The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1875-11-18
ByrOn'S Maid OF Athens.

Tie London Times Of the 18th ult.
says Mr.. Richard Edgcumbe writes TO
US: "Thc announcement made by the
Greek journals Of the death of Mrs.
Black, known TO the world as The
Maid Of Athens is one which will not
fail TO interest the many admirers of
Byron. l should not have presumed to
trespass on your valuable space, but for
the reason, that some misrepresentation
seems 10 exist as TO the age she had at
tanned at the time Of her death, which,
in the announcement made in the Times
of Thursday, is set down at 70 years.
1t is, of course, well. known 10 most peo-
pie that Byron made the acquaintance
of Theodore Maori and her three daugh-
tiers, Teresa, katinka, and Mariana, in
February, 1910, just sixty-tive years ago.
In letter written by the poet to his
friend. Mr.. Henry Drury, at this time,
lowing words: Il am dying for love OF
three Greek girls at Athens, sisters. l
lived in the Same house. Teresa,
Mariana, and. katinka arethe names otthe
three divinitles-all of them under ID ."
Now, it is very well known that the ell
dest, Teresa, was the one he ADDRESSED as
Maid OF Athens, aud am inclined 10
think that she must at the time have been
al least Ii years of age-a superstition
based upon the account given of them
by Mr.. w. IL. Williams ia his Travels
in Italy and Greece. Surprising, then, that
the Maid of Athens was littlo over II
years, in February, 1910, she cannot have
been much under so years OF age ut the
time Of her death and it is not without n
pang that | recall an account given OF
Mrs Blacks poverty by | think, Mr..
Finlay, a few years since, when an APP
peal was made in her behalf with but
slant result. Byron's friends are all
gone save one, the dauntiess Edward
Treylawns, who enjoyed the poets con-
fidence, and accompanied him 10 Greece.
Byron's servants are all gone save one,
William Childs, beadle In Golden
square. But in their place we have
those honorable men who cling to his
name, and who have shown their
reverence for his memory by tardy
but Just endeavor 10 set HIM on the
pinnacle reared by his towering genius.
That something associated with Byron
should have passed away Is one of those
sad but inevitable consequences OF the
march of time, bullet us AT least take com
tort in the thought that there is still
something lett"
In the Ttmcs OF the following day ap-
pears the followiu. letter:
SIR: agree with Mr. Edgcumbc thas
Mrs. Black, nee Teresa Maori, Byron't
Maid of Athens, must have been close
upon so years at the time of her death !;
but | reject his supposition, i. c., than
because the charitable appeal made 1t,
her behalf few years ago by the late
r...FInlay was not adequately respond
cd 10 in his country, she must have
passed the closing years of her life in
INDECENT circumstances. II will no doubt
afford much pleasure 10 Mr.. Edgcumbe
aud TO every admirer of Byron's finest
lvrIc to learn-and u affords me equal
pleasure 10 state as posiIsvo fact-that
Mrs. Black was SO well cared for, for
the sake of the great Phllhellenic poet,
by some of the leading members Of the
Athenian Society, as soon as her difficult
tics became knowR TO them through Mr.
Finlay, that from that time 10 the day
of her death she was IN the enjoyment
of every comfort which sha coald
reasonably wish for. NJ. CharilusTricoupit
the present Premier, and the son of the
bard's intimate frierd, Spiridion Tri-
coupl, befr:ended her greatly in her LAT
ter years. am, sir, your obedient SER
want, NEocLEs q. MUssABISI,
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