Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-03-26
EASTER.
Eggs and Cards
IBoston Transcript. ]

Boston Transcript
Easter ts 60 late this year that by the time
the holiday really comes everybody will have
score or two OF cards and dozen eggs waiting
to be sent away, and the day before the feast
will be unpleasantly busy for the postman and
the expressman. The most beautiful cards are
of course those which are haad painted, and
there is no end TO the variety of these, and no
two houses show the same designs. All OF the
symboljcal flowers are used and all the early
blossoms are pressed into the service, and the
notices range from scripturai quotations to
easter doth bring the buds Of spring." ana
the beautifully non. committal Easter Greet.
iDg." which leaves the recipient IN doubt
piety Or good-fellowship. Rather newer than
The hand. painted cards are the designs worked
On satin and fastened within folding cover
embroidery are executed partly In Holbein and
partly IN kensiIgton stitch, the former being
used for the notices and borders, the latter
for the group OF flowers which appears on the
right hand side of the bit or satin. The
ground is of old gold, violet Or dark green, the
last being the prettiest; the lettering and bor-
GERS usually contrast with il, and the flowers
and leaves are worked In their appropriate
colors. PaneEshaped pieces OF satin are dec
Grated either with hand painting or embroidery,
and may be used for bOGknarks or for decora-
ton, and among these are some with grounds
of silyergray and liiyof- tne-valley decora.
tons that are exceedingly pretty.
De la Rue'S Easter cards are nearly all very
ecclesiastical this year. and both In color and
In design give pleasing evidence OF not being
Christmas or birthday cards with Easter moi.
toes affixed. The, angel of the resurrection
watching at the door OF the empty tomb and
the saint at the door Of the sepulchre are re-
peated over and over again, and the cards upon
which they are limDed are mounted Ia fanclrui
borders OF pale green, pink or blue enriched
with gilt scroll work, or left unframed as one
pleases. There are very little cards, upon
which slender ecclesiastical crosses OR rustic
and the price OF these is wonderfully
low Considering that they are English,
and there are little German cards with en-
bossed flowers and fruits, and saucy urchlns
playing all kinds OF pranks with eggs; and,
lastly, there are the Prang cards. The largest
OF these represents cove soaring upwards
high above the rainbow. which, fsintly visible
In the lower r1ght-haAd corner, gives the only
touch OF bright coloring to the soft grays OF the
card. The back represents Japanese plant
spriDgiDg upward from vase, and white
fringe is set around the edge. This Is the most
expensive OF The American cards, for Its price
is dollar, While double ones in other styles
cost but half or quarter OF that sun. The
prett1est Of these Is set OF two, one repre-
senting white pansles and brown butterfly.
the other ca!sies and yellow butterfly
o on e a1n grou TWO T Ibsoe backs * OF 1ns
and represent passion flowers and a
butterfly. Other double cards are made bT
joining the pretty egg-hunter designs. one
cred an egg while working in her little gar
den; the Other, q boy who has whole basket
OF eggs. The backs OF these cards are, as the
1mpeltinent boarder said about the cuatare,
"egg-y, for what With four big eggs marke /
''Easter," and bigger egg marked Easter
Remembrance" and dozen and a half OF
lutte eggs each bearing letter OF the inscrlp-
tion, Health and happiness" there Is not
room for much else in the design. There are
some pretty Hover panels On gilt
background and some good combinations
There is but one set Of triptych designs, and
these are OF dull olive On the back with the
word Easter" and one gilt star for illumina-
ton, and have a cross with a central glory on
the two side panels. The picture within Is a
yellow, white, or purple iris on ground dag
Onally divided between two cOlOrs, and the
sides are Of gold and olive, with Inscriptions In
der, Struggling letters OF the most medic
val kind. The prettleSt egg card represents a
Chick who has taken a lily leaf for sail, made
boat of his eggshell, loaded II with forget-ne-
notS and lilies OF the valley, and Is merrily
making his way among the lily pads.
The satin Easter egg with the doWny chick
| within are put up In enamelled boxes; but the
humber decorated eggs content themselves
with plain paStebOard. There is nothing par
uculariy new ABOUT them. except the use OF
chenille Instead OF the Topped cord and tassel
OF last year, and the preference for lowers over
| landscapes or symbolicai designs IS very
| grown little bigger. which Is all the better
| and they are packed In rough dark hampers
| instead OF straw baskets. Oger-fastidious per-
| sons have these hampers gilt or ebonized, but
| the dark wood Is really the prettie5t, and with
| its filling OF straw Is as realistic as any one
need desire.