The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-03-31
MIRIH And Eggs ON
WHITE House GROUNDS
Annual Joyous Frolic of the
Capitals Children.
HAVE ALL KINDS OF WEATHER

Flurries Of snow. floods OF sunshine.
dashes Of rain, lowering biue-black clouds
and blue skies, the laughter OF children
at their sport. CT scampering cut Of the
rain. and the uneasiness Of the crowds OF
srown-ups. who listened to the Marine
Band with their eyes variIy fastened on
the horizon. combined 20 make the egg
rolling fcte at the White House lot TO-
day a mixture OF fun ard uncertainty.
When the gates we're thrown open TO
the public a little before 10 C'clcck this
morning there we-e not more than
couple of score OF children waiting %
enter who had not been scared away by
the slight snow which melted as il fell
But when the sun again came the young
sters appeared as If by magic with their
baskets Of gaily oolored eggs. and hun
dreds Of adults came with them.
Rolled After Their Eggs.
The fact that the lawns we're damp did
not seem TO worry the little folks in the
least. Disregarding all parental aduo-
nitions as 10 sitting on the ground the
accepted custom among the smaller chill
dren seemed TO be roll their eggs down
the slopes and then roll themselves after
them. Next 70 the children perhaps the
ones who enjoyed the sport the most were
the old washingtonians who could re-
member their own egg-roHing days.
The Roosevelt Children.
The younger Roosevelt children. Ethel.
Archie and Kermit. came out early in the
mn 70 -.
stay long. They had their oeg-rou yes
terday morning. a dozen or more Of their
friends joining them in the frouc over
the little hills and around the little
lake
President and Mrs. Roosevelt came out
on the back porch sor a few minutes to
smile upon the gay scene.
All the shrubbery and the flower pIats
had been carefully fenced in by the gar
dener to save them from the feet OF the
enthusiastic egg-roIIers. The force OF
policemen who watched the crowds did
not fnd much to do except make sure that
no one fell into the lake or basins Of the
fountains
The Street Arab Came Also.
The ubiquitous and mischievous street
arab, with his irrcpressible procIivry for
throwing things. was in evidence. as usual.
One or TWO spring suits were made the
targets for his more or less bard-boiIed
missiles.
Perhaps the boys who had the best
time were the ones who. with eggs cooked
to an adamantine hardness. bent their
energies 10 The scientific game Of pick
ing"
A good buster" win often win for it's
owner a whole pocketful Of the softer
shelled kind. each one with a neat little
place crushed in on the small end
Crowds at the Concert.
Through the habit which the adult pop
ulation Of Washington has formed OF
crowding into the grounds on Easter Mon
day the festival has in its latter years
lost much Of the distinctive quality as q
children's holiday. In the afternoon cs-
pecially, when the Marine Band appeared
on the scene, the crowds were so large
that the youngsters could scarcely nnd
room for their sport, and the occasion
took on more Of the air Of a promenade
and musical concert.
Several little toddlers became separated
from their parents today, and a number
Of times cries OF Mama, I want my
mama" indicated the presence Of a for
loTn and stTaying child. Upon the re-
uniting Of the family the erstwhile dls-
consulate one was generally coaxed back
into his youthful good spirits again By
the gift OF gorgeous and succulent
oranges. The men who sold candy and toy
balloons just outside the sacred precincts
enclosed by the iron fence did flourish
ing business.