The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-03-27

o'clock and woe be to the person VINO shoulu
taste it before the cock crew, At II was heard
the clapping Of hands and joyous laugh, mixed
with the words out with the Lent all was mcr |
riment for few hours, when they retired ana
rose about o'clock to see the sun dance in hon
or of the resurrection. This custom was not
confined TO the humble laborer and his family,
tut was scrupulously observed by many highly
respectable and wealthy families, different mem
beers of whom asserted positively that they had
seen the sun dance on Easter morning. In some
parts of England they called it the lamb playing,
which they looked for as soon as the sun rose
in some clear or spring water, and II was MOTH
inc but the pretty reflection it made from the
water which they could find at any time If the
sun rose clear aud they themselves early ana I'M
prcudiced with fancy" Others made an artl-
fetal sun dance by setting a vessel full OF water
out in the open air, in which the reflected sun
seemed to dance, from the tremulous motion OF
the water. An old ballad says, presenting pre-
suucd question to the sun hmselfupon the sub.
jcCt ELECTS a suitable answer:
Q.-"Old wives, Phobus, say
That on Easter day
To the music o tn spheres You do capcr;
Ii the fact, sir, be true,
Pray lets the cause know,
When you have any room i'll your paper
1.-THE old wives get merry,
With spiced ale or sherry,
ON Easter, which makes them romance;
And whilst in Il rOut
Their brains whirl about,
They fancy We caper and dance
In al old Danish legend is told the origin of
the Easter egg: how Sigismund and Adebert
both loved the gentlc-heartcd Theolnda, and
how she chose Adelbert. Long years AZ,
tcrward lover aud husband went to the wars of
the Crusades, from which only the lover, Sigis
mund, returned. He renewed his suit but was
so unsuccessful that the gentle Theonda fed
from his presence. In her new home she taught
the people many things and especially the use of
eggs; and at Faster tide, hearing her prosecutor
had again gone to the wars, she determined to
make festival for the children. So she took
eggs and beautifully coloring them, hid them in
the woods in baskets for the children TO lind. In
the search, her own little Fritz became lost. Ev
eryonc turned out to search for the lost boy. He
was not found; but down at the bottom OF Il ra-
vine was wounded and dying soldier. II was
Adelbcrt; and little Fritz found fast asleep at
home There was great rejoicing and on Easter
day present came to Thcolinda from the chill.
drcn OF willow basket shaped like a nest, and
! filled with coored eggs and as the years went
by the cause of rejoicing was forgotten but the
giving of eggs became custom.
| This is also the Passover season Of the Jews
commemorative Of the dcliverancc Of the chill
drcn of Isreal from the bondage OF Egypt. or
its observance the World tells US:
| Unlike all other Jewish festivals the Passover
on the first evening partakcs of scmi.patri-
archal character On that night the head of each
and reads from book specially compiled for the
occasion, the history of the Exodus. This cere-
mony is called the 'Scder." On the table are a
! bone of lamb in commemoratiOn Of the pascha
| lamb. Il dish of bitter herbs indicative Of the
hard labor forced upon the Jews by Pharaoh, a
plate of chcroses, mixture Of apples and almonds
sprinkled with cinnamon as symbol Of the
| loan which the Jews had to use in Egypt green
herbs and vinegar to indicate that though some
times Providence DEGREES hardship the Almighty
has always nature to provide the antidote, a hard
boiled egg to symbolic mourning for the de-
structon of the Temple, and last, though not
least, three large "MazOth', cakes OF unlcaveded
bread. The relation Of the Exodus is followed
Ibv joyful psalms and the wish "Thc New Year in
IJerusalem." This ceremony is observed by or
thodox families for two night, and each jew, no
matter how poor, is a welcome guest at Unstable
of any co-reigionist he may call upon The fes-
ltiva lasts for seven or among the orthodox eight
days during which time no leaven is permitted
to remain in or enter the house. The first two
and last two days are close holy days the
other four days beng merely church festivals al
which religious services are held early in the
morning.