Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1878-01-05
CRETAN WOMEN.
TEiy Homes outside Made Pleasant In
aide by Model Mothers and wives

I XIV AhhNNNNh UuAAANF ~ . fAHA -
aide by Model Mothers and wives
4 Cre,sn village is s strange looking
r,ace. A. the dwellings are alike in
a.,ine.s Ob.0DC in form. with walls of
rough stone. sud fist roofs, destitute OF
parspets and ~cllmreHs. One O. TWO
arches sre thrown across the length Of
the cottages 70 support the root, which
consists OF tenacious clay 8 few inches
deep. laid on pieces o: bark and rolled
ast-let ~sn.iguaEies shUdder-wita the
drums O; marble columns. In Askypho
tie heavy = storms which occarrhere
make it unsafe to carry up tie buildings
higher than one story ahd they certainly
have = mos. miserable exterior.
Butthe comfort within doors depends
st A.Sypho, as everywhere el,e, not on
the architect, but on the lady OF the
house, and the wives OF >Phakia rank
high among their sex. They are
conspicuous for their beauty. Tkejt
dark eyes are large and lus,rous, their
features are delica:e.y chiseled, and
waving ,rss.es fall in Profusion from
beneath their modest kerchie's. Their
carriage i graceful a. the does.
But, though possessed O. uncommon
personal charms, thei- attention Is Eg 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 fez Of the wool
Of the sheep be tend: is dyed, spun and
woven by tile hands OF his faithful wife,
SIZE it Is who makes his garments from
the cotton plan: which grows before the
door the bright scarf that binds his
wais. j, from the i kworm which feeds
upon Iii. mulberry trees; the mat and
tapestries whose bright designs, taken
from the pattern book Of tradition alone,
giving his home a cheerful air, are the
work Of her industrious loom, and many
more objects that | am incompetent 10
enum-raIe are due TO her untiriug lsb)rs.
1t was these same Sphakian women
whe only ten years ago were, with their
heIpIes, childien, hunted from mountain
to mountain, outraged and murdered,
In the cottage Of my guide, though the
owner was by no means a chief among
the people, the tab.ccloth, the napkins
the sheets, all Of them homemade, were
bJrdersd with Cretan lace and pillow.
case was a single piece Of the same rich
material the c0unterpane was so gor
geJu- with many colors that | did not
refrain irem expressing NY admiration
Of it, " Yes ssid my host, my wife il
Of a very COOL family, and knows the old
fashioned ways Of weaving, which heI
mother taught her"
Tho cottage itself consisted ola modern
sized room, with a gallery for sleeping in
and two very small ones, of which tht
larger Wa the kitchen. The walls vert
not even whitewashed, and the floor wa.
Of mud, yet the spirit tina: reigned ther,
reconciIed one to all. Idined with grea,
zest off English plates, which are price
a. much there az japanese CrocSery Is il
England, but without wine, not a droI
of which was to be found in any of til,
seven villages-a significant fact. Tn.
wife waited on US, for coniugal respec
Is strictly enforced, while even suspecte,
iutidelity is punished with death. 1t /
easy to believe how such a people nat
and despise anyone, be he calmakam 0
be he " milordi," who attempts to intro
duce the vices of western Europe int
their mountain retreats. - Cretqn Con
London Times.