The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-04-18

seem to be dressed for the stage.
and to ne posing as ballet dancers.
Iney wear knee stretches and leg
gins. and above them a dozen or less
short white skirts, which are 50
snhls starched that they stand out
from the waist like those Of the maid
N the hesh-colored tights who dances
about on the bareback horse Of the
circus. Above the skirts is q vest.
covered with embroidery. and a fez
cap tops the outit. At the other end
OF the MAJ is his shoes. These are
OF red FEATHER, turned up at the toes.
hke o~ld-fashioned 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 have curious
costumes which VARY largely accord
ing 10 locality. As a rule their
dresses are flowing. and they look
we'll on the tall. long-legged maidens-
A common field gown is made Of
linen; It falls from the neck to the
leet w1thou the %fullness OF the Amer
lean Mother Hubbard. Over this Is
worn a sleeveless sacque OF white
wool, bordered with black Stripes.
Many OF the girls wear knit or felt
caps OF bright red and some have
t~gray-eofored h~andkerchiefs bound
around their heads. The women are
uniformly straight and well formed.
on their heads. I am told they are
intelligent, Industrious and thrifty.
Fhey are taught to sew when quite
small, and are expected to eInbroider
the skirts to be used upon their
wedding DAYS This Is often done long
before the marriage has been ar
ranged for or ever proposed. Such
skirts are homeSpun linen, heavily EN-
breidered with silk. / bought one ir
Athens, which had d band of silk
running q foot deep along the edge
Of the skirt. The silk alone weighs
several pounds.
| 4 Dance at Eleusis.
! The Greek country girls haVe tleii
national dances. ! saw one at Eleusis
within sight Of the ruins where were
celebrated the mysteries. in the IA
shipped and where the art OF agri-
culture had its start. You may re-
member the story. Pluto. the god OF
Hades, had carried OF the beautiful
Persephone. the daughter Of the god
dess Demeter. DemateY was
hunting her. She came to Eleusis dis
guised as Al old ma and the king
there entertained her SO we'll that she
gave seed corn to his son and laugh,
him to farm. She finally found Pe:se
phone and arranged with Pluto tha1
the latter might stay with her outside
Hades for two-th:rds OF the year
while during the Other third sht
would remain in darkness, like seet
corn IN the ground. It was on &C
count Of this legend h a the Greek:
held their farming festivities here
and here they have them today.
At this dance the girls were dressed
in costumes of silk embroidered witt
gold. Their heads were covered will
wells Of fine silk. the ends Of which
were striped with gold h wore
seribed, and on their breasts were
squares Of gold coins So strung that
they extended from one side Of the
body to the other. These breastplates
were their fortunes, each girl carry
ing on her person the dowcy which
Iriage. The Greeks have nc marriages
without dowries. and the bride is ex.
pected TO add her share to the fune
which the groom has laid up fol-
starting housekeeping. In some parts
of the country I am told that ths
boys Of the family have to wait unit
the girls are provided with husbands
Weddings In xFcece
Weddings are usually held II
churches and the priests perform tht
ceremony. According to the rule
of the church q boy cannot be mar.
ried until he is fourteen, and the cir
bride must be at least twelve. lr
many places The girls are not married
until fifteen, and in some not unit
Ieighteen. The aowry is fixed befor.
the wedding. and if it has not beer
paid the bridegroom may demand the
tcasn before the takes place
MANY Of the marriages are a matte!
of business and divorces are not un-
common.
The farmers daughter is supposed
TO nave a rousseau consist ng OF a
least three STUN One Is 10
EVERYDAY wear. one for Sundays ans
the other for festivals. In going tt
the church the wedding party 1!
usually mounted on mules. with a mar
going in front playing the bagpIpes
After him come the bridegroom an6
his friends and behind him the bride
who must be silent all the way. Fol
lowing the bride are the mules bear
Iinz her doXry. The bridal gowns diff