San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1878-04-13
Easter Games In Germany.

Noiihohy' WouuinSS arc oitoh uoiotiou
to 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 bod
ices 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 dancing 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. 10.
Two of the 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
Wirthschaft, to which is attached large
garden or meadow. ...t.-rHr ....
For several preceding evenings, when
work is over, they 60 about from house
to house, dressed in their best, and car
rying large baskets on their arms.
Everywhere they are kindly received,
and bread with wine or cider is placed
before them. While they eat and drink
the baskets are quietly slipped away by
some member Of the family, 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 before
hand.
When Monday morning dawns, the
inn is found to have been gaily decorat-
ed with garlands of green and flowers,
and tluttering ribbons of many colors.
The tree nearest the house is ornament
ed in like manner, and on it the prize to
be commended for conspicuously hangs.
On the smooth grass hard by strip,
few feet wide and perhaps a hundred
long, has been roped in, and at either
end of this narrow plot large, shallow,
round bottomed basket, called Wan'ae,
is placed, one filled with chatf and the
other with eggs, dozens upon dozens,
cooked and raw, white and colored.
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 to determine who shall run and
who shall throw. That decided, the
contestants are gayly decked with rib
bons, a 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-flled basket, which
is held in the hands of an assistant. Oc-
casionally he makes a diversion by
pitching hard one to be scrambled for
by the crowds of children who
have assembled to see the
sport. Meantime-while wagers are
laid as to who will likely win
the other contestant speeds the distance
of mile or two to an appointed goal,
marks it as proof of his having touched
it, and if he succeeds in returning be-
fore all the eggs are thrown, the victory
and the prize are his, otherwise they be-
long to his opponent. The game fin
ished, the prize is presented to the victor
with due ceremony and amid the cheers
of the crowd; the hard eggs are dis
tributed among the company, and 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 merrymaking, and if a
wedding can possibly be arranged to
take place on that afternoon the fun is
wilder than ever.-St. Nicholas for
april.
NV,I-;-u Manila GnOar