haloipg every beauty,
and inviting it where it is not the
same climate, rainiess from June t0 Oc-
tober, and bathing the spirit in cease
less soft delirium; the same deep wealth
of waiting whiteness in the side Of
arble-ribbed PertelieoB.