Los Angeles herald., 1906-05-30

ATHENS, May t2.-Only those Of us
who have been I'm Athens several
months realize how changed the whole
city is by the games. The thousands
of visitors who have been coming i'm
for month past are responsible for
much Of the change, Of course, filling
up the streets aud the sidewalk cafes.
and making Babel Of tongues such
as one hears if he sits at q cafe in
Paris and listens to the crowd as 1T
passes-very different from the usual
state Of affairs here, when Greek aud
Frenchaare the only tongues heard.
The visitors arc by no means all
Europeans and Americans-Crotars and
Asia Minor Greeks. in their picturesque
costumes Of loose blue trousers $50
baggy that the seat of the trousers is
nearly as low as the anklcs), bolero
jackets and Howard pyle pirate
bandannas wound round their heads,
are seen everywhere, with ugly looking
clubs In their Hands and knives i'm the
open pocket OF their big leather belts;
the peasants from Macedonia, Thessdly
and Albania, I'm snowy linen skirts and
red caps, swing along disdaining to
show by staring that this Is their first
visit TO city
The Athenians themselves are pic
turesque enough until they begin wear
ing store clothes"-all the lower class
still wear the fustanella, the knee
skirt or kilt, with, / have forgotten
how many, yards of stuff in 1t, and the
scarlet cap and tasselcd shoes which
form the national costume; the women
wear dresses of white wool, covered
with heavy blue-and-green or yellow
and-red embroidery. Everywhere are
smart officers. i'm shiny boots and tight
Raisted jacket s-they seem to have
nothing to do but strut about The
squares and the sidewalks, and as II
matter of fact almost outnumber the
soldiers. Instead of one second-Class
band, which plays during the winter
on fine Sundays i'm the square i'm front
of the kings palace, there are now all
sorts of music, from an excellent Ital-
ian opera troupe down to street pianos,
playing Turkish music-a most surpris-
ing combination when you hear it for
the first time.
The Marathon Races Importance
All the year the games have been the
great topic of conversation. The Amer
leans won so many prizes in 1896 that
the Ahtenians expected them to carry
had set their hearts on: they would
have been quite content to lose every
thing else If they could have won tnd3
again.
The death of the king of Denmark,
throwing the court into mourning so
soon before the games, put damper
on the enthusiasm for a while, and for
long time IT was feared that King
Edward and Queen Alexandra would
not come. SO there was great rejoicing
when 1t was announced that the king
and queen were on the way, and also
the prince and princess of Wales,
journeying home from India. Prince
Louis of Battenberg had arrived a few
days before with three Of the squadron
which visited America last autumn.
When King Edwards yacht and the
four cruisers with him were nearly due
from Corfu, the Battenberg squadron
steamed out fifteen or twenty miles TO
meet them, and accompanied them in-o
Phaeron bay, each ship firing n salute
of twenty-one guns, the marines stand
ing at attention i'm white helmets and
scarlet coats, while the band played
God Save the King" King George
met them at Piraeus and they drove to
the palace between cheering crowds.
RoyaIty's Visit to the Schools
The next day the English and Amer
lean schools of classical study, which
are together. somewhat out of the city
on the slopes of Lycabettus were visited
by the royal party-the two kings and
queens, the prince and princess of
Wales, and the crown prince and
princess of Greece. They visited the
British school first and then sent word
over to the American school that they
would like to come. The director was
in Delphi. so the four young men who
live at the school had to receive them,
and do the honors of the house. King
Edward was very informal and appear
ed much interested in the school, adj
miring the marble staircase in the hall
and the quiet library.
Queen Alexandra, who was simply
dressed in black, with a shade hat in
stead of the usual bonnet, impressed
one by her gracious manner-it is a