The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-04-14

there are her eggs, getting chilled. I'll just sit
them TO keep them warm SO saying, she put
down her baskets and sat upon the nest
Imagine Mrs. Rabbits surprise when she
got up from the nest, the next morning and
found that a family of chicks had Matched from
the eggs. Since their mother is gone I presume
1 shall have to take care of the poor little
things said the tender-hearted Mrs Rabbit.
This she did Ever since then the rabbit has been
associated with Easter and Easter eggs
In some parts of northern Germany the child
rem hang eggs trees similar to Christmas
trees and candy favors gifts and all sorts Of
Easter novelties are placed on the tree around
which the children gather, and sing happy songs
on Easter morning. Peasants in other European
countries were accustomed to hang festoons Of
eggs over the chimney piece and to hand them
down as herlooms, for they were regarded
treasures 10 be kept and not as baubles to be
destroyed or thrown away.
In England under the old ecclesiastical laws,
rent payable in Easter eggs; games were
played with them Ga fact which was probably
the forerunner of Easter "eggrollings," such
as that observed each year on the White House
lawn in Washington, especially by the children
in north England. Still another association of
the egg with Easter lay in the fact that il was
contrary to religious tenets to eat eggs during
Lent but when Easter marked the end of that
er the fast TO sanctify the body.
The custom of dyeing Easter eggs goes back
for many centuries Peasants in the European
countries dyed them red a symbol OF Christs
blood but the lords and ladies covered theirs
with gold leaf. Later more elaborate decora-
tons were used. Sometimes they bore cupds
and love knots, flaming hearts and the signs
of the zodiac. Sometimes they were halved and
the shells hinged together with ribbon and lined
Nth riIr and oliviOr oiar
the venetians it was the custom to give friend
a gift egg bearing the giver's portrait, and
many other variations egg decoration were
common in France, Spain and Belgium.
Half a century ago Easter eggs were made
of porcelain ivory, mother-of-pearl bronze sill
ver or gold in the form of little cases to hold
various trinkets. But the modern child favoring
something useful well ornamental prefers
an Easter egg which he can first admire and
then eat.
The lily. as symbol of Easter, has double
significance 1t is one OF the earliest spring
flowers. II typiies the rebirth of nature after
the long winter sleep. In its dry brown bulb
life lies dormant during the winter and then
when spring comes, this life begins to STIR
First it pushes out the tender green leaves and
then the buds appear. Finally the white blossom
comes forth in all its glory the perfect en-
blem Of resurrected life.
Its other significance is religious one its
snow-white purity being emblematic of the flaw
less life of Christ whose resurrection from the
tomb we commemorate on Easter day. In fact
no other flower has place N the religious life
and literature of the Christian world to COM
pare TO the lily. Yet its glory is not so new as
Christianity, ancient though the beginnings of
that religion may seem to US.
The Greeks and the Romans priced IL above
all flowers and in their earlier civilizations it
had already come to symbolic purity and virtue
1t was because of the place lilies had won in
the popular esteem that they found place In