The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1889-04-17

the Easter egg has nOt Yet become UNIVERSAL
and is not nearly rs pretty as the nest
hunting as described in our Easter story.
Again. the gathering of wild flowers for an
Easter Offering. which is practicod every
where in the southern part OF Europe. and
which our poem Forget me-not" SO beau
tifully describes, is certainly an admirable
idea.
few years ago the writer had the pleas
ure OF preparing an Easter egg hunt at u
young ladies' academy on the Hudson. II
was IA bright cold day, and all that nature
could afford for decoration were branches
of abor-vita and a few of arbutus. These
were quickly woven over fine wire into
delicate little nests, then eggs were blown
out by the dozen and on each pretty
Easter greeting was written and was tied
into the nest with white satin ribbon. TO
which was attached a prettily decorated
Easter card in the form OF a cross. After
the nests had been well concealed in every
nook and corner of the building. the young
ladies were invited to begin their hunt.
While they were rummaging rustic table
was laid. that is. instead OF a cloth it was
spread with green branches. On these
were placed eggs, prepared IN every con-
ceivable manner. There were boiled.
scrambled, fried, broiled. poached. steam
ed. baked, pruned scalloped curried. and
picked eggs. In the center was "a huge
log cabin built of Easter cake cut in strips.
AT each plate was cordial invitation that
the one who had been fortunate enough to
unu n nest was entitled 10 "a seat.
Now the fun began. Many had found two
or three, others had not found any; the
latter were not entitled TO seats at the table
and the former were not willing TO give
them the prizes demanded. Finally they
agreed that tho unsuccessful Diana should
pay dime for her nest; thus the nests
were equally distributed and about one dol
lar and fifty cents was collected Tor the
poor. After the refreshments the young
ladies danced the german and had gem
eral good time. and they unanimously de-
clared that they had never known Easter
joys before. We will close this description
by giving our readers few hints for color
ing Easter eggs For bright red. boil them
In cranberry juice; for bright yellow, boil
them with onion skins; for blue or purple.
use the juice Of preserved plums or back
cherries; for BRIGHT Green. wrap them in
spinach leaves. The old fashioned meth Cd
of boiling them wrapped in bright calico is
very satisfactory.
A peculiar Easter custom is still in vogue
In the North OF England. On Easter Day
the men parade the streets. with the priv
ilege OF lifting" every woman they meet
three times from the ground and demand
ing in payment either a kiss or "a siXpence.
On Easter Monday the tables are turned
the women being entitled to the chance OF
recovering their kisses or their sixponces.
as the case may be.
Chambers Book of Days" thus alludes
70 this custom of lifting: I'm Lancashire.
anu III anu W dfWlck-
shire. and perhaps in other counties. the
ridiculous custom OF lifting or henving.
Is practiced. On Easter Monday tho men
lift the women. and on Easter Tuesday the
women lift, or heave. the men. The process
is performed by two lusty men or women
joining their hands across each other
wrists; then, making the person TO be
heaved sit down on their arms. they lift
him up alolt two or three times and often
carry him several yards along the street.
A grave clergyman who happened 10 be
passing along town in Lancashire on
Easter Tuesday, and having TO stay an hour
or two at an inn, was astonished by three
or four lusty women rushing into his room
exclaiming they had come TO lift him..
ITO lift mel repeated the amazed di-
vine; what can you mean
Why. your reverence. we've come "a
lift you. cause it's Easter Tuesday
Lift me because it's Easter Tuesday
don't understand. Is there such a custom
here?'
Yes, to be sure; all us women was lifted
yesterday, and us lifts the men to-day
And In course it's our rights and duties
After "A little further parlev. the reverend
traveller compromised with his lair visitors
for half n crown. and thus escaped the
dreaded compliment.