The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1878-01-11

4 A Cretan village Is strengthening
place. All the dwellings are alike in
ugliness, oblong in form, with walls OF
rough stone, and Hat roofs, destitute OF
parapets and chimneys. One or two
arches are thrown across the length Of
the cottages to support the roof, which
consists Of tenacious clay few inches
deep, laid on pieces Of bark. and rolled
flat-let antiquaries shudder-witn the
drums OF marble columns. IN Askypho
the heavy snow-storms which occur
there make 1t unsafe 10 carry up the
buildings higher than one story, and
they certainly have most miserable ex-
terror.
But the comfort within doors depends
al Askypho, rs everywhere else, not on
the architect, but on tie lady Of the
house, and the wives Of Sphakia rank
high among their sex. They are con-
spicuous for their beauty. Their dark
eyes are large and lustrous, their fca-
lures are delicately chiseled and waving
tresses fall in profusion from beneath
their modest kerchiefs. Their carriage
Is graceful as the does.
But, though possessed Of uncommon
personal charms. their attention is nv
no means confined to the toilet. Every
thing which their homes contain Is the
work OF their own hands. The cloth
OF the husbands jacket and fer, of the
wool OF the sheep he tends, is dyed spun
and woven by the hands of his faithful
wife. She il is who makes his garments
from the cotton-plant which grows be-
fore the door; the bright scarf that
minds hil Uafaf -. -. 81
which feeds upon his mulberry trees;
the mats and tapestries whose bright
designs, taken from the pattern book of
tradition alone, give his home cheer
full air, are the work Of her industrious
loom, and many more objects that am
incompetent to enumerate are due TO
her untiring labors.
IL was these same Sphakian women
who only 10 years ago were, with their
helpless children, hunted from noun
tain TO mountain, outraged and murder
ed. In the cottage Of my guide, though
the owner was by no means Il chief
among his people, the iablecloth, the
napkins, the sheets, all OF them home-
made, were bordered with Cretan lace:
the pillow-case was single piece Of the
same rich material, the counterpart
was so gorgeous with many colors that
did not refrain from expressing my
admiration Of It. .les,- said nv host.
(" my wife Is Of a very good family, and
knows the old-fashioned ways Of weay-
ing which her mother taught her.
The cottage itself consisted of a mod
erate-sized room, with gallery for
sleeping in, and two very small ones, OF
which the larger was the kitchen. The
walls were not even whiicwashed, and
the floor was Of mud. vet the spirit that
reigned there reconclcd one to all. |
dined with great zest off English plates,
which are priced there mucr as Japan
ese crockery i in England, but without
wine, not a drop Of which was to be
found in any of the seven villages
significant fact. The wife waited on as,
Tor conjugal respect i strictly enforced,
while even suspected inidelity is pun
shed with death. 1t il easy to believe
how such people hate and 'despise any
one, be he .'milordi," who attempts to
introduce the vices Of Western Europe
INTO their mountain retreats. Lon
ION Times.