The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-08-21

EASIEAs SsALn-4 AN a.E..MANY.
Easter Monday is looked upon as q grand
holiday by the peasantry in Germany.
Weddings are often deferred to this day,
and many village games are reserved for
this season. The lads and lassies all ap.
pear in their gala cotumes; the girls. with
short dark skirts, braided with gold or
silver, snowy aprons and full white sleeves,
bright coored bodices and odd little caps;
the boys with knee e-breeches; white stock.
ings, 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 hap
pier than if they were little kings and
queens.
Games vary in different villages through
out the country, but one example will give
some idea of what they are like.
Two of the leading young men of the
place take entire charge of the days amuse-
lnents, selecting for the purpose as the
scene of festivities some inn or Wuthscrqjt,
to which is attached large garden or
meadow. For several preceding even
ngs, when work is over, they go 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 eat and drink the
baskets are quietly slipped away by some
member of the family, generous dona-
ton 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 understood and pre-
pared for long beforehand.
When Monday morning dawns, the inn
is found to have been gayly decorated with
garlMnds of green and flowers, and
futtering ribbons of many colors. The
lIGS uodltbt UlS uOuoO OllunlCutCo Al
like manner, and on it the prize to be con-
tended for conspicuously hangs. On the
smooth grass hard by strip, few feet
wide and perhaps hundred long, has been
roped in, and at either end of this narrow
plot a large, shallow, round-bottomed
basket called "Wanne," is placed, one
filed with chaff and the other with eggs,
dozens upon dozens, cooked and raw, white
and colored.
The plan of the pecliar game which fol-
lows is that one player is pitted to run a
given distance, willie another safely throws
the eggs from one basket to the other
he who first completes his task being, of
course, the winner. Accordingly, when
the young men and maidens have arrived,
wo leaders draw lots to determine whot
shall run and who shall throw. That de-
cided, the contestants are gaily decked with
ribbons, band strikes up lively air, q
capering clown clears the way, aud 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-illed basket, which is held in the
/ hands of an assistant. Occasionally he
makes diversion by pitching hard one
| to be scrambled for by the crowd of chill
dren 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 ap
} pointed goal, marks it as proof OF his hav
: ing touched it, and if he succeeds in return
5 ing before all the eggs are thrown, thu
9 victory and the prize are his, otherwise
g they belong to his opponent.
S The game finished the prize is presented
to the victor with due ceremony, and annie
/; the cheers of the crowd; the hard eggs ar,
3 distributed among the company, and the raw
Il ones carried uproariousy into the neigh
Q boring inn, there to be cooked in variou
!, ways and eaten. The remainder of tn
4 day is spent in dancing and meTymaking
u and if a wedding can possibly be arrange
:; to take place on that afternoon the fun
r wilder than ever.
Q --.~-@90-s-
WOMEN OF JAPAN.