The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-04-16
crushed comb and strained for the
A Queer Costume

tho main street OF an American city
You would not know whether they
were men or women until you saw the
boards on their faces. They seem TO
be dressed for the stage, and to be
posing as ballot dancers. They wearl
knee breaches and leggins. and above
them d dozen or less short white skirts
which are so stiffiy starched that they
stand out from the waist like those OF
the maid in rlc fieshcolored tights
who dance about on the bareback horse
or the circus. Above the skirts is .
vest covered with embroidery. and al
fcz cap tops the outfit. At the other
end OF the man is his shoes. These are
OF red leather. turned up at the toes.
like oldfa shioned skates, with a fat
red wooden tassel on the tip OF each
shoe Such dresses are always worn
upon Sundays and feast days. when
the men strut about and talk of the |
greatness of Greece present and past
Greek Country Girls.
The Greek women nave curious cos
tunes which vary largely according IL |
locality AS rule their dresses are
flowing. and they look well on tie ,
tall, long-leEged maldens Arcommon /
field gown Is made of linen it falls
from the neck to the feet without the |
fullness of tho American Mother Hub
bard. Over this Is worn a sleeveless
! sacque OF white wool. hordcred with
black stripes. Many OF tho girls wear
knit or felt caps of bright red. and
some have gay-colored handkerchief
bound around their heads. Tho women
arc uniformly straight and we'll form
| ed. They carry heavy burdens, and
that on their heads. am told they
arc intelligent. industrious and thrift
/ ". They are taught to sew wilea
Quite small and arc expected to en-
broider the skirts to be used upon their
wedding days This is often done long
| before the marriage has been arranged
| for or even proposed. Such skirts are
homespun linen, heavily embroidered
| with silk. l bought one in Athens,
which had band OF silk thread. work
cd In curious patterns running n foot
| deep along the edge OF the skirt. The
SILK alone weighs several pounds
a Dance nj I3Icusis.
| The Greek country girls have their
national Dances. 1 saw one at Eleusis.
within sight Of the ruins where were
| celebrated the mysteries. in the famous
4 temple where Demeter was worshiped
| and where the art of agriculture had
! Its start. You may remember. the story
4 Pluto, the god OF Hades, had carried OFF
the beautiful Persephone. the daughter
Of tho goddess Dcmetcr, and Dcmeter
was hunting her. She came TO Eleusis
disguised as an old woman, and tho
King there entertained her SO we'll
that she gave seed corn to his son and
taught him to farm. She finally found
Persephone and arranged with Pluto
that the latter might stay with her
outside Hades for two thirds of the
year, while during the other third she
would remain IN darkness. like seed
corn In the ground. twas on ac
count of this legend That the Greeks
held their farming festivities here, ana
here they have them to-day
| at this dance the girls were dressed
in costumes of silk embroidered with
gold. Their heads were covered with
wells OF fine silk. the ends of which
were striped with gold. They wore
the long gowns which have described.
and on their breasts were squares oil
II gold coins so strung that they extended
from one side of the body to the other,
These hreastplates were their fortunes
each girl carrying on her person the
dowry which she brings to her nus
hand in marriage The Greeks have
no marriages without dowries. and the
bride is expected to add her share 70
the fund which the groom has laid up
for starting housekeeping In some
parts OF the country I am told THAI
the boys of Tie family have TO wai'
until the girls are provided with huss
hands. M
Weddings I'm Greece.
Il Weddings are usually held In
churches and tho priests perform the
ceremony According to the rules OF
the church. a boy cannot be married
until he is fourteen, and the girl bride
must be It least twelve. In many places
the girls are not married until hfteen'
! and in some not until eighteen. The
, dowry Is fixed before the wedding, and
/, If Ii has not been paid tho bridegroom
! may demand the cash before the cere-
mony takes place. Many OF the mar
I riagcs are a matter Of business and
, divorces arc not uncommon.
|, The farmers daughter is supposed TO
a have trousseau consisting OF at
least three costumes. One is for every
? day wear, one for Sundays and the
& other for festivals In going to the
r church the wedding party is usually
mounted on mules, with man going
4 in front playing the bagpipes. After
!, him come the bridegroom and his
:, friends, and behind him tho bride, who
. mus, he silent all the way. Following
) the bride are the mules hearing her
r dowry. The bridal gowns differ, ac-
cording 10 the locality and also the
wedding customs. III one province tho
4 bride wears gauze veil of old rose
! and in some other places the wells are
< white.
; AS the married couple leave the
. church their friends throw candles AT
II them and accompany them to the house
!, Of the groom. Here the groom enters
!, and shuts the door, after which the
+ bride is led up. She first smears th'
\ closed door with honey and then throw:
a a ripe pomegranate at It. The pome
e granate is filled with seeds. and II u
~ breaks and the seeds stick TO the honey
a II Is thought TO be lucky and her mar
- ried life will he happy. AS she doc!
:, this her husband opens the door ant
a offers her bread and salt. she din:
N some bread Into the salt and eats II
). and then touches some water and OIL
- After this her husband lifts her IN
:. side the house and puts her In cor.
+. ner, with her face against the wall
- Here she IL supposed TO stay while n
=, and his friends ave eating the wed
:, ding dinner and as long thereafter a.
~, there is guest in the house Whei
=, tho last stranger leaves and her ne"