Evening star., 1922-04-16
PARIS, April s. 1922.

lA
wv ancient Rue st. Jacques OF
Paris, the public roaster.
Leonard Monestrier. joyously fed ms
wood fires and spitted poultry by the
dozens. The good dog, Mirault, Sc
date in his corner, shifted the per-
fume of the cracking grease with
pensive allegresse. old and tired, ne
: still savored the joys Of this lie
while accepting its ills with a resig-
nation which made them seem less
cruel.
1t was hundreds of years ago.
The Rue st. Jacques and the world
have changed, but modern knowledge
has little to add to the famous dis
cussion of Easter eggs held that
springtime day at the hospitaple
board of Master Leonard, as recorded
by his son, Jacques Tournebroche, in
French literature.
Gayly the old-time Parisians had
returned from church to their Festive
noon dinners. Gayly the servant
maids and Wallets hastened from Mas
ter Leonard's with the hot and lus-
cious chickens. ducks and pigeons in
cover. The public roaster cooked
what was brought to him or sold like
a caterer A few such still exist TO-
day in Paris-and the richer juices
mingle with the humber.
THE good man (banner-bearer OF
the roasters' union) sat at his own
Easter table, with his wife. Barbe ca
sainted woman" he was used to say
tenderly when he returned bit late
from the Little Bacchus wtneshop),
his son Jacques, the wise and mellow
Abbe Coignard and Nicholas Cerise,
public writer, tinctured with a little
learning and a little doubt.
On the table were a noble pile or
hard-boiled eggs, colored red, in q
wire basket.
II read in Aelius Lampidus." said
Nicolas Cerise, that hen belong
ing to the father of Alexander Sc
verus laid a red egg on the day when
that child. destined to be emperor,
was born"
The Abbe coignard looked up with
benign hostility.
Surely you have too much pudg-
ment, monsieur" he said. "to deduce
from such an old wives tale the
Christian custom of serving red eggs
at Easter?'
..Surely you have too much judg-
could scarcely come from the egg OF
Severus, but he noted as significant
fact that among the pagans red eggs
stood for supreme power. Moreover,
somebody must have colored that egg.
because hens do not lay them that
wayi
Pardon" interrupted Barbe, as she
served the partridge and cabbage,
fragrantly done in Rheims wine
,there were no scientific game laws).
pardon, in my youth I saw black
hen lay a brown egg. So I think that
a red hen, of a good, strong red,
might lay"
"a red egg-" encouraged Master
Leonard.
NO." the worthy woman hedged
with dignity. II was going to say
brick colored."
whereupon the conversation fell on
freaks and phenomena, double eggs,
three legged chicks, two headed
ducks, the skeptical Nicolas leading
them subtly toward the blindness,
cruelty and prodigality of nature,
whom he affirmed to be scarcely re-
lisious in any of her acts and SEEM
ing not to know her God. for the
most part-"which frightens me,
rabbe!" he said hypocritically.
\ \ + y
g ND Easter eggs. continued
~ Nicolas. these eggs colored red
with beet juice, are not as Christian
as you imagine. In reality they are
of pagan origin, recalling at the mo-
ment of the spring equinox the mys-
terious blossoming of life again.
Christianity found them In popular