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About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (March 21, 1913)
JuAm 1 JLSv UKa Ju Hi HOME AND AM WCWJ coprtc&r u W ABTER Ih tho principal festival of tlio C'lirlHtian year, obBcrved In commemoration of tlio rcBurrectlon of Jesus Christ Tho roHurroctlon took place Just after tho Jowlah foaHt of Mie Passover, Tho Chrls tlnriH of Jerusalem, and after thorn , IhoHii of Mio Asiatic churches gen orally, wore accustomed to hold" tlio feast of Easter on this oame day, or simultaneously with tho feast of tho Jewinh Passover. This custom was not accept nblo to tho Qontllo churches In Italy and tho west generally, and they changed tho tlmo of JOaster observance to tlio Sunday following tho fourteenth day of tho moon, or month, nnd this difference of practlro led to gravo dlflCUHBlons be (ween tho east and tho west, which wore Anally settled by tho agreement ut tho council of Nlco In tho oarly part of tho fourth century to make tho weBtern usage universal From that tlmo Br unoenmoo x izforrtwoo wZiH WBH JHfS .'('Ik fflwt ' liir?13IFS?,lNBHH 'faff?! urBEII aaPWBBHK2S-" SbBSv Vi &i3iK rjsoc&&zcxrzrrAj&a3Juj2Vss!F ilaBtcr has boon observed not only In Christian lSuropo nnd Amurlqa, but far across tho sea In tho ancient Htrotigholds of pagan superstition. And no It has coino to pass that tho very -word Easter thrills tho heart with gladness, bringing ltu welcome announcement that tho gloom Is post, nnd (ho tlmo of bud and blounoin, leaf and npray, glancing wing and suddou Bong, floating cloud and prlsmlo shower, tho tlmo of iidlucnco and boauty and gi owing, and rapturo of high vitality In plant and human Ilfo nllko that won drous tlmo has como again. In every Christian lurid tho season Is obBorved with deep rullglous feeling. In Jerusalem, the Holy City, onshrlned with so many lnomorlcB of ChrlBt, bin llfo, IiIh work, his death and hla resur rection, tho celebration of Eastor is of peculiar Intorcst Hoprosontatlvos of so many churches ivnd sects aKBoinhlo huro at this soaBou for spe cial religious colobratlous that an clabornto cchedulo has to bo planned to provont worship acucmllng to ono form of tho Christian faith from Interfering with that of another Turkish boI dlors aro much In ovldenco at this tlmo to check tho tfinulloHt beginning of opon conflict. Ono of the most Impressive features of tho Eastortldo obpervanco In Jerusalem Is wltnossed on Good Friday on tho Via Dolorosa supposed to bo tho road ovrr which Christ bora tho cross to Cal , vary whon this commeniorutlvo Journey Is made by tho pilgrims on tholr kudos. KaBtcr cuBtoniH still cling to England In many places, Maundy money Ih distributed on Thurs day at WoBtmlnstor Alllioy, as In tho days of Pepys, old men aud women ovor CO years of ngo receive specially minted coins, corresponding to tho years In King George's llfo. It follows that the oldor a British king Is, tho moro money 1b distributed. On Good Friday there Is a procession to SL raul'H cathedral revived from oarly times by tho nishop of London, and tho Buburban districts Umvo Hmaller ones to tholr parish churches, Tho veiling of tho cruclux at Easter Is still -maintained aH h Burvlval of that older ceremony of "watching I ho sepulchre." In oldon days this graphic nnd olabomto rite commenced on Good Friday with tho lowering of tho great crucifix wid lt bestowal in n nhallow gravo dug beneath tho high altar, whore It remained until early In the morning of Easter day. In course of time, nn tho iltual became more ornate, tho gravo waB tflscardod In favor of a temporary wooden sopul chro erected on tho north of tho choir, and the IiOBt as well as iho cruclllx woro doposltcd ioreln. An old writer on Durham cathedral thus do ucrlbes It: "On Good Friday, after tho singing of tho I'asHlon, two monks took a largo cruclllx nnd laying 11 upon a velvet cushion, brought it to the lower groesos (steps) of tho (julro and thoio betwixt thorn hold tho cruclllx "Then ono of tho monks rose nnd wont n pretty npara from It and sotting himself upon his knees -to the cross nnd kissed It. and after him tho other monk did likewise Afterwards so did tho prior nnd all the monks, the whole choir In tho ueantlino singing nn anthotn. Amidst tho light of the candles and the burning of Incense, the cross web then carried to tho sopulchro and thero was lnld, togethor with tho holy Bacrumont, with in tho Repulehre " Guards woro then placed to watch until Easter mdrnlng, when the singing of "Chrlstus Rosur Kenu," tho saored Hymbola whore taken out of their temporary gravo and replaced upon tho al tar. It wan an old bollof that tho eyes which bo held thlH Easter elevation would not close In death during tho yoar to come. Tho iJiurcheB In many poorer quartora, Includ ing St. aoorgo'H In tho Borough "Little Dorrlt's church" and St. John's, Walworth, aro bo thronged by Easter wedding couples that tho clergy often marry them In groups. At tho churrh of St, Mary, Woolnooth, near tho mansion house, a queer distribution Is njt 111 car ried out In accordance with the will of Sir John Bpencer, wto whs lord mayor la 1594. Ho left a IfZWY01&i&I7F77fAH2Mtir J&!5TZR.PAlUtZS?-- good iznmratr&zvrm. jk?jRa3jt legacy with Instructions to tho church wardens to distribute colored oggs to communicants on Easter morning. That entails giving away about COO of thoso eggs. Many ceromonles and sports distinguished tho celebration of Easter In oldon times. In a royal roll of tho tlmo of Edward I preserved in the towor, appears an entry of 18 ponco for 400 eggs to bo used for EaBtor gifts. Town authorities engaged with duo dignity In games of ball. In tho northern parts of England tho men parnded" tho streots on Easter Sundny and claimed tho privilege oj" lifting every Voman they met three times from tho ground, recoiving in payment n kiss or u silver sixpence. Tho same was dono by tho women to tho mon tho noxt day. It Is re corded also that on Eastor Monday tho women had a right to strike their husbands, and on Tues day tho mon struck tholr wives, as In Decomber tho 'servants scolded their masters. "From a Ger man authority It Is learned that In thoNeumnrk on Easter day tho mon servnntB whip the maid servants with switches, and on Mondny tho maids whip tho men In Bomo parts of Germany par ents and children try to surprise each other In bed on Easter morning to apply the health-giving switches. In Palestine. Eastor ts tho day when relatives and friends exchange-gifts and It Is tho family reunion day, mucn na Is Christmas In Amorlcn. On Easter grand mass Is celobratcd at 12 o'clock midnight, nt which nil present receive tho Lord'B supper. After tho service, which lasts about four hours, tho crowds go homo to break tholr fast and foust on the dainties prepared bo foro hand. In tho morning visits nro oxchnnged between relatives and friends, the youngor peo plo go to the older people first to wish them a bright Eastor and many happy returns. About 1 p. m. a grand patriarchal procession walks to tho church of the. Holy Sopulchro singing thoso melo dious Gregorian songs. Tho scone Is particularly Imposing. Thero now follows, n aorvlco In tho Greok cathodrnl at which tho gospel for Easter day ts read In all tho leading languages of the world Tho Hist person to salute the crar of Russia on Easter morning with tho wordB "Christ Is RlBon" must ho grcoted In turn with a royal kiss. No mattor how lowly the person tho meanest of beggars, oven tho great czar must bestow upon him a brotherly kiss Not so many Eastors ago tho czar was compelled by this inexorable cus tom to kiss tho chook of n peasant sentry, sta tioned In the garden to which tho czar had es caped for an early morning walk. Tho Spaniards bellovo that ho who is born on Good Friday has tho gift of second sight. They dollght to tell that Philip IV was second-sighted' becauso ho camo Into tho world on this day. Spanish womon. as well as many English country woinon, declare that sowing dono on Good Fil day will novor como undouo. By many European peasants tho wind Is watch ed on Palm Sundny, in tho belief that from whnt ovor direction it then blows, thonco It will como most frequently during tho ensuing year. Tho Spaniard wljo Is fortunate enough to secure a palm, blessed and used In a church proceaslon on Palm Sunday, fastens It to tho balcony of his house for protection from lightning. An IntoreBtlng Eastor egg custom prevails In Poland. On Easter Monday ovory head of n houso. man or woman, presents each visitor on his call with a hard-boiled og, or, rathor, tho rg'z&:z 3, tW2 SSKSKK Trvf!J y&&kfi vT? jtv HNW.i V) " - -.---. -i- ---.- t .--. -.- - JMiffiiiffii IHUnBlHrl'lHHBIHHBBPBMHBSjfe4 half of ono. Tho head of the house divides tho egg, gives a half to the caller, and oats with him the other part The custom has such n hold on the people that tho nobles, even when living far away from tho fatherland, observe It. Many years ago Prince CzartoryskI was In residence In Paris, when ho held tho usual reception on Easter Monday, receiving each gueBt at tho door of his salon, and dividing tho egg in traditional style with each visitor, who ate It conscientiously. In America, with Its population drawn from all sections of tho globo, many Easter observances distinctive of the various countries have been re tained by tho Immigrants and their descendants. So decidedly has Easter Sunday come to be thought of In tho Unltod States as the great show day of the year that tho average person no longer" regards It in Us most inspiring light tho crown ing feast day of tho Christian year. Yet Its ro ' llglous significance still lives and while the stren uous money seekers of the present day Boom to have lost sight of any Bavo Its worldly Interest the spirit of worship Is by no means a thing of the past and nowhere Is It more actively alive than In tho up-to-date church of a great city. Music Is tho chief feature of the usual Borvlco, and no palnB or money Is spared, to make It a notoworthy event. ' Easter egg rolling on tho White Houso grounds In Washington has become an affair of Interna tional note. Tho chlldron gather In crowds out Bldo tho tall Iron fence that Incloses tho grounds, nnd when tho gates are thrown opon nt exactly 0 a. m. they flock In pell-mell and dlstrlbuto thomsolves In squads ovor tho hillocks, No "time Is lost, tho sport beginning nt onco, and soon it Is in fast and furious progress, tho groensward speckled with eggs and rainbow hues. All tho chlldron wear tholr boat clothes, which are destined to bo sadly mussed and moro or leBs torn beforo tho day Is ovor, yet n thoroughly democratic spirit prevails, tho youngsters being of nil clasBOB, To tho oyo of the casual observor the egg play Is somewhat devoid of moaning, but a study of It Bhows that It Is both varied and Interesting, Some of tho children make races with tholr eggs, starting thorn simultaneously from the top of a hillock, with tho understanding that the ono to reach tho bottom first Is tho winner. If It Is "for fair" tho egg of the loser pnssos Into the pos session of tho successful contestant. Another way Is to roll an ogg down hill, to bo received at the bottom on tlio point of a socond egg If the thing ts properly done, and failure or success in this objoct gives rise to much merriment. Or, again, two chlldron may roll tholr eggs toward each other on a flat pleco of ground, nnd when thoy have mot the one cracked Is lost. In no other land doos tho Eastor egg so splen didly symbolize democracy as In American AMBASSADOR WILSON DOING WELL Public opinion, as well as such of ficial opinion as can bo sounded in Washington, scorns agreed that Am bassador Henry Lano Wilson is hand ling n very dldlcult situation In Mex ico in a manner thoroughly creditable to himself. In times of uproar like that which has prevailed In Mexico City during the last month, tho ambassador of a foreign power usually has a chance to wrap his country's flag around him and arouse at homo, at leaBt the cheers of tho multitude by delivering as stlfllsh an ultimatum as his state department will allow. But In the present situation Mr. Wilson has had to muster consider able personal firmness to mask tho temporizing and hesitating policy of the administration Anything remote ly resembling "heroics" was denied hlra, nnd yet tho personal safety of Americans in the mob-ridden city and tho heavy financial Interests of Amer ican Investors demanded that ho mako It perfectly clear to tho provisional government that tho United States would not permit an Indefinite period of anarchy. Ho managed to do this In a way which was fairly effective In Its results nnd which also managed to mako tho Americans popular, InStend of unpopu lar, with the crowds in Mexico City. KING ALFONSO OF SPAIN AN IDOL AlarmlstB have been predicting the overthrow of the Spanish monarchy as tho consequence of tho present tangled situation in Spanish internal politics. To any one but an assiduous student of Spanish affairs It would seem highly probable that King Al fonBo will go the way of Don Manuel, his ono time neighbor. But one who knows tho Spain of today In contrast with tho Spain of yesterday, when Al fonso as a young and Inexperienced youth ascended the throne, will short ly conclude that herein lies the key to the whole situation. It will not be Alfonso whom Spain will bnnlsh. writes the Madrid correspondent of the New York Sun, but his successor will come to a throne bo undermined by past abuses that a crash is very likely. This declaration of opposltes clears Itself when It Is explained that it Is tho popularity of Alfonso himself, and not of the throne, that keeps Spain loyal to a monarchy. Tho popularity of the rey vallento since as a boy of sixteen ho took up the reins of government has been ever on the Increase and today ho is the Idol of all his subjects, from tho highest to tho lowest DOES IT PAY TO LIVE LONG Sir George Blrdwood, M. D.. a noted English scientist, himself an octoge narian, throws a now light on the question by suggesting that abnormal longevity is a most undesirablo thing. Sir George spent nearly fifty years In tho public service. He was formerly an army surgeon and professor of anatomy and physiology. He was in tho India, office for thlrty-ono years and is founder of Primrose day. In India his name Is a household word. Writing to a contemporary, he re fers to tho people who have been tell ing us "how they have, In their own thinking, managed to achieve this pro foundly questionable glory; for Im aglno millionaires hugging their hoardB for 100 years, to leave them to already senile sons to go on hugging them for twenty or thirty years more, and so from generation to generation, until the heavy drag of these verita ble Struldbrugs stops the turning of a too 'conservative' world on Its axis. "It Is, Indeed, a most disheartening sign this deslro of peoplo to live be yond three score years and ten, unless Its prolongation Is desirable In tho in terests of others; and, fortunately, these abnormal ages of eighty, ninety and ono hundred years aro not to bo achieved, they simply occur as exceptions to a rule. The question under discussion in its true form is not how to live to four score or five score, but how to live proficiently and profitably and pleasantly alike for yourself and for others."' Sir George concludes by quoting the words on the ring of Senecianus: "Llvo careless of tho gods." FERVENTLY LOVED; PASSIONATELY HATED No man In England is more fervent ly loved and moro passlonntely hated than Mr. Lloyd George, chancellor of tho exchequer. Tho bright bluo eyes, the thick hair rapidly growing gray tosBod back from tho forehead In" moments of excitement, the Bpare, alert form, all combine to mako a whole which Interests, If It does not alwayB attract; most people aro sur prised to find that the chancellor 1b a short man. Tho majority ol those who como In personal contact with him admit that hero Is a compelling and attractive personality. Whllo you talk to him and ho Is a good listener you feel ' that you too aro a personality, and a personality In whom ho Is interested. As ho chats in a cornor of the lobby of the house of commons his manner suggests that you aro tho center of tho universe, that in fact until that moment his soul has been hungering for lust this exchange of Ideas. Tfco musical Welsh volco promises what does ho not promise? Anything? Yet this is not Insincerity, it Is only part of the man's devouring mania for popularity. 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