New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-04-16
PAS FESTIVAL OF ST NICHOLAS.
srx11r-rH CELEBRATION OF THE OCCASION BY
THE SOCIETY

s1XTIErH CELEBRATION OF THE OCCASION BY
THE SOCIETY.
Paas festival is Dutch for peace or Easter. festi-
val The St Nicholas Society being Dutch In
derivation and tradition. holds a paas festival
every Monday after Easter. The s!Nueth c'lebra-
ton Of this nature was attended by 300 members
of the society and their guests at Delmoncos last
night At $50 they gathered In the big ballroom
and sat down at score o. round tables seer
and long clay pipes were features, but the ma
jority o, the members developed an inclination 10
70 back on their ancestors and take to champagne
and cigars Sandwiches and salads were the main
articles Of diet At the centre table sat Chauncey
NJ Depew, president OF the society; tho Kew. Df'
George r. Van De Wstar, William H. McEroy'
Frederic j. de Peyster. George G. Dewitt secretary
of the society: Charles A. Schermerhorn' treasurer
and Henry c. Swords Edward do Peyster Nv
trqston Abraham Van Santvoord. William Car
nenter and f. Bernard Oakley stewards AT the
other table the members were grouped In families
There from two to hait a dozen Tepiese"'H
tives Of a number Of Knickerbocker families
Mr. Depew who had previously given dinner
to the officers and stewards OF the society IN n
nriva,e dIning-room called the asscmblage TO or
der He said that for sixty years the society haa
celebrated the paas festival In one way win much
speechmakng and drinking or toasS' Inns year
there was a departure. This was an era Of fads
There was the silver fad the new-womah iad' the
cremation fad, the novel which was NOT hoVel
fad the Trilby fad and now the stewards mad MT
on n new paas festival fad. The Dutch were me
most conservative OF men and women. III the Du'ch-
woman whose only fad was cleanliness In housekeep-
ing morality aspira lions and love for husband ana
family had been introduced to the new-woman fah'
4, would have been an unhappy day for the new
Taking up the cremation fad. Mr. Depew said
that the ancents kept the ashes OF their dea' IN
beautiful urns His business connection with somo
OF the safe deposit companies in this city enaD:ed
him 70 know that the New-York followers OF this
Sad usAd The safe deposit box for this purpose.
When Nacaulavs Ncw-Zealander explored the
rims of this town he would write that the New
Work. tribe followed the custom common IN so many
American tribes Of surrounding the remains OF their
dead with All that they held most dear In me- 10
Wit their stocks and bonds. =, 49,,
Going back TO the Dutch. Mr.. Depew SAID they
uere ali farmers originally Some of them settled
on Long Island and planted cabbages Others seq
lied on Manhattan Island and planted ,caDDises
The descendants OF the Long lsiand Dutcnneh
we're planting cabbage to-day The DESCENDANTS OF
The Manhattan cabbage planters were the arts arts
tocracy OF the richest city In the country. Ihls
nroyrd that in America aristocracy was BOZ away
q question of noble deeds or great culture. Dut OF
having ancestors who preempted future connexions
for their cabbage helds. .,.,.a,,.. ,,,..,,
Mr. NcElroy made n characterlsticallx WHY
sneech and Mr. DE Peyster followed him. me rest
OF the evening waA taken up with an elan s;
programme of music and recitation by professional
apfer