Evening journal., 1913-03-22
EASTER EGGS ORIGINATED
IN A QUEENS COURTSHIP
~ MInERYA sPrNcER HANDY.

XXK HEN Marguerite OF Austria
ia was In her youth and beau
~4 ty she made pilgrimage
TO the south OF France to
visit the shrine Of her favorite saint.
some say It was 10 pray for a young
and handsome husband II So her pa
iron saint kindly granted the prayer
In advance Of the petition. On her way
she stopped TO rest for q few days NJ
Bourg. q village on the edge Of deep
forest and AT the foot OF the majestic
Alps.
On Easter Monday the people for
miles around met TO engage IN the Gus
tomary Easter games. The young re
gent OF the Netherlands from her place
beside the chatelaine OF the castle en-
ioyed the scene hugely. II was very
interesting TO watch the older men
shooting at targets and casks Of wine,
the winner being allowed TO put his
lips 10 the cask and drink his on. But
when the young couples began TO gath
er for the most exciting event Of the
day then the princess grew enthusias-
tic. for you remember, she was young
and fair and even queens dream
dreams Of handsome. loving partners
The moment arrived for the contest
One hundred eggs we're scattered over
the ground A young man and a maid
en- began the figure. While the on
lockers laughed it was = serious affair
for the dancers The couple that could
skip over the eggs. glide between them.
twirl about them In all the varied gyra-
lions Of the dance. without breaking or
cracking an egg might marry each 9th
err 10 spite OF the opposition OF their
parents. Each couple was allowed
three trials and. the dance being sue
cessfuliy concluded. none dared oppose
the union.
While the merrymaking was AZ its
height the sound OF a hunters horn
rang through the forest Soon appear
ed company OF horsemen In such
brilliant uniforms that the simple
peasants stopped in their dance 70
gaze and wonder whom they might be.
At their head rode a beautiful youth,
dressed as only the mobiles OF the time
dared dress He sprang from his
horse. bent n graceful knee to the
chatelalne OF the castle and requested
her hospitality. or course the hostess
granted II at once. for this was Phil
bert. the handsome Duke OF Savoy.
The dance. which the coming OF the
duke had interrupted, was now resum-
ed with greater merriment than eter.
After watching the dancers Margue-
rite I'm Jest snid. ~ would that I we're
one OF those simple peasants and
might try the dance
philibert bowed low before the fair
regent and said. Madame. will you
permit me 10 be your partner in the
dance that Is going on before usf'
This was equivalent TO an OFFER OF
marriage. and. hearing Il. the crowd
became wild with enthusiasm. Cries
Of Austria. and savoy" rang
through the air. and cheer followed
cheer Marguerite eraciously ac
auiesced. ana the handsome pair tool
their place IN the dance. A aerioui
task was before them. They mus
dance around and around eggs be
tween eggs. Without uftAhiuk any Du
members OF the royal families wer'
accustomed 10 the dance. The feet o.
the royal lady were rs light A. thistle
down. while those OF the handsome
knight were graceful in the extreme
When the dance ended not a single
egg had been touched.
Love in those days was not Ions
in hndllng when the duke gazed int
the sparkling eyes and upon the glow
ing cheek Of his partner IN the egg
dance he knew that the custom Of the
country wasn't going TO be broken
And so II proved
One year from the day the two were
married Their guests we're given sou
venirs Of gold and silver eggs filed
with spices which they called Easter
eggs This custom was continued on
each anniversary in memory Of thai
happy day in the forest when with
beating hearts they together tripped
the measures OF the egg dance.