Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-04-14


for many months that this would be the
anniversary Of the day Upon wnich our
Saviour broke from the tomb? certainly
the church-going folk were aware Oh H.
knew II. Most assuredly the store
keepers knew It. for have not they been
making great preparations for Its coming
for a long time? II is but natural that
the milIlners were cognizant OF the fact
for have they not had their brains and
places turned topsy-turvy in appropriately
adjoining the heads Of womankind.
There Is not the slightest degree OF
doubt in my mind that men knew 1t,
for they have caused unending anxiety
for the last six weeks to their tailors,
and this, without regard to the trouble
they will give their coat-makers In fu-
ture. | am quite certain that the maidens
knew it, lest they would have worn
more sad and guileless expression upon
their countenances to-day, than the one
which nantes their features and plays
bewitchingiy around the corners OF their
dimples. Yes. everybody has long known
that to-day--whether bright and beauti-
full. filing the land and the hearts OF the
people with gladness and sunshine, or
whether dark and cloudy and disagree
able-would be Easter. Even the florists
were advised as to the Importance OF the
day. and In its celebration their hand Will
also be seen.
As Easter has always appeared to me,
Il is simply a short and bhssful period
Of sunshine and flowers and lovely wo-
men. OF course, there are times IN the
natural order OF things when the case
may be lovely sunshine and flowers ana
women, and. again, when II is sunshine
and lovely flowers and women. Most
all you men have experienced these diff
ferent conditions. You may also remem-
Der some Easter Sundays upon which 1t
has poured down torrents of rain, ana
everywhere without IL has appeared to
bo dark and sad and dreary. and yet 10
YOU everything was brightness. Gladness,
sunshine. To such of you desire to say,
your feeling was the result OF the coming
OF Easter-just little bursting or the
heart-fetters somewhere. the simple IS
stiancc from the lips OF the tomb of that
portion OF mans anatomy OF rev
words which made all life. all nature
all the world appear beautiful An these
are sweet reflections. Don't you 'nlhh
so2 Don't you think so, dear girls? now
many. many times l have wished that
Easter might come every Sunday, and
every Sunday might succeed each o'her
with no nights intervening.
Then. too, there is music in Easter. l
had almost forgotten it. Music far TOO
deem and sweet for the ear, the reason
music TO the soul, brilliant, grand, en-
rapturing. Not simply the melodies or
the birds as they sing forth their praises;
not simply the engrossing strains 10 De
heard from the choral stations in our
churches: but the music OF nature, or
love. OF this, do not know OF TO my
own personal knowledge, therefore, was
about to forget. But way down In the
recesses OF my somewhat battered heart,
I have "fancied' (as do all chappleO
that such a thing might be.
Now, / love music. 1t has often SAID
that IL hath charms TO soothe the sa-
wage breast" This may In measure ex-
plain my fondness for it, but then Colo
mel John Bell Bigger loves music, also,
and told me no longer than yesterday
that II when he got to Heaven he found
there were no pretty flowers, lovely wo-
men, or good music there, he Intended
to come right back Said he. II wouldn't
stay there, sir; what do l care for golden
streets?"
Now. I for the life Of me cannot see
what anybody should care for golden
streets, but there are other articles which
are composed largely Of the yellow metal
for which there Is material need among
mankind-just before Easter. especially
My mind. in this connection, reverts
very naturally TO last Easter. when l
had to buy eleven new dresses, equally
as many bonnets, several pairs OF shoes,
two suits Of clothes. two dozen roses.
go violets at advanced prices, four dozen
Easter eggs. pull two teeth for one OF
the kids, etc. and put Is cents in the
CHURCH These things made the celebra-
ton rather expensive one for me.
Practically, the same facts prevail this
year--and yet / would not have Easter
come no more.
This is a day In which / feel like coll
ing myself up in a hly-bell and permitting
its JOY and fragrance 10 perforate my
whole being or sit upon the corner or
violet, and not even be disturbed by the
cheek of the coy maiden who buries her
face among the blue-eyed beauties To de-
YOUR their perfume. 1t is essentially a
day of flowers. Pretty, tailor-made gowns
and nicely-creased trousers, music. and all
these clements form only component
parts Of the popular observance OF Easter.
Flowers are the heart Of the celebration
all things else, but environments. / shall
stroll up Franklin street this morning to
witness, to participate In the grand and
beautiful pageant-such IL will be! L shall
wear my new. Easter clothes (Which came
into the Office just at midnighD, my last
years artificial violets, my English cane,
and my new girl. In other words-I mean
that / will carry the aforesaid maiden
up the street While she is rather COM
municative with me, ami imparts to me
all the secrets Of her family and her
friends, as a rule, she has not deigned to
give me the faintest idea OF what her
Easter gown Is TO be. BY lingo! suppose
1t should be none at all. Pshaw, OF course,
she viii be dlked to death. A woman al
ways likes to burst upon the unsuspect-
ing public on these occasions In such an
array as causes men 20 clasp their hands,
look ecstatically upward, and involuntari-
ly sigh, "Ah, grandw / am satisfied that
this is the kind OF philosophy which Is
actuating my friend In her silence. Wo-
men are peculiar things. and must be
humored, petted. and pardoned as long
as they shall live.
AS have before stated, this is day OF
flowers. Every blossom in season will go
heart and soul into the festival, and the
rivalry In few cases will be specially
interesting. Last week L wrote TO my
friend. Mr.. Mann, OF j. III. Harvey & Co.,
the following note:
"Please send me all the principal fow-
ers to be worn next EASTER Sunday. and
obige.
yours truly, 7. L. s."
This was the prompt reply received:
MY Dear Lanky.-It is impossible for
me TO send you all the flowers TO be worn
here next Sunday. In the first place. IL
were to do so YOU would have, no place
TO put them unless you rented Seabrook's
warehouse. Let me know II smaller
quantity will not do.
yours. etc, MANN"
Now. this somewhat provoked me, be-
Cause I thought I had been explicit
enough. only wanted to know the kinds
OF flowers to be worn here on Easter.
Mann Is a deuced nice fellow, but he was
obtuse, so l wrote a note to Hammond
and Catlin, and the Richmond Floral
Company, and Amory, OF Barton Heights,
and asked them to furnish me this In
formation. This was the first response |
"a