St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-03-29

"
Easter and spring usually come trip
ping over the hills hand in hand, while
blue skies smile graciOuSly upon so
bonny a pair ard timid flowers strew
their path. But this year Easter ar
rives in advance of her companion who
loiters along the way, and only few
pussy willows have come out in their
fuzzy gray coats to brave the March
winds.
Pious Episccpalians and Catholics
have devoutly attended services during
the forty days of Lent. Good Friday
was a solemn fast, with special mass in
memory of the cruciiXion, and to-day
is the glad resurrection morn. The
long period of fasting and pennance is
ended; there is a chorus of rejoicing
from even the Protestant choirs that
have only lightly observed the Lenten
season. and the churches are dressed in
bright bloom and rich green in honor OF
The great Christian festival.
Easter, as every one knows, is regu-
lated by the moon, and is the first Sun
day after the full moon that falls upon
or next after the DIST OF March. The
earliest possible day wherein it may
happen is March p, and the latest April
25; thus there is a range Of thrty-five
days that Easter can occupy. The only
instance in this century where Easter
fell upon the first day after the full moon
was March %, 1918, and this will not
occur again till 22o5. The other extreme
was reached in 1886, when Easter hap
pened on April %, and will not be the
case again before 1913, and then not till
203S. Of the reputed $50 churches in
Minneapolis, about One-third of the
number are Catholic, Episcopalian and
Lutheran. the three denominations that
TeligiOuSly observe Lent, and to-day the
bars are uplifted, the bands are removed
and the new life has burst into bloom.
There were many curious customs
associated with Holy week, but as the
world grows older it cares less and less
for sentiment, and IN its practical,
everyday life is gradually abandoning
all the time-hOnored uSageS that once
formed so important a feature of this
Easter time. We hear very little now
of Maunday Thursday, and there are
doubtless scores OF good church people
who do not even know the meaning of
the name, or that long ago benevolent
souls used to go among the poor on the
Thursday before Easter and distribute
loayes of bread from maunds or baskets
Perhaps the secret brotherhoodS are
the only societies that observed the Oc-
casion when, last Thursday evening,
they gathered at the Masonic Temple
to eat of the Paschal lamb, appropriately
served with green peas and other deli
eacies.
Easter is one of the most beautiful
and significant anniversaries of all the
year, and coming as IT does in the early
spring, when something in the air bids
Us feel lighter and brighter and happier,
1t seems great pity that so joyous a
festival should pass unheeded. Years
ago the shop windows used to be full of
Easter novelties that found a ready
sale. AS soon as the pretty conceitS for
st. Valentines day were disposed of to
RmorOus SWANS, or were replaced in
their boxes to enjoy another years rest,
exquisite cards and books, all showing
seasonable decorations, appeared on
counters and tables, and now we find in
many places that the ola Christmas
stock is brought forward, the senti-
mentS are touched up bit, and an un-
suSpecting public is beguiled of its
hard-earned pennies.
But, whatever customs may prevail
throughout the world, invariably at
Easter time we think of flowers and
eggs. We buy pot of fragrant hya-
clnth, bright geneSta or feathery spirea
to deck our parlor windows. We boil
eggs for Sunday morning breakfast and
we don new dress and bonnet to at
tend church, and we feel we are observ-
ing Easter with the true spirit.
AS the egg is the beginning of all
things it is most appropriate offering
at such time, and its symbolic mean
ing is striking. Among the novelties of
this season are quaint little heads of
sisters of charity, whose painted egg
faces look peacefully content in soft
white paper bonnetS and broad collars.
The wonder still remains is there any
Thing left to invent, when in one of the
windows on NicOllet avenue we catch a
glimpse of tiny, fragile features peering
from the hearts of cunningly wrought
paper roses.
Elaborate musical programmes will
be rendered i'll all the leading churches
Of the city, for even the most orthodox
deem this a time for special rejoicing.
The Sanctuaries will be redolent with
The perfume of a thousand blossoms,
where chancel and altar will be twined
with snowy white and living green.
The florists have been busy the last Jew
days receiving orders, and for months
have jealousy guarded the stately lily
and spreading palm. A great many sin
gle buds and blossoms have been
shipped to distant points as Easter SOU
VenlrS.
The society woman who for a space
has enjoyed respite from her round OF
duties, has not been idle during the last
SIX weeks. She tarried at the Hot
Springs for little while, but even there
did not feel far from home, she saw SO
many familiar faces. 1nvigorated and
rested by the brief change, she came
home to plunge into whirl of dress.
making and shopping.
The stores blossomed forth into CAV
coiOrs and brilliant plumage, and among
SO many beautiful things, the question
was not, "What 10 choose" but "What
not to buy" She longed for million
to spend, and perhaps she had only 8
hundred. But there were more who had
not even hundred than those VINO had
with which to buy lucky piece fol
Easter. Perhaps this custom came first
from huSSld, DuI Wherever IL originated
every man, woman and child in Mime
apOlis to-day wants to wear at least one
new article to insure good luck for the
coming year.
The feminine world has rejoiced dur
Ing the past week. There have been nc
less than six millinery openings on the
avenue. Never in the memory Of
woman was there such a ravishing d S
play of Donnets and hats; never such
brilliant colorings: never such multi
tude Of flowers and never so gorgeous g
show of jewels, pins and laces. The
streets were full of busy shoppers
The stores were full of eager sightseers
and,even with no thought of purchase
there were hundreds of admiring
women trying on creations of art and
fancy, while scores of enthusiastic
young salesgirls stood by to exclaim
That is indeed very becoming, and Sc
stylishp Certainly what is stylish this
spring is very different from what il
was year ago.
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M.Ir