OCR Text |
Show liaster Monday in Old England- An Account of tho Annual Esc Rolling Carnival. F.ditor Baknrr:-- Kaater, or Kastcr Monday, Mon-day, one of England's greoteet holidays, has passed and ne. Tho people here are eu closly housed In tho factories and workshops, that when theso breathing days come round they urually make the most of them. Especially is it no at thtsleason. They have been going lo the mills for so long a tlmo during the foggv monthl of winter, that when tho sunny showery dayi of April come round they do fairly enjoy an out. For months heforo a holiday they commence to lay by a penny or thrco penco per week from their scanty wages in older that they may tako a trip to eomo of tho popular resorts of pleasure. Preston Is far famed ter tho egg rolling scones which take place, near the Iliver Ilibble at Eastertide. On tho Monday after Easter Sunday, many thousands of children repair to Avonham Park there to roll their tggs nnd chaso their oranges down tho grassy slopes. Be-causd Be-causd of the glowing descriptions I had heard of famed gala days, I longed to see this high egg rolling carnival. Entering the park wo passed scores of ornngo stands and dozens of "liokoy pokey" vondors. Soon our eyes full on one of the most entrancing scenes of my life. Down below u on the Iliver Kibble wore n lot of boats gilding past i ea;h other. Some of them vero clearly old tubs nuu the mystery was that many were not turned topsy turvy. 0"o youth was heard to exclaim, "Theso booats do teck in a heap 'o brass," and dbscrving one unload sixty rnsseiii;ers after an hour's sail, he observed, "Five lob n timet By Jove, they do pile it on." Kidos were one penny each. In a kind of valley adjacent to the rivsr thousands upon thousands of happy children wero playing nt ''jump tho r.opc," "touch and ge" and other games-sot games-sot were they all children, for thousands .of youths andmaldns, nnd muny eldeily people wero reunaetlug teenca of their early childhood. ""But tho prettiest sight was to see tho floods of various colored eggs and yellow oranges ad they came rolling down the green carpeted slopes hi to tho little valley. Having gated en the scene we passed in among tho crowd. Alout tho first sound that greeted my ear was a remark aildressid to a youthful tackier, "Well er. ta rolled thiliegg?" A broad grin lit up iiU countenauco as he replied, "Aye, las, I've rolled won, nnd I'm goo in t' try another " The children from tho work-houso were down also, but I noticed that a more gloomy atmosphere seemed to surround thcin than surrounded sur-rounded the other children. They wero distinguished by their uniforms and -Uth their two oranges each they Beemcd to bo having a "grodly doo." All classei engaged In the different sports, nnd ns we pasted where they were skipping the ropo ope young lady remarked, "Aye, them lads nro clumsy. But the're like chllder it suits 'em " A lodge win established for lost children uud I am told that several dorcn of tho infant prodigals were taken In caro to uw ait tho arrival of anxious mothers As wo patted this jilaco alio jnotliir woe cousiullnghoryounghopetul with, "Ayo1 Oos a bad 'un. Whero ez ta been?'' Othnrii were using all thu power that their little lunge could produco to make their mothers henrthem, Tho day wmh nearly perfect aud with thirty thousand t'nily attired children making merry on tills Knster Monday was a fight truly grand Yours etc. (lose, l'reston, April 20, 1805. |