A Greek Romance

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIII, Issue 186, 24 July 1923, Page 5

A Greek Romance

REFUGEES' TRIBULATIONS. ATHENS STIRRED BY PATHETIC STORY. (By C jtolc.—l'resß Association.—Copyright.) London, July 23. The “Daily Express's” Athens correspondent reports that a man and a girl, refugees from Smyrna, are the central figures in a poignant love romance which has moved all Greece. Aristide Vassilacopoulos was found unconscious in a home-made coffin, with a poison bottle at his side. He was taken to hospital, and an hour later the girl, Athena Tantailides. was found unconscious in the same coffin. It has since been revealed that when Afustapha’s troops appeared at Smyrna Aristide was preparing for his wedding. He ran to Athena’s house, and found her in her wedding dress. He hurried her to the waterfront, and as he was unable to find a place on a ship he plunged with his sweetheart into the sea, and swam for half an hour until a ship took them aboard. Th© couple reached Athens penniless. Weeks of privation followed, until Athena found work at weaving. Aristide. broken in spirit, could not find employment, and Athena paid the rent of his room at well as her own. Aristide began drinking heavily and became very jealous. One niglit he tried to break the door of Athena’s room. Next day she departed from her lodgings. leaving a letter saying she still loved him, but only if he honoured and respected her and himself. Aristide, brooding over his troubles, conceived the idea of punishing the girl by making a coffin and decorating it with carving. He spent several days thus, and then traced the girl to her new home. He took the coffin there when she was away at work, and then lay down and drank bichloride of mercury. When Athena returned she found her lover. Her cries brought the neighbours, and Aristide was sent to hospital. Athena, left alone, lay down in the coffin, apparently believing Aristide was dead, and that he expected her to follow him, and that she would die of a broken heart. When her friends returned she was unconscious. Both are now r in hospital, but the doctors hope they will recover. Thousands of people in Athens are praying daily for'their recovery, when efforts will be made to enable the lovers to get back their lost happiness.—(A. and N.Z.)