Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-04-18
EASTER JOY BELLS.
FESTIVAL CONES HAND IN HAND
WITH MERRY SPRING.
ITS SIGNIFICANCE AND OBSERVANCE.
The Dawn of Another Social Cycle
Gorgeous Decorations of the Large
Churehcs-Many Lovely Gowns VIII
he Seen in the Parade.
There's a stirring In the air.
Throbbing life within the earth;

And the JOY Of verdure fair,
When the springtime has its birth.
The joy Of Easterti1e 81 an all-per-
vadlng JOY. To the Christian it carries
the message OF triumph over sin and
death. and the salvation Of mankind
worked out; but its influence spreads
still further and, like halo around the
Church. ii enlightens the world with its
spirit Of gladness, Of charity. and Of
peace.
Even nature seems to sympathize
with mankind in the emancipation. and
puts forth hundreds Of tiny signs Of her
movement towards the season Of life
and color and perfume
The name Of the festival is derived
from that of the Tcutonlc goddess Of
spring, Ostera or Dostre, and comes with
It merry freshness in the sounds call
ing TO ones mind thousand thoughts
OF all that Is holy and pleasant and
beautiful.
PRETTY DAYS BEFORE EASTER.
Easter has been ushered in this year
with a succession Of springlike days.
Everything is as fresh ana gay as though
the world had just been made. The
trees are budding into leaf; the hedges
and the grass are green; the air IS musi-
cal with songs of birds. Even the light
wind, whose rustiing Is as gentle to the
ear as softly-falling water, has its hope
and its promise. and. leaving a pleasant
fragrance in its tracks as it goes tutter-
ing by. whispers OF its intercourse with
Summer and of his happy coming. All
nature speaks OF the golden delrium Of
April and the spirit OF spring seems MD
den In n single blossom hidden shrub.
The custom OF observing Easter was
not so general a few years ago as at
present. From being "A special church
feast 1t has become a season Of delight
everywhere. Even the commercial world
emulates the religious in the warmth Of
its welcome and in preparations for the
great event. and fifty so. When all ma
ture is a type of glad renewal. why
should not human hearts respond?
WHAT EASTER MEANS TO Us.
Easter-Sunday means many different
things TO many different people. 10 a
large number II Is given over for the
purpose Of unusual personal adornment.
and by them might appropriately be
called "Vanity-Day." 1t means much 10
the shopkocpers. who grow rich cater
ting 10 the lovers Of finery. il means
much to the smaller number who fully
appreciate the tender significance OF the
day and decorously observe -.
A RAINBOW OF FASHION.
Solomon. in all his glory, was not ar
rayed as the Easter girl viii be this
lovely Sunday morning. From early
morning until the stars come out there
viii be "a never-ending stream of dainty,
sweet humanity pouring Up and down
the fashionable thorOughfares.
The happy. prosperous people furnish
the dash and color, while the toiler, who
comes TO catch Il little of the beauty
and the gladness which the day IS meant
10 bring TO every living soul. furnishes
she dark shading TO make the picture
perfect. IL Is Il good thing. this Easter
bringing Of the poor among the butter
flies Of the earth, Tor IL shows TO the
fortunate that there is a seamy side
Of life. and 10 the weary and hoayy-laden
that there IS such a thing as rest ana
beauty and happiness IN this work-a-day
world.
THE CHURCHES DECORATED.
The churches where modern fashion
dom VIII worship Will be glorious IN
their Easter grandeur and large sums
viii be spent upon flowers. which win
make the edinccs beautiful for day.
AT the Cathedral OF ST. Peter more
than uEual attention has been paid 10
the fiorai decorations this year To-day
the sanctuary Will be one mass Of white
and green--the pure white OF tho lily
and the green OF It's stem Dashes OF
red azaicas Will also be seen In the
masses OF white. Myriads OF tall wax
candles VIII simmer AID CLEAN amid