The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1893-04-22

aF1A{ScyS Eostre. The An
~ glo-Saxon II IN
N for April is Easter
onth. Taking advantage of the CO.
bcidence of the Christian festival in
oint of time with that of the yearly
East in honor of the Saxon goddess,
he early missionaries gave Christian
hcaning to the observance of the day.
but it has ever retained its ancient
hamc. Easter was one, time called the
christian passover, because the Jewish
passover occurs about the same date
hnd early converts from Judaism cele-
DRAFTED Easter and the passover as one
Festival
"Thc primitive Christians" we are
told. when they met on this day,
saluted each other with the words,
x'Christ is arisen to which answer was
snade, Christ is arisen indeed, and hath
{appearcd unto Simon" This custom
is still observed in the Greek Church.
Indeed" to quote foreign writer,
*f'all the ceremonies attending the OBJ
4servance of Easter We're at first exceed
Eingly simple. but in the early part of
N the fourth century decided change
" was brought about. Constantine, ma
naturally vain and fond of parade.
Hsignalized his love OF display by celc-
y brating this festival with extraordinary
.>pomp. Vigils. or night-watches. were
'tinstituted for Easter eve, at which the
n people remained in the churches until
midnight. The tapers which it was
Missionary to burn at this time did not
oatisfy His Majesty but huge pillars of
IVAN were used instead, and not only
hin the churches. but all over the city,
were they placed, so that their brill
4 4ancy at night should far exceed the
Hight of day. Easter Sunday was OBJ
y Served with most elaborate ccremon-
Mails, the Pope officiating at mass, with
#every imposing accessory that could be
* tlevised."
w Not kneeling in token of humility,
x but standing erect with arms out
@'stretched and faces looking to heaven,
N to express triumphant peace, the early
E christians prayed during the fifty
\ days between Easter and Pentecost,
and no songs but those of joy
4 and gratitude was heard. Between
~
considered the most suspicious in the
n whole year for lovc-making and mar
&riages, and those two holy days were
'tbc best on which to baptize children.
~ OF all the Easter customs, that of
coloring and making presents of eggs
seems the only distinctive one that has
found a place in our time.and country.
Tn Catholic lands Easter might appro-
priately be called 1.-THE feast of eggs"
On the first day of Easter week in
Paris, everybody presents every one
else with little present cmblcmatical
of an egg, which is known as a Paschal
egg (oeufs des Paque). Among people
so ingenious as the Parisians. an oppor-
tunity of this sort is literally God
send Egg-shaped articles are to be
had of all conceivable, and some in
conceivable, forms and materials. One
would think the once imperial eagle of
France had summoned all the birds of
the air to come to Paris, build their
nests in shop windows, and there de-
post their eggs: for. go where you will,
you will see eggs, from the size of Il
caraway comfit, such as is found in the
nest of the humming-bird. TO one as
large as bowl, or an ostrich's or emu's
egg.
The shops are full of egg-shaped
boxes, the receptacles of candy, jewelry
or toys. Here you have chocolate eggs
full of cream where the yel!l should be,
and again, ivory eggs within which is
scent-bottlc. Passing along are
women with barrows, crying, "Des
oeufs, DIES oeufs." Upon their barrows
are piled in separate heaps white and
colored eggs.
Some of the nests are beautiful works
of art. Here is stoat or weasel steal
thily climbing up tree to suck the
eggs, while the parent bird is repre-
scented with her feathers ruified in n
threatening attitude. to drive away the
intruder Here, again. n crckoo-a
European cuckoo. our American bird is
above such triclSs-has turned ont
little chaffinch egg which lies broken
on the ground below, while she has
left her own for foster-parent to
hatch.
More charming, however. and much
more interesting are those little gifts
which arc not only reminders of the
day and expressions of friendship. but
that carry with them something of the
personal taste and individuality of the
donor. 1t may well be pleasure, in
addition to its reception, to know
whose busy brain planned your gift.
and whose dainty fingers fingered over
it long and lovingly.