Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-03-29
.EAS JOLT TIES.
BY FRANK TowNLEY.

nest, are various, and different people
NOR and customs to the celebration of
Eastertide. Now it is typical of the
resurrection of our Lord, again of the
bursting forth of spring and to some
folks of Lively yet conventional views
the close of Il long season of fasting
and denial. Amongthe pioneers of the
American border there was little unity
of religious faith and often not enough
of one kind to set the fashion for stat
ed observances. But Easter had its
traditions, and there was so little TO
make the burden of border life agree
able that every event was seized upon
by the young as an excuse for frOlick-
ing.
The Easter egg somehow appealed
to all people of whatever lineage. An
article of food and commerce. treas
ured like gold at ordinary times, the
egg was excused from fixed duty on
Easter and given over to the carnival
mob for all kinds of sport. If nothing
more deliriOus was thought of, there
was an egg feast all day, with a menu
of fried, boiled, scrambled or poached
eggs at every meal Small boys look
ed forward TO Easter, or "Paas," much
the same as to Fourth OF July. They
wanted eggs by the hatful, the bas-
ketful or the barrelful, and they stole
them as shamelessly as city urchins
do the fuel for Eonfires,
Dyed in VaY-:;=Is colors, the, Easter
eggs came from hidden stores for the
family feast, and when the amusement
of stealing and dyeing for general use
became too tame the boys also laid by
stores for a vagabond feast in the
woods. Eggs We're roasted in ashes
and devoured with the relish that goes
with an out of doors appetite. To lend
A lovers feelings are more soft and sensi-
bic
Than are the tender horns of cooked
snails.
So it is no wonder that their tender
feelings We're wounded by this triie.
AS Harry rose angrily from the table
he accidentally struck against it in
such n way that the golden egg, which
May had put down, started to roll to-
ward the edge, and before either of
them noticed what was happening it
fell to the floor with Il crash. AS 1t did
so 1t burst asunder, and something
bounced out that could nor help at
tracing attention. AS it rolled off into
a corner every turn threw out spGrllles
of prismatic light. May uttered an in
voluntary OH as soon as she saw
what the egg had contained, and, for
getting all about her anger, her face
flushed with surprise and pleasure
CHANGING up at her from the wreck OF
the egg, Harry saw the change of eX-
preston on her face, and the absurdity
of his anger came over him like Il flash.
He began to laugh and, stepping across
the room, picked up the engagement
ring with its flashing solitaire.
IF you won't try to eat my Easter
egg" he said, I'D like Il chance to eat
my angry words OF the last few min
utes."
"All right" said May, "and I'll join
you
He looked fair into her laughing eyes.
then took her unresisting hand in his
and slipped the ring on her finger.
"Can you understand the giver's
mind now?" he asked.
"Yes,' she whispered.
"And do you object to it?" She made
no answer, but it was one of those
cases where an answer in words is en-
tirely superhuous. When he finally de-
cided that he really must go now" he
stopped down to pick up the remains
of his Easter egg and found that it was
broken fairly in the middle between
the big and little ends.
Look he exclaimed Fate has ar
bitrated our discussion. The shell has
broken just where l had cut the hole
in it to put in the ring"
THAT'S all right" said May saucily.
''I accept the decision, but think we
had better have scrambled eggs and
Omelets for awhile at first"
further zest to the feast the boys OF
one neighborhood would raid the hid
den stores of another. If the party
raided was alert, there would happen
n scramble as fierce and bloody as q
football rush. If the contest was close,
then eggs raw or eggs burning hot
were fired into the faces of the COM
batants. Perhaps there was economy
I'm the long run in this recklessness, for
the boys who reveJed in an Easter
feast didn't have any appetite for eggs
the remainder of the year.
In olden times the church gave to
Easter festal coloring by letting tho
people down to their common tastes az
the close of Lent. Witty stories and
anecdotes were told to arouse the
.'paschal laugh With all nature
smiling in spring it was natural that
the human heart should open itself to !
joyous thoughts.
New clothes on Easter Sunday is an
old custom. An ancient verse runs in |
this strain:
At Easter let your clothes be new
Or else be sure you viii It rue.
There were many superstitfons about |
new clothes for Easter. and Shake |
speare records the custom. Vanity and |