El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-02-27
By GregOrIos XenOpOnIos.

- 4
n makers quarter was not only
4 \ house, a residence. but store
as we'll, for Anastasis, the hrst Dlro
dealer of the town, trained and sold
birds and he was busy with his WORK
from sunrise until late at night. He
was q man Of about 40, somewhat OF
e-rl1rn bIer a widoWer, and lived alone
with his only daughter, ZephirouIa7 aho
an old servant, Madalena-
Anastasis had perfect mama LoI
birds and this was the reason why ne
had not married again when MS VIE
Anastasaina, died more than ten year
ago, that he might be able 70 oeNoSe
his whole time to his art Zephlro 70
too q Young girl OF about ID pretty
as a picture, loved the birds even more
than most romantic girls OF neE az {
usually do, while old Madalena hated
them with all the strength OF her
In the evening when the birds were
silent Zaphiroula had anotner music
teacher. MenogOs, handsome young
fellow with black, curly hair, whom she
could hear singing in his friend Chryso-
paths barber shop opposite, turned her
head with his songs while the Darper
accompanied him on the guitar
I would be quite able to IranScrlDe
their music with letters or notes, but
how could I possibly give an idea OF
the manly beauty OF MS voice or the
passion of his expression his song
loving young heart, for he was mauly
in love with ZaphirOula, whose sweet
face he could see at the WinQoW Op-
pOsite. And his song maoe "a, IA
stronger impression on her heart than
did the singing Of the birds, Tor Zapnl-
roula had long loved handsome Meme
Cos the sweet singer 1t was because
of him she lost herself in beauTIu4
dav dreams. it was because Of him that
her niInble fingers neglected the en-
broidery, it was because OF him. sne
never came when Madelena wanted her
ZaphfrOula knew very well why
Menegos sang. Every young girl OF
her age would have known, you may
say yes but the daughter OF the Ole
bird dealer had better chance 70 IN
derStand. One day. as she was pour =
ing out tea for her father, she near
a bird warbling and Immediately asked
Anastasis why it did so. 80
why do the birds sing, fatherE
.'The male birds sing to charm and
win their future mates and resemble
the young men who serenade Unelr
inamoritas. This IS also the reason
why they are given more beautiful and
brilliant feathers. Thanks 10 the
splendor of their coIOrs and the sweet
tones OF their singing, they finally win
u Now when Zaphiroula heard the
birds in the thousand cages singing,
she saw in them so many winged
lovers woOing their shy and retlrlng
When. therefore. she heard Menegos
singing the next IsLze, she Immediately
understood that he was trying to win
her love by his songs, accompanied py
thought: He is my tarin, / am his
But why did she not think: MY
finch. my thrush. my canary? Be
cause Just at this time the best singer
in Anastasis's shop happened to be a
tarin with beautiful dark yellow
feathers striped with green and
most marvellous voice. Anastasis was
prOud Of his tarin. he had been OF
fered two talaris for it but had re-
fused to part with 1t. He would not
have parted with It Tor any tnlng IN nc
world. He wanted il to breed mar
velous race Of sweet singers. so ne
gave IL for a mate a beautiful little
canary with feathers so pale yelloW
that they almost seemed white. Now,
why did he choose just this one2 These
are delicate affairs. AnastaslS was a
wonderful breeder, VINO understood 10
perfection the art Of mating couples
birds according TO an unIal1ng IN
stinct, and whether the male bird Ielt
happy or not he had to take the mate
offered him unless the female seemed
unwilling, when put into his cage
And now when he put the tarin and
the canary together Zaphiroulas who
was looking at him felt her soul Milling
with sweet thoughts
thought some day Menegos by his
singing viii work his entrance into
she was indeed right. for as the
daughter of a widower. she would in
troduce her husband into the house
And as MenegOs was not only a good
singer. but also a good mechanic, VINO
worked in the famous Beliefs shops
and was his masters right hand, Ia
phoroula had reason to hope that
Anastasis would not object. Besides,
an aunt Of MenegOs had just told
cousin OF Anastasis that the young
man loved her anr intended to ask for
But the canary had no sooner been
put into the new cage, when the tarin
stopped singing and al day 1t sat
day il was the same and the following
The old man thought with mali
cious smile:
But this wise thought did not prevent
him from missing the MARBLES of his
tsrin. One morning. when he was
cleaning their common cage in the
through the little door and slapped the
canary with his finger.
You little beast" he said, you have
stopped my tarin singing"
Of course Anastasis knew that birds
always stop singing as soon as thew
are mated. but IL annoyed him never
theless. As for Zaphiroula, her lack of
experience prevented her from finding
an explanation
Perhaps he does not care for the
canary" she said one day to MadeIena
He IS angry and does not sing at an"
And I am glad OF It." said MadaIena
now there is that much less noise IN
the house.
Never mind" thought ZaphirouIs nv
herself. i viii be nice to nv husbe1d
and then he win always sing to me
But always is a big word. Zapbi-
rouls.'
That night Menegos sang his sweet
est songs in the barbershOp. and the
next day-it was a Sunday in A6rfIG
he entered Anastasis's house as fI1t,Ire
song and no playing guitar. II vas
their engagement evening and the
young couple sat Whispering and 1nre-