Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1895-07-04
STORY OF IRENE.

Tho following sketch is taken from
Ludwig Stcub's "l3ildcr nus Griochcn-
land ("Picturcs From Greecc'D, publish
cd by him u few ycnrs after his visit as u
young man of four and twenty to Greece
and founded on his experiences during he
two years hH resided thcro
During the Inst months Of my stay In
Athens In 1896 lodged In tho house Of
Spiros Bnmburis In tho quarter stretching
eastward form tho Temple Of I'hcacus to.
ward Mount I.ycnbottus and called by the
modern Athcnians tho psri. chose this
house because II was fresh aud elem
and because thcro was an extensive view
from tho balcony over tho newly born
metropolis md u greater part OF tho cnvi
rons--tho valley Of tho Gephissus with
tho mountain chain beyond, Mount
Lycnbcttus and lIymottus and tho Acrop-
olis being MI within ita sweep. Behind
the house thcro was II courtyard which
WAS always sodulously swept, md IN the
yard stood tho humble dwelling Of my
we'll to do lnndlord--a low cottngc, possess
Ing door, u window and u sitting room,
but tho door without lock- tho window
without pnnes and the floor unboardcd-a
curious contrast with tho handsome house
pleasant thoughts NJ to the wido field for
industry and thrift offered by young and
rising countries
At first ! Ind very llttlo intercourse
with my hosts. early In tho morning
long before we Europeans Ind risen, kyr
tMr) Spiros had gone to his stall In tho
bn2nnr, where no sold wooden and linen
goods, M also sugar, Coiroe and rum, and
a "A
until | Ind Como out To pay visits to tho
cnfc, so TINT It was raro for mo to 500 him
His somewhat elderly sister, Kyrin (Ms-
tross) Maria, whom | met moro frequent
ly, would pass mo In silence evidently
considering tho exchange of u good morn
ing" sufficient conversation for the day,
while her niooo Irene, an orphan whom
sho was bringing up, was apparently com
mandod not oven to look Mt mo If sho could
help IT, At any rnto, whonovrr passed.
through tho courtyard she always mnn.
aged to find something to do which should
prevent my obtaining view Of hcr fncc
Either sho would stoop down to pick up u
stone that moment before had In no way
troubled hor or something would hc nmiss
with her shoo or sho sat herself down ON
n bench and put her litto hcad In her
pear rather suddenly nothing better s,lg
gcstod itself tn hor than to thrust her lit
Ito hcnd and ears into tho big onrthcn pot
sho was cleaning, from the depths of
which, however, could not holp hearing
tho smothcrod sound Of u merry laugh
hut, notwithstanding NIL her precautions,
II was not always possible for her to hide
hor faco from mo- and before had been u
fort MIN In h, hnnpn I InI
myself that sho was ono Of tho most b,nu
tiful girls In Athens
Such were our relations at first but
gradually M my hosts ramo to know mo
bottcr-that Is, whom they observed that
l generally came homo onrly IN the oven
ing, did not take too much wine and did
not beat my servant 1orgi~-thr pnidi, rs
thcy called him--our relations changed
scnsihly CIR tho hottcr.
Ono Sunday morning early kyr Spiros
appeared before mo In all tho glory of his
snow white Albanian skirt OF kilt. his
rich TunisiHn fc1, his jacket OF ilno blue
cloth embroidered with silk, n costly rosary
Of amber IN his hands, llo had como to
pay mo u visit, and ms he slowly let the
amber beads drop ono Ivy ono through his
fingers ho gave mo to understand that my
uncommon sobricty and stcadincss had
greatly prcposscsscd both himself and his
maiden sister In my behalf aud had de
tcrmined him to show mo personally his
respect, sobnsmata, by this visit thank.
cd my worthy host heartily for his good
opinion OF mo and promised To make my
self still more deserving Of H. At the
same timn | shook him warmly hy the
hand and requested him to hr seated |
then ordered pipes and coffee, and while
wo smoked and drank we chntted away
about nutmcgs and currnnts, arrack and
nockCThlcfs, like two old cronirs UNTIL rs
We warmed our converse took higher
fights. and we discoursod ut large on trade
and manufactures church and state |
think ! may safely say wa agreed ON all
points, for kyr Spires left me with the
most iiattcring speeches about tho Ger
mans In general and myself In particular,
and promised often to como and sec ma
again, II promise which he duly fulfilled
by calling upon mo thcnceforth regularly
every Sunday morning.
Soon aftcrward nm event happened which
WINS fraught with tho most agreeable con
sequences, An iron stove that had or,
dored from Germany arrived, ahd pending
the necessary preparations for it's reception
in my room had To stand up for couple of
hours In tho courtyard. While was busy
up stairs instructing u Greek tinsmith in
the intricacies Of providing nh exit for the
smoke by substituting u metal plato for
the pane Of glass and constructing an
opening In 1t ! remarked with delight
that down stairs aunt and niece were
gazing on the strange arrival with won
der, walking round 1t and apparently