The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1891-03-28

.aae PICKING EGGS.
from the land of Egypt, and it was used
in the feast of the passover as part of
the furniture of the table with the pas
cal lamb.
The custom of dyeing eggs at Easter
tide dates back to the Fourth century
of the Christian church. The Romish
church at that era prohibited the eating
Of eggs during Lent. The store of eggs
which accumulated was counted the
property of the children, and to enhance
the value of the eggs in their estimation
they were dyed with brilliant colors
and gayly ornamented.
Here Is the right way to boil Easter
eggs: Boil Fresh, clean, white eggs at
least ten minutes Add little dissolved
dye. any color wanted, and teaspoon
full of strong vinegar to a pint of water.
Then put in the eggs, and let them re-
main until the desired shades obtained
The eggs may he eaten with safety after
being colored. Eggs can be colored red
by dissolving little redwood, cochineal
or ear1nine in the water in which they
are boiled. Let them remain in the
water some time. When done wipe
them with a flannel slightly oiled. Spin
ach water will make the eggs light
green; saffron, yellow.
The patterns of any print may be
transferred to the egg by sewing it up
in piece of the cnlico. the right side
next the egg. and boiling the egg for
about ten minutes in water in which
tablespoonful of soda has been dissolved
Generally ii will be found best in
decorating eggs to elbow" them instead
of boiling. Pierce each egg with a
darning needle aud blow out the con-
tents. Then the shell is ready for deco
ration. and may be painted in water
colors or sepia.
The street gamin does not lose his
share of Easter joy, though he goes to no
church and has no new clothes to wear.
Eggs are cheapest at Easter and the lit
Tie fellows gamble with game that is
called picking eggs" Each boy looks
for the strongest egg, testing it by tap
ping the end against his teeth. The
sound tells whether the egg is strong or
not. When the particular young pur-
chaser is suited with the strength of his
egg he finds some boy with whom to
s.picl. The sharp end of the egg is the
'tpint," the round end the butt The
pints are struck, the boy who proposes
the game striking first, The other boy
holds his thumb and forefinger around
the top of his egg, so it can be struck
only on the "pint" The striker keeps up
his blows until one egg is cracked Then
he holds up the ''butt' of his egg, and
the other boy strikes it until one of those
is cracked. The boy who succeeds in
breaking the others egg at both ends
wins the broken egg He can sell all
he wins for cent apiece at home or in
! the stores, where there is always brisk
trade for cracked eggs
The egg rolling in the White House
grounds each Easter Monday is a scene NOT
reproduced anywhere else in the United
States. The grounds are thrown open tc
the public, aud parents and nurses with
children of all ages come in the morn,
ing. They carry baskets of lunch and
others filled with gayly colored eggs
which are to be rolled down the grassy
slopes on which the children play, oil
'pickede as the street gamins do fresh
ones. Thousands of children fill the
grounds and play with eggs under the
Trees until they get hungry and eat the
hard boiled ovals with their lunches, with
regular picnic appetites. The big band
plays IN the afternoon, and the visiting
thousands are delighted with a sight al
the presidential family, who show them
sstYes on the piazza with their friends.
y course the little White House chill