St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1902-03-26
EASTER MEMORIES.
BY b. G. MASON.

Easter and eggs 80 cents dozen
Why, when | was boy could get them
for the asking. When that mite of girl
brought her brothers luncheon today,
she said, we won't get any eggs this
Easter, John; they're too high. Easter
and no eggs! Think OF it, Sarah !"
David Harris laid his paper across
his knees, took off his spectacles and
looked straight into the blazing wood
fire as if gazing on some enchanted
picture.
81 wish she'd come every day." he
murmured softly. "Strange, but there
was something about the girl that re-
minded me strongly of Beth $3.50 some
thing pink on her hat or around her
neck, don't know just what, but Beth
and her pink sunbonnet haven't been
out of my mind this afternoon. Beth
had a lovely peach bloom complexion,
and those March winds down along
the Delaware have such a way Of
burning delicate skins that Beth al
ways wore sunbonnets when we went
off on early spring tramps, and pink
was her favorite color"
easter was a great day at your
house, Cousin David" remarked his
companion.
eyes. Beth and 1 usually spent the
afternoon before hunting eggs and col
oring them. There were great boxes
of them behind the counter in fathers
store, but we preferred to run over to
grandfathers farm, a mile or more
away, and hunt for what we wanted.
1t was fun.
"Grandmother's reply to our yearly
question was ever the same, Certainly,
my dears, run out to the henhouse and
fill your baskets But the substantial
brick henhouse with it's sitting room
and dining room and its up stairs where
the fowls went to roost drew us not
thither. We liked best to search for
the hiding places of the outdoor hens,
those that roamed over the farm at
their own sweet will, stole their nests
and laid whenever and wherever they
pleased. There were no egg trusts in
those days and no corners in eggs, but
plenty of hooks and corners where eggs
were to be found, and we knew just
where to look for them. Haystacks
and strawstacks were favorite deposit
tories, and Beth and | did love to slide
down those great, clean, conical piles.
NT0poare nd 1rbnpa TVo lnvnd
to jump, calf pens and dog kennels al
ways yielded bountifully and gave us
no end of fun. Strikes! Such things
were unknown. Those hens knew that
they were born to lay eggs, and there
was a jubilant cackling going on all
day somewhere on the farm. 1t was
always Easter with those hens.
"After the egg hunting Beth and l
buried ourselves in the kitchen for the
remainder of the day, with pots pans,
kettles and dyestuffs. 1t wouldn't have
been half an Easter to us without col
ored eggs LogwOod chips produced a
beautiful purple, onion skins a yellow
tinge. For variety we sometimes stuck
bits of beesWaX on the shells, which in
these places remained white and gave
the eggs spotted appearance.
From mothers box Of pieces or
from some neighboring mothers box
Beth brought forth bright colored fig
ured calicOes, reds, blues, greens, etc,
colOrs that would run She sewed u
bit of cloth round each egg, then .
dropped them into boiling water, where
they remained few minutes and came
out with the figures and colors of the
cloth stamped upon them. Artistic Gre
atoms these were. We expressed our
joy by dancing around the room, then
laid the eggs separately on platters and
exhibited them to admiring friends.
"Oh, Beth, Beth! It's twenty years
or more since you went away, and I'd
give the world for a glimpse of your
sweet face under that pink sunbOnnet
now" was the cry of the mans yearn-
ing heart. He bowed his head upon his
hands and for a few moments seemed
lost in thought.
The March wind whistled and shrieb
ed without, emphasizing the silence
within.
Sarah" resumed Mr.. Harris, risi, :;
suddenly, "I'd like to have John ani
his sister spend Easter with us. VIII; t
do you say?"
"Why, yes, of course, with all my
heart"
"We'll have them cone, then, and
We'll give them all the eggs they can
eat for once. Don't balieve they ever
saw hens nest in tbOA lives"
The next day Mr.. Harris interviewed
his office boy.
John" said he, "who looks after
you since your aunt died?"
"My sister Alice, sir"
GLOW old is she|
"Going on twelve, sir"
"Well, want you and Alice to spend
the day with me tomorrow. Come tt
Sd Central avenue. We breakfast al
g."
"Thank you, SIR" replied John, his
eyes fairly sparkling as he thought OF
the good news in store for Alice
"Well bred, if they are poor" was