The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-08-03
HOT CROSS BUNS.
6ome Of the Reasons why They Are
, Going Dat of Favor Among
the English.

For the past two or three years thos,
who have moved in advanced" churcl
circles have noted growing disposition
to depose the tlme-honored hot eros,
bun from its respected position In tn.
dietary of Good Friday. Here and Their.
one has heard Of isolated cases in which
schoolboys or girls have been forbidden
TO indulge in the toothsome dainty, but
the disfavor generally has been tacit
and understood-an unwritten ordi.
nance analogous, perhaps, TO that which
leads ritualistic ladies invariably to re.
move their gloves In church. Thus one
may scan masses Of modern literature
on Eastertide observances and gather
unlimited information on palm
branches, simnels and tansy cakes
Easter eggs and roast lamb. but never
word on hot cross buns. The anti
quarian can produce SO many curious
facts concerning them, including that
odd belief, which survives in many
parts Of the countryside, that II will
insure good luck 10 the household to
keep one at least from Good Friday to
Its anniversary, that there must surely
be some reason for the omission.
But 1t is by no means every professed-
~ "high church" person who can or
will give more than vaguely expressed
statement to the effect that I'VE have
feeling against them" In the quest
for information, however, l lighted
upon gentleman who was quite frank
on the subject. "Yes," he replied,
"there Is q growing objection to them
on the ground Of their being luxury,
whereas the due observance OF the day
should favor privation and not In
diligence. We want rather to see the
laity following our clergy and the
members of our sisterhoods on that
day, and foregoing even necessares,
rather than eating what you will al
low is at least more inviting and tasty
than the everyday bread" This gave
a somewhat unexpected turn to the
conversation, and in answer to further
questions, he continued:
Good Friday will only be the last
day to many Of prolonged and WELL
kept fast The fare in most of our
clergy houses and sisterhoods Is never
extravagnnt, but It has been reduced
during Lent to the mos! meager linn
Its. though . privation that many Of
the men feel far more than coarse
and scanty food is giving up thei- TO-
bacco, which scores Of them voluntarily
do. II you could see how longingly
they glance at their pipes, not to be
touched till Easter Day has dawned,
you would grasp how real fast they
have exercised. assure you there are
hundreds of devoted men and women
who will go through the long services
OF the day on no more than bit Of dry
bread and little water" The sugges-
ton had been put forward by some that
The objection to the buns lay In the
use OF the cross upon them as a vul-
garlzing Of the sacred symbol; but this
does not appear TO have any weight,
and it is as form of self-indulgence
alone that they are under condemna-
ton.
The public, however, does not an
rear to at all favor modification of the
flesh In the form of giving up the buns
so long associated with the day. Never |
hsve the bakers windows contained |
greater piles, and business done in
them has been extraordinarily brisk.
Questions addressed to typical retailers
showed that there had been no falling
or whatever in the orders booked for
delivery In time for this mornings
brcakfas; tables, and in the popular
tea shops yesterday afternoon they
we're in strong demand. More conclu.
sive still was the testimony Of the man.
ager Of one of the very largest steam
bakeries in London, which, in addition
10 its numerous shops in all districts,
has an immense clientele of private GUS
toners. I'VE note this year." said this
gentleman, "a considerably increased
cal for buns, and, indeed, we have had
10 work very hard to meet it. In fact,
HE orders we have received for delivery
al customers houses are nearly double
he number that we sent out last Good
Friday. Whatever extreme people may
re urging on the subject, it certainly
las had no adverse effect on the general
r7dc.' 1t may be, perhaps, discourag-
ng 10 the anti-bun advocates to know
his, but the more genial upholder of
'Id-!ashioned observances will learn
With satisfaction that the custom,
which is hardly less vcnerated and
Characteristic than the Christmas plum
pudding, is in no immediate danger of
extinction at the bidding of few
.ondon Telegraph.