New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-25
EASTER CUSTOMS.
ODD UsAGEs THAT PREVAIL in MAN
LANDS.

idea Of
IL = singularly beautiful and poetic one, ""'' on,-
o,on, and venerable as it il is one oil those 'o"
- honds of sympathy that draw 'ose'ne o..
urita whole families Of mankind anu
for a space the rivalres ana Dlchei',79 ,. 81
,ions and of races In the furtheSt na"',' ~
Armenia and Mesopotamla, the n'oSt i0. ~, d
oros,ered Of the mission stations or Alr'ct an
poIvnesia and on the banks of the Slperid" OD,
IJ nc IN Christian Europe, America and Austra''
rho festival Is noted in one form or ahot'ie' GU
I, is curious to observe that III couii''e -.
among peoples who possess other lai'"9 ' e.,
NJ the Cross a similar HOLIDAY 10 rei''i 49,
many WAYS its counterpart in its conception Oh ''
l"r", and resurrection of life and JOY, ana
the consequent end Of death, bondase anu ''
ton. , .ho. ,ciatIc
Tho Persions together with several other Assam.
nations appropriately celebrate the pesl"n,,i7
their new year at about the period Oh 'ne ,"
t,,urox when the genuine coming or spring 'aNe'
MACE and a feature of their ceremonies II '' ~"
,u,l nresentaton Of colored and other eggs, "e"'
al win tho Christian Easter custom. In lac''
tho org seems to be universally regarded as ''e
natural symbol Of dormant existence ie'',
resuscitated. and 1t is generally emp.oSeu ~ Wo,
Hebrews who observe. during the Easter "e''
their own Feast of the Passover.
In the olden time. be easily imagined u'e's
,.oro many quaint concets and customs associ'eu
with the annual recurrence Of the Easter les'N''
Some Of which have been handed down from "ee
10 age surviving in numerous forms ana haoI.' -
which we are apt to give but llttle tno"sh''
most among them IS the custom, already meh''o"e'
If exchanging tinted and ornamented eggs "nlc"
T., un,osed IN date from the time Of the early
L,g,ntans and has been traced to the tenetS VI
their philosophy and theology as wei aS u .io'1
Of the Greeks and Romans. Little Is known oi '"e
rractice as II prevailed, however. up 10 "Ithlh vi"
los, fau, centuries outside of some purely local
proverbs and old-mother's sayings In the reign Oh
kim Edward the First. Of England. 1t evidently
On loved considerable favor; for. in very curious
Roll OF the Expenses Of the househo'u VI ''
monarch communicated to the Royal society u
A,trouaros in the year lS5 the charge of IS pence
l. entered FOR -four hunlred-and-a-hAite a ess'S'
remarkable not much for the cheaphess ds io'
tho number required for distribution among 'He
royal household. The country people Oh Hpdl" anu
Portugal usually color their eggs orisht CRIMSON
in memory Of the blood Of the saviour. anu TIC
chudren Of those countries as well as OF some
rural districts in England. commonly contest WIN
their eggs for what We in this country "ou'u
probablv call a sort Of championship the method
being TO match egg held In the mana, as"''is'
another the one breaking most without being IL
self destroyed bringing TO its owner the co'''eu
distinction Of victor for the ensuing year
There were in former times in Ireland many III
tercstlng customs and beliefs relating 10 Easter
some Of which are still In vogue in certain parts
~ th1, country. on the evening Of the preceding
lay-sometimes called Holy SATURDAY IN Ehs'di''
the families Of the peasants were won't 10 as
s.llble round the hearthstOne some four hours DE-
for. midnight. many fat hen ana dainty piece
of bacon" a. a commentator observes, having III
the mean time been put into the pot by the cotter
wife "auI to the person who should taste "
before the cock crowed." At the stroke OF twelve
the gravity Of the company suddenly ceased anu
with , shout that they were "out Of Lent as the
phrase was. a great clapping OF hands TOOK place.
and the merrment thai ensued lasted far into the
night They also had a notion. still prevalent. that
on the following. Easter, day the sun was ac-
c,istomed to dance whet. he mounted over the mis-
ont Of pure sympathy and delight and it was their
habit to hasten into the fields to enjoy the sight,
rising for tho purpose at about o'clock
The many charities AMI entertainments that usu-
ally distinguish the week Immediately succeeding
Easter sunday while probably largely Que 70 me
idea Of emancipation from long-worn letters. are,
nevertheless the direct outgrOwth. 10 a great eX-
tent, Of the usases that were in past times COM
mon both in England and on the Continent. where
the gayetes and merrymaking often surpassed De-
scripton. An interesting anecdots Is toi 81 me
great but unfortunate Emperor haries me clltn'
who while riding through a village In his span,
in the fantastic robes OF the Easter hlhs, WI. VIII
"A tin crown upon his head and a spit for MS irun.
demanded tlst he should don his cap. My good
friend" responded ,nr Emperor. complying Win
You viii ma it very troublesome one. can as
Plays. or theatrical representations Of the Res
direction somewhat similar to ne Passion PlayS
were once popular in many COUNTIES ana Is SaIa d
highest Of the MOBILES were frequently known 70
take par in The pr31Gcti9ns In colGc'Gh 2 eN
ans books a. ~ r. pun PTo Iri
ago occurs the following entry:
Henry VIII paidc for upr.d thee Resur-
ra 'g' 'ePr ;.r. Of t:,ac. pt.
Iionry VIM Iayde toT a skin u perch,
For bred Sndc ale Tor thsm tia, made
e.
in. 10 tine lley.........................
ANA it is evident from subsequent entries tina,
the custom was si prlctisei in the time OF Queen
Elizabeth. Iiui. like many other pastimes. X was
Tha Easter bcnevolonces probably date from the
year 1915 when the ancient custom Of the church at
ampn the youns people was forbiden by act Of
Parliament ~ a "superstltious reflex" the church
being ordered 10 bug leaves OF bread for the poor
the parish" 10 the language OF the chronicer
instead OF the cakes The sum of one pound was
from that time Ievei annually upon the vlGarige
for the purpose of buying penny loaves. and 1t Is
cnt century they were thrown from ne church stee-
pie to be- scrambled for By the children Whether
connection with the venerable custom OF 'clacking"
which Is said still 10 exist in several countries. IL
doubtful but IL Is certain that at no other time
during the year was the impudence OF mendcants
allowed such license The 'clacking consisted
b-ggar. TO show that It was empty. and 1t is be-
cvcd that 1t Is TO ;hs peculiar custom that Shake
Lucio dccaims:
His was 20 put ducat In her clack-dish
Flowers have always been used more or less. IN
the Easter decorations OF churches. probably. in the
beginning because they were considered as exquisite
~ cmhlrmdtic OF the rcuVcnatiOn Of the earth The
Puritan Fathers however who abhorred the very
name OF church signfyng too much Of worldly
pride. deesed heartily such little tokens OF hgurl
tive refinement and they themselves and their
wives and families were never known 70 appear ut
the meeting house In other than the planest Of raj
mrnt
The maids and matrons OF to-day, who are
fond OF their dazzling Easter display of multicol-
orcd furbclows ana gowns and bOnnets. need not
deem their little weaknesses any deterioration from
al ~ fnir IA fhRrS fgr fhsrn *
ancient English proverb:
Easter. let your clothes be- new.
else be You Will II rue
meaning that the rocks other birds will spoil
any old garments seen on that day. and thus show
ing that the vanity IL far from new And a
bard of the English North cOuntrie' sang.
ii hundred years ago
Easter. | put blue
Froch cuont the Vust time. Nlcr new;
WI yallrr buttons aal a. brass.