The National tribune., 1895-04-11
EDITaIl,S CHAT.
Md Fasbioned Easter Customs =" Thou
Shalt steal"

here and there some ldtltliA OhStINlhS l@aoeSA
in all its old-fashioned simplicity.
And oh, what a joyous season it was for the
children of an earlier day And what joy
ous season it still is for tho children OF those
who remember that a touch o. nature makes
the whole world kim"
For DAYS and days before the old-fashioned
Faster-tide that so well remember there were
puessings aud wh;sperings as TO what the rab-
bits were to lay among the sprouting mint ana
daffodis. ont in the little garden, soon TO De
glad and gay with the rich yellows and pur-
ples of the budding year.
As soon rs Christmas was over we began 70
talk about Easter, and how eagerly we would
watch for grounding day." and hope that the
sun would be hid behind no shadow, That we
might have early Spring.
And how impatient we were for the coming
of the irst Spring mouth, believing fully that
eff March comes in like lion If will 90 out
like lamb" and hoping it would be the lion,
that the warm Spring showers might bring the
Spring flowers all the sooner. and with them
the lambs-and, indeed the many lambs on the
dawning green hillsidcs.
And how happy we were when the eve before
Easter was mild and summary. and we ran to
nut our hats and bonnets among the spToutlng
flowers In the garden beds, ing nice warm
nests for the rabbits TO lay their wonderful
eggs in.
Anu low SOIIN VIC hOuiu NC w ""hSh III WV
Easter dawn and look out and find that snow
had fallen aud covered the rabbits nest, hats
and bonnets and all.
But no matter what the weather, the eggs
were always in the nests; eggs blue and red
and yellow and brown; eggs speckled and
notified and striped; eggs with names and
crosses and strange and wonderful hleoro-
slypbics and devices.
And bow we would scream with joy to find
the nests so full of eggs. and compare one with
another each child thinking that his or hers
were Just the pretticst and choicest eggs that
anv rabbit ever laid. But the rabbits, search
as we might we never could see so much as
their tracks.
Sometimes there would be some goose eggs in
the nests, for variety, bat more often all sorts
OF tiny eggs; banty eggs and guinea eggs would
nestle side by side with the common eggs,
which everyone declared were wholly different
from any eggs ever seen before.
So with mirth aud laughter and exceeding
great ioy the children OF this new land of soher
facts would welcome in the Sprngtime accord
ing to the dear old customs our German people
brought with them from the fatherland; Gus
toms older than Christianity itself, customs their
ancestors IN inrn, had brought with them 10
their long jourDeyiugs from Central Asia 10
the pioneer woods Of Europe.
What tender imaginations, what airy fances,
what primal and unalloyed delights surrounded
the old-lashioned Easter. Children were chill
dren then, not men and women in miniature.
Would they were SO now
Yet pleasant il is TO know that real eggs are
still colorcd and decorated and sent in fancy
baskets as gifts of the immortal Spring, from
child to child and from friend TO friend.
With the introduction of the kindergarten
our children in towns and cities are beginning
20 know something of the simple pleasures that
makes childhood attractive and our little folks
to unfold natu r3ly.
By-and-by the old Easter customs may return
again, as all old customs will that are true and
pure and natural and sweet, and supply the
primal ioyousness that men and women and
boys and girls are losing in our complex and
artificial life.
THOU SHALT STEAL
BIZ Lenore Sherwood
A fad. which is assuming gigantic proper
tions in New York, may be described as the
eighth commandment with the word mot"
left out As mot" is the foundation Of all the
commandments, the whole structure totters
when tho support is gone. However, not" is
almost obsolete in the 18th century application
of the old moral code.
This is the way She eighth commandment
reads in the new regime: Thou shalt steal"
am not referring to the income tax. to rail-
roads, stocks. bonds, commissioners and other
public officials, or even TO the poor who steal
because stealing is their inheritance, or because
hunger tempis them. MOI Nothing half so
respectable or excBsable as any Of these.
have reference 10 the fashionable thief who
calls himself faddist. He brags about il, and
displays his spoils with pride and a moral tur-
pitnde that is positively incredible even in
New York.
Ii was an artists evening at home and 10
or dozen people fingered after the crush had
gone.
Talk about fads!" said demure little
blonde with cloud OF duffy hair; yen ought
TO see my collection OF spoons ] have 80. rep
resentiug lhc leading restaurants in New York.
Ny friends know about my craze, and purloin
d spoon every time they think OF it, but / am
heart-sick for one Of the Hotel Savoy, with
the dear little crest on the handle"
4" ] am tired Of spoons, said tall woman,
al the head OF The dramatic profession; -
have a peBcbant for forks; aud they are SO
hard TO get TOO, because the walters always
remove them before you get half a chance"
"Sait-spoons are my hobby said aD eloquent
young member Of the Good Government Clab
aud rabid anti-TammaHy te :" simply dote
OF them, and haze a collection OF l75. Ny
friends are helping me- and one two actors
have picked up some beauties in New Orleans"
BY the way, did you ever find your coat,
Jackf" some one asked him.
No, didn't; and it's COMPOUNDED shame
bad worn it only twice and il was a beauty
AbdA al ldSb inner. GU
sec hung it up in cafe, and when finished
dinner il was gono. People will steal the shoes
of your feet in New York"
And tablespoons OF the table," meekly
remarked.
Miss B, the illustrator, has a unique
craze for napkins" continued a member Of
Days company. WAS in there the other
afternoon, and George s. came in and said /:
Here Is your napkin; now let me have peace 4"
One man had 8 collection Of match safes
picked up IN the same way, and another fancy
beer-mugs: and they all knew OF somebody
who had similar collections.
The proprietor Of one Of our leading hotels
was there and said that Uhis collection fad had
alarmed hotel men very seriously: but that il
had probably reached its b ight. and would sub
side for something else-in fact, that il was
already on the wane.
lie told some very interesting things con-
Dected with stealing" not fad stealing" as lie
expressed it,
Women take sugar out Of the bowls, fruit
crackers rolls, and many of the people carry
away ali OF the edibes left after their meal,
even steak and potatoes. enough for a meal at
home. These are hot poor people, but well
dressed, anu 10 al luteHts very respectable.
Then, towels are considered public property,
and thousands are carried away every year,
oftentimes by people who would be horriiied
10 be told that il was 10 more than plain
stealing.
HAPPY HOUSEHOLD.
Meats, Sweets and Paddings for Loyal Home
Workers.
STEAK PIE.
Cut rump or bcefsteak into conveniently
a