The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1911-02-03
HOMES IN ATHENS
As a Rule They Are Clean, but
Bare and Comfortless.
PEOPLE LIVE IN THE CAFES.
When They Do Got Into Their Houses
Their Principal Occupation 10 Look
ing Out of the Windows--The Mar
riage Customs OF Greece.

Home life In Greece, particularly In
Athens, Is peculiar. II might almost
be said that there Is no such thing.
In Mr. Duckett Ferriman's book on
Greece and the Greeks" the manners
and customs of the picturesque Hell
lenes. which are little known to the
average English reader, are described
mt length. Mr. Ferriman states that
the Greeks do not know anything
about the art OF making home.
zone may meet with exquisite clean
iness,' he writes. with beautifully
embroidered bed linen scented with
rosemary. but never with what we
mean by cozincsa. The Greeks are far
less IN their houses than we are, and
when they are at home they appear to
spend most OF their time in looking
out OF the window. They are not given
TO inviting their friends to their
houses. II IL not that they are mig
gardly, for they will gladly entertain
you ~ n restaurant ut far greater cost
TO themselves. But II does not enter
into their ideas TO ask you home to
dinner, oven after an acquaintance Of
many years
"They do not ask each other, so II
can hardly be expected that they
should make an exception In the case
OF foreigners. The cafe Is second
home 10 them. There they meet
friends and gossip. That is one reason
perhaps why they dislike country life.
at offers no alternative to the home
there the hearth IL the social center
while In town 1t is the cafe In Athens
those who do not own the house they
dwell In seldom remain long In the
same abode Two or three years Is
quite long tenure. Many people
make II point of moving every year.
"rhe imposing facades of Athenian
houses conceal. for the most pnrt, a
bare and comfortleSs Interior and
well kept garden IL rare. A garden Is
not made in year. and person who
changes his residence every twelve
months does not want to be troubled
with much furniture, nor il he par
ticuar as 10 its arrangement, seeing
that II will hc carried away In n few
months
Home life has no resources for the
Greeks. az II has for us. 1t affords
them little occupation and no amuse-
ment. They like TO eat and drink In
crowds. where there Is noise and move.
ment Their instincts are too gregarl-
Gus to allow them to appreciate the
domestic intimacy which we prize.
"The day chosen for marriage IN
1 Greece Is usually Sunday. but the day
! OF all days in the year Il the Sunday
I preceding the Christmas feast II is
/ not fashionable now to be married In
I church. In Athens the ceremony takes
( place In the house Of the brides par
ents. temporary altar Is set M In
the middle OF the room.
AT the conclusion of the ceremony
the priest and the couple join hands
and walk three times round the altar,
the guests pelting them with eomfits.
The most important part of the cere-
mony Is the browning of the bride and
bridegroom with wreaths OF orange
blossom; hence wedding is popular
ly called the crowning
Love marriages are rare exceptions.
The match Is made by the parents and
relatives rather than by the parties
principally concerned. There are GER
tain established usages which, though
not legally binding, are not TO be con-
travened with impunity
Then II Is considered wrong for
brothers to marry until their sisters
have been wed. Again, girls must
marry IN order of seniority. 1t would
not be right for n girl to be married
while she had an elder sister who re-