Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-04-05
Special Correspondents of TIE EvExrxo srAn

THE People,.
Special Correspondents of The EVENING STAR
CoRfu, March Is
@g HE day before we left Naples we be-
~I0 came very much interested in the
N conversation between an American
m and an Englishman who sat near US
~ at our table d'hote. The subject was
Admiral Walker and his feet, which had ar
rived the day before. John Bull did not under
| stand why the United States, now that they had
| pretty little toy, wanted to expose themselves
to ridcule by sending the rattlers all over the
world to dare the foreign powers to touch them
| now. But" he added, ''that is the way with
your government; one set Of men save heap
OF money and fill your treasury to overlooking,
| the next set scratch their heads and plan how
they can spend it."
The Italian government would allow only
three of our beautiful toys ut one harbor at
time, SO one was sent 20 Castel-a-Mare. But as
we left the city Sunday morning and saw our
stars and stripes flying just gracefully as
though under the American sky. we wiped our
eyes and shook hands all around
The journey across Italy to Brindisi twice
over the Apennines, was as interesting as it WAS
wonderful, and when we arrived at Brindisi
and boarded the Austrian Lloyd steamship for
this paradise we most devoutly wished that
Uncle Sam had sent Us along in the Boston.
BEAUTIFUL SCENERY.
Some OF the passengers may be able to tell
You when we sighted land. can't; sea sick
ness is my master, and it was not till IL o'clock
Monday morning that could get up on deck,
and then we were beyond troubled waters and
all miseries left US. On one side of us the
coast of Turkey rose and fell like waves of the
| ocean. for the Albanian mountains are very
beautiful and the little Turkish villages nestled
here and there in the valleys made one not
surprised that the government is strict IN
allowing strangers to step on their soil-the
peace ard harmony must not be broken. As
we steamed along the blue water as clear and
sparkling as champagne, in and out the little
islands-''The Babies of the Ionan Isles" they
are called-the glorious present was more than
sufficient. After this we cannot be surprised
| at the giories Of nature. Nothing can be more
| grand. more gentle, more magnificent than the
scenery along the coasts Of Turkey (Albania)
and Corfu.
THE TOWN OF CORFU
is beautifully situated and is itself very queer
picturesque city-and the people! Their cos
tunes are fearfully and wonderfully made.
The women. no matter how common, are
beautiful. and without exception those who
live just out of the city dressed in the
prettlest dresses it has been fortune to see.
No matter ii a woman is digging the earth
around the grape vines. whether she is spin
ming her fax with her little hand loom or sit
| ting under heavy-laden orange tree knitting
she has on the costume of the country and her
ven thrown back, or brought across her face
below her nose. her hair wound around her
head in immense coils. which in their turn
are twisted around wide red ribbons, her little
gilt braided sack loosely fitting over a full
white waist a pleated blue skirt and always a
checked apron; well. perhaps their dresses help
to make them beautiful. but dress can't make
straight nose: and their noses are all straight.
The men are perfect pictures in their way. too,
with their short, fnll skirts and the beautiful
gold-braided jackets their red sashes and goats
lair cloaks. Then every man wears a fez
| whether he be gentleman or laborer. The
| latter S costume differs inasnuch as his skirts
are blue and less full and are fastened about
his legs SO that the effect is more as though he
| wore Turkish trousers.
THE EMPRESS NEW VILLA
The empress of Austria is having a villa built
on the top Of hill just outside the little town
Of Gastouri. and We drove there yesterday.
he roads are in perfect condition and we have
come to the conclusion this must have been the
Garden of Eden. We passed through miles of
| olive groves, and watched with hungry eyes
the crowded orange trees. whose fruit has no
equal save in Jaffa. Corfu oranges and those
OF Jaffa are the best in the world
Upon arriving at the terrace gate we en-
countered soldier guards we'll as large
printed notices. No admission" Just then
an Austrian count alighted from his carriage
Our companions. Herr Hauptman, a y. H. and
his wife were recognized. Solicitations and a
! gracious permission followed. We entered the
grounds and walked over and around the won
derfui place: stood on the marble terrace
leaned over the marble railing and saw from
on high the same view which enchanted rs
from shipboard last Monday, only this was
more extensive and perhaps more beautiful.
A gUsY SCENE.
There were, perhaps, two hundred men and
women at work, carrying mortar, laying bricks
| setting marble steps and raising statues, lay
ing out the walks all the way down TO the
shore, trimming the rose bushes and training
the vines. It was like a little world in itself
The women carried the stones and mortar on
| their heads, III baskets or in tubs. Their white
| wells and turbans were just as orderly as
| though they were in their houses tending the
babies. Speaking OF babies. where are they?
We have been all over the town and suburbs
and have not seen one baby. 1t seems strange
| for at Naples there were hundreds too MANY
The villa of the empress will. when done. be
one OF the finest residences in the world not
alone on account of its unsurpassed location.
bat the house and grounds themselves 1t
seemed more as though il were being done by
one of the old Roman emperors, and we woi:-
dered If the ruins We had been wandering
among. for months past. were ever of more
magnificent buildings than this is to be.
IN TEN YEARS TINE.
The empress will be here in November. She
may well be envied this earthly possession 1t
will be world renowned and wonderful beyond
words Even now as I write there is a great
chatter in the street below-loads of long bars
OF iron are being taken through the town, I'D
the hills. to use in the empress villa. Ten
wears from now Corfu will be Il noted and fash
ioDable winter resort. Then strangers like
ourselves, will not be stared at; they viii be too
common.
TURKISH COFFEE.
We took coffee q la Turk. 1t was brought to
us in tiny cups on little trays and we swallowed
the stuff we would mud pies, and soon We
realized why the cups were so small The
coffee Is so pure. so strong. so unauthorized
with water for only enough is put in che cup
! OF powdered Mocha to thoroughly wet il. that
it acts as a stimuiant, and we felt as though we
were under the influence of opium or some re-
viving drug not at al ..heady," but SO satisfy
ing.
We don't want to leave here. but We are due
| at Athens Sunday, the 10th, and the fourteen
hours sail through tranquil seas will take us
only to Patras, from there via rail to Athens
We have Danish count in our hotel here
WHO has brought his invalid wife, hoping the
! mild and beautiful climate will give her new
life. He is much agitated. however not on ac-
count of the illness of his better half, but be-
cause he cannot, through his consul here the
Russian emperor, or some other influence, get
permission to land at Albani, for he wants to