The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-12-21
ghe Daily Eagle: Saturday ornino nmber FL 1885,

by railway from Patras to Pyrgos- On
! the journey lad of twelve or thirteen
years of age was discovered hiding un-
der seat in one of the third-class car
riages trying to steal a ride to his
| home in Pyrgos. He had been sent to
| Patras by his mother to learn his trade
as carpenter and in fit of homesick-
ness was running back to the mater
| nal apron strings just at nlghtfal
| he was put down at a little station
with hardly a house in sight, and as
the train prepared to move his hope OF
| getting home was a bout to depart with
it, he looked as if his heart would
break. When the needed railway
ticket was furnished by American gold
(of which the Greek thinks there is an
unlimited supply the boy came rush
ing to the railway carriage with his
heart quite overfiowing, and showed
his gratitude TO his benefactor by kiss
ing both his hands and by placing
them to his forehead-to indicate that
he was the slave of my lor1''-then
by kissing the right knee, and finally
by going on his knees and kissing the
right foot. 1t was very touching, but
would a Greek have shown his graft
tude in that same manner before the
period of his slavery to the Turk?
One result of Turkish rule shows it
self in what may perhaps be called an
ecclesiastical custom. During the Pc
Rod of their domino ton in Greece the
Turks were constantly on the watch
for concealed arms and ammunition
among the subjugated race. So strict
was their search that all collins were
required to be open to the inspection of
the officers of the law, that they might
be assured that they contained nothing
contra band Hence arose the custom
of burying the bodies of the dead in
open and uncovered baskets, in order
that the funerals might not be inter
rupted by Turkish officials And this
custom, which is in reality a relic of
the days of their slavery. the Greeks
cling to with the greatest tenacity. 1t
is said that if the body of one of the |
poorer and more ignorant class were |
placed in a closed coffin the friends i
would suspect foul play and tear the |
coffin 20 pieces
Other funeral customs in Greece are |
unique. The body of an unmarried |
girl is always dressed as bride, the |
common saying being 'She is married |
10 death" The body of a boy is |
always dressed as a sailor. No espe-
cial reason is given for this, but one
might be suggested by the fact that |
Greece is the most sea-girt nation in |
Europe. 1t has only twelve square
miles of territory of each mile of sea-
coast, while England, which ranks
next has eighty-four and one-half |
square miles to each mile of shore
Women never accompany funerals to
church or to the graves. Professions
are always on foot, the priest leading,
by acolytes bearing the
cross and lanterns. The body of the
deceased is invariably exposed to view,
and at the close of the service in the
church which concludes with the
words ''Take the last kiss" both
friends and strangers press about the
body and give this token of farewell.
Every effort is made that the body |
shall turn dust to dust" as quickly as
possible, only the merest shell separat-
ing it from the superintendent earth
at the time of burial
Another funeral custom is peculiar
to the rural districts. The church bell
IS tolled from the time that the breath
leaves the body until it is buried. But
that time is not long. 1t was on Sat-
nrday, November 3 last, that poor
Theodore apadiamantopoulou died,
largely from overwork, in Old Corinth,
the very place where St Paul spent
eighteen months. (Acts xviii, III The
church bell rang all day until four
o'clock in the afternoon, when the
body which had breathed its
asst at ten in the morning was laid to
rest. The other women of the village
I'll liked poor Theodore, but neverthe-
ess they spent that afternoon at the
stone washtubs around the public
springs, for being women, they could :
Tot go to the funeral. and, besides, no
natter what happens, Saturday is the
ireeks' washing day.-N. Y. Church.
nan.