Fire on Mt. Ida

The most beautiful mustache on the island of Crete belongs to wealthy, 32-year-old Constantine Kephaloyannis. Constantine's mustache, along with his other charms, had won the heart of a hot-eyed, raven-haired girl named Tassoula Petracogeorgi, but had had no effect whatever on Tassoula's father.

Tassoula's father, George Petracogeorgi, was a Liberal member of the Greek Parliament who insisted that the largest mustache in the world would not be enough to hide the fact that Constantine came from a prominent Populist family.

One night last week, Constantine Kephaloyannis decided to take matters into his own hands. He abducted Tassoula, fled with her to a cave high on the slopes of Mt. Ida, the legendary birthplace of Zeus.* What followed was probably the biggest ruckus over a woman Greece had seen since Helen of Troy touched off one of the world's earliest big-navy building programs.

Tassoula's outraged father organized a private army to storm Mt. Ida and recapture Tassoula. But Constantine had friends, too; they organized themselves nto another private army to help Con-tantine keep Tassoula. Next day, while Herakleion police clamped a 7 p.m. to 5 .m. curfew on the city, the opposing forces maneuvered about the mountainside.

In Athens, Liberal Premier Sophocles Venizelos (see below) intervened to keep he private war from becoming too public, banned "public assemblies" to prevent 'infractions of order." The Governor General of Crete, a metropolitan of the ,freek Orthodox Church, and the gendarmerie had already offered their good offices. At week's end, two representatives of both families reported that they had made contact with the lovers and urged hem to return to Herakleion. Manuel Kephaloyannis (Constantine's brother and a Populist politician) told Tassou'a:

"My girl, you have lighted a fire which will burn our houses for 100 years. All of us will be exterminated ... It is your duty to abide by your father's wishes."

Tassoula replied: "My father, my fa-;her--how shall I see him again?"

To this, the emissaries reported, Constantine replied softly: "You may go if you wish." But Tassoula threw back her velvety tresses and answered: "No, I'll stay here. I'll bear the responsibility."

Tassoula's father was equally adamant. He would, he said, rather see her dead than married to a Populist.

*Not to be confused with Mt. Ida near the site of ancient Troy, where young Prince Paris of Troy awoke one morning to find himself confronted by three goddesses--Hera, Pallas Athene and Aphrodite--who insisted he judge which one of them was the most beautiful. As a bribe, each goddess offered him what she was best equipped to give: Hera offered political power, Pallas Athene victory in battle, and Aphrodite the fairest woman in the world. Paris fell for Aphrodite's offer. The fairest woman in the world turned out to be Helen of Troy. Helen's husband, Menelausf objected when Paris took possession of his wife, and started the Trojan War.

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