POIGNANT LOVE ROMANCE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 16186, 24 July 1923, Page 3

POIGNANT LOVE ROMANCE.

STORY OF A COFFIN. BRAVE: AND FAITHFUL GIRL. Elec. Tel Copyright— Uulted Press Assn (Australian and N.Z Cablo Association.) LONDON, July 23. Th« Daily Express’ Athens’ correspondent reports that a man and a girl, refugees from Smyrna, are the central figures in a poignant love romance wlpch has moved all Greooc. Aristide Vassilaeopoulos was found unconscious in a home-made coll'in, with a poison bottle at liis side, and -ho was taken to the hospital. An hour later a girl named Athena 1 antailides, was found unconscious in the same coffin. It has sine© been revealed that when Mustapha’s troops appeared at Smyrna Aristide was preparing for Iris wedding. He ran to Athena’s house and found her in her wedding dress. He hurried her ito the water front, and as he was unable to find a place on a ship lie plunged with his sweetheart into the sea .and swam for half an hour until a ship took them aboard. The couple reached Athens penniless. Weeks of privation followed until Athena found work weaving. Aristide, broken in spirit, oould not find employment, and Athena ;paid the rent of his room as well as her own. Aristide began drinking heavily and became very jealous. One night lie tried to break the door of Athena’s room. Next day she departed from her lodging, leaving a letter saying she still loved him, but only if be honored and respected lier 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 flius, and then traced the girl to her new home. He took the coffin there when she was away at work, lay down ip it, and drank bichloride of mercury. When Athena returned she found her lover. Her cries brought the neighbors, and Aristide was,sent to hospital. Athena, left alone, Idy down in the coffin, apparently believing Aristide 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 in hospital, but the doctors hope they will recover. Thousands of people "of Athens are praying daily for their recovery, when efforts will be made to enable the lovers to get back their lost haoniness.