New-York tribune., 1886-04-25
READP FOE EASTER SUNDAY.
THE SEASONS SOUVENIRS AND CUSTOMS.

FLOWERS AND MUSIC IN THE CHURcIES-GIOwTH
AND BEAUTY OF THE CARDS.
Easter is late this year, and according to all
signs the celebration promises 10 be the gamer by the
delay. The weather is becoming more settled and
people getting their first attac OF spring fever
Flowers moro plentiful, the range OF selection
greater. and the price somewhat lower. Easter as
church festival and social turning point Is coming
and more into prominence. The custom OF making
presents Easter morning is growing. This is
pleasant act Of courtesy sRnying the congratulations
OF the sender upon the receivers having survived the
rlgOrs and hardships OF Lent.
Easter Is the OF rich church music and often OF
elaborate church decoration. While tho churches OF
the less tuallsc sects pay little att nton to the Easter
dawn, and even those given TO greater cefemonia
Observance have perhaps only simple morning service
the Moravians OF the settlement OF the United Brethren
at Bethlehem Penn rise long before the sum- gather the
congregation In their great church, and after stonng to
the story OF the Resurrection rs told from the pulpit
march out into the old graveyard to the music OF q
trombone quartet and greet the it rses over the
distant tops Blue Ridge sending the shadows Of
the tall trees across the o: little mounds each
covered with its simple slab OF marble, that marks the
resting place OF departed brother In churches where
Easter ia day for spring costumes, more than usually
ambitious anthem and 0oral display, tho latter is
following the general and mre cultivated taste IN these
matters and tending toward the use of plants To the
exclusion OF cut flowers In cut flowers the lily OF
course holds Ire- cmuence for this occasion All
signs have strengthened the general mpresson induced
first By tho ateDess OF tho season, that there viii be
more OF dsI lay of plants aad lowers this year than
last.
Cards for Easter have become IN established instu
ton Tho growth in tho OF sending lthograr he'd
or painted cards ones friends every slightest
provocaton ia an evidence OF the general cultivation and
education OF the instincts ana artistic tastes Tho
custom seems to have largely grown out Of the alyeIs
fr1f in AlI and
black simply and alto ward in the most horld combna
tions of colors. Everybody took them and looked at
them Children cried for them and went about from
store to store collecting different styles. until every
storefeepcr driven BY desperation into tho pur-
chase OF bulldog OF the greatest possible fcrocity OF
aspect. Then the valcntine-that Old stereotype OF
embossed female oveliness and paper-acc inricacy-
cnneht the infection and the bonds of the bare
legged Cupid with the two hearts on orc arr ow. 70
blossom In silk rnges, hand painted saiin ETC. The
two and three coat Christmas cards that invented
during the hard times succeeding the panic ana accepted
as an econ nnca substitute for tho 500 silk dress ana
similar gifts OF the moro prosperous period, were
gradually crowded out by ambitious nade-over vacn-
tines that 9reathed sentiments OF peace anu 10
men, instead OF the more proane anl personal passion
And now II costs as much TO buy ChilsaI caro- as IL
did to get the SILK dress Inc goiEeous Easier anu
birthday cards hen designed, and no" SILK Hinged
and hand painted cards padded satin IN plush ranel
and graceful bannerets are IN great demand ana .uH
supply SO boOtblack will take even an advertising caW
unless it has at least artistic paeensions Lhe
beauty and sentiment TO send TO hs pest gri sN he
Girl thinks she IS treated snabDy sne gets y thlnB
less perfect and costly.
of the designs for Easter cards this year are In
good taste snd quality OF work, AS bas been said
before is steadily improving The white satin ban
nerets with plush stripes and a brsht bit OF sprng
land seape, are paTcu afy attractive. Another rch
style IL sort OF architectural arrangement In plush with
doors that open and disclose the design and motto The
Easter egg has been gurativcly smashed by the card
competItion hut its memory still fingers In the cards
themselves Birds nests and eggs huHy little chickens
and mothcrly old hens prcd0mnato In many designs.
Some OF the large dry goods houses in this city and
Boston bought heavily Of these more elaborate
sryles and used them for purposes OF display IN their
show windows This attracts attention, shows oil the
ether goods and often creates considerable trade In
the cards themselves. Another market for Easter cards
has developed this year In tho sunday schOOl
eachers distribute them TO their classes and In some
cases an appropriation IL made to supply the whole
schoO. Many designs offered Tor this purpose
frnged and unirnged cards that cost little but sDne
OF which possess real artistic niet one of these Is
simple lthogral he'd card In the shapc OF cross
Angry clouds roll bleak, dark but festful little
Ian tho fatthes hill over which the clouds
are broken away stand three lonely little crosses anu
beyond them Is the motto, He Is our Peace"