The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-03-26
The Russian Easter

- cue northern countries Of Europe, 5.
RUSSIA IS the ole which continues to s.
attach n national and strictly orthodox
Importance to the several seasons of
carnival. Lent and Easter. Carnival
Or Butter Week." as tho Russians call 4
II, Is general holiday. AS with the
old customs OF the Western curnivaIs
thore are pagan relics in the Russian
| festival. too. But tho relics Of pa
ganiSm in Russia have often an extra /.
ordinary blending Of Scandinavian and
As!atic myths. under Il veneer Of Chris
tianity. There is nothing In them that
recalls either Greece or Rome,
The Butter Goddess.
In country districts OF Russia a fam
tastic igure called the Butter Goddess
Is prepared for carnival week. The
peasants drive 1t about upon a geyly
decorated sledge. singing special songs
ana folk choruses At the end OF the
week the Butter Goddess Is burnt, and
formal farewell is hidden to pleas
ure for the week that precedcs Easter
In tho towns the favorite amusement
of the people during carnival week is
sought on the artificial Ice hills I'm
sweetcned pancakes. or "hlinni," con- Il
stitute the chief daily dish In every +
household. Ono week OF Lent Holy
Week the Russians keep vigorously,
The churches are then crowded with
penitehts OF both sexes, seeking abso-
luton. Previous to approaching the
| confessional, a quaint and rather touch &
| Ing custom obtains during this week,
namely, the habit of asking forgive
ness OF ones neighbors for any slight
or wrong committed toward them
Easter Eve.
With Easier Eve dawnst the princi-
pal and most solemn Russian. festival
| Of the whole year, alike for rich and
poor At tho midnight mass every
| church Is ablaae with candlelight;f the
| shrlnes and icons are brilliantly illu-
minated. and each member Of the con-
| gregation bears n lighted taper. AZ
ter midnight comes the blessing or a
/ small saffron cake. toy pyramid Of
! stiT curds and an egg. This last the
shell or which Is broken by newly
| Matched chicken, is tho emblem OF
| Christ's resurrection from the tomb
| Easter Gifts In Russia, a
What Christmas boxes are to lilo
English. or New Years offerings to the
| French, Easter gifts are to the Rus
SLAMS. At Easter the Russians cele-
brate not only the resurrection OF
| Christ and their own spiritual awal-
| ening from sin. but the resurrection or
the whole earth and the release OF all
| the agencies Of nature from the en-
thralment Of winter.
Disappearing Table.
tof the impossible things which women
| demand. things that no architect can
accomplish are exploited in the April
These arc a few of tho imnossibili-
ties suggested: aE5I Fla
i, Mrs d,sJ Jones announces nm With air
| man to he able to put in the Ice from
! tho outside. plan which Mrs Smith
4 strenuously vetoes, because she says
IT enables the iceman to cheat SO
easily. One OF my architect friends re-
Gently received, more az a command
than as suggestion, the idea Of a
M Tor MI ~, ,t,,,,.
tahle. = splendid .idea,'' said the client:
the table can be set In the baseme nt,
an elevator" g'I7. r
Yes, agreed the architect, "but
when the table is down below what
! happens to the hole in the floor?'' i M
Old Wicker Furniture.
Old wicker furniture may be stained
some attractive color OF enameled
gay cretonne to match the side cur
Iture,, Of any kind the greatest care a.
dry and amatour work Of thls sor.
should be done on dry day. IL this
simple preeaution is not taken. the
erly, but viii always rub off The
chairs, are apt to stain gowns for Il
long time after Il seems impossible to
DO so. l have known chair that wa .
stained black one foggy day, when
there seemed nothing else to 10, that
n n
black smudge The owner HID t away.
but sooner or later 1t would appear
on the scene again and keep up it's
coat or pure alcohol shellac will cure
4 the trouble. but whysnot have an ounce
of prevention? mn. 1f-'I 31a
II tho lamp and candle shades ara
treshened or renewed, they will help
great deal In improving the appear
eaSorate b fGom hey 1 fSy, neGd not be
With the room IN feeling and #c0iors
simple shades may be made Of cretonne
shades may bo made Of water color
paper pap T, grass cloth and tracing cloth.
IN decorating them. silk OF ali kinds
can be used and all sorts of charinine
e ean s. may ay be had The, wire frames
many department. stores, but If YOU
Wlsh any particular STYLE or size they
n nano o - be mad; made to order. 4 florist
wire working company that does sucf,
Suburban Gardening.
RANGES Duncan has q charming arr
tici .,, On n Suburban Gardening in the
ti eal Gsnsnry Nv which Will afford prac
enough to own or rent BIT OF ground
frances Duncan says: '>9-s
ordn nnrn ~, IS an exquisite quality in a
Euruen, put as rare and elusive rs q
hermit thrush. IT comes of itseif
Wheh plants arc happily placed, feel
az nome In tho garden, and begin Is y
oe on terms of friendly intimacy
with every enc, Nero expcndItura
IS powerless to bring it In. Tho
garden may be q blare OF color and
m admirably arranged show-c case OF
nancSome plants. tut 1t will be as
soundlng brass or q tnkiing cymbaI
II the love for the plants is not there.
whi!e the simplest OF gardens may
have an abiding and nescapnble
charm II the gardener has n real
love FOR 1T. When our gardens are
loved there VIII be no question about