Evening star., 1909-04-11
EASTER SUNDAY HERE MRS. SCOTT DEFENDED
Weather Conditions Threaten lbeed by Insgent 0aunh
Success of "Parade" ters, Says Mrs. Draper.
POOR CHANCE FOR FINERY EQUIPPED FOR PRESIDENCY
Government Forecaster Does Mental Physical Qualifications
Hold Out Much Hope Demonstrated, Says Advocate.
AIR IS EXPECTED TO BE COLD ATTITUDE OF OPPOSITION
Sixteen Vice Presidents General
counts Use Of Rabbits. dorse Admin nistration
Candidates
POOR CHANCE FOR FINERY
Government .Forecaster Does Not
Hold Out Much Hope.
AIR IS EXPECTED TO BE COLD
Hare Being Symbol of the Moon Ac-
counts for Use of Rabbits.
Legend Of the Egg.

! Easter the day of Christian gladness,
| is here and the only thing that stands
| in the way of the success of the annual
Easter parade of the fair sex in their
| spring finery is the weather conditions.
! The meteorological bareback of March
is still fresh in the minds of the people
| of Washington. as well as many people
| from far and wide who came here to
attend the inauguration of President Taft.
Memory pictures of the flying snow and
sleet, the lowling north winds and the
slushy streets are still wildly in view
| On former Easter Sunday afternoons,
when the skies were fair and the sunlight
genial and warm, Connecticut avenue,
Pennsylvania avenue. 7th street. + street
and other thoroughfares presented moving
pictures CT elegance. Such occa SONS were
real beauty shows in q riot of gay color
| ing. An Last Washington dame of fash
| ion said yesterday she was afraid, III
| view of the inauguration day experience,
| that the damsels of the District will
| have to parade this afternoon in furs and
! greatcoats and will not have the coveted
chance TO show off their vast inverted
| basket hats with the gorgeous displays
OF flowers and whatnot.
! For weeks the modistes and milliners
| of Washington have been busy finishing
up a great variety of fashionable, up
| to-date creations. They declare it will be
| too bad should the weather be ugly. and
| chilly this afternoon.
What Official Forecaster Says.
| Prof. Harry Frankenfield, one of the
| forecasters Of the weather bureau, did
not hold out much hope for the Easter
| parade when he was consulted last night.
So far as the sky conditions are con-
cerned all will be well. A fair day is
promised from an overhead point of view.
But the atmosphere. All the Indications
| pointed to rather cold conditions. so that
the wearing of gowns of light fabric may
prove to be as dangerous proposition
az paradinS March 4 or witnessing the
passing pageant from an open reviewing
stand. The phantom of pneumonia is
suggested in both instances.
| Easter is lunar holiday. according to
astronomers, and that the hare is the
symbol of the moon accounts Tor the
use of rabbits as symbols OF the occa-
sion. In olden times the day was frauSht
with many superstitions and was regard
| ed by some as a propitious time for
witch hunts. 1t was also in the olden
| time an occasion for all sorts of out
| door sports. One of these was known
| as goose -pullinss." 4 luckless goose was
suspended by its feet across the middle
| of the road and a number of men on
| horseback would ride under the luckless
| fowl ana attempt to pull its head OF.
1 The one that succeeded was given tie
carcass of the bird for his Easter feast.
| This and other equally barbarous and
| cruel games have been relegated to OBJ
| scrurity with the witch hunts, and
have been supplanted by such harmless
pastimes as egg rolling and field sports.
Legend of the Egg.
! The egg is closely associated with the
| Easter festivities because Ot ancient
superstitions, particularly the German
legend about the mysterious white hare.
| The children of the fatherland learned
from the innocent legend to form parties
| and hunt for the eggs of the mystic
white animal. The white hare of Ger
man folklore was of the same character
of being as Kris kringle or Santa Claus.
The fanciful dressing OF the women is
said to have sprung from the ancients.
who donned something new and gaudy''
after being in the Sackcloth and ashes
of penance in the Lenten period
T! An Easter custom tnat is said to be
distinctly local to the District is The
| baptizing of the boats. That is, the
| owners Of small river craft who have
had them repainted and overhauled aim
to take the first spin in the craft Easter
Sunday or Monday. At the same time
the spring angling is inaugurated In
earnest
Scheduled Events Tomorrow.
| The events tomorrow will include egg
rolling for children in the White House
grounds from O'Clock am. to l O'Clock
pm: an egg hunt on Randle Highlands