butterfly with a few strokes of the brush; the whole is then cut out, and a drop of mucilage will hold the body fast to a card, while the wings are slightly raised, as if the insect were about to take flight. They are then ready to be placed on exhibition, and votes are taken as to which is deserving of the prize. The artist's name should be on the back of each card-unknown until the votes have been taken. An appropriate prize might be a large paper butterfly, made to screen the eyes from the too direct glare of gas or lamp, or a pen-wiper in the form of a butterfly. A fan, upon which numbers of butterflies are seen disporting themselves, is a favourite design on inexpensive Japanese fans, or home talent may be equal to turning a small white or yellow folding fan of paper into the semblance of a sober-hued butterfly by tracing the nervures with lines done in sepia-either of which would make a good prize. More acceptable still might be one of the pretty gauzy-winged butterflies of white or black "mousseline. de soie," studded with silver spangles and tiny Rhinestones, made to be worn in the hair. AN EASTER FÊTE We had been reading of old-time festivals in England and learned of the joyous celebration of Easter among our Saxon forefathers. The modern demon of restless activity had not yet gotten possession of the world, and people had leisure to rejoice together for eight consecutive days at Eastertide. "Joy was duty, and love was law." Fired by the description of such a golden age, it was proposed to give an Easter fête, and all agreed that the idea would find pleasantest as well as most reverent expression in a family party-when old and young should meet together and the children have an especial welcome. An early dinner on Sunday was to be followed by music, games, singing-anything that should be promotive of joy and impress the lessons of the day. Our first care was to send to the country for large bundles of fruit boughs-mere sticks as yet-with which to decorate the rooms. These dry twigs would blossom like Tannhäuser's fabled staff after a few days in the warm atmosphere of the kitchen, if kept in water, and be ready with their Easter message of how life can come out of death and beauty and fragrance out of materials most unpromising. Our fancy-work for a few days consisted in cutting out butterflies-myriads of them of all sorts and sizes. The little bodies were mere rolls of paper pinched into shape to indicate the heads, and the decoration of the wings required but the most slender talent in watercolour painting. The preparations were complete when Easter dawned -lovely as sunshine and balmy air full of hints of spring could make it. After the tuneful service at church, our guests assembled. The rooms were all abloom; every twig had seemingly kept its promise. A little buzz of admiration pleasantly rewarded our efforts upon entering the dining-room. A mass of Annunciation lilies decorated the centre of the long table. A single lily at each place held in its deep cup a bunch of lilies of the valley-like the "bouquet-holders" of our grandmother's day. At one end of the table a vase held a bundle of dry twigs upon which a chrysalis or two hung like dried leaves. A similar vase at the other end held small apple-boughs covered thickly with their fair white blossoms, while tiny white and yellow butterflies perched upon or hovered above them on invisible wires. The cakes and bonbons were in the forms of eggs or flowers. At each place was a bonbonnière in the shape of a feathered fowl (the shops are full of them at Easter)— hens, roosters, ducks, etc., and wee chicks for the children. On their backs were tied cards inscribed with barn-yard names, supposed to be appropriate to the recipients. "Cock of the walk" was given to the head of the family, and "Pride of the nest" to his gentle consort, "Prize Bantam" to one of small stature, "Speckle-top" for one gray-haired person, and "Silver Crest" for another; a chick was called "Yellow fluff” for a golden-haired lassie, while the planners of the feast reserved for themselves the euphonious names of "Biddy" and "Old-Scratch-gravel." Upon the reverse side of the cards the grown person read quotations appropriate to the day-such as: "Sow a seed, and you reap a habit; Sow a habit, and you reap a character; And again: "Earth cannot long ensepulchre In her dark depths the tiniest seed; When life begins to throb and stir The bands of death are weak indeed." Another was: "God's plans, like lilies, pure and white, unfold. We may not tear the close-shut leaves apart; The children found printed upon their cards selections from the classic of "Babyland," "Mother Goose": "Hickety, pickety, my black hen, She laid good eggs for gentlemen; Gentlemen came every day— But the eggs got up and walked away." "Humpty-dumpty sat on a wall," etc. For the older children, riddles were written, to which answered all: "an egg "I know a little creature, Of powers manifold, An undeveloped nature, But a heart of gold!" A well-known French riddle was also given: "On me jette en l'air Je monte blanc Je retombe jaune." Grace was said by the youngest child present, with plump hands folded and with bowed head-suggesting to the elders "Of such is the kingdom of heaven." The "menu" consisted of dishes which carried out the same "colour scheme" as the decorations: Grape Fruit Cream of Celery Soup Planked Shad Creamed Sweetbreads (en caisses) The cream cheese was moulded into egg-shaped balls and served in a nest of lettuce leaves, and the ice-cream was also in forms of various coloured eggs in a nest of spun sugar. CHAPTER XVIII May A MAY-DAY LUNCHEON T was decided to issue invitations for a luncheon to do honour to a fair young bride on the first IT of May. The day brought its own suggestions, and it was determined to forget none of its merry traditions. As the ceremonies of May-day were a survival of those held in honour of Flora, it was fitting that the rooms should be as lavishly decorated with flowers as possible. To this end a trusty friend in the country was commissioned to send all the twigs and branches of apple, pear, peach, and cherry that might be procured for love or lucre. Immense fagots of dry-looking sticks arrived by express, looking most unpromising. These were put in warm water, every available receptacle in the house being requisitioned and placed in the kitchen, and the water changed two or three times a day. The result was a miracle of beauty. In four days every stick had burst into bloom and was thickly covered with its own lovely flowers, like "Aaron's rod, that budded" -blossoms, blossoms everywhere-the idea should be canonised! Our spring-time is usually coy, but it seems possible to compel her to do one's bidding. The rooms were like bowers and at a cost that was merely nominal. |