The times., 1897-04-11

New York, April 10.-The Easter butter
| fly is about to emerge from its chrysalis.
| Simultaneously the Easter gift becomes
| largely in evidence. The attention OF the
| one is sure to be devoted to the other,
| and SO the siOpBeepers who deal in things
| that are fanciful are preparing for the har-
| vest time. 1t is the season of preparation,
| for Easter Sunday promises this year,
| despite the hard times, to evolve the most
| notable parade OF fine feathers on fine
| birds that Fifth avenue ever witnessed.
Time was when the lily was far in the
| lead Of all other flowers when the flow OF
/ the Eastertide began, but this year IL prom
| ises 10 have many close competitors for
] favor The florists say that more than ever
/ before the orders for flowers are of a
|, more general nature. OF course, the lilies
predominate: and beautiful they are. There
are some choice new specimens this sea-
son, several varieties being totally unlike
! in their points which appeal to the judges
of flowers, and that have seen the light
OF a previous Easter. Here is another fea-
ture OF the close OF Lent that the hard
times seem to have had no effect upon
thus far
The shops of the milliners and modistes
are filled with a fluttering thrOng OF
feniininity, POSSIBLY to a far greater ex-
tent than would be the case il it Were
not that the fetching hats, bonnets and
gowns in process of creation are not so
luxurious in point of price as in other
seasons The creations are none the less
charming, however, and the Easter girl
of 1897 will form fully as attractive a
picture as any of her predecessors.
Each year witnesses the growth in
popularity Of the Easter gift. Usually this
gift is largely tinged with religious feel
ing. but there are those who prefer not
to have it so. Some persons even in this
day of composite ideas appreciate the in-
congruity OF an Easter souvenir spoon with
a haIf-shelled chicken for the bowl and
a cross where the tail ought to be. As
matter of fact, it is usually the least pious
persons who deprecate the haphaZard ap-
pication of the religious symbols Of the
day.
What better gifts, then, can there be
than flowers and plants of which so many
hun dreds OF thousands are sold each Good
Friday week. From the street wagons,
where dimes are all sufficient, to the fash
ionable florists, where imposing checks
hand the poses going about in their tissue
paper and cotton batting hoods. Every
where one noticesth same truth how com
plete is the subiection of the rose. AZaleas
never know what it is TO live until the
selfish florists allow them TO spread their
rosy or white skirts for the glory of the
day CaIlas are kept in beds like bad
children for fear they will mishehaye and
f,at sbN hf in bfs
best of condition.
Lilies pansies, naTcissus, viOlets, hya-
cinths rhododendrons and hydrangeas, 70
say nothing of the more modest miSnonette
aud jonquils, are one and all allowed 10
celebrate Easter without let or hindrance-
all indeed, save the riotous rose. The
Jacaueminot lies all unnoticed and waits
with her sisters for the earthly festivals
that are coming g-the days of the June
brides. Above and beyond them all, now
ever, the lily reigns in statuesque state
illness Even in the shops OF the florists
it seems to recognize the facts OF its
supremacy and looks about with dainty
disdain on it's sweeter, although less
favored, companions.
While they who pose in attitudes before
a lily may meet on common ground, the
simple souls who see in the satlny tex
ture and the marvellous yellow pollen the
most beautiful works of nature, there
sre others W ho like to add to the gift an in
trnsic value in the shape Of mere lasting
receptacle. No matter how slender the
purse, no matter how enormous the wealth
of man, h can find an appropriate token
of his wish TO live remembered on every
hand.
In every store there are beautiful bud
glasses tiny vases in which to eX bibit
the beauty of single flower. In choice
cut-glass, brilliant as crystal itself.
there are dozens of designs, not all ex-
pensive Venetian glass collections show
hundreds no two alike The green glass,
either plain or etched in silver, which
came into notice couple OF years or so
ago. is now for sale in immense variety,
the flower vases ranging from these same
tiny specimen glasses to the huge flower
throated ones several feet tall and made
to hold great sprays of the snow Ascension
lilies
AS a mercy devoUtly to be thankful for,
the jardinierre, or flower Jar, has evolved
itself for its primitive violence of color.
The raw reds, greens, and yellows We're
once the only hues to be found in ugly
Dubious shapes, have passed from favor.
Now there are pleasant browns and good
Chinese blues ard whites The little jars
are very cheap. even in the best designs
Another sDringIike gift is the silver table
jardiniere filled with growing ferns, topped
perhaps. with a glowing aRacena. which
may brighten without depressing the fam
iIy table for weeks after Easter has come