Women Make the 
woman And The Home. 
Homes Make the 
Nation. 
EASTER ECHOES. 
AINTY enough to suit the occasion are they not ? 
Those little egg shell decorations designed by our 
contributor, Miss Hinrichs. 
* * * 
One of the prettiest of Easter souvenirs began as a 
creamy white egg of a rounded rather than a typical egg 
shape. Cunning fingers, by the aid of brush and needle, 
metamorphosed the egg into the sweetest of round baby 
faces, wearing one of the pretty caps devoted to the wee 
ones. The cap was made in one of the styles that have a 
cape, and at the lower edge of this cape the material was 
fringed as a finish. “ One of the girls ” who attempted it, 
says that it isn’t the easiest thing in the world to paint 
the pretty face on the shell. 
* * * 
A Chautauqua circle that wished to have a little varia¬ 
tion from the usual order, had the programme made out 
to include several topics in connection with Easter, and 
each member brought to the meeting a decorated egg. 
These eggs were all wrapped in tissue paper and placed in 
one “nest” and each member drew one, at random, for a 
souvenir of the occasion. 
* * * 
Although the observance of Lent, it is said, grows to 
be more and more of a farce in the fashionable world, 
outside of this world there are many faithful hearts that 
try to keep it in the true spirit. To Easter the churches 
at large, and the press give more and more attention each 
year. Indeed, to have matter appropriate to the season 
grows to be more and more the aim of most periodicals, 
and especially of those devoted to the household. 
Throughout the winter and spring, Thanksgiving, Christ¬ 
mas, New Year’s, St. Valentine’s Day, Washington’s 
Birthday and Easter make nearly every issue of the 
monthlies a “special” number. If we had but a few more 
holidays, or “great days” throughout the summer, we 
might have a complete yearly procession of special 
numbers 1 Couldn’t it be done ? But if done, would it 
not grow to be a bit monotonous in time ? 
* * * 
RionT in this line of adaptation to the season, Peterson’s 
Magazine for March gives a design for a napkin to be 
laid over eggs while on the table, to keep them from cool¬ 
ing. The design includes the head of the family, Signor 
Cockalorum, Senora Brigitta, (or Biddy Cackle) with all 
the little Cackles and Cockalorums grouped around. 
Does this symbolism refer to what the eggs “ might have 
A nest of Easter eggs is described in the housekeeping 
department of the Ladies’ Home Journal. Briefly, the 
“nest” is formed of yellow-colored jelly and preserved 
lemon peel cut into straws. The “eggs” are of rich 
blanc mange—so-called,—one part green, one part pink 
and the rest white. They are shaped in emptied shells, 
which are removed when the eggs are ready to be placed 
in the nest for serving. 
* * * 
An Egg Salad, given in “ Lenten Lunches,” in the 
same journal, consists simply of sliced, hard boiled eggs, 
laid on a bed of lettuce or of celery, and covered with a 
mayonnaise dressing and garnished with parsley or celery 
leaves. * * * 
Lenten gowns and head-gear, one says, must be in sub¬ 
dued colors, else they are not “in harmony.” This gives 
the opportunity for greater contrast in Easter gowning. 
* * * 
The Chicago News gives a bill-of-fare of what it calls 
“ A Specimen Sackcloth-and Ashes Dinner,” which might 
make almost any one desire to be a penitent of the Chicago 
order. The following are the items : 
Soup of Spring Carrots. 
Planked Shad. Oysters en Barriere. 
Maryland Pan-Roast, Oyster Patties, Etc. 
New Potatoes Stewed in Butter. 
New Turnips Baked with Cream. 
Spring Carrots, Flemish Style. 
Frogs’ Legs Broiled, en Fritot and Jellied. 
Cream Cheese Saiad. 
Manaarius In Lemon Jelly. 
Various Cream Candies. 
CHOICE FLOWERS THAT MAY BE RAISED FROM 
SEED. 
LOWERS are so intimately associated with Easter 
thoughts that it seems quite in keeping to make 
floral talk a feature of the number that comes nearest to 
Easter. 
If one has any knack at all in raising flowers from seed, 
it is in the end the far more satisfactory way to obtain 
them—this referring more particularly to many house 
plants. Plants brought from the greenhouses are quite 
apt to introduce into one’s collection insects which may 
never have been troublesome before, but which are life 
members when once they gain a foothold. 
The safest and most satisfactory medium of nutriment 
and moisture for any one outside of a greenhouse to 
use for seeds, is clear leaf mold. This need not be 
the driest, most fibrous to be procured, but may con¬ 
tain some sand, or be quite moist and rich. It is less 
subject to mold than most earths, no doubt because it 
does not retain water so long; and mold is the greatest 
enemy of tiny seedling plants. They “ damp off ” by 
thousands florists would say. 
There are some flowers that it is as well for the amateur 
to let alone: begonias, with seed-llke dust; gloxinias, which 
not only have fine seeds, but which are summer bloomers 
only; calceolarias and cinerarias, which are so subject to 
green fly that the collection which contains them can 
scarcely be freed from these pests. 
The newer Cyclamen giganteum (over which every one 
goes into rhapsodies, especially over the pure white) has 
large seeds and is readily raised from seed. It requires 
three weeks to germinate and resents nothing but over 
watering or too hot sunshine. The only objection to it is 
that it takes two seasons to grow it to blooming size. It 
may be sowed as late as midsummer. 
If one has cool rooms in winter, with even north win¬ 
dows, nothing can give so much satisfaction as a packet of 
the best primula seeds. They are a little difficult to raise, 
as the seeds are fine, and they will not bear being allowed to 
get entirely dry even once, while the plants damp off easily. 
Leaf mold, or fine barn-yard scrapings to sow them in, 
with dry moss rubbed fine and sifted for a light covering, 
and damp flannel over that to retain the moisture, will 
generally insure success with them. Fresh air, or a little 
fresh soil sifted about them, will overcome the mold best 
of anything. Beware of glass over them ; It only invites 
the dreaded mold. Two to three weeks is the germinating 
period. The plants are carefully transplanted when in the 
second leaf, and kept as cool and sunless as may be 
through the mid-season’s heat. They will bud in Novem¬ 
ber if sown in April. 
Heliotropes may be raised with the same treatment as to 
seed. They like more warmth than the primulas, and 
will bloom by August or September if put in the open 
ground when large enough to allow it to be done safely. 
Dahlias are easily raised from seed, and are said to 
bloom the first year; but many will come single from seed 
of double varieties. 
By far the cheapest plan for obtaining the fine, light 
colored gladioli, is to raise them from seed, if one has but 
the patience. The point to be observed is to have a reason¬ 
ably moist seed-bed, and to mulch or otherwise cover the 
seeds until they germinate. Then keep them free from 
weeds, and with loosened soil. They bloom by the third 
year if not before, with good care. Hyacinthus candicans 
is easily raised with the same treatment. 
The Moonflower grows readily from seed, but is so apt 
to be late that to buy the plants is more satisfactory. 
Abutilons are said to be easy to raise from seed, bloom¬ 
ing the first season. They grow into small trees, out-of- 
doors. We cannot confirm this by experience, not having 
tried them. 
Some fuchsias sown last spring grew nicely, but have 
not yet bloomed. They were to bloom the first season, ac¬ 
cording to the catalogue. 
The white Lathyrus, or Everlasting Pea, is beautiful 
and satisfactory. It has larger clusters than the fragrant 
peas, and blooms throughout the season, living an indefi¬ 
nite number of years; seed is best sown in the fall, or so 
early In the spring that Jack Frost may crack the little 
pellets. __ 
AN EGG PARTY. 
OLLOWING the seclusion of the Lenten season, 
social recreation will be cultivated with renewed 
interest. An innovation in the way of Easter entertain¬ 
ment is an Egg Party, to be given during Easter week. 
The prospective hostess has colored and decorated 
dozens of eggs. These she conceals in all conceivable 
nooks and corners, upstairs and down, throughout the 
entire house. Each guest is provided with a gayly decor¬ 
ated basket, and at a given signal the gathering of eggs 
begins. When the closing call is spoken, the search 
ceases immediately. Prizes are awarded to those having 
found the greatest and the least number of eggs. 
Appropriate prizes are egg bonbonnieres (Fig. 81), filled 
with tiny egg bonbons. For the bonbonniere boil the egg 
very hard. With a sharp knife cut off the one end, or cut 
it lengthwise, and scoop out the contents. In either case, 
the shell is glued on to a wooden mold, such as are covered 
for dress buttons. A strip of flexible cardboard is glued 
in for a handle. The decoration consists of gilding with a 
painted design, or a dainty arrangement of pressed ferns, 
grasses and flowers. It is more amusing to make the 
“ booby ” prize of a goose egg, putting in but a single 
bonbon. The bonbons are made of French cream, in the 
form of little eggs, colored and flavored with chocolate, 
currant jelly, yolk of egg and rose-water. This results in 
biown, pink and red, yellow, and white eggs. 
The eggs to be hidden are first boiled hard, then decor¬ 
ated in all imaginable variety. The majority are brightly 
colored with aniline dyes. Some are further ornamented 
with outline etchings, done with a very sharp point. 
Others are beautified with metal paints, and either left 
plain or an Easter wish is printed on in India ink. Trans¬ 
fer pictures are a simple and pleasing embellishment. 
The baskets for gathering are quart oyster buckets, 
brightly trimmed in any fanciful manner, with tissue 
paper, ribbons or paint. 
The table decorations are of ornamented shells in the 
form of vases for flowers. Fig. 82 represents a basket of 
two shells. For this purpose goose eggs are preferable. 
One end is broken off irregularly. The shells are glued to 
a thin piece of wood, to which a rope is tacked for a 
handle. A cross cut of a small cord-wood stick, showing 
the pretty bark, is most desirable. The whole is flecked 
with silver and gold, with dried flowers and grasses seem¬ 
ingly springing up from underneath the shells. Obvi¬ 
ously, a basket of such frail beauty is intended only for 
lighter and smaller flowers—a convenient feature at this 
season of floral famine. 
Another decorative design for the table (Fig. 83) has the 
traditional rabbit of the Germans peeping over a wall of 
shells. The rabbit is made after a Butterick pattern, of 
white cotton flannel. The ears are lined with pink silk, 
tissue paper or lawn. Pink beige beads serve as eyes, and 
whiskers and bushy brows are made of white sewing silk. 
Three to five or more shells are glued to a light board, 
which is strewn with bits of broken shell. The rabbit, in 
an erect position, is fastened to the board. The shells 
have an irregularly broken edge, and are frosted. To ob¬ 
tain this glittering effect, apply a thin coat of dammar 
varnish, and sprinkle immediately with diamond dust. 
The board and fragments of shell are frosted in a similar 
manner. This rabbit stand calls for small white flowers 
or simply a bit of graceful smilax. 
Mementos of the delightful occasion are egg-souvenirs. 
(Fig. 80.) The contents of the egg are blown out, and the 
shell rinsed. Then tint in delicate shades of blue, pink, 
green, lavender, yellow, etc. In artistic gilt or silver 
lettering, print the date, the year, or the monogram of the 
recipient. The end of the egg having the larger hole, is 
finished with a fringed cap of tissue paper or China silk, 
to the center of which is fastened a loop and bow of 
narrow ribbon. Decorate the eggs in pairs, placing one 
of each in separate baskets, allowing the ribbons to hang 
over the edge. The gentlemen draw a ribbon from one 
basket, the ladies from the other; those whose colors 
match are to partake of refreshment together. 
Eggs, prepared in tempting variety, are a conspicuous 
feature of the entertainment provided for the inner man. 
Menu cards may be made of cardboard in the shape of an 
egg booklet. Tie with a yellow ribbon, and letter in gold 
metal water color. anna hinrichs. 
SOME FLOWERS I HAVE TRIED. 
T HAT you who may think of trying them may know 
how some fine flowers not generally grown behave 
in the hands of an amateur, these notes are written. 
The Tuberous Begonias are trying to be the ragt just now, 
and a friend has lately written that her case has about 
reached the point when she must have some, or life will be 
a failure. She has been reading the catalogues and floral 
magazines. These flowers have not been overpraised. I 
think, that is, what is said of them is true; but they have 
one or two faults that are not mentioned. The blooms of 
the double varieties, so far as my experience goes, are so 
heavy that the plants can scarcely bear their weight, while 
the stalks are so brittle that they do not bear staking 
well. Another difficulty is that they are inclined to break 
off at the surface of the soil, if a stray wind takes them. 
Their beauty and their size create a sensation wherever 
they are exhibited. 
Cosmos has been praised without stint for two or three 
years. Last year I tried a package of the mixed seed 
The white variety was exceedingly beautiful and graceful, 
but I would not give garden room to any of the plants 
showing color, as far as I have seen them. Neither did 
they resist frost to so great an extent as we have been 
led to believe. 
Two vines that are not new, but which are not yet 
much grown, and which, where grown, always call forth 
(Continued on next page.) 
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