The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-04-09
Old Easter Customs.

III lIldlN PAL ~ EtHAAA 49,
in olden days. the belief obtained that on
Easter morning the sun danced in honor
Of the Resurrection. on the evening or
Holy Saturday great preparations were
made for the finishing Of Lent; many a
fat hen and dainty piece Of bacon were
put in the pot by the cotter's wife ana
woe 10 the person who should taste IL
before the stroke of twelve; but at mat
hour would be heard the clapping Of hands
and cries OF "out with the Lent" All
would be feasting and merriment for a
few hours. when the good people would
retire. TO rise about 4 o'clock. In order TO
see the sun dance. This custom was not
confined 10 the humble laborer and his
family. but was observed by the educated
and wealthy people as well. An a~llusion
10 this superstition occurs in an old bal
lad. which says:
"But. Dick. she dances such a way!
No sun upon an Easter day
Is half so fine a sight
An old custom which prevailed in Eng
land was termed lifting or heaving; on
Faster Sundey the women would form
into parties Of six or eight, and woe to the
luckless man whom they espied, as he
was pursued. and. when captured. placed
I'm a chair; the group would then gather
about him and lift or heaye the chair
three times. after which he was set upon
and kissed by each lass and compelled
TO paw sixpence for leave and license 70
depart. 4 manuscript preserved In the
Tower Of London contains a record or a
aymen to certain ladies and maids or
honor for lifting King Edward l. in his
bed at Easter. The usage is a vulga
cOmmemOration Of the Resurrection
The custom Of boiling eggs in coloring
matter and then trying conclusions with
an antagonist is an old English observ-
ance. Each antagonist would hold an
egg in his hand, and at a given signal the
ends would be brought together with a
sharp blow, which would be sure TO break
one Of the eggs. while the successful egg
would be invested with the title Of "a
cock Of one. two. three etc, according
TO the number Of victories II had OBJ
tanned.
IN birmingham formerly crowds OF peo-
ple were used TO assemble 10 see the chill
dren clip the churches. This ceremony
was performed by the children Of the
different charity schools. who, at a certain
hour. nocked together for the purpose.
The first omers placed themselves mana
I'm hand with their backs against the
church. and were Joined by their com
panions. who gradually increased in num-
Der. till at last the chain completely sur
rounded the sacred edifice. As soon as the
hands Of the last Of the train had grasped
that Of the first. they dispersed.
Ii was an old custom In england 10
break the Lenten fast by eating Il gam
mon Of bacon on Easter Sunday, and thus
show the adherence in which the Jews
were held on this festival day.
A custom obtained in many parts OF
England in which. as soon as the service
of the church was over, the boys ran
about and aid hold of every woman or
girl they could meet on the street and
accosted them with pay for your shoes
~ Won please," at the same time stopping
TO take them off. which. If they were not
paid. they would do and would carry the
shoes off. leaving the hapless female in
her stocking feet.
In the wear 100. at Biddenden. in Kent.
tradition SAYS, were born two women,
Elizabeth and Mary C~huIkhurst. who
were Joined together by the hips aud
shoulders. and who lived In that state
thirty-four years" 1t is said that at their
death they bequeathed to the parish or
Bidderden, forever. certain parcels or
land. the income from which was TO be
expended each year in making cakes bear
ing the print Of the two maidens. which
were 10 be thrown from the church
steeple to be scrambled for by the poor
children OF the parish. }
At T~wickenham two great cakes used 3
TO be divided I'm the church on Easter day ,
among the young people. while In the
peak Of Derbyshire a custom known as
obtained. The children
used 10 repair on Easter morning 10 a
pring called the Dropping Tor" with a
cup In one hand and a quarter Of a pound
of sugar in the other, and. having caught
IN thei. cups as much water as was de-
sired from the dropping Of the spring,
they dissolved the sugar in II, and drank
IT,.
In some provincial towns it was the Gus
tom TO conduct a Jew 10 the church ana /;
publicly beat him In the face.
In Roman Catholic countries 1t was a
very ancient custom for the preacher TO
divert his congregation with a humorous
as during Lent the good people
had mortified themselves and prayed so
that they began TO be rather dis
contented and ill-tempered. so that the
clergy deemed IL necessary TO make a lit
tie fun from the pulpit for them. and thus
give, as II were. the first impulse toward
the revival OF mirth and cheerfulness.-
bingham.