The morning times., 1895-09-29

A very pretty picture they make at this
court ball, these proud little maidens al
dressed in white, with their long, black
curls tied with ribbon, and their arms in
cased in silkCn mIts. After their first ap
pcarance they go to this ball each year,
until they become grown up young ladies
or have found husbands for themselves as
some Of them do beforethey are grownup.
SHARP CHAPERoNAGE.
Very strict is the watch kept over these
| maids of Athens by their mammas and
| chaperons and gOvernesses, who rarely
| allow them out of their sight. And yet in
quiet way they manage to carry on flirta-
| lions with their boy admirers, Just as
| girls do everywhere. In the hot after
moons, after lessons are over, they sit on
| the cool balconies In front of the houses,
at least they are the coolest places to be
found, and many are the demure or ten
der glances they cast, taking their dark
eyes off their embroidery, upon the fine lads
in military uniform, who never fail to stroll
| the promenade at that hour.
And, again, when walking with their gov
ernesses in the exposition grounds, they are
| often followed at a discreet distance by ar
dent young swains, who take advantage
sometimes of a governess' good nature of
preoccupation to slip a note into the fair
ones hand or few words into her ear.
A ROMANTIC INCIDENT.
As may be imagined, this severe re-
straint exercised over Greek girls leads
often to unfortunate results, not only in
the way of divorces, like the case 1 just
mentioned, but in willful acts and elope-
ments. l remember an incident of this
sort that happened in Greek family
where there were two daughters, the one
great beauty, the other quite plain.
A young English diplomat fell in love with
the handsome sister, and knowing that
her marriage had already been arranged
for with some one else, he hit upon an
unusual plan for attaining his purpose.
He procured a large coffin-like box, fitted
1T with cushions and holes for vent ilation,
placed a quantity of food inside, and then
concealed it near the girls home, having
previously given orders to commissary
to carry it to the address indicated. The
plain sister was in the secret and was to
assist in the escape At the last moment,
however, the courage of the beautiful one
failed, and no argument could induce her
to 60.
Here was a crisis, indeed, and, not wish
ing the expectant lover to be disappointed,
and having a fancy for him herself, the
other sister lay down in the box, which was
forthwith nailed up and shipped to its des-
tination, where it arrived twenty four
hours later, with the girl safe and sound.
I always admired the young diplomats
conduct, when he opened the box and dis
covered the exchange of sisters that had
been made. If he felt any disappointment,
he concealed it, assuring the girl that the
pluck and devotion she had shown were
more precious to him than her sisters
beauty. So he married her, and 1 believe
they were happy ever after.
WEDDING GOWNS.
Peasant girls are skillful with their
needles, these peasant girls learning from
their mothers, and people come from far
and near to purchase Of their handiwork.
For ten years the children work at their
marriage garments, SO 1t is little wonder
that they achieve splendid result. The
mohair-like material of which the gown is
made is Of creamy white, sometimes woven
by the peasants themselves, but more fire.
quentiy being purchased. Although the
original stuff is often cheap and of heavy
texture, yet from the matches embroid-
cry worked upon 1t, it gains great value.
At the bottom of the skirt are about fifty
or sixty rows Of little squares worked In