Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-16

if irrigated it produces bountifully. One
of the great troubles is lack of water.
In the summer many OF the farmers
sleep out of doors and live largely in the
open air. The country houses are almost
everywhere poor and rather mean in
comparison with those Of other European
countries. They have stone floors and
the poorer ones have neither windows
nor chimneys. Some of two stories have
stable on the ground floor. and the
people live above. going up by stair
way from the outside. There is almost
no furniture and little stone stove Or
an open fire often forms the cooking ar
rangements. In the smaller houses the
pigs are sometimes taken inside. A lit
tie low wall is built across one side Of the
room and there the people sleep at night.
The Greeks live simply. l did not see
a drunken man during my stay in the
country, and there cannot be much glut-
tony in a place where bread. wine and
onions make up the average dinner. But
little meat is eaten by the farmer, goats
cheese and dried olives taking it's place.
Olive oil is used for butter. and is eaten
fed upon bread and olives, with mutton
or goats flesh upon feast days. One of
the great feasts is at Easter. This holds
the same place as Thanksgiving with u.s.
q roast lamb taking place Of our Thanks
giving turkey.
Hymettus. which was so celebrated by
the old Greek poets. That honey is sold
throughout Greece. although it is claimed
that honey from other places than Hy-
mettus is equally good. All Greek honey
Is fine flavor. which is supposed to be
due to the thyme which grows every
where. An American woman who has
made a fortune in bee-keeping in the
United States and who understands all
about flowers as honey producers has
just made a tour of Greece. She says
there is no land OH earth SO well fitted
for the bee farmer nor any which has as
many honey-producing flowers. She
found fifty different varieties Of blossoms
on tramp of one day and discovered
that each contained honey. She thinks
Greece might supply much of the honey
of Europe If its bees were handled after
modern methods: AS 1T is now. the
hives are mere baskets. plastered with
mud, and the bees are smoked out when
the cutting is SO rudely done that the
honey must be pressed from the crushed
comb and strained for the market.
I wish 1 could lift half a dozen of these
Greek farmers up by the napeS Of their
necks and drop them down on the main
street of an American city. You would
not know whether they were men or
women until you saw the boards on their
stage and to be posing as ballet dancers.
They wear knee breeches and leggins. and
above them a dozen or less short white
skirts, which are so stif11y starched that
they stand out from the waist like those of
the maid in the fesh-colored tights who
dances about on the bareback horse of
the circus. Above the skirts is vest.
covered with embroidery. and fez cap
tops the outfit. At the other end Of the
man Is his shoes. These are Of red leath-
err. turned up at the toes. like old-fashion-
ed 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.
The Greek women have curious cos
tunes which vary largely according to
locality. As a rule their dresses are
flowing, and they look well on the tall.
long-legged maidens. A common field
gown Is made of linen; it falls from the
neck to the feet without the fullness
of the American 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
IF bright rcd and some have CAV COlOred