Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1878-08-07
Easter Games I'm Germany.

: Easter Monday is looked upon as
grand holiday by the peasantry in many
parts of Germany. Weddings are often
deferred tn this day, and many village
games are reserved for this season. The
lads and lassies all appear in their gala
costumes; the girls with short, dark
skirts, braided with gold or silver,
snowy aprons and full white sleeves.
bright colored bodices and odd little
caps; the boys with knee-breeches,
white stockings, low shoes, and scarlet
or yellow vests, the solid gold or silver
buttons on which are often their whole
inheritance. But when they are dane
ing gayly together on the green, they
look good deal happier than if they
were little kings and queens.
Games vary in different villages
throughout the country, but one exam
pie will give some idea of what they are
like.
Two of tie leading young men OF the
place take entire charge of the days
amusements, selecting for the purpose
as the scene of festivities some inn or
wirthscbaft, to which is attached a
large garden or meadow.
For several preceding evenings, when
work is over, they 20 about from house
to house, dressed in their best, and
carrying large baskets on their arms.
Everywhere they are kindly received,
and bread with wine or cider is placed
before them. While they eatand drink,
the baskets are quietly slipped away by
some member OF the family, a generous
donation of eggs is placed within them,
and they are secretly returned to their
places. The eggs are not asked for'
neither are they alluded to in any way;
but the object OF the visit is well under
stood and prepared for long beforehand.
When Monday morning dawns, the
inn is found TO have been gayly decor
ated with garlands of green and flowers,
and fiuttering ribbons Of many
celors. The tree nearest the house l.
Ornamented in like manner, aAd on II
the prize to be cuntended for, cOnsplcu-
ously hangs. On smooth grass hard by,
a strip, few feet wide and perhaps n
hundred long, has been roped in, and
at either end of this narrow plot large,
shallow, round-bottOmed basket, called
Wanne, is placed, one filled with chat
and the other with eggs, dozens upon
dozens, cooked and raw, white and
colorei.
The plan OF the peculiar game which
follows is that one player is pitted to
run a given distance, while another
safely throws the eggs from one basket
to the other, he who first completes his
task being, of course the winner. Ac-
cOrdingly, when the young men and
maidens have arrived, two leaders draw
| lots 10 determine who shall run and
who shall throw. That decided, the
contestants are gayly decked with rib
bons, band strikes up lively air, a
capering clown clears the way, and the
game begins. He who throws takes the
eggs, and one after another swiftly
whirls them the length of the course,
and into the chaff filed basket, which
Is held in the hands of an assistant.
Occasionally he makes a diversion by
pitching a hard one TO be scrambled
for by the crowds of children who have
assembled to see the sport. Meanwhile
(while wagers are laid as to who will
likely win the other contestant speeds
the distance of mile or two TO an ap-
pointed goal, marks it as proof of his
having touched it, and If he succeeds
in returning before all the eggs are
thrown, the victory and the prize are
his, otherwise they belong to his oppo-
nent. The game finished, the prize is
presented to the victor with due cere-
mony and amid the cheers of the crowd !;
the hard eggs are distributed among
the company, ami the raw ones carried
uproariously into the neighboring inn,
there to be cooked in various ways and
eaten.
The remainder of the day is spent in
dancing and merry-making, and if Il
wedding can possibly be arranged To
take place on that afternoon the fun is
wilder than ever.