Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-04-01
THE CHILDREN'S DAY.

THE CHILDREN'S DAY.
Their Easter Monday Picnic in the White
House Grounds.
THE GATHERING OF LITTLE ONES TO FRoLIC AND
EoLL EGGs-Eow THEY TAKE POSSESSION OF
THE PRESIDENTS BACK YAID-THE MARINE
BASD NOT 70 PLAY-MR ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The children Of the District Of Columbia are
praying for sunshine and pleasant weather on
Monday. Not to know why is to admit your
ignorance OF one of the most treasured iustitu-
lions of the District. for from the earliest days
of our oldest inhabi.an Easter Monday has
been picnic occasion Of particular Joy and
sladness to our Juvenile population. To them
it is what May day is to the children OF Eng
land, and fair skv and baimy breezes are con-
ditions essential to its perfect enjoyment.
AL the public schools closed on that day
and the beautiful grounds south of The Presi-
dents house axe gwen over to the Tse and occu-
patton Of the children. That they appreciate the
privilege Is indicated bv the irnneuce crowd
that assemblies there al these annual reunions.
No other occasion. not even circus, ia
so attractrive 20 our children or at
any rate brings them together in such numbers.
There is no cas- ie in this assemDlace. Like
love Easter Monday levels all ranks, also
colors. The poor are as welcome the rich
and no places are reserved for favories. 1.
Is a case of first come first served. so that
those who come earliest get the shadiest and
most desirable places. This usually includes
an iron bench. There are not many of these
in the grounds and consequently they are
soon pre-empted.
A PICNIC PURE AND SIMPLE.
The occasion is nothing but picnic pure and
giO,r,le with rol-ipp ~
accessory, and the Presidents grounds are con-
verified into playground for the children for
that one day only. All the Presidents
have entered into the spirit OF the occasion
and President Harrison added considerably
TO the pleasure OF The children By ordering the
Marine Band to play Tor them during their
childish pastimes. His own grandchil-
dren were always present and it Was
with especial pride and pleasure that
he Sazed down upon them from his Office win
dow at intervals In his work.
DEMOCRATIC GATHERING.
Nearly every household in the city is repre-
sented in these gatherings. Babies are particu-
larry numerous, from the pampered dar:ings in
carriages with gaady co!ored wraps and swans
down. attended by neatly gowned nurses with
French caps. 10 pickaninnles shropded in cid
army blankets. some drawn in cracker boxes on
wheels and others carried In the arms
Sunday-go-to-meetings. The bulk Of the
crowd. however. is made up of bows and girls
Old enough to run and play among the trees
and not too old to be ashamed of a good old
fashioned rorp in the open air. Many are Of
course attended by their parents guardians
or at least by elder sisters aud brothers, but
the most of them come in parties without the
attendance of seniors.
All are beautifully supplied with lunch and
for any one to appear there without an assort-
~ 1rn1n H.
pleasantly conspicuous if, indeed, it did not
render the individual an object of suspicion.
He would probably be regarded as a. pariah
and would certainly be ostracised by all
THE GROUNDS.
The grounds are admirably adapted for the
purpose. the fine large lawn, with its scarcely
perceptible slant toward the river being fianked
with two gracefully sloping knobs shaded with
a score Of fine trees Of heavy foliage. large
fountain filed with lilies and other aquatic
flowers and a myriad Of bright-hued fish marks
the southern end OF the playground, and
numerous beautiful flower beds fringe the
other sides.
The gates are thrown open about o'clock,
and usually are not closed until about 5o'clock,
the children being free 10 play in the grounds
to their hearts content in the meantime. Po-
licemen are there, to be sure, but their presence
Is as much for the purpose of preventing the
children from injuring themselves III play as it
is to keep objectionable characters
from interfering with them. As .
rule they have very little to do.
Their statuesque poses in their blue uniforms
and brass buttons serves. however. to add to
the general picturesqueness of u scene made up
OF hundreds OF children of both sexes playing
on the grass and grouped at iuncheon-picnic
style-under the trees.
PRESIDENT cLEvELANDs INTEREST.
President Cleveland knows all about these
Easter gatherings and wouldn't think Of max
ing rule to circumscribe their freedom They
occurred right under his window when he was
here before, and there are obvious reasons why
he will be more interested in the reunions now
than he was before, when he went SO far to
hold special reception in the east room for
the beneht OF the little ones. whcwere having a
veritable picnic in his back yard regardless
of the damage they were doing to the lawn,
the cultivation OF which was the special pride
and JOY Of the executive gardeners.
THE MARINE BAND WILL NOT PLAY.
Col. Wilson. the new superintendent Of public
buildings and grounds, whose authority ex-
tends over the grounds around the White
House. said to STAR reporter today that
the Presidents grounds will be thrown
open to the children as usual Easter
Monday for egg-rolling purposes, but that it
had been deemed advisable not TO have the
Marine Band present on that occasion. There
we're good reasons for this. he said, but he did
not care to discuss them at present y 1t was
sufficient to say that he did not feel justified in
asking the Secretary Of the Navy to order out
| the band on Monday. The gates of the grounds