The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-03-02
HOMES IN ATHENS
Rs a Rule They are Clean but Bare
and Comfortless

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
at length. Mr.. Ferriman states that
the Greeks do not know anything
about the art of making home.
zone may meet with exquisite clean
Iiness," he writes. with beautifully
embroidered bed linen scented with
rosemary, but never with what we
mean by coZiness. 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. 1t is not that they are mig
gardly. for they will gladly entertain
you at restaurant at far greater cost
to themselves But II does not enter
into their ideas to ask you home to
dinner, even after an acquaintance Of
many years.
'They do not ask each other, so It
can hardly be expected that they
should make an exception in the case
OF foreigners. The cafe Is second
home to 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 is 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 IL
quite a long tenure. Many people
make n point Of moving every year.
"The imposing facades of Athenian
houses conceal. for the most part, n
bare and comfortless interior, and a
well kept garden is rare. A garden Is
not made In n year. and person who
changes his residence every twelve
months does not want TO be troubled
with much furniture. nor Is he par
ticular as TO Its arrangement, seeing
that It will be carted away in few
months.
"Home life has no resources for the
! Greeks. ms II has for US. II 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 gregari
Gus TO allow them to appreciate the
domestic intimacy which we prize
"The day chosen for marriage II
Greece Is usually Sunday. but the day
Of all days In the year Is the Sunday
preceding the Christmas feast II Il
not fashionable now to be married II
church. In Athens the ceremony take
place In the house Of the brides par
ents. A temporary altar IL set mp II
the middle OF the room.
AT the conclusion Of the ceremon.
the priest and the couple join hand
and walk three times round the altar
the guests pelting them with com0ts
The most important part Of the cere
mouy Il the browning Of the bride an
bridegroom with wreaths OF orang
blossom. hence a wedding Is popular
y called the browning.
Love marriages are rare exceptions
The match Is made by the parents ant
relatives rather than by the partie
principally concerned. There are ceI
tain established usages which, thong
not legally binding. are not TO be cor
travened With impunlty.
"Then II II considered wrong 70
! srothers 10 marry until their sister
nave been wed Again. girls mus
marry In order Of seniority. II woul
.ot be right for a girl TO be marie
chile she had an elder sister who r.
nancd single The men Of famll
!. ire thus naturally anxious TO see theI
!. listers settled. aud as a dowry Is II
'lispcnsnble Its provision Is often
NATTER OF serious anxiety aud the fru
" great SELF denial on the part Of III
brothers II the parents are dead.
y There are cases In which brother
nave remained unmarried for yeal
IA and have devoted all their hard earne
: savings to the dowrles Of their sister
Among the poorer classes emlgratio
Is resorted 20. not infrequently sole
With this object and many n dowI
comes 10 Greek maiden from aero
the Atlantic"