Marie Silk's Blog - Posts Tagged "easter-sunday"
A Special Excerpt for Easter Sunday: The Easter Parade
Does anyone remember the film with Judy Garland and Fred Astaire from way back when? The Easter Parade was one of my favorite musicals! I remember frequently searching the VHS section at the library to see if the video was available for a borrow. I loved the music, costumes, and hats!
Theatrical Movie Poster for Easter Parade from Wikipedia
When I began writing a historical series set in 1915 America, I knew I wanted to somehow incorporate the real life Easter Parade tradition of New York City. I finally wrote it into the fourth book of the Davenport House series Heiress Interrupted.
Please enjoy this excerpt about wealthy socialite Nellie Whitmore, whose life is about to become much more complicated with a perilous voyage across the ocean:
"Nellie, try this one.” Mrs. Whitmore handed her daughter another hat with seemingly endless frills.
“Mother, this is outrageous,” Nellie replied, pulling at the excess of feathers and buttons.
“It is the only way you will have the biggest hat in the parade,” her mother answered.
Nellie rolled her eyes. The Easter Parade in New York City was an important event to most upper class families, but not to her. She would rather be doing anything than parading down the street in a hat that weighed as much as a lap dog. “I do not care if it is the biggest. I cannot wear this silly thing,” Nellie argued, much to the dismay of the store clerk. The clerk gingerly lifted the hat from Nellie’s grasp and placed it back among the display shelves.
“You need to be noticed if you are to catch a husband,” Mrs. Whitmore reminded her. “You are not getting any younger. You must be noticed now, before it is too late.”
“Why would it be too late?” Nellie asked curiously. Her mother was about to answer just as Mr. Whitmore emerged through the door of the hat shop.
“Haven’t you ladies decided yet?” he huffed, looking over the dozen hats displayed near his daughter. Nellie shook her head and Mrs. Whitmore gave her husband a look. Mr. Whitmore turned to the clerk. “We will take all of them,” he muttered, eager to bring the shopping trip to an end.
Nellie shook her head, knowing that she already owned more hats than she would ever wear. The clerk scurried away happily to collect enough hat boxes. Mr. Whitmore gave his wife a look that seemed to ask a question, but she shook her head in response.
“What is it?” Nellie asked.
“We will explain later, when we get back to the house,” her mother answered.
The Easter Parade was in full swing the next afternoon. Ladies strutted through the street as expected with their showy hats and dresses. Some held ornate parasols and the spectators oohed and awed.
Nellie shook her head as she pinned on the hat covered in flowers and other notions that her mother had finally chosen. She sighed at her reflection in the vanity mirror. “This is hideous,” she grimaced. “At least Mother will be happy.” Nellie joined the other ladies walking down the street and smiled at the people watching, who were busy judging among themselves who was the best dressed. Nellie could not help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. She wondered if her friend Mary would believe how silly everyone got about the Easter Parade. Mary Davenport lived in the countryside of Pennsylvania and did not often leave home for such events. When the parade was finally over, Nellie stretched her neck in relief, removing the heavy hat from her head.
“Nellie!” her mother scolded. “We are not even back to the hotel yet.” Ladies were not considered fully dressed in public without their hats.
Nellie groaned. “Can’t I go sit in the carriage until Father is through talking with those men?”
“Wait a moment, there is someone I would like you to meet first. He is son to the Goldsteins, and he has expressed an interest in getting to know you,” Mrs. Whitmore said with a smile.
“Which one is he?” Nellie asked. Mrs. Whitmore discreetly nodded her head in the direction of a man who was approaching them. When Nellie saw the man, she made a face at her mother, at which Mrs. Whitmore returned a stern look.
“Mr. Goldstein, allow me to introduce my daughter, Nellie,” Mrs. Whitmore greeted.
Simon Goldstein smiled wide at the attractive young lady in front of him. Nellie had a fair complexion framed in delicate blonde curls. She never had trouble gaining the attention of men, she simply did not care for the ones she met. “I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Miss Whitmore,” Simon told her.
Nellie forced a smile. “I am pleased to make your acquaintance,” she replied quietly.
“Your hat is—elegant,” he stammered.
Nellie could not help but laugh. Another stern look from her mother caused Nellie to turn to Simon and speak quickly. “Thank you. I was just leaving to wait in my father’s carriage. I must get out of the sun. Good day, Mr. Goldstein.” Nellie turned on her heel and left the sidewalk.
“Forgive me, Mr. Goldstein. My daughter seems weary from the days’ events. Please visit us in Lancaster sometime when you have the chance,” Mrs. Whitmore apologized. Simon nodded and went on his way.
Mrs. Whitmore arrived at the carriage where her daughter was waiting. “What was wrong with Mr. Goldstein?” she asked, sounding tired.
Nellie shrugged. “He does not have the sort of face I like,” she answered, even though she did not have a good reason for disliking him.
“Well, what sort of face do you like?” Mrs. Whitmore pleaded.
Nellie smiled dreamily. “You have seen the stable boy at Davenport House. I like his face very much.”
“You know that such an arrangement is terribly improper, and do not say this to your father. You know how it provokes him to hear you talk of the Davenport’s stable boy. Your father has not worked this hard to secure our future to see it all go to a servant who lives with horses.” Mrs. Whitmore looked exasperated of having this conversation with her daughter. She leaned back against the leather seat and closed her eyes, waiting for the carriage to take them home to Lancaster.
Theatrical Movie Poster for Easter Parade from Wikipedia
When I began writing a historical series set in 1915 America, I knew I wanted to somehow incorporate the real life Easter Parade tradition of New York City. I finally wrote it into the fourth book of the Davenport House series Heiress Interrupted.
Please enjoy this excerpt about wealthy socialite Nellie Whitmore, whose life is about to become much more complicated with a perilous voyage across the ocean:
"Nellie, try this one.” Mrs. Whitmore handed her daughter another hat with seemingly endless frills.
“Mother, this is outrageous,” Nellie replied, pulling at the excess of feathers and buttons.
“It is the only way you will have the biggest hat in the parade,” her mother answered.
Nellie rolled her eyes. The Easter Parade in New York City was an important event to most upper class families, but not to her. She would rather be doing anything than parading down the street in a hat that weighed as much as a lap dog. “I do not care if it is the biggest. I cannot wear this silly thing,” Nellie argued, much to the dismay of the store clerk. The clerk gingerly lifted the hat from Nellie’s grasp and placed it back among the display shelves.
“You need to be noticed if you are to catch a husband,” Mrs. Whitmore reminded her. “You are not getting any younger. You must be noticed now, before it is too late.”
“Why would it be too late?” Nellie asked curiously. Her mother was about to answer just as Mr. Whitmore emerged through the door of the hat shop.
“Haven’t you ladies decided yet?” he huffed, looking over the dozen hats displayed near his daughter. Nellie shook her head and Mrs. Whitmore gave her husband a look. Mr. Whitmore turned to the clerk. “We will take all of them,” he muttered, eager to bring the shopping trip to an end.
Nellie shook her head, knowing that she already owned more hats than she would ever wear. The clerk scurried away happily to collect enough hat boxes. Mr. Whitmore gave his wife a look that seemed to ask a question, but she shook her head in response.
“What is it?” Nellie asked.
“We will explain later, when we get back to the house,” her mother answered.
The Easter Parade was in full swing the next afternoon. Ladies strutted through the street as expected with their showy hats and dresses. Some held ornate parasols and the spectators oohed and awed.
Nellie shook her head as she pinned on the hat covered in flowers and other notions that her mother had finally chosen. She sighed at her reflection in the vanity mirror. “This is hideous,” she grimaced. “At least Mother will be happy.” Nellie joined the other ladies walking down the street and smiled at the people watching, who were busy judging among themselves who was the best dressed. Nellie could not help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. She wondered if her friend Mary would believe how silly everyone got about the Easter Parade. Mary Davenport lived in the countryside of Pennsylvania and did not often leave home for such events. When the parade was finally over, Nellie stretched her neck in relief, removing the heavy hat from her head.
“Nellie!” her mother scolded. “We are not even back to the hotel yet.” Ladies were not considered fully dressed in public without their hats.
Nellie groaned. “Can’t I go sit in the carriage until Father is through talking with those men?”
“Wait a moment, there is someone I would like you to meet first. He is son to the Goldsteins, and he has expressed an interest in getting to know you,” Mrs. Whitmore said with a smile.
“Which one is he?” Nellie asked. Mrs. Whitmore discreetly nodded her head in the direction of a man who was approaching them. When Nellie saw the man, she made a face at her mother, at which Mrs. Whitmore returned a stern look.
“Mr. Goldstein, allow me to introduce my daughter, Nellie,” Mrs. Whitmore greeted.
Simon Goldstein smiled wide at the attractive young lady in front of him. Nellie had a fair complexion framed in delicate blonde curls. She never had trouble gaining the attention of men, she simply did not care for the ones she met. “I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Miss Whitmore,” Simon told her.
Nellie forced a smile. “I am pleased to make your acquaintance,” she replied quietly.
“Your hat is—elegant,” he stammered.
Nellie could not help but laugh. Another stern look from her mother caused Nellie to turn to Simon and speak quickly. “Thank you. I was just leaving to wait in my father’s carriage. I must get out of the sun. Good day, Mr. Goldstein.” Nellie turned on her heel and left the sidewalk.
“Forgive me, Mr. Goldstein. My daughter seems weary from the days’ events. Please visit us in Lancaster sometime when you have the chance,” Mrs. Whitmore apologized. Simon nodded and went on his way.
Mrs. Whitmore arrived at the carriage where her daughter was waiting. “What was wrong with Mr. Goldstein?” she asked, sounding tired.
Nellie shrugged. “He does not have the sort of face I like,” she answered, even though she did not have a good reason for disliking him.
“Well, what sort of face do you like?” Mrs. Whitmore pleaded.
Nellie smiled dreamily. “You have seen the stable boy at Davenport House. I like his face very much.”
“You know that such an arrangement is terribly improper, and do not say this to your father. You know how it provokes him to hear you talk of the Davenport’s stable boy. Your father has not worked this hard to secure our future to see it all go to a servant who lives with horses.” Mrs. Whitmore looked exasperated of having this conversation with her daughter. She leaned back against the leather seat and closed her eyes, waiting for the carriage to take them home to Lancaster.
