The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-03-22


turbed it Is TO be feared by all the ponip,
pride and circumstance.
Presents are sent to the mamma Of flow.
ers and bOnbonnieres shaped like an altar,
n cradle, powder-box, and there may be
gold tea scoops, pap spoons and caudle
cup.
caudle is . very succulent porridge made
of oatmeal. raisins, spices and rum all
boiled together for several days until it
becomes Jelly cruel. It is very much
sweetened and is served hot in cups. The
fashion used to be TO serve it In madam's
chamber when little master was three
days old, but this being found to besa very
feverish proceeding was forbidden by the
doctor, and now it is the excuse for .
after the birth. Gifts of old Dutch silver
with the fancifut conceits, true levers
knots and the inevitable pQsy or couplet
are very favorite gifts for the baby and
mamma on these suspicious occasions.
The caudle cup designed by Albrecht
Durer for some member OF the family OF
Macmillan is still shown.
The caudlc cards are very often stamped
with cameo resemblance of these cups,
and the invitation reads:
MRS. JAMES HAMILTON,
At Home
Thursday, March 30, from to 6
Caudle.
These do not require an answer.
Very pretty tea gowns are worn by
mamma and the ladies of her family for
this entertainment, but the guests come in
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. faudle is some
times added to the teas of q winter after
noon by the remnants of the old Dutch
families even when there is no little mas
ter as s.raison d etre, +" and delicious it is.
There is a pretty account of the marriage
of Marguerite, of Austria, with Philibert.
the handsome Duke of Savoy. It 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
open house and Philibert, who was hunt
ing in the neighborhood, came to pay his
court to her.
1t was Easter Monday and high and low
danced together on 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 he pleased "jusqu'
merci."
A hundred eggs were scattered in 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 single 1sd egg they hey. became ants
might not avail to break their union.
Three couples have already tried it unsuc-
cessftllly and shouts of laughter derided
their attempts when the sound Of a horn
was heard and Philibert of Savoy. radiant
with youth and happiness, appeared on
the scene. He bent his knees before the
noble chatelaine and besought her hospi-
fortune. She accepted. Their grace and
beauty charmed the lookers-on, and they
succeeded without single crash in tread
ing the perilous maze.
aSavoy 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 be-
loved husband died. Marguerite survived
him long. but never forgot him. She built
in his memory the pretty church at Notre
Dame de Brou. Travellers go today to see
his and her magnificent tombs.
The egg has been in all ages and in all
countries the subject of infinite mystery,
legend and history. The ancient Firms be-
ieved that mystic bird laid an egg in the
lap of vaimainons who Matched 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 the little bits of egg-shells be-
came the stars.
Old English and Irish nurses instruct
the children when they have eaten
boiled egg to push the spoon through the
bottom Of the she'll in order to hinder the
witches from making boat Of it.
1t is difficult to ascertain the precise orr
gin of the custom of offering eggs at the
festival of Easter The Persians, the Rus
the Romans the year began at Easter as it
did amongst the Franks under the Capets.
Mutual presents are exchanged and as an
egg is the beginning 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 fragility
The Romans commenced their repasts
with an egg; hence the proverbial phrase
lab ovO sque ad mala, or, as we still say,
beginning alb ovo."
Another reason given for the Easter egg
is that about the fourth century the church
forbade the use of eggs in Lent, but as the
heretical hens would go on laying, the eggs
accumulated to such degree that thew
were boiled hard and given away. They
were given to the children for playthings
and they dyed them of gay 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.
In Germany, where means are more
limited than in France. the Easter egg
bonbonniere is rare. None Of the 900
pound kind" which was made Of enamel
--on its inside was engraved the gospel for
the day and by an ingenious mechanism q
little bird lodged in this pretty cage sang
twelve airs from SO many operas.
But IN Germany to make up for this
poverty they have transferred the hare into
an oviparous animal, and at the pastry
cooks windows one sees this species of
hen sitting upright in a nest sur
rounded by eggs. I have often won.
dered if that inexplicabie saving. "a
mares nest" might not have been
hare's nest" as l,scus n non Iuccndo it
would have done as well. When German
child at any Sc ason of the year sees hare
run across the field he says: Hare, good
little hare, lay plenty of eggs for me on
Easter day." 1t Is the custom of German
families on Easter eve to place sugar and
real eggs (the former filled with sugar
plums) in nest: then to conceal it with
dried leaves in the garden, that the JOYOUS
children may hunt for them on Easter
morning.
1t is superstition all over the world
that one should wear new clothes ON
Easter day. Bad luck will follow if there
is not at least one article which is new.
NJ. Z. w. SHERWOOD.
copyrighted, 1884,
Go and SEQ tho uew dry yr.oa. 49,. - ca.