The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-04-20


their capacity Will admit of. The young folks,
more especially In the rural districts, make
elaborate preparations beforehand Tor the feast
by eliy hiding, from time to time, as many
AS they canpossibly lay HANDS on. In addition
10 those which are prepared for the table,
numbers are boiled until they are as hard as
stones, and colored in the most fantastic man
ner. Provided with pocket full of these, the
urchin salies forth, and, encountering another
who has similar store, the operation of "pck-
ing commences, tue eggs whose shells receive
NE first fracture becoming forfeit, out OF com
pliment to the excessive hardness of their
opponents.
In England this end similar customs were
formerly universal, but now they are ignored by
oil except the children and the peasanuy OF
some sections. Other peculiar customs prevail,
however, TO q considerable extent In different
sections OF the kit gdom. Thus, in the countes
OF Stafford, NarwicB, Lancaster and Cheshire
the process OF '.htIngU or "heavingn IS extern
sivey praCtised. On Monday the women, ana
on Tuesday the men, undergo the op5ratSion t VI W
being lifted up two or three times, anu oVeh vi
being carried a considerable dlstance' Ny lhOso
OF the opposite sex, who JOIN their hands across
each others wrists, Oy way OF scat lu Ihe
county of Durham, the men Cialm the nlgu
honor of unlacing the wOnen's shoes Ou Mon
dav and the latter recprOcate TINS delicate
attention on the following day. In days OF old
il was universal custom for DOth the clergy
and people TO play at ball IN ine churc9es ior
tansy cakes. These CAKES were Favored with
the otter AID strongly scented IdnecetUhn Uut-
g0re or common tahsy, as symbol OF the herbs
OF the paschal east At the commencement of
the AntIphOn, the bishops ano deans threw the
ball 10 the cboristers, bl Whom'it was passed
back aRd forth, the bisnops and deans mean
while dancing in their merrlest style. Then
came the least, OF which a Cannon OF bacon
formed part to express lively adherence of
the Jews. Commemorative of these customs,
We have the following stauza of an old pOem:-
AT football, Lucia, let us play,
For sugar, cakes, or wine;
Or for a tansy let us pay,
The loss be thine or mine.
Ii thou, my dear, a winner be
AT trundlIng of the ball,
The wager thou shalt have, and me,
And my misfortunes all"
This somewhat sacnhglous custom is no
longerin vogue, but III some parts OF England
tansy cakes and tansy puddings are still iavo-
rites on the table at Easter. In the counties of
Devon and Dorset, the parish CLERK IS accus-
toned to carry around 20 each house. after
divine service on Good Friday, Easter oter-
ing in the form OF very thin cakes with ming
ling of bitter and sweet III their taste, IN return
for which he Is recomUensed according to the
means or disposition o. the recipients. During
the last century 1t was the custom OF the parish
of Blddenden, Kent, to distribute a large num-
ber of cakes and loaves of bread, together with
q quantity OF cheese among the poor, on the
afternoon OF Easter Sunday This distribution
was supported by an Old endowment of twenty
acres, called the BREAD aud Cheese Lands"
The Easter Customs of Chester.
But in the ancient ami curious city of Chester
the Easter festivities more elaborate Inan at
any other place in the Kingdom. In early times,
on Easter Monday, the Mayor and other corpo-
rate authorities togeL ner vi b The members of
the twenty gailds, went forth in solemn process
sion to the Rood-eye, or meadow, to engage in
the dignided game of football. The ceremonies
commenced with the presentation by the guild
of shoemakers OF a football OF the value of
''three and tourpence or above" which was
received by the Mayor, as he stood
before high cross in the CEN
tire of the meadow, equipped with his
game then began, but we are told that ire
quentlY ''greate STRIFE did arise among the
younge persons OF the same cttte;" and to avoid
this, in the days OF Henry VIII the old custom
was done away WITH and various other Cere-
monies instituted in its stead. One OF these
consisted in a presentation by the shoemakers
to the drapers OF six gleaVes or silver handdarts,
to be awarded to the most successful IN a foot
race. The saddlers, likewise, mounted on horse
back and splendldly accoutred, each one bearing
q spear with a wooden ball, winch WAS deco
rated with arms and flowers, sailed forth and
presented to the Mayor silver bell, which was
intended as "rewarde for that horse which
with speedy runninge should run before all
0thers.n
In these right merry days the practice OF
archery was also INDUCED in, the re ward for
the bestsbot being provided 10y the recent BRIDE
grooms of the city, and consisting OF hand
some silver arrow. When this custom first
originated 1t consisted in shooting match
between the two Sheriffs for breakfast of
calves head aud bacon. The affair was con-
Quoted with due solemnty, a proclamation
being sounded through the city, In response to
which The youthful athletes all repaired to the
Rood-eye, where the Sherifs selected their
champions in turn, until they numbered twelve
score. The shooting over, the winners started
in procession TO the Town Hall to partake of
the feast, each one bearing his arrow in his
hand, while the losers followed, with their
bows alone. In 1640, however, u foot
race for a piece. OF plate was substituted tor
the breakfast of calves head. But in 1874
it was decided that the latter was esta-
blished by ancient usage, and could not thus be
done away with at the option OF the sheritfs,
who were, on q subsequent occasion, lined ten
The custom of ''liitng" was also extensively
practised chair being used for the purpose,
which was lined with nch white silk, and
ornamented with garlands and streamers.
In addition to these customs, the churches
were adorned like the theatres, and great
crowds of people frequented them to view a
aepulchre representing the entomoment of the
Saviour. 1t was at this time generally believed
that the second coming OF our Lord would be
.On the eve of Easter-day, and the sepnlchre
was watched throughout the night until
O'Clock in the morning. At that hour the two
eldest monks entered, and took out beautiful
image of the Resurrection, which, during the
singing of the anthem, CariStus TesurgenS was
elevated before the worshlpping throng. IC was
tnen placed upon the high altar and covered
by canopy OF velvet, and procession being
formed, the image was carried arc and the exte.
rior Of the church, amid the glare of torches
and accompanied by singing, shouting, and
praying. Returning TO the high altar the
image was again deposited upon 1t, there tC
remain until Ascension'day.
Easter Among the TyrOIsse
is still celebrated in very primitive but very
impressive manner. The hardy people who in
habit the VOrarlberg mountains have as ye
INean scarcaIv affected by the civilization b7