The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-04-08
Faster Customs
" I'm n2aGg Places.

| N. Y. Press
| In other days curious customs were
connected with the celebration of Easter.
In England all the fires were put out and
reltghted on Easter from consecrated
f1lnts obtained from the churches, holy
fire got in this way being believed to be
| potent against the ravages of storms and
| other disasters
Also, fall 1t late or early, Easter was
the signal for doing the tyre out of the
hall, and the black winter brandes and
/ all thynges that is fouled with fume and
smoke shall be done awaye and where
| the tyre was shall be gayly arayed with
| fayre fioures and strewed with creme
rysshes all aboute.''
| The common people, as they still do in
Ireland. rose early on Easter morning ito
| see the sun dance"
Lifting" or "heaving," was an OBJ
| servance which is thought to have been a
| rude representation of the resurrection.
! The men lifted the women on Easter
! Monday, the women the men on the fol-
| lowing day, this being accomplished by
| two persons Joining hands across each
| others wrists, the person to be heaved
| sitting thereon and being lifted three
| times, after which he was kissed by the
filters and forfeit claimed Sometimes
| a chair was used instead of the hands.
| A superstition that affects the modern
| observance Of Easter apparently held that
| 1t was unlucky not to wear something
new on that day. To lcok out of your
| window on Easter morning and see a
lamb was thought to be lucky, especially
| If it had its head toward you, this prob
| ably being derived, in part at least, from
| the belief that to see lamb Is always
| more. or less lucky, since that is q form
| that the devil can never assume Many
persons believe that 1t Is good plan to
draw water and wash in it on Easter
day If the wind is east, as that will coun-
teract in effects from east winds for the
rest of the year.
If it rains on Easter it will rain for
seven Sundays is a widely accepted prov
erb. Some go further and say If 1t rains
on Easter 1t will rain at least q few
| drops every day in the year.
In many parts of England Paschal
monarch was chosen to ride in pomp to
church, and after service to repair with
his retinue to a hall. where a celebration
was held.
A good old university custom at Oxford
was chipping the block The cook and
his assistants waited for the students to
come out for dinner. AS each passed he
! took a blunt chopping ak and struck the
block, following the act by dropping fee
in a pewter dish held by one Of the assist
ants. There was tradition that any one
able to chop the block in two would have
a right to lay claim to the college es-
tates.
Easter Sunday In Rome is ushered in
with the firing of cannon from the cas-
tie Of ST. Angelo. Soon afterward there
Is great outpouring OF pedestrians and
equipages in the direction Of St. Peters,
where the affairs are decorated beautifully
and the lights ablaze around st. Peters
tomb. Formerly the pope, in the splendid
vestments Of his Office, was borne hither
In the Sedia Gestatoria and escorted with
great popm to the papal throne. The
| noble guards and many other officials
were present In full uniform, and the
whole pageant was strikingly Impressive.
AT night there were civic festivities and
an illumination that lighted up the Etern-
al City with wonderful brilliancy.
| In these days the cardinal arch priest
says mass In St Peters. the pope ofticiat-