The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1905-05-18

lltlie oneS were mace very happy Dy
carrying home little puppy.
Crowds stand on the steps of the
treasury building and watch the
coming and going of the mothers and
children and the picturesque groups
OF 'fakirs who must impress all
observers by the bright cleanliness
OF themselves and wagons-not a
usual thing with street vendors.
AS soon as the children are inside
the gates, as many as possible hasten
to the hill tops. If the day is warm
and spring-like-as last Eastsr Mon
day was-little bonnets are tossed
aside, little coats unfastened and the
merry game begins.
The proper way to play the game is
for two little children to start their
eggs close together on the grass at
the top of the hill and at a given
signal give them a shove to start them
rolling down the hill, and the owner
of the one that reaches the bottom
first claims the slower one as her
prize.
Blue eggs, red eggs, orange eggs
and varigated eggs, striped eggs and
plain eggs, real eggs, and candy eggs,
eggs with rabbits in them and eggs
filled with candy are started on their
merry run down the green hill side,
while close behind them laughing
in their delight, golden curls and
brown plaits flying, bright dresses
matching the colors of the eggs,
tumbling, falling, rolling, racing to
get to the bottom of the hill to see
which egg gets there first, hasten the
little ones, forming a picture of youth
full mirth and happy childhood that
does honor to the day they celebrate.
Groups of boys stand and endulge
in the game of ''picks." This is one
of the oldest of the games with eggs.
The ''pasch eggs'' when stained and
knocked together formed part of the
old heather celebrations.
For this game a good hard egg,
usually unlocked is selected. One
boy holds his egg in the palm of his
hand with only the butt of the egg
exposed; on the tip of this the other
boy "p;cks" with his egg, and the
egg that is broken belongs to the one
whose egg remains whole.
4 The mothers stand around in groups
and talk, and yet keep watchful
eye on the little ones; settle little dis
putes, and heal with a kiss little
bruise of wounded limb or disappoint-
ment in the loss of beloved and
beautiful egg.
1t is the one democratic festival we
have, and the children of all nation
alities and all classes meet and mingle
in the spirit. To prevent an unruly
or disorderly element from spelling
the pleasure of the day, no child un-
attended by an adult is allowed ad-
mittance but 80 novel is the scene;
so unique the custom that visitors
have been known to pay a good price
to some little boy on the outside to
trot in by their side past the big
policemen at the gate, and after walk
ing little way in the grounds with
them the boys go back to the gate and
90 out to seek another patron who is
without children yet anxious to go in
and watch the scene so closely connect
ed with the childish sport of Wash
ington.
When lunch time comes the mothers
open their lunches and spread out
their dainty sandwiches on napkins
and sit down with their little ones
around them like the mother hen
with her little brood of chickens under
her wing.
Soon after luncheon the little ones
who have come early, grow tired and
sleepy and often fretful, and the
baskets are packed, and the mother,
gathering her little ones about her,
trundling the baby's rolling chair,
and with little ones pulling at her
skirts and bigger ones tagging behind,
loathe to leave the merry scene, they
start for home; but they are not miss
ed from the crowd, for others are taking
their places. All mothers cannot
leave their homes so early Monday
morning; the house has to be tidied
up, perhaps the weekly wash has to
be gotten out, and they have to listen
patiently to the eager and impatient
little ones plea to "Hurry up Mama, "
many times during their work, they
now come hurrying in with their little
ones to enjoy the afternoon, and to
listen to the Marine Band which
usually plays between three and four
in the afternoon when the grounds are
generally free to all corners.
On the South Portico OF the ex-
pensively remodeled White House
last Easter Monday the wife of the
President, and a number of her in
vited guests were gathered to see the
children Of the people, play upon the
lawn of the President and were the