Evening star., 1899-04-03
EASTER EGG ROLLING
White House Grounds Thronged With
Happy Little People
THOUSANDS OF THE PARTICIPANTS
Marine Band Directed to Give Con-
cert This Afternoon.
GAY SCENE ON THE LAWNS

The White House grounds were thrown
open to the children of Washington at an
early hour today and this afternoon the
Easter Morsay egg rolling, a distinct fea-
ture of capital city life. is I'm fun swing.
The Marine Band. under Prof. Santelmann,
has been ordered TO report at the grounds
at o'clock this afternoon, and will
begin at that hour a concert for the espe-
cial pleasure of the army of little ones who
have gathered IN the Presidents grounds
during the day. Thousands OF youngsters
are disporting themselves on the green
lawns, shouting with glee as they their
vari-colored eggs go flying down the grassy
slopes. to be caught by fond parents or
playmates below. or to be smashed to pieces
in case of a miss. The lot presents a gala
appearance. The little shavera of the mas
culine sex are at play, screaming to The ut
most capacity of their well-deNe-oped lungs
as they gaily rough ana tumble IL in true
boyish fashion. The uemure little slips OF
girls, logged out in pretty and dainty cos
tunes and cloaks, are watching with en-
v.ous eyes the boisjerous sports of their
boy companions. Others are contenlediy
sitting upon shawlS spread by the mothers,
munching their bits OF sweetmeats and
Thoroughly enjoying the annual picnic on
the Presidents grounds.
Mutual Enjoyment.
Urchirs of the streets and OF humble
parentaee are mingling with the petted tots
of fashionable families. Egg rolling day
is a time when all classes meet and enjoy
mutually the childhood pastimes. Nearly
all of the children are accompanied by
grown relatives or nurses, and are thus
protected from ali harm. Many arrived
early ina the morning and came prepared
to spend the day watching and participate
ing in the Easter time gaieties. Lunch was
brought alCng and disposed of under one
of the spreading trees in the lower grounds.
For ui.e day in the year absolute free
dom is given TO the White Lot visitors. and
havoc is played with the usual tidy appear
ance of The Presidents lawns. Without re-
gard to the uampness of the ground and
the cold atmosphere the children were AL
lowed 10 have their own way. Many OF the
wise old folks who looked on predicted that
tomorrow would find Washington city OF
sick children.
The Easter egg rolling at the White
House is a custom OF ancient origin. IL has
been more and more generally indulged in
since its introduction, and now each Easter
Monday finds a greater crowd than was
present the previous year 10 witness and
enjoy the sport. Todays crowd promises
to be record breaker The bright sun
shine has brought out an immense number
of children, who are at present reNellng in
the liberal Easter holidays allowed 10y the
school beard. BY the noon hour there were
kids" of every description in the grounds,
a large percentage being members of the
colored popula ton. All came with a large
supply of eggs. The highly colored speci-
mems ir most cases nestled in fancy bas-
kets amidst lot of excelsior, dyed green
and doing duty as an excellent Imitation Of
grass. The youngsters usually carried the
egg baskets while the older folks looked
after the lunch boxes.
Down the Incline.
Once inside the grounds, the children took
up their positions on the gently sloping
hilsides and began to send the eggs flying
down the incline. No one has as yet dis
covered the particular variety Of fun 20
be gained from such action. But il is fun.
for the children say so. and they should
know. The boys, with their usual desire to
climb under and over everything climb
able, and to get themselves in perilous pre-
dicaments found just lots Of Joy in crawl
ing under the platform set up for the ac-
commodation of the Marine Band. Blue
coated law guardians prevented their at
tempts to scale the sacred trees.
Street vendors. recognizing the COM
mercial advantages to be gained by such
action, took up their stand in the vicinage
of the White Lot early this morning and
did a thriving business. The purveyor Of
painted balloons was present and disposed
of his wares in remarkably short Time,
rushing off for a new supply in a hurried
quick-sttp.
Egg-picking, in which the children dis
cover, by a series of taps, which has the
more substantial one, was INDUCED in one
Kid, of messenger boy sagacity, had a ring
er in the shape of China egg. For a time
he was the biggest fellow in that section
of the city. His trick was finally dis
covered, however, and he was hustled about
in lively fashion by the lads who had been
cheated.
The egg-rolling viii be at an end when
the concert is concluded this afternoon.
Then there will be days of ceaseless labor
for the White House gardeners.