Concerning' Certain Easter Days.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8030, 17 January 1906, Page 4

Concerning' Certain Easter Days.

" The Sunday next before Easter," necord-. ing to tiie English Prayer Book, is Palm Sunday. It is called also Passion Sunday, as being the commencement of Passion Week. Palm Sunday used to he the waft* sion for a festival of a joyous chanurtar, .commemorative of the popularity "of the reception accorded to ,Clnist ou His entry into Jerusalem immediately defore Kin Passion. On this day, in Hoinan Catholic Countries, Hie priests Mess branches of palms, which are then carried in procession in memory of those strewed before Christ at his entrance into the Holy Oily. After the procession the boughs used in it are burnt and their ashes preserved, that they may be laid upon the heads of the people next Ash Wednesday with the priest's blessing. Even after the itefoniialiou, Henry VIIJ ordained that the carrying of palms on this dny was a custom not to be tll(J reign of The Thursday before Easter is known as Maundy Thursday. At one lime it was called Shore Thursday, fm:n the practice of the priests in shearing their hair on this day to make themselves trim for Good Friday and Easier, The origin of the term M maundy" is doubtful. Most probably it was derived from u inaund," an old English word fi>r basket, in consequence of the distribution of gifts in baskets on this day. The w ml " maundy" is used by old authors' forgifisor alms, and was evidently, in its turn, derived f.iom the practice of the day. The religious duties of the day included works of humility, and conferring gifts on the poor. The object seems, to haye been to imitate, or, at least, to"*coin:nemorate the humility of Christ in washing the feet of his disciples. Cardinal Wolsey, in IOJJO, had brought to him fifty-nine poor men, whose feet he washed and kissed ; and after he bad wiped them he gave to each man twelve pence in money, some canvas to mrtke them shirts, a pair of new shoes, and other thing.-,. The number of the poor men correspond\ . with the years of his age. Since then Uoyalty has condescended t< this practice. The King of England hasqeen accustomed to have brought to hi in a > manv poor men as ho wm years old. whosfeet lie washed with his own hands, aftM which he distributed among thcui hi> " viaunds," consisting of meat, clothes, anr moiiey, Queen Elizabeth, when in he: thirty-ninth year, performed this ccremon; at Greenwich, being attended by lhirty-nin< gentlewomen. Thirty-nine poor p'M>>n> were brought, nnd tl)r>ir feet worn firs washed by the yeomen of the laundry with lavender and sweet herbs, imd afterward* by the Queen herself, kneeling. Clothing, food, ami money were then di I'.ribntcd amongst them. This slrange mureonv wn:last performed lo its fullest, extent by iantet 11. i-'or m;iny years the washing of feet hasbeen given up, but the other part of the custom survives, and is performed* by Edward VIL, an additional sum of money being given to the poor people instead of provisions. An Ingenious Soldiers' Boat. For some years past each regiment of cavalry in the German army has been pro* vided with two hug- collapsible boats, for use in crossing wide rivers, a contingency which must often arise in any continental campaign. The difficulties of transport, however, were considerable, the boats being carried in Woavy waggmir'. which c'.Ten fell far behind the regiment, and were not forthcoming when wanted. Other disadvantage: were the large initial co-it of the boats, and the employment of a number of men and horses who could ill be spared. All this, however, has now been changed by a clever invention which places each squadron in possession of the materials for constructing ft boat of its own—the so-called "lanceboat," which can he put together by sh men in five minutes and taken to piece* again in less than two. The skeleton *

the boat is formed by twelve to Bisteen lances fitted at either end into ft horse-grioe frame. Over this u Wiitoi-pioof tnipaulln is drawn, and the boat is ready. Other lances are used as ours, the blades being made of strips of tarpaulin stretched ou cross pieces of wood, through which the lance is slipped. When not in use these strips can be rolled up anc carried in the pochet. The frames and connecting pieces weigh -1011)., and the tarpaulin J-ilt). The whole equipment necessary for the construction of a hoat weighs therefore, G-ilb., so that one horse can easily carry all the material required for two boats. The ne\? boat has been thoroughly tested in the field, and has given such satisfaction that it lias been decided to supply it to every squadron in the 100 regiments of cavalry in the German army. Its introduction is estimated to effect an economy equal to a sum of £27,000 annually—in addition to setting free 'J,OOO men and 3,501. horses for other services. ' Between the Two—" As between the twr political parties,remained t| lc lir.4 speakc:. " one's had and the other's woise." "Exactly," said the other man ; "and it's hard to tell which is which." " The idea Madam, you've aircndy overdrawn your account." " What's tha,t ? " "You haven't any more money in the bank.'' "The idea! A line bank, I tliinlc, to be out of money because of the little I've drawn ! Well, I'll go somewhere else."