The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-04-03

Mohammendan, and to the surprise
of the emperor replied, $50 they say"
AS a result of this incident strict or
ders We're given that no follower of
Mahomet should be stationed near the
emperor's person.
The customs peculiar to Easter are
many, and few know their origin or
meaning. The most common is the
presenting of eggs as gifts symbolic of
the season. The use of eggs for Eas-
ter can be traced to the theology and
philosophy of Egyptians, Persians,
Gauls, Greeks and Romans, among all
of whom an egg was the symbol of
the universe, the work of the supreme
divinity.
The Persians gave presents of eggs
at the feast of the vernal equinoX-in
honor of the renewal of all things.
The Jews adopted the egg to suit the
circumstances of their history as a
type of their departure from Egypt,
and it was used in the feast of the
the table with the Paschal lamb. The
early Druids also used the egg in their
ceremonies.
In some countries of Italy eggs are
carried to the church to be blessed,
and then taken home and set out with
flowers on the table. Every visitor
during Easter week is invited to eat
must not be refused. Eggs in all
countries are sent as tokens at this
time, and enter into the sentiments
and pastimes of old and young alike.
The custom of coloring Easter eggs
seems to be as old as the use of the egg
as a symbol. In early times the tender
blades of wheat which at this season
were just beginning to show above the
ground. We're used for colorng. A
handful of the Wheat blades was
thrown into a pot with the eggs, and
turned them dark beautiful green.
Soon after colorS We're obtained from
mulberry leaves. and the Persians used
their splendid dyes with great effect
The people then learned to write upon
the boiled eggs with a creased stick-a
custom still observed by our North
American Indians-and other methods
of decoration soon became known. In
India the Parsees exchanged red eggs.
Enster surerstitions.
In European countries some of the
extraordinary Easter customs are
sacredly kept alive In Durham, Eng
land, on Easter Monday the men
claim the privilege to take off the
women's shoes, and the next day the
women retaliate.
Ancient:y, both ecclesiastics and laics
IL
for tacsy cakes On Eastertide; and,
though the profane part of this custom
is happily everywhere discontinued
tansy cakes and tansy buildings are
still faVorite dishes a Easter in many
parts.
In some parishes in the counties of
Dorset and Devan, the clerk carries
round to every house few
white cakes as an Easter Offering;
these cakes, which are about an eighth
of an inch thick, and of two sizes-the
larger being seven or eight inches, the
smaller about five in diameter-have
mingled bitter and sweet taste. In re-
turn for these cakes, which are always
distributed after divine service on
Good Friday, the clerk receives a gra-
tuity according to the circumstances or
generosity of the householder.
There are many superstitions con-
nected with Easter Sunday which are
significant of the season, and are al
most rs imperative as laws. One of
these is the necessity of having some
thing to wear on this day in order to
insure happiness for the coming year.
Hence the Easter bonnet. Another is
that on that day the sun dances. This
is an old legend and the lines from
Sir John Sucking are we'll known:
But, oh, she dances such way
No sun upon an Easter day
Was half so fair a sight"
1t is also claimed in heather coun-
tries, where the superstition originated,
that the lambs frisk and dance in the
light of the rising sun on Ostro, the
n nle of a heather divinity, who was
also represented as dancing and who
gave to our Easter the name.
A German custom is to light fires on
the hillside Of the Hartz, obtaining the
holy water from the streams at mid
night, when the good spirit moves the
waters, and the presentation of cakes,
shaped in the form of the rising sun,
are made special features of the occa-
sion.
The rabbits enter largely into Easter
amusements, especially among the Ger
mans, who hide eggs in nests for the
children to find, attributing the deed
to the Easter rabbit
Easter in Ancient Jerusalem.
In Jerusalem, as may be expected,
| Easter Sunday is commemorated with
| fitting ceremonies. Pious people leave
| loving tokens at the antique places
made sacred by the presence of Christ.
On Easter day the reputed tomb of
Christ in the Church of the Holy
| Sepulchre is covered with the lilies
which are used all over the world. The
| Mount of Calvary is visited by the
Christian population Of the town and
| the members of the various religious
| orders inhabiting it, and flowers are
strewn upon the spot where the cross
is supposed to have stood. The arch
ways under which Christ walked on the
morning of the crucifiction, and which
are now standing and may stand for
another 1000 years, are visited and
pointed out to the small children and
| their histories told.
In Rome the Easter festival draws
crowds Of visitors to the city. The
ceremonies begin with the firing of
! cannon from ST. Angelo Castle St.
Peters, which is richly decorated for
the occasion, is the scene of imposing
ceremonies, at which the pope officiates.
The pope is borne into the edifice with