The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1885-05-08
Bill NYe Abroad.
He Arrives in Athens and Writes a
Letter.


about sunset, without attracting any
attention. Wherever we had gone
heretofore we have received one con-
tinued ovation; but here in Athens,
a city that was duly incorporated and
supplied with CITY officials, ere de
partment and floating debt over a
thousand years before Christ, the
people showed the most pItiable ig~
norance IN relation to our party.
Here, where Pluto taught school, Ar
istotle presided over the Lyceum,
and where people arc supposed to
know something, no one knew who
we were. If had founded city, and
1T had run nearly three thousand
years, and it had every advantage as
Athens has, and didn't know any
more than Athens does, would re-
tire from that branch Of business,
and form cOrdwOed syndicate or a
stave-bOlt corporation by myself.
Athens is situated in latitude 81
degrees Sc minutes n; longitude, %
degrees, So minutes L. 1t has pop
ulation of about fifty thousand, es-
timated, though my figures may be
imperfect. and several people may have
been counted twice in making the
estimate. Athens lies in The lap Of
4 beautiful ampitheatre, and has dune
so ever since can remember. l do
not know whether her parents are
aware Of it or not.
Athens is bounded on three sides
by beautiful mountains, and faces to-
ward the setting sun. The air Is
beautiful. Many years ago, when the
old-tashioned Athenians were here,
one thousand years or more before
Christ, and who are now no more,
they uEed 10 wear their summer clothes
till late in the fall. 1t didn't cost
s.. so to feed a hard coal furnace, and
So for underclothes anniversaries und
hot whiskey, in Athens. Who, then,
can speak harshly of Athens L am
sure / do not blame her If l could
lie in the lap of an amphitheatre with
my little bare, pink feet IN the swell
ing tide for three thousand years, /
would do it, and l wouldn'G care
hoy much talk it occasioned, either.
Three thousand years is long while
to lie, but L would be almost willing
to try it.
In 404 Lysander captured Athens
and abolished the democracy, out the
democracy couldn't have been so pow
errul 4O4 years before Christ as it was
last fall.
Demosthenes used to speak in pub
lie here at that time. lie was Ger
tainly an able speaker. ! never
heard him myself. Tut from what /
can learn he could jar the masses
with his eIoquence in a very remark
able way. When the liberty of Ath
ems was threatened Derlosthenes
assailed Phillip and told him what he
tkaught of him and fred Phillippics
at him until ne wished he had mex er
been born. If Phillip had lived i'll
our day, he would have gone to De-
mosehenes and said: nTIere, partner,
you are injuring your voice talking
SO much in the night air. You are a
good public speaker, and we can't
afford to lose you. Rather than see
you go around Athens next spring
with your voice done up in rag, /
%yould be willing to suffer little in
convenience myself. Go to Florida
and stay there until 1 send for you.
Take one Of my ships if you want it.
Take that one with hole IN the bot
tom of it, if you want it. Go to Cal.
fornia. Y isit the Sandwich Islands.
Mix up with the cannibals. Enjoy
yourself. Don't hurry back. Here's
my check for ten thousand dollars.
When that sums out, let me know.
Draw on me at sight. Stay away as
long as yeu please. The longer you
stay away the more money viii show
. er on your widow"
/ wish l had more room 10 give to
the history of Athens. | could 60 on
for hours telling about the beauty Of
the landscape, the wonderful history
of the city, and the mighty work ac~
complished by her orators, artists,
'sculptors, statesmen, but have no
time or space to do it. Ihave spoken
mainly of Athens prior to the christ
ian era, knowing that my readers
viii, most of them, easily remember
what has since occurred.
y About the fifteenth century, how
ever, Athens under the Turkish rule,
began to decline, and continued to
decline with great success for many
years. Now, however, | feel more
encouraged about her. She is GER
tainly reforming in that line, for /
asked several loading Athenians to
join in Q slight token of respect to
King Gambrinus and none of them