Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-21

The caudIe cup designated BY Albrecht Durer
for some member of the family of Macmillan
is still shown.
The candle cards are very often stamped
with cameo resemblance of these cups and
the invitation reads:
MRS JAMES HAMILTON,
At Home
Thursday, March 80, from three to six.
Caudle.
These do not require an answer.
Very pretty tea gowns are worn by mamma
and the ladies Of her family for this entertain
ment. but the guests come in bonnets and
street dresses. There is no objection to having
the afternoon tea table with its silver tea kettle
alcohol lamp. pretty silver tea set and plates of
bread and butter; little cakes also ready for
those ladies who prefer tea. Caudle ia some
times added to the teas of winter afternoon
by the remnants of old Dutch families even
when there is no little master as a '.raison d
etre, )" and delicious il is.
MAEGUERITE's MARRIAGE.
There is pretty account Of the marriage Of
Marguerite of Austria with Phlibert, the hand
some Duke of Savoy. 1t is called Marriage
aux oeufs." She had come to the castle of
Brae. in the charming district of Bresse. lying
on the western slopes of the Alps Here the
rich princess kept open house and Philibert
who was hunting in the neighborhood, came to
pay his court to her
1t was Easter Monday and high and low
danced together Oh the green. The old men
drew their bows on barrel filed with wine
and when one succeeded in planting his arrow
firmly in it he was privileged to drink as much
as ne pleased '.jusqu n merci."
A hundred eggs were scattered in a level
space covered with sand and lad and lass
holding each other by the hand. came forward
to execute dance of the country. According
to the ancient custom if they succeeded in
finishing the braule without breaking a
single egg they became afiianced; even the
viii OF their parents might not avail
to break their union Three couples
had already tried it unsuccessfully and
shouts of laughter derided their attempts
when the sound Of horn was heard and Phil
bert OF Savoy. radiant with youth and happi-
ness, appeared on the scene. He bent his
knees before the noble chatelaine and be-
sought her hospitality. He proposed to her to
try the egg fortune. She accepted. their grace
and beauty charmed the lookers-on, and they
succeeded without single crash in treading
the perilous maze.
savoy and Austria ~ shouted the crowd.
And she said: LET us adopt the custom Of
Bresse."
They were married and enjoyed few years
OF exquisite happiness; then the beloved hus-
band died. Marguerite survived him long, but
never forgot him. She built in his memory the
pretty church at Notre Dame de Brou. Trav-
elers go today to see his and her magnificent
tombs.
the EASTER EGG.
The egg has been In all ages and in all coun-
tries the subjec. of infinite mystery, legend
and history. The ancient Firms believed that
a mystic bird laid az egg in the lap of vaimai-
non. who hatched it in his bosom. He let it fall
in the water and it broke. The lower portion
Of the shell formed the earth. the upper the
sky, the liquid white became the sun, the yolk
the moon, while little bits of egg shells became
the stars.
Old English and Irish nurses instruct the
children when they have eaten a boiled egg to
push the spoon through the bottom of the shell
IL order to hinder the witches from making a
boat of it. 1t is difficult to ascertain the pre-
else origin OF the custom OF Offering eggs at the
festival of Easter. The Persians the Russians
and the Jews all follow it. Among the Romans
the year began at Easter. as it did among the
Franks under the Capets. Mutual presents
are exchanged and egg is the begin
ming OF all things nothing better could be
found as an offering. The symbolic meaning is
striking. We offer our friends all the blessings
contained under that fragile shell whose fragil-
lty represents that of happiness here below.
The Romans commenced their repasts with an
egg; hence the proverbial phrase lab ovo sque
ad mala, or, as we still say. beginning alb
oyo."
Another reason given for the Easter egg is
that about the fourth century the church for
babe the Use of eggs in Lent. but as the hereti-
cal hens would go on laying, the eggs accumu-
lated to such degree tina: they were boiled
hard and given away. They were given to the
children for playthings and they dyed them of
guy colors.
In certain churches in Belgium the priests at
the beginning of glad anthem threw the eggs
at the choristers. who threw them back again.
dancing TO the music whilst catching the frail
eggs, SO they may not break.
GERMAN CUSTOMS.
In Germany, where means are more limited