The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-04-12

largest crowd that is seen here on any oc-
casion during the year. Every child. white
or black. who is able to walk. joins the
procession. Each and every one carries
basket or pail filled with eggs. colored TO
ffuit the individual taste On a fine day a
conservative estimate fixes the number Of
people who visit the White House grounds
TAT about 5000. The fun begins early and
continues until twilight. During that time
there Is a constant stream Of humanity
moving toward the White House. When
the merrymal1ers have departed for their
homes the lot presents a spectacle that is
fairly appalling. 1t is covered with pa
pers. eggs and all kinds OF refuse and it
takes considerable money to repair the
damage. but. Notwithstanding, no one ever
hints at discontinuance of the practice.
Such suggestion would create a panic in
ssthe youthful mind in Washington.
y The game itself it simple. 1t consists in
The rolling OF eggs over the greensward
sand down the hills that occur here and
there In the White House grounds. The
egg that reaches an indicate line first
brings to its owner the eggs OF the others
&.xho enter the competition There is
Other feature Of the game that is practiced
Tor a week or two before Easter and on the
Monday following. II consists in test OF
sfhe strength OF the shell, and is called
f'picking" The broken egg becomes the
property OF the one whose egg stands the
test. Sometimes ringer" I'm the shape Of
n skillfully-nade china egg is slyly intro
.dnced. but woe 10 the one who is caught
7ndulging such a pleasantly. The pick
ing OF eggs is peculiar to Washington, al
Though IL prevails TO some extent in sew
seral small cities of the South. -
axILIA MISS THE PRESIDENT.
q One Of the disappointments Of the present
8year Is the fact that the President will not
Thy in Washington on Easter Monday. But
II is expected that part of his family will
be here, and that Mrs. Roosevelt and some
OF the children will witness the sport is the
Infant, hope in Washington. On account
*pf the absence of the President the chill
*Gren will have to forego one of the fea-
lures OF the occasion which gives them'
<the most delight. And that is the grand
march in review before the President
Through the East Room. This procession
is watched with keen interest by the large
crowds that gather in the White House
late in the day, and is prolific OF great
amusement After the merrymakers have
samboIed on the green for hours, picked
riggs and rolled, they do not present the
@clean and fresh appearance of the early
morning. Some of them are spattered with
eggs from head TO foot. and the yellow and
white on the pickaninny brings out in bold
relief the charcoal OF his complexion. The
spectacle is I'm miniature like the return
fof an army, triumphant and victorious,
but somewhat the worse for wear and tear
Only on fnfrequent occasions is this part
of The days sport omitted. The absence
of the President, illness In his family or
state business. of paramount importance
are the only excuses that will be accepted
for its elimination from the programme
E<Another feature that contributes to the
tgayety of the occasion is the impromptu
cake walks Of the colored representation
q in the crowd. The Marine Band is always
epresent. and dspenses music of a lively
and tuneful nature, such delights the
Young, and sprinkled here and there in the
snusical menu is good old-fashioned rag
time. OF course. when the band plays
such composition, it is an impossibility
for the pickanlnny to maintain his COM
posure. He quickly selects his partner and
gives a presentation of the cake walk that
can be seen no other stage.
NfttH INC gaines VI the udy dIc over lueT6
are usually to be found many panic-strick-
en mothers looking for their lost darlings.
But the wise men in charge of the ar
rangements anticipate such a contingency,
and all of the lost babes are to be found
IN a. building in the White Lot set apart
on Easter Monday as a clearing house for
children found roaming around without
lfhair attendants.
s. The popularity of egg rolling increases
with every passing year. In this city it
Is t;rs great festival for the young, and
Easter Monday is probably anticipated
With greater interest than the Fourth of
July or Christmas.
~ The affair on Monday is expected to be a
58ecord-breaker in point of attendance.
Those interested have pinned their hopes on
the weather man, and his fame and popu-
larity depend upon a cloudless sky and a
warm breeze from the south JEM.