The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1917-08-30
HOLIDAY IN GREECE
HeIlenes' Food Good But Their
Dancing Is Monotonous.
Men, Women and Children Take Part
In the Celebration With No
Trace Of Joviality.

Trace Of JoviaIity.
1t Is perhaps the only advantage
Of being at Saloniki that you Gun
spend two separate Christmases there.
Thus it happened that, ID days after
We. had eaten our own plum pud.
dings in the mess, we rode away TO
mantically across the mountains for
Christmas day in a Macedonian vii.
lage, says writer in the London
Times.
The cavalcade consisted of three
Englishmen-One of them cosmo-
politan genius speaking Greek like his
mother tongue-Petros, a Greek Or
derby and leading citizen Of our vii
lage. We sat on pack saddles not un-
like armchairs, with rope stirrups.
The reins are hollow mockery,
their only purpose being to affront the
pony and make him sulk. Hang them
carelessly on the saddle and the sure
footed little beast will find his way
along the most blood-curdling paths,
where deep ravines full of powders
await the smallest slip. At the end of
pass we emerged into great plain
and saw our village before US amid
vineyards and fig trees.
We fired salvo of revolver shots
into the air to announce our arrival
and were soon shaking hands with
number Of men in dark blue-black
fo
trousers.
Petros was politely determined that
We were to lunch with him and soon
we were in his house reclining on
lovely striped rugs of red, black and
yellow and watching the sparks from
a wood fire fly up big chimney. Be-
fore lunch. however, came ceremony
which is inevitable on entering any
house. The daughter Of the house
brings tray on which are small
glasses Of homemade brandy, an
equal number of glasses Of water, and
a dish Of sweet stuff-Turkish delight,
chocolates, or in one case, unequivoc-
ally British marmalade to be eaten
with q spoon. The guest stands up,
takes glass of brandy, drinks it and
says "Cheer OH" Next he takes
sip of water; and last sweet.
After the cognac and the Turkish
coffee came lunch. Soup Of tripe, rice
and vinegar, followed by a duck. The
duck had rice with it and touch of
garlic. OF all ducks this was the most
palpably divine ever eaten. Then fol.
lowed dancing in the market place.
The market place is an irregular
open space with the invariable plane
tree. The spectators gather in the
corners, leaving the middle clear for
the dancers, who are divided into two
groups. One Of these groups revolves
slowly round q barrel organ decorated
with artificial flowers and grinding out
one never ending tune. First come
half dozen young men, their hands
on each others shoulders. Next, hand
In hand, some twenty or more women
with maroon-colored draperies round
their heads, dark blue bodices and
skirts, and large aprons Of vivid scar
let crossed with bars of a darker red
and fringed with tassels of bright
color. Round their necks are strings
of gold coins-dowries to be handed
on from mother to daughter, big, thin
Magyar coins mostly, though one
/ woman has brooch of three English
sovereigns. Next to the women come
, the children, failing away to the very
tiniest little girl, each respondent in
her tiny red apron. The leader per-
forms very simple step; his imme-
date neighbors initiate it, but further
down the line the step becomes mere
shuttle, and SO they 60 round and round
forever silently and steadily, not ap-
parently bored, but with no trace Of
, joviality.
The other group consists Of older
men who dance far more deliberately
with turnings and twistings and duck
ings and swapping Of fingers. Their
leader is fine, tall fellow with q
fierce black mustache and red sash.
He waves bottle in one hand, as
sumes poses of humorously exaggerat-
ed grace, and has altogether de-
bonair and swashbucklenng way with
him. Having been to America he
proudly shouts, Merry Christmas
Happy New Year."