Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-05-08
fPortland Sunday TimeS.)

| Dle IN the HittlOndl Crpie"' AhS ~
merous beautiful parks were gay WITH
many hued-tulips and crocuses, while
the fresh green Of trees, shrubs ana
| grass made them dOubly attractive.
| The magnOlias. the glory of Washing
ton at this season, were i'll full bloom
exhsIing a delicate perfume. as dainty
as their own beauty. The birds were
flyins about. full of the business of
house building and eager to tell theil
happiness to all the world.
| It was good to be alive such a morn
| ing and l leaned far out the window
j of my room. enjoying to the full the
| small rortiOn of the city within my
| range of vision.
While absorbed in the beauty OF
| things, l suddenly became conscious
i of the many little folks. with gaily
| trimmed baskets in their hands. trip
ping along in merry fashion. There
were daintily dressed little boys and
girls, sedateIy walking by. accompa-
MED by their nurses: then group OF
children of all ages. eagerly laughing
| and chattcring: next a crowd of dusky
faced lads and lassics. all evidently
| vending their way to d common goal.
/ just rs lily SuiIo SUI A'iN '|'N'-
| of me. and | was about to call: "whith-
er away" there came tapping al
nv chamber door. Without pausing
to wonder why. quickly opened II
| wide and there stood dear little
/ friend of mine with a most gorgeous
basket of bright colored Easter eggs.
"Why, good morning, dear" 1 cx-
claimed, and before l had time to say
more, she said. breathlessly:
"Oh see the lovely eggs ma has
bought me. Don't you want to so to
The Easter egg rolling at the White
House with me?"
| The mystery was explained. How
| stupid of me to forget. Would l go:
| The manner in which | hustled into
| my Goa: and hat left no doubt as to
my willingness to accept the invita-
| ton.
| We stopped only long enough to get
| a lunch box filled and then were out
on the avenue. joining the procession
of ever increasing magnitude. wend-
| ing is way toward tho White House.
| glistcnirg through the trees of La
| fayctte park.
| once "a year on Easter Monday. the
children of the G.. city are given tn"
| freedom of the White House grounds
| All sorts and conditions. from the lit
| tie pickaninny to the "scion of Il noble
| race gather in the Presidents back
/ yard. and down the grassy slopes roll
| wildly colorcd eggs. decorated i'll all
kinds of ways to please the fancy of
| the little ones.
|, The Marine band. it's members gay
| i'm their bright red uniforms. is n
| prominent feature Of the occasion and
| it's music adds to the festivity of the
day.
| AS we approached the high iron
| fence. enclosing the grounds. we found
\ large crowd of little folks. and it was
n most attractive sight to see so many
| children together. 1t reminded one of
| a mammoth school. the children out at
recess. romping. playing all kinds OF
games and rolling the eggs around in
| a most bewildering way.
| We squeezed in between two burly
policemen. just in time to hear one
say to a modest young man who was
| trying to get in: ''No sir. not unless
you have a child with you" and to
| notice his embarrassed blush as he re-
Tired to the rear Of the procession. He
| doubtless thought it was another way
of emphasizing the Presidents well
known ideas! We afterward learned
| that the small boys did quite n re-
muncrativc business by cscorting these
lonesome people through the gate. then
| skipping out and letting themselves to
another crowd of visitors. who other
wise would have been barred out. This
| aud thpV
surely making the most of it,
Once inside the gates. we looked
around at the crowd of mcrrymakers.
1t was a regular May party in April.
| Some little ones were jumping rope:
IL crowd of boys was playing marbles:
games of jackstOnes. hOpscOtch and
tag were going merrily on. OF course
the great thing was the egg-rolling.
AS the gIittering objects rolled down
the grassy slopes whoever caught them
was the possessor. so there was deal
OF scrambing and tumbling over each
other. If you had lost one of your
precious purple and gold treasures.
wouldn't you want to grab somebody's
red and green one which bObbed your
| way. or in whose way you bObbed:
| Of course you would hustle your ut
| most to do So. 1t was all good-natured
fun, and give-and-take arrangement.
and everybody was happy.
There were numerous vendors OF
circus balloons and curious rubber
balls. which. when squeezed disclosed
| A pert little rabbit. The man with
buttcred popcorn also made himself
manifest. while the hurdy gurdy ana
the monkey attracted I, deal Of attcn-
ton. The balloons. rs always appealed
to the childish heart, but often. IN
grasping for rolling egg the young
ster would let go the string and his
balloon would 20 sailing away. to ms
great discomfort and the amusement
'of the crowd.
Wnen wearied of the sport lunches
were produced and it seemed like a