of the Virgin and child were visible
through openings in the metal or board.

"At Easter time," said one of the dealers in ecclesiastical wares, "we
sell thousands of candles for the great midnight celebration of the
lighting of the candles. Just as the Easter day is ushered in, the
Patriarch from his platform makes the announcement, 'Christ is risen.'
The people repeat it over and over, the candles are lighted, then raised
and lowered three times in honor of the Trinity, and we return to our
homes to break the three days' fast by a feast of rejoicing."

[Illustration: AND BLUE JACKET ORNAMENTED WITH MANY BRASS BUTTONS.]

When returning from the wharf to the steamer in the evening some of the
tourists were conveyed in a tug and others in row boats. The oarsmen to
save the labor of rowing cast their lines to the tug and the dancing of
the little boats on the waves as they were drawn swiftly down the bay in
the wake of the larger craft caused some anxiety on the part of the more
timid of the occupants.

[Illustration: SOME IN A TUG AND OTHERS IN ROWBOATS.]

On the evening of Tuesday, the twenty-fourth of February, just as the
silver-toned bells on the Russian warships were telling the hour of
five, the anchor of the Moltke was drawn up and the vessel almost
imperceptibly moved around and headed for the narrow outlet between the
breakwaters. As we slowly steamed away from the Russian vessels, our
band played the Russian national hymn and the Russian flag was elevated
to the top of the Moltke's mast in a farewell salutation. Immediately
the crowds of Russian sailors on the warships removed their hats and
remained bareheaded until the music ceased. Then, in response, the
Russian band played our national hymn, and as we sailed away, the
strains of the music became fainter and fainter until they died away in
the distance.

Looking backward after leaving the harbor we saw clearly defined, in the
golden evening light, the towering Acropolis and the Parthenon crowning
its summit, and, as we sailed away from the city which was once the
centre of culture, refinement, and wealth, we tried to recall the
stories of her glorious past. The figures of legend, myth, and
history,--mighty warriors, celebrated heroes, eloquent orators,
illustrious painters, renowned architects, great historians, immortal
poets, and wonderful deities; Spartan mothers, Thermopylae defenders, and
Persian invaders; beautiful Helen, muscular Hercules, crust