Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-07-10
THE WHITE HAT IN GREECE
How It Served as the Inspiration of Revo
in Modern Athens.
1t Has Figured I'm All Revolution
1t Almost Causes an Uprising.


Written for The Evening Star by Stephen Crane.
Copyright, 1897, by S. S. Mcclure co.,
A great crowd had gathered in the Place
de la Constitution, in front of the royal
palace, because 1t was understood that the
editor Of one of the Athenian journals was
to come and address the populace from a
position in front of q well-known cafe.
Over the tops of some trees and above a
stone terrace reared the quiet dwelling of
the king, its windows all heavily curtained
es If it had closed its eyes purposely to this
scene in the square below it. The old build
ing was sallow in the glare of the sun. A
string Of tramcars was forever tooling one
way or the other way on the avenue which
crossed on the terrace at the middle of the
square, and dust from the travel blew
white across the face of the palace The
crowd when they looked up the slant of
the plaza. could see little sentry box and
in 1t an euzone of the royal guard framed
as mummy is framed in its case
The editor was late. He was also a dep
uty, and as the chamber was then in ses-
SIGN, he was supposed to be engaged there
The crowd did not display much impa-
thence while awaiting HIM. For one thing.
a swarm of newsboys suddenly came rae
ing around corner hoarsely shouting as
charging savages might shout. They plung-
ed II, adlong into this concentration OF their
prey, dispensing papers and making change
with rapidly, meanwhile yelling. This on
slaught melted the crowd to bestow their
interest elsewhere for a certain time, and
IL came 10 pass that when the hero of the
minute Hnaily appeared il took rather lon;,
Tor the news to reach the Athenians, who
were standing calmly in their places and
reading.
he had white hair. He was almost VEN
cradle. He had the mobile mouth of a
poet and the glance of surpasSin, vanity
he wore tail hat, gray in scheme mold
ii a llrin
burden of responsibility for this shane up-
on the men of 1910, or of any date which
lies far enough behind us. But it was an
lTpfessiVely shaped hat. 1t was the hat
OF violence. 1t was the hat of insurrection
l: proclaimed terror. In New York this
hat would foreshadow the cessation of the
cable car,the disappearance of the post
man. the subterranean concealment OF the
COOK, the supreme elevation of the price of
beer-all the horrors of municipal war No
one could wear this terrible and revolution
airy hat unless he was a deputy OF the two
miles beyond the extreme edge of the radi-
Gals Where this hat of anarchy and in
humanity appears there comes change IL
you study the history of the famous reyo-
lutions, you will be taught to tremhle at
TINS nat. In the black sea of men this
noatlng nat giowed, glowed with threats
There was at first a great deal of cheer
ing pS some twenty men who seemed 10
D. the immediate escort of the white hat
.nelr enthusiasm was impaired gradually
a
great cry rolled up from the square. II
brought people swiftly to the windows of
the hotels that fronted on the square
me man In the white hat mounted a
small iron cafe table. 1t was like peaes-
tai. Suddenly the white hat shone high
acove the crowd. The journalist and dep
utF was about to begin his speech when
,nere was sudden new onslaught of news
poyS' whose yells precluded any chance CT
MS being heard. He was obliged to remain
quietly on his little table until these wolves
mad stated themselves upon the money of
the crowd In the sentry box near Tho nal
ace Steps, was still the immovablc and in
olHerent hgure of the euZone of the royaI
guard. In the clear air one could see Main
~ the assures in the mountain afar off he
mind the palace, and this mountain roar
ing ABOVE the sallow dwelling of the king
was beginning to turn family purn1e !.
prophecy Of evening
FINALLY the man in the white hat was
enabled to begin his grafton He was in
terrupted by cheers from time to time His
incehd1ary hat bobbed from the ferocity of
ms gestures. Why was Greece shamed?
whose fault was it? He would go TO the
klng--he would speak to the king-now
this instant-and ask him why was Greece
shSmed! What treacherous serpent had
col!ed in the path of Greece? And let the
king answer, '-o
A mighty roar came from the crowd or
from a part of the crowd Really ONE
could never tell how many people were
seriously in the thing and how many were
mere only TO see 1t. And amid these loud
acclamations, the hero of the minute was
heiped down from his table and, escorted by
hundreds OF his countrymen began a for
mldable march upon the palace of the
king. "
AS the throng swarmed out unon tine
tfodden place directly in front of the nal
ace the euzone on guard came out of his
sentry box and began to pace deliberately
up and down in front of the steps He did
not look at the advancing crowd or heed
it in any way.
The deputy left his myriad followers and
went to the palace door. The euzone, a
step above, walked thoughtfully to and fro
before them.
A murmur arose at the back of the
crowd. 1t was the audible machinery. the
temper OF the people, revolving and re-
volvfng toward turbulence. The throng was
spread out like wind-shaken lake to this
one sentry. who paced slowly before it.
Once, the humming Of voices in it's cres-
csndo almost reached the point of action.
of the hills. darted a look at the crowd
and this look was SO full of scorn. deep
and moving scorn. that it must have been
felt to the pits of their stomachs.
He stopped and picked from the ground
a handful of pebbles. He raised his arm,
ard. still profoundly deliberate and with
supreme disdain, this solitary figure on
the palace steps flung the handful of peb-
bles straight into the upturned faces of the
Athenians.
MeanWnHe the nero OF the minute was
met at the door by an old servitor. In a
voice full of dignity and quiet strength the
hero of the minute said: II wish to see the
king"
The old servitor replied to him tram
GULLY with this objection: 1.-The king does
not receive today"
There was moment of silence while the
peaceful old servitor stood with his hand
on the door.
There are few statesmen that have been
met on the threshold of an ambitious sue
cess by the cool words: THE king does not
receive today" The hero Of the minute
stood irresolute. The servitor stood wait
ing. "O-um," said the statesman at last
'.Well-'' He went away.
When the white hat reappeared to the
crowd they cheered DANGEROUSLY. With the
same quiet dignity which had marked his
bearing throughout the more trying part
of the incident, the man of the white hat