The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-25
Game OF Marbles A Played by German
Children-Brucken, Hineinwerfen,
and Other Sports.
written Tor THE INDEPENDENCE

shining ornaments, makes a very attractive
looking nest for the Easter rabbit.
Inside are a goodly number OF eggs of
different colors, also small sugar or cake
rabbits, chocolate lambs. mice and chickens;
CONNECTIONS of every queer sort; cakes baked
in the shape of pompous-looking soldiers,
sailors or wood choppers; cake women with
funny poke bonnets or caps; sugar children
in all sorts of odd or fanciful dresses; toy
animals, fat little pigs, and plump biddie
hens with their broods of tiny Easter chicks
all more or less deliberately decorated
with spiced seeds and fine sugar drops, nuts,
etc. Playing marbles of every delightful
color. sizs and variety are a part of the
nests treasures, also books, games md
TOYS, if the nest happens to be large enough
to hold all.
Instead of the American mother hen who
usually presides over the Easter rest, a
proud mother rabbit proudly covers the
HOster Eier'' easter eggs). This rabbit is
often baked from biscuit or cake dough,
and it is surprising what life-like proper
tions the creature takes. German bakers
have wonderful skill in decorating cakes OF
all kinds, but the Oster Hase Is tneir mas
terpiece.
Sometimes the rabbit is made entirely OF
sugar: but whatever its body may be, lts
skin is always covered with various sueared
or siIyered ornaments. while. perhaps, Its
tiny ears may be tied at their tips WIN pows
of blue or red ribbon.
The eggs are first boiled a half hour or
more to make them very hard: then they
are dropped into q solution OF cochlneal
dive, a strong dye giving a deep red color, a
weaker solution pink or light red. Blue,
yellow, orange and green in different
shades are also colored by using simple dye
stuffs we'll heated. Sometimes the eggs are
painted in pretty, fanciful designs special
" suited to please the children.
Early on Easter morning the children
start on their unit for the Easter nest.
They frolic through the house, peeping IN
der sofas, chairs, tables and in odd cor
ners. They scamper up stairs and down;
then out into the garden they rush among
hedges and grasses, climbing. trees, fences
and walls in their eager search.
The child who hnds II frst CRIES .Oster
Haso! Oster Hase!' Then all the children
flock to the spot, eager for a peep at the
pretty nest and the cunning rabbit who
sits upon it.
The Under is privileged to take the nest
from its hiding place, and to distribute its
erything is tabled with the name of the
child for whom the gift is intended, SO the
division is always amicable. Next to
ChristYnas and New Years, Easter is the
most delightful holiday of the whole year
for the children.
Il0bOGTmou CulluEcA AdV0 uhAy uAAIOo
pameSwhich belong exclusively. to Easter.
Among them is a game of marbles played
thus:
The Easter eggs are cut off squarely, per-
haps one-third of the distance from the
broad end. They are then set up, say three
or four feet from the wall and in triangular
positions. Three or four may be set at
once. Sides are chosen if there are more
than two players. Then the children roll
their marbles against the wall or base
board. If in the rebound a marble touches
one or more of the eggs the same becomes
the property of the side to which the mar
BILE belongs. Then the opposite side must
"set up and the game IS only won When
all the eggs are captured by one side.
Candy animals and cake people who are
able to stand alone are often victims IN this
war of marbles.
ia played by boys with considerable skill
sometimes, and always a deal of spirit.
The hard boiled eggs are olasped firmly in
tho hollow of the hand, their tips protrud-
ing. The contest is to try to break the egg
held by the opponent. OF course, a skilled
player guards we'll the egg point. The egg
brogen in the thrust is g!ven to the breaker.
It is very amusing, just before Easter, to
watch the lads hanging about markets test
ing eggs. They place the left hand behind
the left ear, and with the other strike the
tip of the egg against their front teeth.
Il Q6v CldlulI AdG JIG hlAo VI ouAAO 0AO SOAA-
cussion gives indicates the thickness of the
shells point. The boy who is authority on
the subject of shells is very popular among
his fellows.
Hineinwerfen (throwing i'm ia a great
game with street boys. They buy cheap
moving the egg meat. The break is large
enough to admit coins, the t~wo-phening
piece. being probably the largest used in
the game. A boy holds up an egg; the
other boys pitch, if possible, their coins
through the broken she'll. The player who
succeeds in doing this wins an additional
coin from the holder of the egg.
In we'll instructed homes the rule is to di-
vide the Easter winnings after the games
are over, giving to each his original pos
sessions. An exception is made, however,
where the father and mother, as is gener-
ally yield their candies AID goodies, if won
by the children, to them.
Children, especially little girls, spend
many pleasant hours in painting and dress
ing up egg people. They first paint queer
faces upon the shell; then, after pastine
upon them paper noses, sometimes of sur.
prising proportions, they dress them ul
with all sorts of curiously shaped hats OF
comets and %ruff1es.
They also cut fine paper fringes for hail
or beard; or. perhaps they stick on bits OF
fur or silk cut from skeips. A paper stocl
with a high collar is adjusted to set tn.
eggs upon to hold them all right. The egg
people are a very interesting part of Eastel
day. Tiny cradles are also made out O.
shells. the rockers being bits Of pasteboard
Diminutive dolls lie in these cradles under
blanket of colored cotton batting.
Egg rolling is not exclusively German
It is a simple amusement, but it takes it
place among other Easter games.
The children search out a sharp pitcl
upon the hillside. They set the eggs upol
their sides and give them a gentle push
Some eggs are great rollers, and sharp lad
know the kinds to choose for this purpose
The game is often quite spirited. 1t give
plenty of exercise. The game is not reall
one of skill, but of possession rather.
Beautiful Easter cards and books an
hosts of pretty Easter souvenirs grace tn
shop windows. Indeed, Germany is a Ian
of many holidays. Easter is one of il
brightest.
In Germany, in Russia, and in some othe
European countries there is a beautiful Gu
tom belonging to Easter. Each mother pr,
pares a basket of food-usually ham, egg
cake and bread, such as would naturally /
eaten On Easter day. This basket is carrie
by a servant or some member of the fami
to the church, and set down before IL
altar. The priest or clergyman blesses q
the baskets.
They are then carried home and eat
member of the family partakes of this foo
Every scrap OF it ia carefully guarded, n