A LOVE ROMANCE

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XXIII, 24 July 1923, Page 6

A LOVE ROMANCE

A YOUNG COUPLE,S PRIVATIONS 188 FBESB ASSOCIATION —COFTBIGHT LONDON, July 23. The Athens correspondent of the “Daily Express” reports that two refugees from Smyrna—a man and a gni—are the central figures in a poignant love romance, which 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. An hour later, the girl, Athena Santaiiides, was found unconscious in the same coffin. It has since been revealed that when Mustapha’s troops appeared at Smyrna, Aristide was preparing for Utis wedding. He ran to Athena's house, found, her in her wedding dress, hurried her to the water front, and as he was unable to find a place on a ship, he plunged with his sweetheart into the sea, swam for half an hour until a ship took them aboard. The couple reached Athens, penniless. Weeks of privation.-, followed, until Athena found work wealing. Aristide, broken in spirit, could not find employment. Athena paid the rent of his room as well as her own. Aristide began drinking heavily and became very jealous. One night 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 the coffin and decorating it with carving. He spent several days thus. He then traced the girl to hi, new home, took the coffin there, when she was aw’ay at work. He lay down in the coffin and drank bichloride of mercury. When Athenia 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 dead, and that he expected her to follow him, and that she would die of a broken heart. When the friends returned, she was unconscious.

Both are now in hospital, but the doctors hope they will recover. Thousands of people in Athens are praying daily for their recovery, when efforts will lie made to enable the lovers to o-et back their lost happiness.