The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-04-15

SIctc, WuUSe lOVcliucSS SuuuScu tuC WuOA'
household as the sun did the fair island.
To see her in her simple, graceful garb o.
a Cretan maiden was to realize the exquisite
ideals which inspired the ancient painters
and sculptors.
Daughter of the gods divinely tall,
And most dvnely fair,
the eye Of every beholder rested admiringly
upon her, and he felt loss when she passed
exquisite symmetry; her countenance shone
with intelligence and goodness, and the
movements of her supple, 1.-the body were
the poetry of motion.
Scarcely 20 years old; she had taken her
dead mothers place at the head of her
fathers house, and thrift and order went
hand in hand with kindness to her serving
people and filial affection to her father.
As the sun rose toward the meridian, she
stopped and looked out over the fields,
whittier her father had gone with his men
at daylight.
There father comes," she said at length.
Hasten and make ready for him."
And while her maidens spread the table
for his midday meal, she sped down the
path with agile steps to greet middle-aged
man with ruddy face and beard slightly
touched with gray, who came riding leisurely
toward the house upon fat and none-too-
sprightly pony.
Marcus Kallimakis sprang from his saddle
as alertly as a young lover, and taking his
winsome daughter in his strong arms, kissed
her fondly.
How has it been with thee this morning,
Star-eyes?" he said caressingly, as he took
her hand, and started for the house.
Have the bees hummed cheerily? How
went the churning? How much silk has been
wound? Was Kalista able to get out Of
bed? And did the postman bring thee q
note from Basil Kanaris?n
She started to answer his questions, but
at the last hid her blushing face upon his
shoulder, and whispered.
"Ay."
Well, well, thou needst not be ashamed
of it, he laughed cheerily, putting his arm
around her and drawing her closer to him.
Basil is a fine, manly lad. the finest in
these parts, though he is little too fond of
fighting the cursed Osmanli. Not that /
love them any better then he does, but
fighting and farming are two different trades
which go not well together. And so long as
the foul brood of Islam hold those forts
with wave of his hand toward Candia)
and rule our seas, it is well to abide them as
best we can. It is better to pay their
tithes, heavy though they be, and endure
their insults, than to fight them, at least
until God inelines the hearts of Christians
beyond the seas to help US, which daily
pray that He may"
,"And he will in His own good time,D said
the maiden reyerently.
Holy Saint Titus, patron of this isle, In
tercede thou with Him to speed the day."
added the father crossing himself and rails
ing his eyes to Heaven. Basil comes hon
estly by his fighting blood" he continued
more playfully, "as he does by everything
else-even thee, Star-eyes, for I am sure
that thou hast been in love with him ever
since thou vert able to speak. No man
with the blood of the great Admiral Kanaris
in his veins can be aught but fighter and q
bater of the Osmanli. Then, his mother was
Sphakiot maiden, and he has not cousin
or an uncle whose name is pleasing to the
Turkish ear. Terrible fellows, those Spha-
kiots. They at least have never bent their
necks to the yoke, no matter who ruled this
island. But would that Basil had less of
them and more of the peaceful lowlander in
him, for he must succeed me and care for
thee and all this property under the hand
of the merciIess Moslem."
Fear nothing, father" said she eooth-
ingly. "Time and / will tame him down
to quiet-loving citizen. But thou must be
very hungry. Come into the house, let me
bathe thy face and hands, and give thee
something to eat. Thou atest but little at
break of day, and it has been long since then.
Thou must be really faint from lack of
food"
They entered the cool house together.
With towels of fine linen, dipped in water
in which the fragrant buds of the myrtle
had been distilled, she removed from his
face and hands the CRIME of the fields, and
they sat down to little table, where mai
dens served them with meal of white bread,
butter and cheese, and raisins and figs and
thin wine, all furnished by their own fertile
acres.
Scarcely had they begun when a maid
tripped in, calling gleefully:
Papa Demetrios is coming! Papa Deme-
trios is coming!" =
Father and daughter rose and hurried to
greet the venerable, well-loyed priest. who
was always welcome guest at their home
Marcus Kallimakis carefully helped the
old man from his saddle. The priest sighed
audibly as he walked slowly and painfully
into the house.
Is your rheumatism worse, dear Papa? 2"
asked Ida as she bathed his face and hands
with the perfnmed water. Come, sit at the
table, and thou wilt feel better after eating
something"
"No, child; desire naught to eat. My
appetite is gone, as thine wilt be, for it is
far. worse than rheumatism that troubles
me. Would to God there were nothing
worse than twinges aud pains in this worn
out old body of mine. Gods grace would
make them supportable."
"What can be the matter, Papa?" cried
Marcus and his daughter in one breath.
The priests face became even more in
tensely sorrowful. Well, my children,
nothing is gained by going about the bush
in telling bad news Ye must know it, and
it is far better that ye know it all at once
and have the very worst. It is this Salei-
man Pasha, our accursed Vail, has resolved
to present Ida to the Sultan for his harem.u
Ida screamed, and caught hold of her
father convulsiyely. Marcus's ruddy face
became ashy.
1t cannot be-" moaned Ida.
1t will be- said the priest.
1t is against our laws; against the
Porte's solemn promises to the other Ma
tions and to u.s." said the father, speaking
slowly and painfully.
How much do those count? ?" asked the
priest scornfully. when has there been
any other law in Crete than the lusts and
will of the Islam dogs whom God for His
inscrutable purposes permits to rule over
and oppress us?"
What has brought this about }" asked