Middletown transcript., 1904-04-02

tt1tlT HOLHee.
1t was almost daylight when they had
given away all the eggs, and they were
little tired as they scurried home, but
very happy as they sat down to their
own breakfast of eggs and nice tender
cabbage They rested all day, for they
had another hard nights work before
them, and they must he all fresh and
ready for it.
Welb night came at last, as it always
does, and the little Easter children were
very much excited now, for they were to
travel in their beautiful carriage all night
long, and carry eggs to little children all
over California.
Their carriage was made out of big
Easter lily, and was drawn by four white
doves, SO that when they wished, they
could fly over the trees and housetops,
and then come down to earth any time
they were ready. 1t really was too bad
the children could not see them, they
looked so beautiful, but for some reason
perhaps the same reason that Santa
Claus has, whatever that is-they never
would let anybody see them, not even
the papas and mammas of the children.
The white lily chariot sent great waves
of delicious perfume through the cool
Easter air, and made everything fresh
and sweet for the little ones who were to
look for eggs when the morning should
come, but who were now sleeping away
peacefully on their little white pillows in
their nice homes.
As the rabbits came near, all the bells
of the great Easter lilies began to ring
musically, and all the beautiful gardens
of California were pealing forth an Easter
song to the rabbits. They were not loud
enough for anyone but just rabbits and
fairies to hear. SO the children slept on
and did not know anything about it.
The rabbits knew, though, and thought it
the most beautiful music they had ever
heard.
The papas ard mammas must surely
have known they were coming tonight,
for in almost all the gardens they had
placed something for the rabbits to put
the pretty eggs in. In some places, hid
den among the vines, there were cunning
little baskets woven out of green straw,
and looking very much like birds nests,
and then there were dainty satin-lined
boxes with lids, gold and silver dishes,
satin bags and stockings, great nests of
grass and leaves, and some beautiful nests
made entirely of the petals of Easter lilies.
They must have had all the dogs chained
up, too, for they did not see single dog,
and did not even hear one bark. But
then they stepped very lightly, you
know, with their soft slippers of white
fur.
In one beautiful garden they found a
big card, and printed on it in language
that rabbits could understand were the
words:
"DEAR EASTER RARBITs: -.
"Will you please hide the eggs alb over
the garden in all kinds of queer places,
as little Florence is going 20 have an Eas-
ter egg-hunting party"
This was great fun for the rabbits.
They all tried to see who could find the
queerest places to put the eggs, SO that
the bright eyes of the children might
have all the more fun searching for them
on Easter day.
As this was the last home they had to
visit, they decided to do something aw-
fully funny the funniest thing, in fact,
that a rabbit ever did. What do You
think it was? They decided to hide in
the thick branches of tree and see the
party. They had never been to anything
but rabbit party, and they had good |
deal OF curiosity about it.
Well, they sent their carriage on home,
and all perched up on the branch OF |
tree, smuggling up close together to keep
warm, for the breeze is always cool on
Easter, even in California.
1t was afternoon before the children
began to arrive at the party. After they
had all arrived, and had been taken into
the house, the rabbits Heard great rush
of noisy little feet, and there ensued the
awfulest scrambling they had ever heard |
or seen. They thought it must be dread |
ful to wear such great clumsy shoes, and
make such Noise with them. The soft |
fur sh'es that rabbits wore were surely
much better, and made no noise at all.
Out came the children, pell nell, into
the soft, cool air. all perfumed with the |
breath OF the lilies. What merry laugh |
ter there was, and what pretty, mischie-
vous faces these children had ! Little |
Florence had given them each one a bas-
ket to put their eggs i'm, and at signal |
from mamma, the exciting search began.
Florence found the first one, hidden in |
a clump of violets, and after that the fun |
grew fast and furious. Every time any
OF them would find one they could not
keep from giving little squeal OF delight; |
and the rabbits knew by the number of |
squeals that they were finding great
many. They were hidden in the strang-
est places-in the notches of trees, buried |
in the dirt, and fastened into grape-vines;
hidden with rose-leaves, woven into thick |
sInilax vines; tiny ones were even pushed |
down into the big calla and Easter lilies,
under the border of oxalis-anywhere,
everywhere. 1t was great fun for the |
rabbits to watch it all, but the children
chartered and squealed 60 they could not |
understand what they said.
When all the eggs had been found, and |
all the squeals had been squealed, the |
mamma came out with a big, big basket |
on her arm, and said
What little girl las the most eggs?
They were counted, and it was found |
that little Marjorie had more than any
one else, SO mamma opened the myster-
ious basket and gave her little gold |
rabbit for prize. Then the child who