Evening star., 1896-10-20
AN EARTHQUAKE EXPERIENCE
The Second Of the Season That Shook the
Town of Patras in Greeoe.
Women of Hellas Have . Hard Time
A TheosOphicnl Crusade-The
Princess Marie.


They are making q tour of the world in the
interest of the religion or doctrine they
teach. The fundamental dogma Of their
belief is universal brotherhood" and dur.
ing their stay of four days in Athens they
will give dinner to the Armenian and
Cretan refugees. They seem to have plenty
of money, and apparently belong to the
upper tendon Of Boston and New York.
The leader of the party is Mrs. Katherine
Tingley. the successor of Nine. Blavatsky.
I am told that several New York million
aires are of the party.
An Earthquake Experience.
The second earthquake of the season
shook Patras yesterday. When the houses
commenced to rock all the native Greeks
rushed into the streets, pale as ghosts
The women began to scream, and in the
general uproar 1t was impossible for me
to catch the distinctive rumblings under
ground, which were heard in the quieter
parts of the town to great advantage. ]
have always wished to make study OF
these phenomena. The earthquake was q
very short one, and the only damage done
was few big cracks in the stone walls OF
some OF the buildings. The center of the
earthquake was at the famous cid mon-
astery of Megaspeleon. about thirty miles
from here. The monks had to remain out
of doors all night, as the vast mountain OF
rock into which part of the monastery is
built, the cells and chapel being hewn out
of the solid rock, swayed so much they
were seriously alarmed. Megaspeleon is
the richest and one of the oldest monas-
teries in Greece. 1t was here that Arch
bishop GermanoS first unfurled the Greek
flag, under which the Greeks and Lord
Byron fought for the liberation of Hellas.
The monastery has often been used as a
fortress and place of refuge for Greek wo-
men and children flying from the Turks.
Its position renders it impregnable. The
Turks resorted to every device known to
modern or ancient warfare to capture 1t.
Finally they dislodged an enormous bould-
er. which overhung the battlements, and
when the monks and refugees saw it COM
ing they thought their doom was sealed.
They crossed themselves and started 10
pray. The mighty rock stopped half way
down the dangerous slope, and the monks
turned their prayers into chant of
thanksgiving. Throughout Greece the sud
den stopping of the rock was regarded as a
miracle. 1t still overhangs the monastery
ana, alfhough the monks profess great
faith in the seemingly invisible power
which holds 1t in its place. they get out
of the monastery when an unusually severe
earthquake comes! The presence of the
rock on the slope over the monastery is
no myth. 1t is there, and can be seen any
DAY by the tourist. All human efforts to
dislodge 1t have been futile, but the effect
of seismic disturbance is quite another
thing and the monks act wisely in getting
out of It's reach when the earth begins to
of the year in Greece.
One Emnncipated Woman.
The condition of women in many parts
of Greece is deplorable. A mans wife is re-
garded as his chatte If he is poor she
does nearly all the hard work, and does not
rank with the sons she bears him, by any
means. In some of the interior districts
she is made to pull a. plow. sometimes be-
hitChed p,,t
of freedom is beginning to penetrate the
minds of these people. and one Greek wo-
man at least has stepped to the front with
advanced ideas She is a daughter of a
former Monarch of the Cyclades who also
held high position under King Otho Sh,
spent eight years in Paris and distinguished
herself. The king and Greek people heard
OF 1t, and on her return to Athens she was
appointed instructor to the Princess Marie,
who will socn marry the Russian grand
duke AfterWard King George appointed
her inspector of all public schools in Greece
Sne travels alone from one end of the coun-
try to the other, and is treated with great
respect She is the first Greek girl who
ever made such progress, but she will not
be the last. Women teachers in Greece
rank little higher than servants, and they
are very badly paid. Two hundred dollars
yearis the highest salary they ever gel.
The professors in the University of Athens
do not receive over $40 year. The rame
OF the lady who IS today the Susan B. An
The fact that her father was a Monarch,
and that she is in favor at court are two
factors greatly to her advantage. She has
almost absolute authority over the women
teachers of Greece, is a member of the,
Archaeological and other learned societies
OF Athens and If her plans succeed she will
he able to do a great deal for the improve
ment of her sex in this country.
DISTINGUISHED American Traveler..
Two distinguished Americans have lust
completed tour of Greece. They are the
Rev. Doctors d. j. O'Connell and j. A.
Zahn. DR.. O'Connell is president Of the
American School in Rome, was private sec
rotary to Cardinal Gibbons for a long time
and is well known throughout America.
DR.. Zahn is an older brother of Professor
Zahn of the Catholic University of Amer
lea, and has filled many high positions in
connection with the Catholic colleges of
America. They, with the American consul
at Patras, and his aunt, Mrs c. W. Har-
ris, who has been on a long visit to him.
have been invited to a unique dinner by
the prior of the monastery of Gero-comio
The invitation has been accepted. The din
ner will be served under the olive trees
that grow on the crest of the high hill on
which the ancient monastery stands. 4
whole lamb will be cooked over the Goals
of an open fire and served with some of the
rarest wine in Greece. These monks keep
kingdom of Hellas. They own large vine
yards and orchards, and their guests on
this occasion know that while the menu
will be limited, the fruit and wines will
be equal to any served al a feast of Lucul-
lus. The view from this monastery is su-
perb. On one side is magnificent sweep
of the Ionian sea, dotted with islands and
environed by splendid mountains. On the
other is the lofty peak Olonos with fertile
valleys. Curving around the other two
sides are the high mountains of the his
toric range 10 which ParnaSsos belongs.
The monks belong to the ancient order of
ST. Basil and the monastery is very old.
The Princess Marie.
In a few weeks the papers will be full
OF the coming marriage of Princess Marie
of Greece to the yourg Russian grand
duke, who is now or visit to the royal
family. This Princess Marie is very popu-
lar in Greece She has some of the demo-
cratic tendencies of sher brother, Prince
George. They tell story Of her to this
effect. Some time ago she was taking a
lesson from one Of her governesses when
the lady, who was not very well, asked
permission to send for glass of water
The princess Immediately jumped up, went
for the water and handed 1t TO the COVER
ness, who protested in vain against su IN
an unroyal proceeding! Thay say the Prin-
cess Marie is very kind-hcarted, and this
act of courtesy would seem tc confirm the