Egg Shortage by Vera Easton In 1906, when the North Dakota homesteaders came by train or by wagon, many did not bring chickens. But my mother had managed to bring along a few prize laying hens. We didn't have many eggs, but we did have enough for our small family to eat or bake with. Easter was two weeks away. We kids wanted to dye some eggs. Mama told us, "Yes, we can, but you must have only white eggs." Our mixed chickens gave us all shades of white, to quite a dark brown. So, we watched every day for pure white eggs. Now, every chicken does not lay an egg every day, so some days we found only one white egg. On a good day, we might find two or even three nice white eggs. We put them aside to save for dyeing. We had more than a dozen to dye on Easter eve. "We'll do it after dinner," Mama said. Dyeing eggs in those days was a bit more complicated than it is now. We didn't have all the pretty colors and fancy directions. We found other ways to make them red, pink, green or blue. We used scraps from calico dresses, or some colored paper that came in an apple box, or even--would you believe?--the peeling from a big onion. Any or all of it was wrapped around an egg and boiled, and in that way we made pretty Easter eggs. The weather was beautiful. The door stood wide open. Someone looked out that door and saw a wagon coming our way. Mama thought it must be a load of Indians; they often came in winter. They came closer. Papa said, "No, it's not Indians. It's the Danford family." There were three kids and their mother and father. They were cousins on Papa's side. They lived on a new homestead, too, about 10 miles south of ours. Well, of course, they came for supper, and certainly they were not going home 10 miles on a dim prairie road after dark. Mama was not prepared for company. Our sod house was one small room. But Mama was a good manager. She made a good supper with home-cured meat and potatoes. Mama and Papa stayed up until the wee hours, visiting and playing cards. We kids lay anyplace on our only two beds and fell asleep. My bed was little, but so were we. Little Ada and I could sleep together there. The Danfords had brought lots of blankets and quilts, and together they made a bed on the floor. Papa and Don and their little boy slept there. Mama and our baby and Ida and her baby slept in Mama's bed. It was lots of fun getting all settled, but that's how pioneers managed. Morning came sure and soon. We had not had time to dye eggs; besides, on Easter Sunday morning, everyone must eat eggs. Mama's supply ran out. She looked at me and quietly I gave her my box of nice white eggs. We were two disappointed little kids, but we didn't squawk. We just watched them gobble our eggs. They enjoyed them, for they had not an egg or a chicken at their homestead. We missed coloring eggs, but we liked feeding hungry people. Our eggs were a real treat for them.