Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1872-05-23
Easter Eggs in Paris.


There is no Disgusting that these eggs
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
a sugar egg, even when colored pink
and filled with caraway comfits, is not
much to be alarmed at. But one day
there appeared an artifcer of woe who
set himself to blowing out all the yolk
and white from an egg, cutting the shell
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 eJ a surprise. 1t
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 Carer ano pleasantly
mystify the recipient. OF course, this
ingenious invention cost from twenty to
fifty francs, and found numerous imita-
tors. Ducks, geese's and swans eggs
were 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
earrings, sleeve-links, or brooches, into
the eggs instead of thimbles; and 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 deserved 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, it 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 filed 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 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-Gr amont pre-
sented 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 a 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,j jewelers., and knick- 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-
try's woes further inspiration in 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 ramble of in
spection and he may choose either a
stuffed hen, hfe-size, sitting on nest of
twelve eggs, each containing silver egg
cup; or stuffed turkey, whose upper
half comes off, disclosing berceannette
with baby's layette complete; or an I'M
pheasant's egg with an en-
erald ring inside; or more unpretending
still, little wren's egg with set of
studs; or, if he be bent on gratifying a
lady whose tastes are author-like,
smooth ebony egg that slips into the
pocket like darning- ball, and houses
inkstand, pens, sand-horn, stamps, wafer
and pencil. TO be sure, he may choose
nothing, argue that he is not rich, that
eggs are an abuse, and that he emptied
his pockets to feed his friends with
sweetmeats at Christmas-tide. But in
this case he had better go and admire
the monuments of London for fort
night, or proceed to Rome to see
whether the Holy week festivities there
have degenerated and when he returns
he 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 eye as one inclined to
make light of those beneficial observan-
ces which raise man above dumb brutes.
Pail Mall Gazette.