The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1872-05-24
Easter Eggs IN Paris.


have become to many persons tax, a
burden, and source of bitterness. So
long as no further innovation was at.
tempted than selling sugar eggs
in lieu of genuine ones, it was well for
sugar egg, even when colored pink
and filled with caraway comtits, is not
much TO be alarmed at. But one day
there appeared an artificer of woe who
set himself 10 blowing out all the yolk
and white from an egg, cutting the she'll
neatly in two, lining the halves with
white satin, adapting them to each
other on the screw top system, and then
putting gold or silver thimble inside.
This was the first 9uf surprise. Ii
looked like the real thing,and could be
set by the donor in the donee's egg cup
without the fear Of detection, until at
the critical moment when the spoon was
going to crash through the top every
body round the table would cry out af
fectionately Care ' and pleasantly
mystiiy the recipient. OF course, this
ingenious invention cost from twenty to
fifty francs, and found numerous imta-
tors. Ducks, geese's and swans eggs
We're pressed into service as capable of
containing not only thimble but small
scissors, needle-case, etc, and of being
sold at from five to ten guineas. Then
somebody asked why one should not put
ear. rings, sleeve-links, or brooches, into
the eggs instead of thimbles; AMI this
led to an enterprising jeweler drawing
ahead Of every one else by fitting up
ostrichs eggs as work boxes, scent.bottle
stands, or .jewel-cases. This jeweler,
who deceived well of his kind. worked
in the Easter. egg trade the same sort of
revolution as Victor Hugo and the
Romantiques wrought in the drama.
Up to that time, il had been considered
essential 10 keep up some semblance Of
respect for probabilities, but from the
ostrich-egg day probabilities were dis.
carded. Eggs appeared measuring foot
in diameter-big chocolate and sugar
eggs filed with sweetmeats, or monster
eggs filled with toys; or, again, huge
mahogany eggs, with brass mountings
and feet, to stand up on an end and act
as liquor receptacles. Then people use
the Easter egg as a medium for giving
presents which they would have had no
excuse for Offering at other times, and
also for paying off arrears OF etrenneS. An
august parsonage very gracefully sent
one of his Ministers the insignia and
patent of the Grand Cross of the Legion
of Honor in an Easter egg, and the late
merry Due de Caderousse. Gramont pre-
scented an actress with the most stu
pendous egg on record it was colossal
wooden thing painted white and con-
tanning brougham. They conveyed it
along the boulevards in cart, To the
delight of admiring crowds, and it was
the nine days wonder of that Easter.
There must have been people who hoped
that the collapse of the Empire would
have entaiied that Of the Easter egg
but they were mistaken. This year the
confectioners, jewellers, ana knck- knack
shops were as full of eggs as ever, and
the only difference between now and
two years ago seems to be that the
tradesmen have drawn from their coun-
trys woes further inspiration III the way
OF egg contrivances, and have added |
about ten per cent. all round on the prices |
of former inventions. Thus, Partisan
bachelor. who has dined out all winter, |
and feels himself bound to give eggs, |
has only to set out on a ramble of in
spection and he may choose either a
stuffed hen, life-size, sitting on a nest of |
twelve eggs, each containing silver egg !
cup; or a stuffed turkey, whose upper
half comes of, disclosing berceannette
with baby's layette complete; or an un.
pretending pheasant's egr with an EN-.
erald ring inside or more unpretending |
still, a little wren's egg with a set of |
studs; or, if he be bent on gratifying a
lady whose tastes are author-like, a
smooth ebony egg that slips into the
pocket like a darning- ball, and houses
pens, sand-horn, stamps, wafer
and pencil. 70 be sure, he may choose
argue that he is not rich, that
eggs are an abuse, and that he emptied
his pockets 10 feed his friends with
sweetmeats at Christmas-tide. But in
this case he had better 90 and admire
the monuments of London for fort
night, or proceed TO Rome to sec
the Holy week festivities there
have degenerated and when he returns
be must plead that he was called away
by urgent private affairs. Even then,
however, let him not be surprised if So
ciety watches for some time with cool
and guarded eve as one inclined 10
make light of those beneficial observan-
ces which raise man above dumb brutes.
Pal Mall Gazette.