The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-16

vest, covered with embroidery, and 2 fez 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 old fashioned skates. with fat red wooden tassel on the tip of each shoe. Such dresses are always worn upon Sunday and feast days, when the men strut about and talk of the greatness of Greece pres ent and past.
 Greek Country Girls
 The Creek 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 tho neck to the feet without the fullness Of the American Mother Hubbard. Over this Is worn sleeveless sacque of white wool, bordered with black stripes. Many of the girls wear knit or black caps of bright red and some have gay-colored handker- chiefs bound around their heads The women are uniformly straight and well formed. They carry heavy burdens, and that on their heads. I am told they are intelligent, industrious and thrifty. They are taught to sew when quite small, and are expected to embroider 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. I bough ht one in Athens, which had a band of silk thread, worked in curious patterns running a foot deep along the edge of the skirt. The silk alone weighs several pounds.
 A Dance at Eleusis
 The Greek country girls have their na- tional dances. I saw one at Eleusis, with in sight of the ruins where were cele- At.- A. 4t.- E-x pie where Demeter was worshipped and where the art of agriculture had it's start. You may remember the story. Pluto, the god of Hades, had carried off the beauti- ful Persephone, the daughter of the god dess Demeter, and Demeter was hunting her. She came to Eleusis disguised as an old woman and the king there enrer- tained her so well that she gave seed corn 10 his son and taught him to farm. She finally found Persephone and ar ranged 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, Ike seed corn in the ground. It was on &C., count of this legend that the Greeks held their farming festivities here ana nere they have them today
 At this dance the girls were dressed in costumes of silk embroidered with gold.
 
 silk, the ends of which were stiped with gold. They wore the long gowns which I have described. and on their breasts were squares of gold coins so strong that they extended from one side of the body to the other These breastplates were their fortunes each girl carrying on her person the dowry which she brings to her hubsand in marriage. The Greeks have no marriages without dowries. and the bride is expected to add her share to the fund which the groom has laid up for starting housekeeping. In some parts of the country I am told that the boys of the family have to wait until the girls are provided with husbands.
 Weddings in Greece
 Weddings are usually held in churches and the priests perform the ceremony. According to the rules of the church, a boy cannot be married until he Is 14. and the girl bvide must be at least 12. In may places the girls are not married until 15. and in some not under IS. The dowry Is fixed be- fore the wedding. and If 1t has not been paid the bridegroom may demand the cash before the ceremony takes place. Many of the marriages are a matter of business and divorces are not uncommon.
 The farmers daughter is supposed to