Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-02
WASHINGTON CUSTOM
EASTER EGG-ROLLING CONFINED
TO NATIONAL CAPITAL.
Origin Has Not Been Determined
Children of Diplomatic Corps
Always Participate.

Washington is said to be unlike any other
American city and dissmilar to every other
capital in the world because of the local
custom of Easter Monday egg-rolling. The
origin of the practice has not been salts
factorily traced, but the statement is made
that in the year 1855 a small company of
Germans sailed up the Potomac and es-
tablished below the present Georgetown a
settlement which they named Hamburg
and it is possible that the custom of roll
ing Easter eggs owes to these pioneers it's
Introduction into the United States. Among
the settlers, perhaps, was descendant of
the Princess of Burgundy, who according
to tradition. centuries ago, dipped eggs in
dyes, hid them in her palace grounds. and
then invited poor children to search for
them.
Many residents of this city remember that
prior to and after the civil war the scene
of the Easter egg-rollfng was on the steep
terraces which formed the descent from
the west front of the Capitol to Pennsyl-
vania avenue. Gradually improvements
were completed and in 1878 Congress pro-
hibited the custom. Mrs. Lucy Webb Hayes,
wife of President Hayes, it is recalled, had
the White House grounds thrown open for
egg-rolling on Easter Monday. On the first
of these occasions in the White House
grounds the children in attendance num-
bered two hundred.
Two years later Mrs. Garfield extended
to the egg-rollers her first and last Easter
welcome. For three succeeding casters
the rolling was witnessed by the children
Mrs Cleveland was an interested spectator
Next Mrs. Harrison, again Mrs. Cleve-
land, and then Mrs. Mckinley in turn
watched the children from point of OBJ
servation on White House portico. Pres
ident and Mrs. Roosevelt will view the
scene next Monday, and their children very
likely may participate in the sport, and in
cidentally demolish their quota of boiled
eggs.
Children of Diplomats.
Among the interested and interesting
participants in the occurrences at the
White House grounds each Easter Monday
are the children of the diplomatic corps
tend the public schools and speedily be-
come inoculated with American ideas.
Youngsters born near the equator and far
south of it rarely find any difficulty in
learning the meaning of our Fourth of
July" and through the struggles of their
own countries for freedom readily catch
the spirit of our national holiday. To the
youthful Chinese, japanese and Koreans
Christmas is the most important of Ameri-
can holidays, and 1t is reported that many
a grave oriental has paid the penalty for
sending his offspring to our schools by
being compelled to play Santa Claus on
Christmas eve. All the legation children
however seem to be equally interested In
tf.a obseryances of egg-rolling day, which
is always holiday in the public schools
and helps to illustrate the true democracy
ct the republic
Though since the modification of the
White House gardens there are fewer flow
ers than formerly, this celebration is by
no means devoid of trouble and expense.
For several days gardeners and laborers
are busy arranging for the protection, by
wire netting. of the shrubs and plants.
many of which are rare and valuable. To
prevent possible accidents to the little
vii iy Ctr nod ok f1,n
edge of the terrace, inside the fence that
surrounds the Enclosure. The average an
nual expense Of the Easter egg-rolling is a
little more than one hundred dollars.