Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-04-11
|. EVENING CHAT

/. Notwithstanding the effort being
made to discourage the purchase Of
finery for the Easter parade of fashion
good many people will tomorrow
wear new things to church or for the
afternoon walk and in so doing they
will be doing as their grandparents
did fifty or sixty years, ago in Harris
burg. People used to have Easter
'parades' back in the days before the
Civil War. but they were not as elabo-
rate as they are now," said one of the
older residents last evening in talking
about the great Spring day. I'm every
community where there are many
Germans you will find that Easter has
a very strong significance and | no.
ticed for years in Harrisburg that
much attention was given to the re-
ligious services. Not that 1t is not as
much observed by churches as it used
to be. In fact. 1t is rather more so,
but there Is more of a festal occasion.
Everyone used to go to service, but
there was not as much effort to en-
phasize the holiday as there is to-day.
recall how the bells used to ring
early on Easter morning and everyone
got up and had an early breakfast, in
which eggs figured, and made point
of sprucing up and going to church.
Winters used to be more severe than
they are now, or else we did not have
rs good facilities for keeping warm
and felt it more, and the women folks
welcomed Easter Day as the time to
appear in Spring plumage. They dis
carded their heavy winter clothing,
which was generally of somber hue,
and put on lighter and brighter things.
The men left off their overcoats. That
made our Easter parade equipment,
but must say that there was not so
much walking as now. We used to
20 to and from church without going
very far out of the way and to visit
lmong our relatives. Where were the
chief promenading streets? oh, Mar
ket and Second. Front street was
nothing like what 1t is to-day and the
chief folks lived in Market or Second.
You must remember there was not
much town above North street in those
days"
The love of flowers, which has
always been such a strongly marked
characteristic of Harrisburg at Easter
ime is being demonstrated in the city
to-day by a display of flowers that is
probably more elaborate than any
9ver known. The markets were filled
with flowers this rnorning and hun
wagons in the streets. In addition to
he regular stands of the florists a
number of storerooms have been
ented for the sale of overflow stocks
from nurseries. The sale of cut flow
rs is rather less than usual. almost
AVeryone turning to the pctted plants
0r shrubs. 1t is also noticed that
many stores are displaying cut flowers
With. their merchandise to-day,
Speaking of flowers, it is interesting
to note that it is the plan of Samuel
B. Rambo, uperintendent of public
grounds and buildings, to see that not
only are the native trees of Pennsyl.
yania represented In the Capitol Park
but to arrange for a comprehensive
plan whereby the beautiful fiowerine
shrubbery of the Keystone State has q
place in the greater park. 1t is his
| idea when the extension is laid out tc
nave not only trees which are native
md ornamental, but to have the
| "hododendrons. laurel and other shrub.
berry represented. In short, the mark
extension. which will be one of tn.
great beauty spots Of the city. will
'ontain trees and bushes which will
me instructive as we'll for students In
botany. The superintendent has beer
giving great deal of thought to the
ldornment of the park for some time
ana has had the services of students
from State College as we'll as pro.
| fessors. 1t is his idea to ask them
to make study of the extension area
some time next year so that when the
whole district is nearly in hand the
8oard of Public Grounds and Build.
| ngs Will have something to work on
It may be possible that some tests ir
yrowing shrubbery will be made be.
fore that. One of the suggestions
made to the superintendent was thai
| rhododendrons be planted along the
slopes of the park on the four sire It.
| on which 1t abuts. This will be con,
| sldered along with other ideas which
have been submitted by people whC
| are taking an interest in the Capito
Park.
A friend who found a letter dealin,
with days of long ago tells of a de
! scription of the Capitol Park abou
| 1861. The park was then less thar
1T is to-day because a large part wa,
occupied as an arsenal. There wer,
two large flower beds in front and sew
| eral fountains and each street hat
an entrance through the big iror
| fence about on the same lines as nov
except that there were stone step
that were objected to as very steep
| Th soil had to be renewed OCCASIONAL,
bcause the slate and shale kept crop
ping up and even fresh sod had hare
time getting along. ..,.
The presentation of the old woodel
| nipe from the organ of Zion Lutheran
Church by DR.. S. H. Simon, of Brook
/ 'vn. n. Y, to the Dauphin Count,
| Historical Society on Thursday even
| ing recalls the fact that the old churcl
was destroyed by fire, along with thu
home of DR.. Simon's parents and sew
eral business places and dwellings,, il
October 1888. After the church wa
rebuilt and before it's consecratior
William Henry Harrison was nomi
mated for President at national con
vention held in the edifice and wa
subsequently elected and inaugurated.
| Half a dozen or more looms hay,
established a temporary habitat alon,
| the Susquehanna in this vicinity anC
| rivermen tell some creepy stories O.
| the weird laughter of the big birds
The height of the river and the pier
of the cross s-river bridges offer spIen
did opportunity for special stunts II
| high diving. The feathered visitor
have little or no trouble In gettin.
enough food to keep them and the,
are safe, of course, from the guns O
huntsmen.
III WELL KNOWN PEOPLE