New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-04-04
EASTER MONDAY EGG ROLLING
THE UNIQUE WASHINGTON CHILDREN'S
FESTIVAL
PERFECT DAY AND A GREAT CROWD ON TIE
WHITE HOUSE GROUNDS.
Wife TfVOsE "NOVNUS'
fBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBuNE.1

PERFECT DAY AND GREAT CROWD OS lhh
WHITE HOUSE GROUNDS
TBr TELEGRAPH TO THE rRrBuSE1
Washington. April 3.-Today was a great day NJ
the National Capital for children and for their fathers
mothers and grandmohers to say nothing OF their
sisters. cousins and aunts 1t was Easter MONDAY
everywhere else; but In Washington 1t was great
deal more than that 1t the Easter egg-roIling
festival which, when weather permits. always turns
Easter Monday into the greatest and prettiest
chidren's holiday IN the year. For the last two
three years the weather was wet and not DIT
pringllke. and Easter Monday. instead OF being the
joyous day Il should be- was dismal disappoih'-
ment thousands OF children will testify. But TO-
day was all their own, Just as perfect as II maue
for them who shall say It was not? 1t was an
April day with June sky ard May atmosphere. and
altogether ideal day for old people. young people,
babies and eggs.
There was a time few years back when the egg.
rolling festival was divided half and half between
the White House grounds and Capitol grounds. NO
body knows perhaps cares to say why the Jay
has vanished from the Capitol grounds and gone en-
tlrely to the White House grounds But small boys
have intimated that they feel more at home where
the President Sleeps his eye on the police so II
Is that on Easter Monday oil children In washington
take possession OF the Presidents "tack yard as
one youngster called the White House GROUNDS. ana
assert ownership with refreshing disregard OF
authority They were all there today not fewer than
10 900 children, 10000 grown folks ana, on rough
estimate many more thousand eggs.
The gardeners however. likely to come closer
TO the oxact number OF eggs. From tomorrow on
for some weeks, they say their best efforts must DC
given to gathering the shells over good many acres
Of ground too Besides gathering egyshells, they
gather almost everything else In the line OK broken
mnch-boxes broken lunches, and paper almost oy .ie
ton Every blade OF grass must be raked, ana lou
he To
words the gardeners declare the work OF mon'ns ~
undone BY the pleasure OF day. IL may DC sal"
with certainty that the White House gardeners are w"
only people In Washington who are not HAPPY ""
Easter Monday. They even hope the day VIII come
when the egg rolling business" will have no place
In the White House grounds Ent the Prcsldeh' WHO
would risk his popularity by such decree must needs
ne I, man who would care more for his gardeners ana
grounds than for children and their cool fellowship
Easter Monday is the one day In the year wheh
children Of all classes. conditions and ccors are on
social level within the grounds Inc ragse" Dia.M
hoy picks eggs with the mllliOnaircs son, ana HUE
Girls who never by any chance meet elsewhere or Mt
another time ship the Iope' and play as Equals
For tht. one day they all members Of the " AN.
II IL "A long day. beginning with some OF them AZ
O'Clock I'm the morning and ending at In the evening"
The gates are not opened until O'Clock Dut tne c'''
drcn 90 an hour ahead OF time and Keep Inc "a'ce"
husy answering questions about the President They
feel that the President has personal interest III
every one OF them. and they return the compliment;
II was the Presidents regular day Tor shaKihg
hands In the East Room. When he went uown Il.
&c lock the East Room gentle :" crush, uie
vestibule full and out on tn" porico u secoha cro"n
waiting to get In. There were babies In arms arr on
foot ard children OF all sizes with baskets oil an SIZES
After shaking hands with about 900 men ana women
and smiling nearly as many babies the PRESIDENT po
gave II up as quite hopeless and reured Inc ffes'-
dents wife with party OF friends, spent some ume
on the south pOrticO watching the croWus. L.ue
Ruth Cleveland however. did not appear though there
was hardly u child In The grounds who hnd mol eA-
nectd 10 500 The Presidents baby ont with her nurse
and there was much disappointment.
Three years ago President Harrison came down TO
mo portIco with his grandchildren. IL was simple
ling simply and naturally done. but 1t gave pleasure
,o MANY thousands Of children. who II asked conla
"n, "nv inst why they were pleased. Rut they felt
hn measure and laughed and cbccred. Had PRESIDENT
cleveland come down to-day with his little daughter
!, womld have been "a gracious simple way OF giving
n,,.sure 10 the crowds Of children and would nave
placed him closely In touch with all the crowds Of