The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-05-09
GREECE.
Characteristics of the Countryside
The Peasant is Interesting.
From the Pail Mall Gazette.


From the Pail Mall Gazette.
Greece is not all Athens, and the peasant
in the country village is a very interesting
person. What you note about him most is
that he does nothing. Day after day have
We walked over the country and found him
standing or sitting about idle. This used
to be surprise. but we were always told
that it was holiday. 1t always is a holi-
DAY on saints day. and there are many
saints days in the Greek calendar. How
the land gets cultivated at all is a marvel,
but 1t does somehow. There are no en-
closures, or very few. You are walking
along innocently and suddenly find your
self striding over vine burrows. At first
you think you are trespassing and try to
so round, but a little experience makes
you bold, and you find that you are doing
quite the right thing. You may be attack
ed by dog, but that is not because you
are off the path. but because you are
human being. The Greek dog is a marvel
lous beast We have vivid recollections OF
nm. His one principle is that man is his
natural foe and he takes every opportuni-
" or putting his principle into practice,
he generally appears from nowhere ana
makes for you. You generally begin by
shying stones. These are always at hand
in Greece. Providence, 1 suppose never
gives an evil without a corresponding an
tidote. This may drive him off if he Is
alone and not very bold If it doesn't you
must adopt more Vigorous measures. DON
shoot him, because there is a superstition
that he has an owner, and that owner vii
probably turn up at the critical momel.
and shoot you. But you may stab him u
you happen to be carrying a large enough
knife and have the skill to use IL, or you
may brain him with your walking suck
II II be heavy enough. If these fail tneiv
is said TO be one remedy left; you may 81.
still. and he, too, will sit still, and look al
you. This is said TO be infallibe, but We
never had the courage TO try IL. II is, %
doubt, an extremely comfortable feein5
TO be seated in the center of a circle OF ca,
nine admirers, but IL would be apt 10 pau
after time, and Greece Is not so tnicAp
populated that you can depend on rese~
arriving within an hour or a day eitner
If you pass through the perils OF ts
way and reach the village In safety y"
Will, of course, go to the inn cafe. VIVA
you will. Here are all the men Of tle
place, talking, laughing. driving away
cares which never come TO them. lng
prevailing costume Is the long. gray clodA
OF the shepherd, the most picturesque sa,
ment IN Greece. These men will stare ~
you perhaps "a little, but they will mdA
YOU welcime. They viii all talk 20 you
In their own tongue. and you will anssu
In yours. II does not matter bit th4'
neither understands the other Both par
ties will be equally pleased. We remeE
Der once meeting an old shepherd on t'
slopes Of Hymettus. He stopped ana q,
tered into a long conversation. WHAT
was about wo do not know, but he seem
ed well pleased. and after about tWehV
minutes we wished him good night ln l.'
only words of his language that We kne'
You will probably meet the village prls..
too. lie Is only a peasant like the rev
but he Is recognized as superior belns Us
Sundays Then II you are thirsty so.
dring krasi the wine Of the country
mild and very like sealing wax. AZ nls
you will hate q. but after you have ~
accustomed 10 It you will prefer u ~
champagne. or you may drink ''ma7u
N you merely want to be socianle.
you are wise you will eat bread and hou,i
real Hymettus honey. which the w.
world cannot heat. And then you WIZ s
up and so home, feeling that there /"
one you have met like the Greek peasaN~