The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1891-04-02
PICKING EGGS.

from The l4ud 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 Mt 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 a teaspoon
full of strong vinegar TO pint of water.
Then put in the eggs, and let them re-
main until the desired shade is obtained.
The eggs may be eaten with safety after
being colored. Eggs can be colored red
by dissolving little redwood, cochineal
or carmine in the water in which they
are Goiled. Let them remain in the
water some time. When done wipe
them with 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 calico, the right side
next the egg, and boiling the egg for
about ten minutes in water i'll which q
tablespoonful of soda has been dissolved.
Generally it will be found best in
decorating eggs to elbow" them instead
of boiling. Pierce each egg with a
darning needle and blow out the con-
tents. Then the shell is ready for deco
ration, and may be painted in water
colors or sepia.
L The street ganlin 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 lie
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 OF
I not When the particular young pur
0 chaser is suited with the strength of hi.
9 egg he finds some boy with whom II
g '.pick." The sharp end of the egg is the
q "pint," the round end the butt" Tit
pints arc struck, the boy who proposes
the ne striking first. The other DO,
hole his thumb and forefnger around
the top of his egg, so it can be strucl
only On the pint" The striker keeps nj
his blows until one egg is cracked. Thei
he holds up the butt of his egg, ant
the other boy strikes it until one of thos
is cracked. The boy who succeeds il
breaking the others egg at both end
wins the broken egg. He can sell al
he wins for a cent apiece at home or il
the stores, where there is always brisl
trade for cracked eggs.
The egg rolling in the White Hous
grounds each Easter Monday is a scene no
reproduced anywhere else in the Unite'
States. The grounds are thrown open t
the public, and parents and nurses wit
children of all ages come in the morn
ing. They carry baskets of lunch an
others filed with gayly colored eggs
which are to be rolled down the grass
slopes on which the children play, Q
''picked" as the street gamins do fres
ones. Thousands of children fill tn
: grounds and play with eggs under th