Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1902-06-19
From Athens tOAihsns.


CoSsTANTIEoPLE, April l2.--Tbe
metaphor Is mixed In the caption to
this paragraph. OF course We did not
sail in the footsteps Of the great apos-
tie. However, we sailed the seas over
which the vessel went that carried
the first and foremost missionary to
the Gentiles, and visited spots made
famous by his preaching. Thus we
come from Beirut to Smyrna, passing
Rhodes, Tripoli, Laodicea, Cilicia,
Pamphylia, Miletus and the tiny isle
Of Patmos, where John, banished from
earth's capitals, saw the metropolis of
eternity.
Our sea voyage was rough one. 1t
was the time Of the spring equlnoxial
storms and, when one blustery night,
the water broke into our cabin and
the washstand fioated of we conclnd-
ed that In all likelihood we would be
followers Of Paul in shipwreck also.
The ancient Russian steamer held tc-
gether, however, the weather chang
ed and, SO hours overdue, the Care
witch steamed into the fair harbor Of
Smyrna on Sunday evening over the
smoothest Of seas.
Smyrna is chiefly interesting as the
port by which the ruins Of Ephesus
are reached. Smyrna itself is a city
Of 100000 inhabitants, Of mixed races
as ia all Oriental towns and, in like
fashion, with narrow streets and very,
very dirty. Ephesus is three hours
journey inland. The temple Of Diana,
the theatre where the mob which
sought Paul's life assembled, the great
gymnasium and the lately uncovered
stone wharf where Paul landed are of
particular interest From Smyrna
we took ship for PIraeus, the port for
modern as for ancient Athens. Anoth-
er Russian steamer the Refine Olga,
Queen Olga, carried the passengers
through the beautiful Aegean sea.
IN THE ATHENS OF GREECE
Two famous streams tlow beside the
Athens Of Greece, one on either side,
the Ilissos and the Cephlssus. There
is not so much water in them as in
the two famous streams which flow
beside the Athens Of Missouri, Flat
Branch and the Hlnkson. The rivers
about which one reads as flowing
through classic lands are, none Of
them so large as a good-sized Missouri
creek and some dried up, do not flow
at all.
The Attic plain is about as great in
size as Cedar township and all Greece
has scarce so many people as st. Louis,
Kansas City and st. Joseph We we're
fortunate at Athens as in Rome in
having as "guide, philosopher and
frlend,r DIR. John Pickard, who is
high authority on matters archaelogi-
cal and artistic.
Athens has about 10000 people
and, strange to say, is a modern city.
a century ago it was reduced to 400
Inhabitants and since then has been
rebuilt on modern lines with broad
avenues and beautiful buildings Its
crowning glory is, Of course, the Ac-
ropolis, with its Parthenon, splendid
even in its ruins, its Erechtheum and
the gem-like Nike temple. We visit
ed the Acropolls by day and, again,
under the soft light of the full moon.
The latter view was charming beyond
expression. The days Of glorious
Greece returned.
Every school boy refers to the glory
that was Greece but there is no
happier phrase. The yeriest tyro,
wandering through the streets of
Athens, is impressed with the glory
Of its ancient monuments and the
simple beauty of its art. Indeed it is
the simplicity OF the Greek art that
made 1t glorious. When it degenerat-
ed by Roman influence and sensuous
display it grew more gorgeous but
less beautiful.
WHERE AGAMEMNON LIVED AND
LOVED.
A two days journey from Athens
gave glimpse Of the interior Of Greece,
il this country, composed Of noun
tains, islands and sea, can be said to
have an interior. Mycenae, where
Agamemnon lived, is fascinating
spot. A few miles away is Argos and
nearer, Tyrius. Homer becomes real
history as one climbs the hills upon
which the ancient cities stood and
finds the walls as they were construct
ed before Herodotus lived and history
began. A day or two later we sailed
within full view Of the plains Of Troy.
There was no wooden horse there but
a drove of somewhat shaggy ones.
At oorlnthe we spent memorable
afternoon. The American School OF
Archaeology, under the direction Of
Prof. r. B. Richardson, who IS nrse 9
man and then college professor, has
made excavations at Corinth with
wonderful results. A considerable
part Of the ancient city has been un-
covered, temples, theatres, baths,
streets, marble, brick and stucco.P Prof
Richardson, by the way, was a school.
mats at Yale OF Gardiner Lathrop, OF
Kansas City, and Ey. NJ. Bass, OF
Columbia.
Where one person is interested in
Corinth for archaeological reasons,
! ten are interested in it because here
Paul preached and to the church
located here he wrote the most eio-
quent love letter in all literature
Prof. Richardson has found the stone
n ~ N ~ A