Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-03-29
GERMANYS EASTER GAMES.
WAYS In which tho Land of Many Holidays
Celebrates One of the Brightest.

| IN terlnany ~ IL tne Osttr Iuso NbnStci
rabbit who gives the Easter eggs and all
| the goodies found IN the Easter nest.
| The nests are made in various WAYS
sometimes out of twigs interviewer with
| ives and those peculiar gilt and silver
| leaves, laces, and flowers one sees nowhere
else but in Germany.
Again, o pretty nest-shaped basket is
chosen. This, lined with bright-colored
silk or cambria, and the outside decorated
with paper flowers, wreaths, and bows OF
| ribbon. bits of lace, and many shining
ornaments, makes a very attractiye-look-
| ing 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 chick
| ems; confections 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 fanci-
| full dresses: toy animals, fat little pigs,
and plump biddie hens with their broods
| of tiny Easter chicks-all more or less
| elaborately decorated with spice, seeds
| and fne sugar drops, nuts, &c. Playing
marbles of every delightful color. size and
variety, are q part of the nests treasures.
also books, games, and toys, if the nest
happens to be large enough to hold all.
The eggs are first boiled half hour or
more 10 make them very hard, then they
are dropped into q solution OF cochineal
| dye, q strong dye giving deep red color,
a weaker solution pink or light red. Blue.
yellow, orange, and green in different
| shades are also colored by using simple
| dyestuffs we'll heated. Sometimes the
| eggs are painted in pretty fanciful designs
especially suited to please the children.
HUNTING TIE EASTER MIST.
4 40
start on their hunt for the Easter-nest.
| They frolic through the house, psepang
under sofas, chairs, tables, and in odd
corners They scampered up stairs and
| down; then out into the garden they rush
among hedges and grasses. climbing tress,
| fences. and walls in their eager search.
The child who finds 1t first cries !" Oster
| Hase, Oster Hasel" Then all tho chill
dren flock to the spot. eager for peep at
the pretty nest and the cunning rabbit
| who sits upon II.
The finder 10 privileged to take the nest
| from its hiding place and to distribute its
contents among the other children. Every
| thing il labelled with the name Of the
| child for whom the gift is intended, so
| that the division is always amicable. Next
| to Christmas and New Years, Easter Is the
most delightful holiday Of the whole year
| for the children.
The German children have many unique
games which belong exclusively TO Easter:
| Among them IS q game OF marbles played
| thus:
PLAYING EASTER MARBLES.
The Easter eggs are cut of 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 triangu-
| lar 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 with deft thud against the
wall or base board. II in the rebound a
| marble touches one or moro OF the eggs the
| same becomes the property OF the SIDE 10
which the marble belongs. Then the oppo-
site side must set up" and the game ~
only won when all the eggs are captured
| by one side. Candy animals and cake peo-
| pie who are able TO stand alone are OFTEN
victims in this war of marbles.
Hineinwerfen Throwing I'M ~ great
game with street boys. They buy cheap
eggs, then break the shell at one end, re-
moving the egg-meat. The break Is large
enough to admit coins, the two-pfennlg
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 shell. The PLAYER who
succeeds in doing this wins an additional
com from the holder Of the egg;
Egg-rolling is not exclusively German.
II is a simple amusement. but it takes Its
place among other Easter games.
The children search ont 0 sharp pitch
upon the hillside. They st the eggs upon
their sides and give them q gentle push.
Some e~r.s ale great rollers, and sharp lads
know the kinds to choose for this purpose.
4 be game il often very spirited. Ii gives
plenty OF exercise. The game is not really
one of skill, but of possession rather. :,
Beautiful Easter cards and books and
hosts of pretty Easter souvenirs grace, the
shop windows. Indeed, Germany Is a land
of many holidays. Easter Is one OF It's
BRIGHTEST