Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1895-04-11
ORIGIN OF EASTER.
Queer Customs and Superstitions in
All Countries.

All Countries.
The Egyptian Osiris was probably tho
prototype Of the Latin goddess Aurors-
the dawn-who was known 20 til, Ger
mans and Saxons 90 Ostara. or Eastre.
The latter goddess WIS often worshipeG
with fire probably as an emblem Of the
dawn-Ostcrfeuer When Germany be-
came Christianized, the new church did
its best to tramplc out all the old pagan
customs But they could not do it. The
Eastre festivals in particular had taken
deep bold on the hearts of the people,
and the heads of the new church wisely
decided to make the best of thom. So they
turned them into Christian obscrvanCcs in
stead of heather rites The people held
fast to their eggs, Let them go they would
not. They kept on ctloring and giving
them as presents quite as much as though
they still worshiped the goddess Eastre.
One must go back to the Persians for
their first observance of the egg day, Be-
fore their conversion to Mohammedanism
the Persians reckoned the beginning of
their new year from the day in which the
sun enters \ ries, which is in March. Ac-
cording to one of the ancient cosmoganies
all things were produced from an egg
hence called the mundane egg. This cos
mogany was received in Persia, and on this
account there obtained among the people
of that country custom of presenting
each other with an egg, the symbol of a
new beginning of time on every New
Years day-that is, on the day when the
sun enters Aries.
Among the Jews the season of the an
eient New Year became that Of the pass
over and among the Christians the season
of the passover has become that of Easter.
In olden times the fires were always
auenched in all the churches on Easter eve
and kindled anew from the flint, and the
new fire being hallowed by the priest ev-
cry one could take home n brand, to be
lighted, when needed, as a preventative
against tempests. Less well observed Is
an old custom Of putting the house in or
der on Easter day, particularly the kitch-
en-.
In many parts of Ireland and England
in olden days the belief obtained that on
Easter morning the sun danced in honor
Of the resurrection On the evening OF
Holy Saturday great preparations were
made for the finishing of Lent. Many a
fat hen and dainty piece Of bacon were
put in the pot by the cotter's wife, and
woe to the person who should taste it be-
fore the stroke OF -, but at that hour
would be heard the clappipg of hands and
cries of Out with the Lent All would
be feasting and merriment for q few hours,
when the good people would retire, to rise
about O'Clock in order to see the sun
dance.
1t was an old custom in England to
break the Lenten fast by eating gam
mon OF bacon on Easter Sunday, and thus
show the adherence in which the Jews
were held on that festival day.
A custom obtained in many parts OF
England in which, as soon as the service
of the church was over, the boys ran about
and laid hold Of every woman or girl they
could meet on the street and accosted
them with Pay for your shoes, If you
please" at the same time STOPPING to take
them of, which II they were not paid,
they would do and would carry the shoes
off, leaving the hapless female in her stock
ing feet.
At Twickenham two great cakes used
to be divided in the church on Easter day
among the young people, while in the
Peak of Derbyshire a custom known as
sugar cupping obtained. The children
used to repair on Easter morning to a
spring called the Dropping Tor " with q
cup in one hand. quarter of pound OF
sugar III .he o'her' anu having cauehe III
.helr cups as niuch water as was desired
from .pe oroppihe VI 'he spring tAey us
soI.ea .ne sugar III ~ anu orahh IL
IL IS 'he custom Oh GERMAN iaiiiiiies ON
Easter eve 10 place sugar ana rear eggs
'he FORMER hiieu win sugar Piu'ns' III
nes. theh 70 cohceai i. Win orieu leaves
III the garaeii, 'hat the joyous chiiureh
IL Is superstition al over the world