Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1903-04-16
THOROFARE.


We wonder whether any of the readers OF
the DEMOCRAT remember the casters which
we used to have away back in the years
sixteen hundred and eyer-so-far.p We
lived on farms in New Jersey then as now,
but we did not call ourselves Changers
then, and some Of us do, now. We cannot
remember that it ever rained on Easter
Sunday then, and those Of us who were
girls always wore our white frocks to
church, and carried little bunch of flowers
lilies Of the valley, white rose or two,
or few white carnations-we called them
earth is growing colder; it has grown colder
for us, with the years.. But the grand
fete for the children was over, long before
the hour for church had arrived. The cock
had not crowed twice before they had
turned out, and were searching barn, and
hay NOW, and every conceivable place
where sacriligious hens were won't to hide
their eggs just to battle the children on
Easter morning, for did not every egg
belong to the finder Of it, on that sacred
day. have no doubt we intended to call
it Pasch Sunday-we really did call it
"Poss" Sunday, and / wonder at this be-
cause, at that time, we did not dream
Jew existed outside of the Bible. But, OH
the triumph with which those 'sPoss' eggs
were carried to the house by the fortunate
finders, and the wonderful bits of colored
calico into which they were tied, or sewed,
and then the anxiety as to how they would
look after the boiling and whose eggs
would best take color and pattern from the
choice bits chosen for them. We have
feeling OF sincere pity for the children
whose Easter eggs, often made of sugar, are
bought for them, along with their rabbits
or hares, and Growing cocks, and other
devices What do they know of pleasure
such as ours Of the excitement of seeking,
or the delight of finding, and who can tell
now many artists received their first inn
pressions of form and color while unfolding
the eggs that came from that Easter pot.
| think / said "ours' a little way back,
unadvisedly. | remember that there was
one in that happy throng who, then as now,
only hated one thing more than going to
bed at night, and that was, getting up in
the morning. can remember with what a
contrite heart she sat down to the morning
meal, and how she accepted, in a spirit of
the deepest humiliation, the beautiful eggs
laid so generously upon her plate that it
would have been unkind to refuse them,
and yet she could not feel that she deserved
them. What blessing it is that pleasant
memories are imperishable
Speaking of Easter reminds us Of our
Sunday school celebration last Sunday
night. The rain did not keep the Easter
bonnets at home, and the well-filled church
fragrant with flowers, and bright with the
smiling faces of happy children, presented a
gala appearance. The program was un-
usually good, and not too long-the usual
fault. The music in Thorofare is always
good, or, has been, since Prof. r. G. Hill
lard has had charge of it. A little scene
called "a Legend Of the Cross, y was, we
thought, the prettiest thing of the evening.
Seven young girls dressed in spotted white,
brought votiye offerings to the cross, each
making little speech or recitation in
verse as she did So The parts were all
well taken, and the fair maidens looked as
pure and radiant as the garments which
they wore. The success of this was largely
due to Miss Kizzie Wilkins, who had it in
charge. The class of Miss Laura DeHart
did well also. 1t was composed Of little
girls, who with emblems and short speeches
explained to US what Easter meant The
infant class, under Mrs. Edward Shirk,
sang in pretty baby fashion, little Easter
carol. Clara Zane, Margaretta Lowe, Mar
tie Armbruster. and Claude Platt, ali quite
young children, made pretty and effective
Rotations. During the evening we had
several addresses from the Superintendent
Mr.. L. K. Wilkins, two addresses from the
Pastor, Rev. George s. johnson, and one
address from the Rev. I. L. Fowler, who,
though he may be last, is never least.
Although the parsonage was not considered
bad, for Thorofare, the Ladies' Aid held a
special session last week in order to devise
and discuss ways and means to beautify it
without and adorn it within for the bride
which the Rev. George S. johnson expects
to bring to us early in May.
Goods for Children was the subject
under discussion at the last meeting of the
w. G. 7. U. This was held at the home of
Mrs. H. A. DeHart one day last week.
The president, Mrs. Isaac c. Lowe, was in
the chair, and after the usual devotional
exercises, read some very interesting arti-
cles upon this very important subject. The
duty Of the mother to consider the tenn
permanent and nervous organization of her
child was also dwelt upon. It was decided
to hold Membership Contest" which
Will NC uCOiuCu oiIO 1fsou VI Way Wucu d
parlor meeting will be held, to which the
friends Of the w. c. 7. U. will be invited
The unsuccessful contestant will furnish
the refreshments. A "Matrons Contestn
for silver medal will be held at the same
time, and give brilliancy to the occasion.
Mr.. Cortlandt Van Rensaaler DeHart,
from Newton, Sussex county, N. j., has
been spending some days in Thorofare with
his uncle, H. A. DeHart. AS compared
with Newton, he finds the Thorofare eli
mate almost tropical one. and considers
farming here mere boys play.
The Changers are promising us another
Literary" soon, which is sure to be another
treat. At the risk of being accused of
talking to much, when did woman ever
do that p think | must repeat to you
one of the pleasant little conundrums with
which they regale each other on accasions
"What is the greatest engineering feat in
the world ?" Think of the weary days and
sleepless nights Of the hapless individual to
whom this question was given, while he
searched history and cyclopedia for the
answer, and then imagine his feelings, if
you can, and not perfect your church
membership, when he is told that it is