Page "Arthur Evans" Paragraph 29

In 1878 Arthur proposed to Margaret, Freeman's oldest daughter, three years his senior, an educated and literate woman, and until now secretary for her father.

The offer was accepted, to everyone's great satisfaction.

Freeman spoke affectionately of his future son-in-law.

The couple were married near the Freeman home in Wookey, at the Parish Church.

After a celebration they took up residence in a Venetian villa Arthur had purchased in Ragusa, Casa San Lazzaro, on the bluffs overlooking the Adriatic.

One of their first tasks was to create a garden there.

They lived happily, Arthur pursuing his journalistc career, until 1882.

They were hoping to conceive, but the longed-for event never happened, even though Margaret returned to England for 6 months for an operation.

They were bitterly disappointed.

Ultimately Arthur's continued stance in favor of native government led to a condition of unacceptability to the local regime within the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

He did not see the Austro-Hungarian regime as an improvement over the Ottoman.

He wrote: " The people are treated not as a liberated but as a conquered and inferior race ...." The Evans ' sentiments were followed by acts of personal charity: they took in an orphan, invited a blind woman to dinner every night.

Finally Arthur wrote some public letters in favor of an insurrection.