"Sm/f EVERY X W WOMAN'S LIBRARY EDITED BY MARGARET E. SANGSTER DR. EMMA E. WALKER .^ HAMILTON W. MABIE ^i \il Nr>:^i5v and others j^^^^^^^i VOLUME III ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES BY CLARA E. LAUGHLIN and others THE UNIVERSITY SOCIETY INC. NEW YORK Copyright, 1906, by D. APPLETON & COMPANY Copyright, 1910, by THE UNIVERSITY SOCIETY, INC. COPVaiGHT UFFIO£ PREFACE '^T^HIS little volume is not a cyclopedia of entertainment, but in it will be found gathered together a reasonable number and a pleasing variety of well-tried formulas for family and social parties, and descriptions of games and amusements. A woman w^ho wants to give a birthday party for one of her children, or a lawn- party for a visiting friend, or to provide games and amusements for the home, will find in these pages specific directions or helpful suggestions. '' As a means of bringing the members of the household together, and establishing companion- ship between old and young, there is nothing more effective than the common interest and merry emulation enlisted in favorite games. No parents can afford to let any other place furnish more attraction for their children than their ov/n home; nor should parents fail to make themselves a part of home attractions. *' Nothing so quickly breaks down barriers between new acquaintances, and thaws the ice of formality, as playing at games. We believe a great many women will find this volume so indispensable that they will keep iii ^ PREFACE it on their desks and refer to it constantly; find in it ever some good, practical idea to carry with them to the social committee meetings of church or club ; some welcome suggestion about the hospitality of their homes; some bright idea that, introduced at a party in the home of a friend, will call forth the fervent gratitude of the hostess/' The material in this volume has been selected from many sources, and we desire to express our appreciation of the courtesies extended by various publishers, and especially for permission to re- print copious selections from ^^ The Complete Hostess," the copyright of which is owned by D. Appleton & Company. CONTENTS Boys AND Informal Entertaining Formal Entertaining Outdoor Entertainments Children's Parties . Entertainments for Older Girls .... Indoor Games . Toys and Toy-Games Tricks .... Puzzles and Conundrums Outdoor Games Church and Society Entertain ments School Exhibitions and Exercises PAGE I 35 49 61 73 145 153 171 197 235 258 THE ART OF ENTERTAINING THE ART OF ENTERTAINING INFORMAL ENTERTAINING T N the interchange of social courtesies nothing requires more of tact and consideration than the giving and receiving of home entertainment. Rightly regarded, the simple and informal en- tertainment of guests IS far more complimentary to them than is any elaborate '' function." Many persons, however, not appreciating this, treat an invitation to partake of informal hospitality with a negligence they would never dream of showing a formal invitation. And many who extend in- formal hospitality think so lightly of the matter that their entertainment, instead of being a de- light, becomes a bore. The prime instinct of the hospitable soul is to do honor to its guest. This honor may be expressed in many ways, but expressed in some way it must be, or the hospitality better be left unoffered. ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES You do honor to any one when you ask him to break bread with you beneath your rooftree, particularly if you ask him to join your family circle about the table. If your heart is glad be- cause of the presence of your friend, 30U will incline to make his presence the occasion of some little celebration. It may be only a handful of his favorite posies on the table; it may be the serving of his favorite dessert or salad, which he says he never gets elsewhere as good as you serve it; it may be shown forth in the spotless linen and '' best " china, which say to him, as he sits down to them, '' Your com.ing makes this a gala-day for us!" This is the kind of hos- pitality that warms hearts and sweetens life, and there can never be too much of it. INFORMAL DINNERS When a few friends are asked to dine in- formally with you and your family, be as careful to avoid all appearance of strain and effort as you are to avoid appearance of carelessness and lack of thought. Select for your viands a num- ber and variety which represent a happy medium between an ordinary family meal and an ex- traordinary, formal dinner. If you know the THE ART OF ENTERTAINING 3 tastes of )^our friends, pay them the compliment of remembrance. But do not undertake anything in the way of a menu that will tax too heavily the household machinery. Do not try new dishes on guests, and do not, if you have but one maid and she must wait at table, attempt anything which requires her constant presence in the kitchen when she should be in the dining-room. The table, however simply furnished, should be miade attractive. There are a thousand and one ways in which a dainty woman can beautify her table at next to no expense, but it takes time and thought. A woman of wealth may hire caterer and florist to serve her guests, but she cannot give her entertainment the little, intimate, personal air which is hospitality, unless she lends herself to the effort. A woman of modest means can give her guests as much of the exquisite essence of hospitality as the wealthy woman can, and the informal little dinner is par excellence the sweet, dainty housekeeper's opportunity. HIGH TEA If a hostess wishes to ask twelve or sixteen or twenty friends to a meal with her, and does not feel able to undertake a dinner for so many, 4 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES a high tea is a charming way of getting around the difficulty. A high tea is really a substantial supper quite as " filling " as a dinner and much easier to serve. On a cold winter night it may not be to every one an acceptable substitute for a dinner, unless it occur on Sunday after a hearty midday meal, or on a holiday — New Year's, for instance. But on a hot summer night many people will find a high tea a delightful substitute for a heavy dinner, and in those communities where midday dinner is the rule it will always be in order. A pretty, social way to serve it is on small tables. Let us suppose you have asked guests enough to make your whole number, including yourself and family, sixteen or twenty. You have tried to keep the number of each sex the same, as at a dinner. While your guests are chatting in parlor or sitting-room and dining-room, ask one of the gentlemen most at home in your house, or one of the members of your own family, to help you carry in four or five small tables — card-tables or folding sewing-tables, or any others you may own or borrow. When these have been placed according to your directions, cover each with a snowy little tea-cloth or pretty center- piece, or, failing these, with a large dinner- THE ART OF ENTERTAINING 5 napkin. Then lay at each place — laying four places for each table — a knife, fork (or two forks), spoon or spoons, as your menu will demand, napkin, and water-tumbler; also, if you have them, a bread-and-butter plate and a butter- spreader. If you do not own these latter, serve a neat little ball or square of butter in an in- dividual butter-dish at each place. Provide each table with a little dish of salted nuts and an- other dish in which are olives, radishes, celery, according to season, all strewn with fine-chopped ice to keep them cool and crisp. Also provide salt for each table, and if you can muster enough cream and sugar sets, have one on each table; otherwise, pass cream and sugar from guest to guest on a tray immediately following the tray from which coffee, tea, or chocolate is served. Either seat your guests as you think they will like — always a delicate task, calling for much thought — or allow them to form their own quar- tets. When all are seated, begin serving what- ever you have provided. A CHAFING-DISH SUPPER A chafing-dish supper may consist of a single appetizing concoction made by a hostess for half 6 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES a dozen friends after theater, concert, or lecture, or after they have spent a couple of hours playing cards; or it may be a fascinating substitute for either an informal dinner or high tea. For the latter, ask eight or ten persons for a chafing-dish supper at, say, seven o'clock. Ask each lady to bring her own chafing-dish, or arrange to borrow extra ones, so that there shall be one for each lady, or one for each couple. Sometimes a man has a fancy for this kind of cooking, and a de- cided talent for it, in which case he is always delighted with an opportunity to show his ac- complishment. Make your menu out very care- fully long beforehand, and get everything ready, as far as possible, in advance of the guests' arrival. Stretch your dining table to an ample length, and set it w^ith centerpiece and doilies (no cloth), and with the necessaries for each place (as for a high tea). In front of each chafing-dish have every ingredient for the thing that is to be cooked therein; and with regard to the dishes themselves, have the alcohol-lamps filled and the hot-water pans half filled with boiling water. If the night be cold and the guests' appetites sharp, it will be well to serve a hot clear soup in cups, which may be eaten while the various concoctions are under way. In one chafing-dish THE ART OF ENTERTAINING 7 cook salmon, whitefish, or even common salted codfish, lobster, oysters, crab-meat — whatever is available and liked — in a cream sauce, seasoned to taste. When it is ready, have hot plates brought in, and a plate of hot toast cut in tri- angles or rounds. Serve the hot fish on the toast, and with it sandwiches of fresh Boston brown bread, buttered and cut in dainty shapes; also olives, celery, etc. Meanwhile, in another dish another cook has been preparing sweetbreads with button mushrooms or asparagus-tips, or creamed chicken, or a curry, or some appetizing stew of veal warmed up in a brown gravy sea- soned to the Queen's taste. And the other dishes have French peas heated smoking hot, with butter and seasoning, potatoes creamed or cooked with a taste of onion. Serve coffee with this course and hot bread of some kind. For a salad, have something not too rich — perhaps a lettuce salad with a highly seasoned French dressing made on the table after the chafing-dishes have been re- moved. Crackers and cheese should be passed with the salad course; also salted nuts, if they have not been on the table all the time. Dessert should be cold, and not too hearty; for this supper, if properly cooked and served, is so appetizing that most people will partake 8 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES more heartily of it than of the regulation dinner, and anything so heavy as shortcake, dumplings, or rich pudding is little likely to be acceptable. An orange ice served in a sherbet-glass, and with a bit of fresh home-made sponge cake or sunshine cake, is sure to be far better appreciated. A STAG-DINNER A man usually appreciates this kind of a cele- bration arranged for him by his wife or mother on his birthday; and on other occasions, when he desires an opportunity to talk at length with men friends about the improvement of the golf- links, or the management of the merchants' street fair, or the finances of the church, or the building of a new club-house, he is pleased to have the talk ta':e place around his own dining-table, over an appetizing dinner. On such an occasion the hostess may receive the guests in the parlor, and retire when dinner is ready to serve, or may preside at the table and retire when the time arrives for coffee and cigars. She will be thoughtful to provide the kind of a dinner most men like, venturing on no ^^ fangle-dangles,'' and remembering that men usually care little for sweets and a great deal for the substantial. THE ART OF ENTERTAINING INFORMAL LUNCHEONS Informal luncheons are capable of an infinite number of variations and surprises. Sometimes men are asked to them, but oftenest the guests are women only, and in the case of the most success- ful luncheons women who are pretty well ac- quainted with each other and at least fairly con- genial. Luncheon, whether formal or informal, is now almost invariably served on a bare table, with doilies and centerpieces instead of a cloth. A few flowers appropriate to the season should always grace the table, and the menu should be *' short and sweet " — that is to say, not many things, but everything very dainty. There are a great many dishes which are appropriate only to luncheon, and which the housewife whose men- folk stand too conservatively (for her liking) by roast beef and roast lamb and mashed potatoes and apple-pie, delights to serve to an appreciative company not afraid of novelties but frankly in hope of them. In serving dinners, it is always safest to stick as closely as one can to things that nearly everybody likes, without danger of monot- ony. But when entertaining women at luncheon it is always in order to present any novelty with which the hostess has thoroughly familiarized IP ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES herself. Women dearly love to learn a new salad, a new dessert, a new cream soup, or entree, and it is safe to say that one of the prime in- gredients of a successful little luncheon is a culinary surprise — if it is a good one! AFTERNOON TEA Afternoon tea is, happily, no longer associated in most people's minds with the great halls of English country mansions, with footmen and ^* equipages " of solid silver. Within the last few years a great number of persons in this country have come to look upon afternoon tea as a matter of course, quite as much as luncheon, and in countless communities, little and big, this social afternoon hour is fast becoming one of the pleasantest of all occasions for informal inter- course. All that is necessary to make it is the will to enjoy it, and a pot of tea; or, if the day be warm, a pitcher of lemonade, and a plate of sweet crackers, jumbles, cookies, or dainty sand- wiches. When our mothers went a-calling on their lady friends, a generation ago, they used to be served with slices of ^' black fruit '' and pound-cake, from the tin cake-box which was locked away from all danger of family depreda- tions, and a dainty glass of gooseberry shrub or it THE ART OF ENTERTAINING ii raspberry cordial or port wine, as the case might be. It was a pretty custom, which many were sorry to see pass. The afternoon-tea custom is as good, however, and in many respects better. The tea may be made for any guest who chances in betw^een the hours of four and six, or it may be a stated occasion, served every day at a certain hour which your friends know; they know, too, that they are more than welcome to join you for that ** bite and sup " and the accompanying conversa- tion. If you are so fortunate as to be able to set out a pretty, permanent tea-table in your sitting-room, and furnish it with teakettle (and spirit-lamp), teapot, cups, sugar-bowl, and other accessories, of course you appreciate the social attractiveness of such an adjunct to your living- room, and the charming sociability of brewing your own tea while you talk with your friends. But if you have no tea-table, do not disdain afternoon tea; it may be made in the kitchen and brought in, steaming and fragrant, for immediate service in your ordinary teacups. NEIGHBORHOOD CARD-PARTY The neighborhood card-party is very popular nowadays. In the afternoon, when ladies only 12 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES are invited, the refreshments are usually very simple, and served on the card-tables, an em- broidered or hem-stitched white cloth being laid on each one. Ices and cake, or a variety of sandwiches, and tea, coffee, or chocolate, are a sufficient menu. In the evening, if gentlemen are of the party, supper is usually served in the dining-room, and is somewhat more substantial, salad, croquettes, or oysters being in order. A card-club, meeting at the houses of different mem- bers in turn, is apt to make rules of its own as to the supper, so that it shall not become too elaborate. Usually, in all card-clubs, when mem- bers are not able to be present, the hostess has the right to invite any one she chooses to fill the -^.cancies. Some card-clubs allow the hostess to invi^" guests for an extra table. Care should be taken Lrii-t the cards are fresh and clean, and pencils and scjre-cards ready at each table; and a dish of bonbons on each is a dainty accessory, appreciated by the feminine players. A chafing- dish supper goes well with a small evening card- party, but one chafing-dish cannot supply more than eight guests, so it is always well to make this calculation. The sandwiches for a card- party can now be cut into appropriate shapes, thanks to the new cake-cutters, in diamond, heart, THE ART OF ENTERTAINING 13 spade, and club forms. Cakes cut in these forms and iced pink for the diamonds and hearts, and chocolate for the clubs and spades, are just the thing with the ices. A card-club usually has no prizes. An individ- ual card-party often has prizes, but they should be simple — a box of candy, a bunch of roses, etc. If prizes are to be played for, it is necessary for the hostess, or some one deputed by her, to go around the tables, in the progressive games, with stars to gum. upon the score-cards of those who progress; and these score-cards should have the name of the player Vv'ritten upon them for identification when collected after the game is over. Those with tie-scores draw for progres- sion, and for the prizes in the end, if necessary. When giving a card-party to those not very familiar with cards, seven-handed euchre is by far the easiest game and the most fun for all the players. Games where only four play at one table, oi course, limit one's invitations a great deal, compared with those where seven or eight, or more, can play at each table. In any game which is not progressive, it is wise for the hostess to put people of about the same skill at the same table. Nothing gives a good card-player a more stupid afternoon or evening than an ignorant 14 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES partner, and one poor player at a table with three good ones is bound to be profoundly uncomforta- ble, unless a remarkable run of luck conceals the deficiency. Cards, to some players, are a very serious matter, even when no prizes are played for, and a suitable choice of partners is therefore necessary. SEWING-CIRCLE The old-fashioned sewing-circle still holds its own in many towns. It may commence at any hour in the afternoon, but the pleasantest form, perhaps, is that where the sewing begins about five, supper is served at half-past seven, and a social time follows until nine or ten. Those who do not sew must be fined, the amount of the fine varying with the needs of those for whose benefit the sewing-circle is working. Some sewing-circle suppers — as in Boston, the original home of the idea — are elaborate nowadays, with varied courses and formal serving. But a plain, bountiful hot supper is the original plan, served rather in- formally. A sewing-circle may be held in the early afternoon, with sandwiches and tea as re- freshment at five, and the members not staying to supper at all. Or a luncheon may begin it, and the sewing fill the afternoon. The most de- THE ART OF ENTERTAINING 15 lightful sewing-circles are those formed by the girls who graduate from a certain school, or live in a certain neighborhood, and who form a circle which is kept up year after year to a certain number, usually about sixteen or twenty, new members being elected for those who move away or die. Meeting once a fortnight, they form a strong social bond and become recognized powers. In Boston, some sew^ing-circles have been meeting for thirty or forty years, and to be invited into them is rightly considered a very high honor. Members are allowed to bring guests staying in their houses, but no outsiders are admitted in some sewing-circles. In others, the hostess can invite as she pleases. VARIOUS ENTERTAINMENTS Besides indoor games described in another section, there are many kinds of contests, etc., for informal home entertainments in the evening that afford great fun. Hearts of red cardboard or motto sugar-candy hearts, quotations without the name of the author, can each be hidden throughout the rooms, and a heart-hunt or a quotation-contest be started. The one who finds the most hearts, or the most quotations he or she can identify, wins the prize. The telegram- i6 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES game is amusing. Ten letters are chosen by the guests at random, and these ten letters are given out as the initials of a ten-word telegram to be written by each guest. Sometimes a subject is given, which makes it all the harder and funnier. A word-hunt is somewhat intricate. Each guest draws a card, on which is written a number and '' Your word has six letters," or eight or ten, as the case may be. All over the rooms are hidden the letters, written on some fancy form of card or paper. On Saint Patrick's Day they can be written on tiny shamrocks; on Washington's Birthday on red paper hatchets; on Fourth of July on little flags, and so on. With each letter is the number of its word. The first one to find all the letters belonging to his or her number, and make the right word from them, wins a prize. A Dickens, Kipling, Longfellow, or Scott even- ing has great possibilities. The guests may be requested to come dressed to represent some character, or using some characteristic speech or action to show it forth. The Village Black- smith might wield an imaginary hammer, and Cap'n Cuttle repeat some of his aphorisms. The game of authors, or a Dickens game, may be played, or selections from the author chosen may be read or recited. THE ART OF ENTERTAINING 17 A book-party, where each comes as a book written by the chosen author, and the one guess- ing nearest the entire list of guests wins the prize, is always popular. A new form of it may be the twentieth-century book-party, in which no book must be represented that has not been written since 1900. A Shakespeare conundrum-party requires a clever person to write the conundrums, or hunt them up, as witness this sample: *^ If checks could speak, what character in * Julius Caesar ' would they name? Cassius.'' Each person is given three minutes to answer in writing the conun- drum on his or her card, and must then pass it along to the next. The lists of answers (each guest has a pencil and a sheet of paper to write them on) are collected and the prize given at the end. A Japanese, Klondike, Italian, Scotch, Irish, or German evening should have a supper to cor- respond. National airs sung or played, the rooms decorated to match, and the host and hostess and guests costumed, if possible, make a pretty affair. A Klondike pile, of cotton, to look like snow, with a tiny shovel for each guest to dig out a favor of some comic kind, is amusing. A harvest-party, to which each guest is invited 1 8 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES to come as a fruit or vegetable, offers opportunities for all sorts of fun. Then there is the brown party, where all the invitations are written on brown paper, the host and hostess receive in brow^n, and the prizes for the games or at the card-tables are all brown, while the refreshments are coffee, cocoa, dough- nuts, ginger-cake, a variety of brown bread, sand- v/iches, chocolate-cake, and ice-cream, and choco- late and molasses candy. The witch-party, or superstition-party, can be made very thrilling indeed. The rooms are deco- rated with four-leaved clovers, wishbones, the number thirteen, black cardboard cats, broom- sticks, etc. The girls can wear black dominoes, high-crowned hats, and masks, if they wish to have a costume. One game is to have each per- son write on a slip of paper his or her favorite superstition, and then let the rest guess who the writer is, in spite of the mask. Another game is to sit round the fire, or round a caldron hung from a tripod in the middle of the floor, and each player casts in a fagot or an emblem of superstition — a bit of broken looking-glass, a wishbone, etc. — and must tell a ghost or witch story, or sing a song, or recite something appro- priate. The Witch Scene from Macbeth, of THE ART OF ENTERTAINING 19 course, should be recited by somebody. After- ward, all unmask and dance. A fortune-teller, or gypsy, or palmist, fits very well into a party of this kind. ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES FORMAL ENTERTAINING A FORMAL dinner is one of the most serious of undertakings, and should never be es- sayed by a woman with small resources and poor help. The main differences between a formal dinner and the prettiest sort of an informal dinner would be: First, in the nature of the invitations, which, for a formal dinner, are sent out two weeks ahead. This is done because the wise hostess knows that the success of her dinner depends very largely on the congeniality of the people she gathers around her board, and so she makes her best selection, and by putting in an early request for the time of those persons she desires to get together, she hopes to forestall other engagements on their part. A well-bred man or woman receiving an invitation to a formal dinner always replies immediately, by return mail if possible. Second, persons asked to a formal din- ner will be expected to wear formal dinner- dress. What this is depends on the community and on the social regulations observed by the hostess. In any case or place, it means evening dress for men. For women it may mean decollete 20 THE ART OF ENTERTAINING 21 gowns, or pretty, dainty dresses with transparent yokes and elbow-sleeves, but it certainly means a whole gown of some sort, and not a skirt and blouse combination. If a woman asks you to a formal dinner and goes to the trouble and expense of decorating her house and table and arranging dainty lights and other accompaniments of a fes- tive scene, it is a positive insult to her to appear at her function in a street gown or some con- venient but unlovely combination of dark skirt and light w^st. If you do not know what she considers proper dinner-costume, you must find out somehow, and conform to it, or send your regrets. A third point about a formal dinner is that it is nearly always so large that conversation at the table is seldom general, but broken into groups, and guests are under special obligation to be entertaining to their dinner-partners, and to the gentleman or lady on the other side. So much for the differences from the guests' point of view. From the hostess's they are: A more elaborate menu, an absolute perfection of service, more lights, more flowers, etc., and usually some carefully planned entertainment for her guests when they have reassembled in the drawing-room. A blunder may be passed off at an informal 22 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES dinner with a joke, which contributes much to the general merriment ; but a blunder at a formal dinner is a fatality which the hostess must pretend not to realize, though her pretense never deceives any one, and her guests know that she is gnashing her teeth over her spoiled entertainment. For the least mistake does spoil a formal dinner, whereas a succession of mishaps may only make memorably hilarious an informal one. Do not ask more people to a formal dinner than you can seat comfortably and serve ex- peditiously. Crowding and waiting may be en- dured at a reception, but at a dinner, never! Twenty inches is the very least space that should be allowed for each cover or place. And one waitress can scarcely do perfect justice to more than eight persons. Having decided '' how many " you may have, put all your most earnest thought into the matter of '' whom." Unless you can avoid all curious mixtures, all sugges- tions of ** hodgepodge," abandon the dinner en- tirely. No one can remember j^ou unpleasantly if you do not have a dinner at all, but several persons will surely remember you most unpleas- antly if you summon them to a prolonged boring from which no tact of their owq can help them to " shuffle." THE ART OF ENTERTAINING 23 Between a formal luncheon and a dinner there is not a very great difference. Usually the table is not lighted for luncheon, the daylight being available except on dark and stormy days. The bare table by preference is used instead of a table-cloth, but the rule is not invariable, since many a dining-table is not handsome enough to exhibit. If bare, it needs embroidered doilies under the plates and dishes, and a centerpiece. Bouillon is serv^ed instead of soup, in the two- handled bouillon-cups. There are not so many vegetables on the menu, and no very substan- tial course. It is altogether a lighter affair than dinner. NEW year's dinner A New Year's dinner or luncheon can be made very pretty. The dates of the past and coming year in flowers or in green down the length of the table make a good decoration, and a dainty card-calendar at each plate is an appropriate souvenir. A tiny candle burning at each plate as the guests come in is a quaint idea, and the person whose candle burns longest is expected to have the best luck in the coming year. For the center of the table a New Year's cake with 24 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES a thimble, a coin, and a ring in it, and with the date on it in icing — red on white — is an amusing device. It is cut for dessert, and as it is handed round, and each cuts a piece, the finder of the ring is to be wedded soon, the finder of the thimble to remain unmarried for that year, and the finder of the coin to grow rich, w^hich results in some excitement and fun. Holly and red ribbons can be added to the decoration in any quantity. Washington's birthday A dinner or luncheon for Washington's Birth- day offers many opportunities. Five four-inch ribbons, three red and two white, sew^ed together to represent the stripes of the flag and running lengthwise and across the table in the form of a cross, are the foundation of a striking decora- tion. A number of blue stars, cut from paper and sprinkled over the rest of the table-cloth, and a miniature Jerusalem cherry-tree, w^ith red, white, and blue crepe paper around the pot, with a toy hatchet leaning up against it, completes the effect. Old blue china should be used, if possi- ble, and candied cherries should be a feature somewhere in the courses— in the grape-fruit, for THE ART OF ENTERTAINING 25 example — ^while each ice may have a spray of artificial cherries ornamenting it. SAINT Patrick's day A Saint Patrick's Day dinner or luncheon may have place-cards in shamrock shape, with the name in gold paint on the green, and the favors can be tiny pots of growing shamrocks. The centerpiece may be a bank of green ferns in the shape of a shamrock, with Irish flags rising from it, and green ribbons running to the pots at each plate. Roast pig could be one of the courses, and green soup (cream of asparagus or spinach), green vegetables, green icing on the cakes, and a creme de menthe sherbet or pistache ice-cream would harmonize the menu with the occasion, Irish songs could be sung after the guests leave the table. ALL FOOLS DAY An April-fool luncheon has for a centerpiece a globe of goldfish (an allusion to the French *' poisson d'avril," the equivalent of our April fool, meaning that fish are easily ''caught") and a tiny cap and bell at each plate for a souvenir. The menu is made up of '' April 26 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES Fools." First, large green peppers, on lettuce- leaves, look like a salad, but when the top is lifted off an oyster cocktail is inside. Then baked potatoes, large and piled on a platter, are passed, and prove to be full of minced sweet- bread and fresh mushrooms. Turnovers and dev- iled crabs turn out to be pieces of broiled or roasted chicken wrapped in pie-crust, and the crab-shells contain creamed potatoes dusted over with cheese and browned in the oven. Tomato salad is found to be raspberry ice, molded in tomato form, on leaves of paper lettuce. In each ^' tomato '' lies a heaped spoonful of what appears to be mayonnaise, but is a soft custard. Pill-boxes full of tiny candles, covered with cake-batter, baked and iced like little pink and white cakes, are the last deception, with chocolate peppermints made of large button-molds coated with chocolate. White peppermints of smaller size can be made in the same way with ordinary icing. EASTER LUNCHEON For Easter tables, eggs, rabbits, tiny chickens, butterflies, and spring flowers are ready to choose from. Butterflies made from crepe and tissue- THE ART OF ENTERTAINING 27 paper can be combined with the wild flowers or spring blossoms in lovely decorations, and could also be hand-painted on the place-cards. Egg- shaped bonbon boxes, or bunches of flowers, are appropriate Easter favors. FOURTH OF JULY The Fourth of July table for an informal din- ner or luncheon is overflowingly patriotic. A tiny flag at every plate, a group of flags in the center, rising from a bank of red geraniums edged with white ones, and those again with bluets, bonbons in firecracker or firework shapes, blocks of vanilla and raspberry ice sprinkled with can- died violets — these are all reminders of the day; and patriotic songs are also in order. ENGAGEMENT ANNOUNCEMENT The announcement of an engagement is often made at a dinner or luncheon for intimate friends. The place-cards can be heart-shaped, with the intertw^ined initials of the fiancees as a decoration. A heart-shaped bank of pink or red carnations, with gilt arrows sticking here and there, makes a good centerpiece, and at each place a heart- 28 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES shaped doily is used, beside which are a cluster of carnations tied with pink or red ribbon, one end of which runs to the center and is attached to an arrow. Each guest pulls out his or her arrow^, upon which a fortune is written or a sentimental verse. The announcement can be made about the middle of the meal, when some one selected to do so proposes the health of the bride and groom elect in a little speech. Or, as soon as the guests are seated, a sham telegram may be brought in containing the announcement, and read aloud, or passed round the table. All the dishes possible should be heart-shaped, and all decorations should be red or pink. BALLS, RECEPTIONS, ETC. No matter how large and formal a dance a hostess may give, it is never called a '' ball " in the invitations. '' Dancing " may be put in the lower left-hand corner of the invitation-card. If the dance is given for a debutante, her card is generally inclosed, but this rule is not in- yariable. The rooms for dancing should be daz- zlingly lighted, and great attention must be paid to ventilation. The decorations may be as gay and beautiful, and the cotillon favors as hand- THE ART OF ENTERTAINING 29 some, as one's purse allows. Everything in a ballroom should suggest light, gaiety, and beauty. A fancy-dress ball is perhaps the most brilliant social function that exists. Ne\^ertheless, a great many people have no suitable rooms in their houses for a ball, and can obtain no private hall of any elegance. If they wash to give a formal dance, they must do the best they can, without any particular luxury. The first requisite, as every dancer knows, is a good floor for the dancing. If this cannot be had at home, a hall must be engaged, and deco- rated in tasteful fashion. The hostess receives at a formal dance, whether it be in her own house or not, and is usually assisted by several friends well known in society, who can relieve her somewhat during the hours that she otherwise has to stay at her place. A debutante stands beside her mother at a dance given by her parents, and sometimes has several girl friends receiving with her also for the first half-hour. Her mother selects the first partner for her, and no man should dance more than once with the debutante on this occasion. She should shake hands with each person introduced, and is expected to dance every dance, standing at her place in the intervals to receive and greet the 30 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES guests. Her girl friends, after the first half-hour in the receiving line, are free to dance without returning to receive any further. The host does not usually stand in line. His business is to see that the women all have part- ners, that the chaperons are all taken in to sup- per, and that the men do not stay in the dressing- rooms to smoke and talk, but do their duty as dancers. The hostess does not dance, if at all, until late in the evening, when the last guests have arrived and everything is going off w^ell. She sees to it that people are introduced, shy young men provided with partners, and all the girls are having a good time. To this end, in inviting, she should see to it that the men out- number the women by a good proportion, so that, if possible, there shall be no wall-flowers. Young men, at a private dance, should ask the daughters of the house to dance the first dances. At a cotillon, those who have not partners selected beforehand are given partners by the hostess. A formal reception is held either in the after- noon from four to seven, or in the evening from eight to eleven. The hostess and those who re- ceive with her wear no hats, but the w^omen THE ART OF ENTERTAINING 31 guests in the afternoon wear hats, and the men afternoon dress. In the evening, evening dress is w^orn by all. An invitation to a reception is formally engraved, and sent a fortnight or ten days ahead. It should be answered within a week. The hostess at a reception makes what introductions she thinks proper, but generally does not try to introduce all her guests. Formal afternoon teas and '' at homes '^ are on the same lines as receptions, but are far less elaborate. They require only engraved card invitations, and the refreshments are simpler. The host seldom receives at either, w^hether men are invited or not. An invitation to an '' at home " or after- noon tea requires no answ^er, unless the one invited cannot attend, in which case a card, sent on the day of the affair, serves as a regret. In case there is a series of teas or '' at homes " a card is only sent when the person invited cannot attend any of them, and the proper time to send it is on the day of the last one of the series. The formal afternoon tea is so easy a method of entertaining a large number that it is becoming more and more popular. It requires little ex- penditure for food, but much care as to detail. Flowers, a dainty tea equipage, a novel variety of ices, cakes, candies, etc., are points never 32 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES to be neglected. The sandwich, in its present vogue and variety, is a feature of the afternoon tea. White, brown, and entire wheat bread are all used, and every kind of filling imaginable. Lettuce, nut, cucumber, egg, date, celery, cheese, oyster, lobster, banana, ginger and orange, jelly and marm.alade, olives, sardines, and chicken, are all pressed into service. The sandwiches must be very small, very dainty, and always served on a doily in a pretty dish or plate. All sorts of quaint shapes can be cut with the modern cake- cutters. At any of these formal occasions — dinners, luncheons, receptions, etc. — music is sometimes used as an adjunct, but must be duly subor- dinated. A band, unless its music is indeed sweet and low, is not pleasant as an accompaniment to a brilliant dinner. When music is really to be listened to, the formal musical is the occasion on which to have it. The musical can be either from four to six in the afternoon or at any time in the evening. The large card-party is a very popular modern form of entertainment. It takes a good deal of room to set out card-tables for a number of people, and so rooms are often hired at a club or hotel for a progressive euchre party, or a game THE ART OF ENTERTAINING 33 of hearts, or bridge. The latter is at present the fashionable game, and a bridge tournament is quite an intricate affair to manage. The host- ess receives her guests at a card-party, and has the tables arranged so that each guest can find his or her place. Usually a card, with the name written on it by the hostess, indicates each one's place. Score-cards, pencils, etc., are provided for each table. Often a written list of the main rules of the game, or a printed summary, is placed where it can easily be consulted by the players. A dish or two of bonbons on each table, in pretty silver or glass, is usually in evidence, v At a bridge tournament the score is not kept by the individual players alone, but by two or more official score-keepers, who come at the close of each round and collect the scores, keeping the tally as the game progresses. These score-keepers umpire all disputed points, and must be tactful and familiar with the rules. Prizes are the order of the day at nearly all card-parties. They should be, however, of no great value — merely dainty trifles, the winning of which causes no heartburnings. To have expensive prizes is a fatal mistake in good taste. To have none at all, or merely a badge for the winner, such as a rose or ribbon, is both good taste and good 34 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES morals, in this day of excessive card-playing. One giver of charming card-parties never has any prizes, but at each card-table a pretty pencil, tied with ribbon, is placed to keep the score, and the one who wins carries off the pencil as a badge of victory. When women exult over half a dozen pieces of bric-a-brac or embroidery won as card prizes during the year, there is something repellent about it to fastidious minds. THE ART OF ENTERTAINING OUTDOOR ENTERTAINMENTS '^1 " HE most formal outdoor entertainment is, of course, the lawn fete, or garden-party. For the average requirements, ^' a green lawn, a few trees, a good prospect, a fine day, and something to eat," are enough; and even the good prospect and the few trees can be eliminated, if necessary, and a pleasant garden-party be possible on what IS left. An invitation to a large garden-party should be given a fortnight beforehand. If the guests are to come by train or trolley, a small card inclosed should give the train or car schedule, both going and returning. A garden-party, strictly to fulfill its name, should be held entirely in the open air. The refreshments should be served outside, and the guests remain out of doors. But of course the day may turn out a rainy one, or chilly for the season, and therefore it is well always to arrange so that things may be indoors if necessary. A large porch always is an advantage in this way, for the supper can be installed there if the clouds are threatening. A tent is often used in which 35 36 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES to serve the refreshments also. Rugs laid on the grass are much appreciated by elderly or rheumatic guests, and if they are spread in a nook protected by trees, and easy chairs set comfortably in array, the kind forethought of the hostess will be blessed by those who profit and enjoy. An orchestra is a great addition to a formal garden-party. It is prettier for it to be out of sight, and not too close to the table, or to where the hostess stands. However, in the open air music is rarely too loud to interfere with con- versation, and lends a charm to the natural beauties of the occasion. It is always well to have some form of outdoor amusement at a garden-party. Tennis, croquet, quoits, etc., may all be in evidence. But with a beautiful June day, all that most of the guests ask is to be out of doors and stroll about; and if the ladies have elaborate dresses and long skirts, they are rather handicapped for games, while short skirts are hardly the fashion for a formal afJair. FOURTH-OF-JULY PARTY A Fourth-of-July party can be made a most picturesque and patriotic affair. The flag should THE ART OF ENTERTAINING 37 be everywhere — hung out from the house, draped over the porches, flying from a tall flagpole on the lawn. Tiny flags can be fastened on the standards of the tennis nets and on the croquet stakes. In addition to the other sports, the flag game may be played. Ten small flags are stuck into the ground in a row, ten more in another row a little ahead, and so on for ten rows. Ten players are then chosen, and at a given signal each starts to pluck up his or her row of flags, one at a time, runs across the lawn, and sticks each flag firmly in the ground at a designated separate goal. The flags must be well stuck into the earth, and stand upright. If they fall over or break, they are not counted. The player who gets the whole ten flags first into the ground at his or her goal wins the round. After the several sets of players have finished, the winners then play a final round, and the victorious player receives a larger flag as a prize. The refreshments can be, to some extent, red, white, and blue — blocks of strawberry and vanilla ice-cream, sprinkled with candied violets; cakes iced in the three colors and mingled together^ and candies arranged in the same way. The table may have a wide blue ribbon down the center, 38 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES and a bank of red geraniums for a centerpiece. After supper, the Declaration of Independence may be read from the porch, patriotic songs sung to guitar or mandolin, and the fireworks are in order in the twilight. Some patriotic owners of handsome country places give such a Fourth- of-July party to their friends every year, as an established custom. A CHINESE FEAST A Chinese feast is a good outdoor idea for midsummer evenings. The porch and garden- paths are hung with Chinese lanterns, and the lights covered with red and yellow shades. Chinese incense-sticks add a perfum.e by their slow burning. Fan-tan, played at small tables, is an appropriate game. For refreshments, tea, of course, is served, with tiny rice-cakes, nut sandwiches, chop-suey if possible, preserved figs, candied ginger, and any Chinese nuts or con- fections that the stores furnish. A fan-drill on the porch, by four or six girls in Chinese costume, is given, and each guest receives a little Chinese fan, with the date written on it, as a souvenir. Firecrackers on the lawn are entirely appropriate, and other Chinese fireworks. THE ART OF ENTERTAINING 39 FLOWER-PARTY A flower-party is suitable for garden or porch parties for young people. The hostess, in in- viting each girl, should ask her to come dressed to represent some flower, and to bring a verse or quotation describing the flower she personifies. Care must be taken to get all the flowers differ- ent. As each girl arrives, the verse she brings is put with the others on a tray, and each young man in turn draws from the tray, and sets out in search of the flower described. Supper is served at little tables for two, scattered about the grounds, or on the porches, each table decorated with a special flower. For those flowers not in season, paper or artificial flowers have to be used. A dance winds up the evening, or an impromptu concert on the porch, with banjo or mandolin accompaniment, and chorus-singing by the guests. LAWN-HUNTS Lawn-hunts are very pleasant affairs for chil- dren's parties and young people, and can be of innumerable kinds. For a contest-hunt, for ex- ample, dozens of pieces of white note-paper, 40 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES each with a question of some kind, are hidden all over the lawn, in the bushes, the hedges, the rustic seats, the flower-borders — ever^^vhere. Some of them have flower-quotations on them, with a request for the author's name ; some have a bit of bark or a leaf wrapped up in them, and a demand for its source and name; some have the name of a tune, and request the finder to sing it, and so on. The one who finds the most papers, and answers them correctly, w^ins a prize. The peanut-hunt, as its name im.plies, calls for any quantity of peanuts. Some are wrapped in blue tissue-paper, some in pink, some in white, and then they are hidden all over the lawn, the blue ones always in the hardest places. The hunter who finds the most blue-wrapped pea- nuts gets the prize. A heart-hunt needs dozens of little red card- board hearts, to be hidden about the lawn. A dozen slightly larger ones are cut irregularly in half, and the halves hidden not too near each other. Each player finding a plain heart counts one; any player finding the two halves of a larger heart, which fit together rightly, counts twenty, and the one counting highest wins a prize. THE ART OF ENTERTAINING 41 With any of these hunts, a good addition is a gypsy-tent on the lawn, where a girl clever in palmistry tells fortunes after the hunt is over. The supper should be served on the lawn on little tables, and should be simple, as ice-cream, cake, and lemonade, or salad, sandwiches, and chocolate. EVENING LAWN-RECEPTION An evening lawn-reception is pretty, and is a pleasant way of celebrating summer wedding anni- versaries. The grounds are lighted by Japanese lanterns, little electric lamps in colors, or fairy- lamps. Benches or chairs are set under the trees in groups or pairs, and there is music either on the porch or in the grounds. The house may be open, if the music is on the porch, for the younger people to go in and dance, if they are so inclined. The supper is served out of doors, or indoors, as convenient; and if outdoors, should be cold, consisting of sand- wiches, salad, ices, strawberries, cake, lemonade, or coffee, or any selection of these, if all are not desired. 42 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES A NAMING-PARTY A naming-party is very good fun where the grounds have a variety of plants, shrubs, and flowers. This is an afternoon affair, and the guests are formed into two sides, chosen alter- nately by the leaders, one of whom should be a man and the other a woman. A referee, with some knowledge of botany, is necessary. Each side then makes a circuit round the lawn, com- mencing at different points, and naming every shrub, tree, and flower in turn, making a written list as they go. After the circuits are made, both sides meet on the porch, and the lists are compared, the referee deciding which side is right in a case of disagreement, or whether both are wrong, even if they agree. The losing side wait upon the winners at the supper-table, and must give them a picnic in the woods later. BARN-PARTY It IS a question whether a barn-party comes under the head of outdoor entertainments; but certainly it cannot be called a house affair. A new barn is usually the scene of such entertain- ments. The stalls are trimmed with flowers, and THE ART OF ENTERTAINING 43 tables sometimes set in them. The floor is scrubbed, and used for dancing, or old-fashioned games can be played. A dairy-supper is appro- priate, of creamed potatoes, chicken salad or creamed chicken, cottage cheese, cream puffs, ice- cream, cream cake, milk and buttermilk, and with milking-stools for the guests to sit on. PICNICS Leaving one's own lawn out of the question, there are endless ways of having a picnic some- where else. A maying-party is about the earliest possible of these, and it is well to wait until the middle of the month, unless the weather is unusually comfortable. The luncheon can be provided by the hostess or brought by the guests. Perhaps the best way is for the hostess to provide the essentials of it — cold chicken, sandwiches, cake, and coffee or lemonade, and ask each guest to bring a '^ mystery '^ package. Something a little unusual in the edible line, sufficient for two or three persons, should be wrapped neatly in oiled paper, or packed in a tiny covered basket, and brought. The guessing, when lunch-time comes, as to what is in the packages, and the sampling of them with picnic appetites, adds 44 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES greatly to the fun. A maying-party can tramp after the wild flowers, or go part or all of the way in wagons or carriages. The hostess may provide these, or the guests may prefer to drive themselves. A Fourth-of-July picnic, of course, must be patriotic. Those giving it should hang flags and bunting upon the trees and rocks of the place chosen. The table, even if spread only on the grass, should have little stacks of tiny flags stand- ing at intervals on it, and a broad strip of red, white, and blue dovv^n the middle. If arranged with boards laid on boxes or barrels, it can be trimmed more elaborately. A large flag, hung against wall or rock, with a square of blue cloth basted over the stars, furnishes a chance for a game like the famous donkey-party. Give each guest a white cotton cloth or paper star and a pin, blindfold him, turn him round twace, head him for the flag, and tell him to pin the star in place. Fireworks are in order, of course, and the reading of the Declaration and singing of " America '' and '' The Star-Spangled Banner.'* SURPRISE PICNIC A surprise picnic is a good idea. The giver invites people for an afternoon drive, with no THE ART OF ENTERTAINING 45 mention of supper, and either pretends to get lost or finds the place farther away on the road, apparently, than had been supposed. The wagons drive on, and everybody begins to feel hungry and far from home, when suddenly the leader turns in at some unexpected place, and there is a table, ready laid, with hot coffee, sandwiches, salad, cake, and other good things waiting, and cushions and rugs on the grass. The hostess must, of course, have a capable member of the household, or reliable servant, to have all this arranged and ready just on time, as its charm lies entirely in its impromptu perfection. tete-A-t]6te picnic A tete-a-tete picnic has great charms. As many baskets should be packed by the hostess as there are couples, and tied prettily with ribbons. Each girl is given one of these baskets, and each young man a pencil or a napkin tied w^ith corre- sponding ribbons. By matching ribbons, the couples are sorted out at luncheon. In this way the partners can be carefully matched beforehand by the hostess, or left to chance, as she pleases. In each basket are two or three kinds of sandwiches, mayonnaise, cucumber, egg, nut, lettuce, or 46 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES chicken; a little jar of salad or some broiled chicken wrapped in waxed paper. Cake and ice- cream and lemonade or coffee should be taken, for all, by the hostess. Mottoes, packed in the baskets, add to the fun. If it is desired to change partners after luncheon, or going home, make a heap on a rock of tw^o flowers of the same kind, two bits of bark, two stones, and so on. Let each guest draw from the heap and pair off with the one holding the duplicate. OPEN-AIR VAUDEVILLE PICNIC An open-air vaudeville picnic can be made a brilliant success. Two requisites are necessary: a manager who can think up stage charades, light plays, monologues, etc., in the open air, and guests who will take the parts well. Mono- logues, violin and guitar music brought in, flower or fan drills, are all charming in open-air vaudeville. Nothing long or ambitious should be attempted — only bright trifles. The guests can regale themselves from the lunch-baskets between the '' turns,'' or have luncheon before or after the performance, as the hostess pleases. THE ART OF ENTERTAINING 47 CLAMBAKE, ETC. A clambake or chowder-party is never out of fashion. The fire requires an expert to prepare, and the ingredients of bake or chowder are pre- scribed by local rule, and differ in different places. Long Island and the New England coast hold the palm. An expert being secured, the hostess should convey her guests by boat, wagon, or trolley to the shore, and give them a sail if they enjoy it, or a chance to fish, before the bake or chowder is served. An afternoon clam- bake, with a moonlight sail or ride home, is especially enjoyable. CORN-ROAST A corn-roast is one of the most enjoyable of outdoor entertainments for a summer twilight. A big fire of wood is built upon a hill or in some picturesque open spot. A lot of long, tough sticks are cut, like fishing-rods, but sharpened to a point, and green, so that they will not catch fire easily. Numberless fine ears of the juiciest corn are then shucked and piled at one side. When the guests arrive, the fire should be clear and deep, a bed of glowing embers. Each guest 48 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES is given an ear of corn and shown how to impale it on the tough green stake; then he or she must roast it at the fire. When it is done, it w^ill be black and sizzling, but delicious. Salt, pepper, and butter are provided on picnic-plates, and the guests eat their corn in true al fresco style, and always want more. Apples are roasted as a dessert, and hot coffee can be served with sand- wiches. Then, as the fire dies down, the merry feasters dance round it, trampling it out; or, as in a fagot-party, each guest may be required to fling a tiny fagot on the embers and either tell a story, sing a song, or do some other ^^ stunt '' till it is entirely consumed. THE ART OF ENTERTAINING CHILDREN'S PARTIES TT is an easy thing, because of their responsive- ness, to afford a happy time for children. A few merry games, a light supper, a trifling souvenir, and off they go, truthfully assuring their hostess of having had *' a splendid time." For very little tots, from two to five-thirty in the afternoon, or three to six, is the best time for a party. For children from five to twelve, four to eight o'clock. For the latter, supper should be served shortly after their arrival. The tiny tots' invitations are, of course, written by mamma, but children of a larger growth appre- ciate an invitation much more when written in the large, round, painstaking hand of the boy or girl giving the party, supervised by an elder, yet retaining the turn of expression natural to a child. At these parties the hostess stands in the back- ground, cordially seconding the w^elcome first extended to the guests by her little son or daugh- ter. Half an hour is allowed for assembling — music, or a *' round " game filling up the interim before supper is announced. After supper come 49 50 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES the games. At such parties many of the games described under the head of ^^ Indoor Games " afford the children great amusement, and some of them are also instructive. A dolls' party The invitations for this entertainment, w^ritten on '' Tom Thumb '^ paper, request the little girls to bring their dolls with them. This is essen- tially a girls' party, but boys can be included, adding to the fun by bringing rag dolls dressed as sailors, policemen, soldiers, etc. The ugliest doll will be displayed by the little hostess, whose tricks and experiences she will relate in a manner calculated to excite laughter and set the ball of chatter rolling. The boys, not to be left out in the talk, wuU have wonderful stories to tell of the doings and sayings of their respective dolls also. March is an appropriate time for such parties, as in flowery Japan the Feast of the Doll occurs in that month. That fact allows wide scope for decorations and costumes. A pretty idea would be to issue the invitations on cards or tiny note-paper bearing the picture of a Jap- anse maiden, requesting the little guests to come attired in like manner. This can be easily done, and cheaply. THE ART OF ENTERTAINING 51 For souvenirs, small Japanese fans, lanterns, dolls, etc. BIRTHDAY PARTY In honor of a child's birthday, the rooms should be made as festal as possible, with the birthday flower given great prominence. It is customary for the little guests to bring a trifling gift for their comrade, but some parents forbid this apparent price of hospitality. The birthday cake at such a party holds the place of honor. Around the edge of this, in small tin holders, are arranged a number of candles, one for each year of the child's life. These candles are blown out by the little guests, each in turn making a secret wish in the interest of the '' birthday '' girl or boy. A wreath of flowers, or knotted ribbons, hide the tin holders. Often the candles are omitted, the icing of the cake representing the face of a clock, the hour-hand pointing to the number indicating the child's age. In this cake are baked the regulation ring, coin, and thimble, if the boy or girl guests are over ten years of age; if younger, a simple gift for each is found in his slice. Again, the birthday cake contains no surprises, but instead a Jack 52 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES Horner pie, covered with paper crust and frills to conceal the gifts within, is brought in and deposited upon the table. Each present is w^rapped in tissue-paper and tied with ribbon, red, say, for boys, blue for girls ; the ends appear- ing outside of the pie. ^^ One, two, three," counts the hostess ; all pull simultaneously, and each child finds a gift at the end of his ribbon. Simple games follow. A VALENTINE PARTY For each child invited, have ready a pretty valentine containing the childish message, '^ I love you," written, if possible, and signed by the child or children giving the party. Inclose these in envelopes sealed with red wax, heart- shaped. As each little guest arrives, the hostess gives him or her a paper heart on which is written the name of a bird ; these are duplicates, the little boys each holding one corresponding to a girl's. After a merry game, such as drop the handker- chief, comes a loud peal of the door-bell. A postman is admitted carrying a post-bag over his shoulder. He stands in the hall, and inquires in a loud voice if Miss Bluebird lives there. The child answering to the name, in much astonish- THE ART OF ENTERTAINING 53 ment, responds. ^^ I have a letter for you," says the postman; '' come here and get it." She does so, and receives her valentine. Mr. Goldfinch, Mrs. Bluejay, etc., follow, till half the guests have received a valentine. Then the postman shoulders his bag and leaves, to the m.anifest dis- appointment of the other little ones. Another round game, a lull, and again the door-bell rings loudly. It is the postman, who in like manner distributes the other valentines, m^aking all the birds happy. AN EASTER-RABBIT PARTY Children under ten will be delighted with an invitation to a party to be given on Easter Saturday or Easter Monday, by the Easter Rab- bit, who, as everybody knows, brings the Easter eggs. Have little rabbits painted or sketched on the note-paper, and have the hour not later than eleven in the morning. Get one of the large German paper rabbits to act as host, and let each little guest be taken up and presented to him with great formality. Let some one tell a fairy- story in which the rabbit and the eggs figure largely, and then, because there is nothing incon- gruous between innocent fun and real religion, 54 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES let the children sing one or two Easter carols. Then tell the little ones that the rabbit has made a nest apiece for them, and let the hunt begin. If space and weather permit, let the nests be placed in the ground, under bushes. In plats of excelsior, place little baskets or wooden trenchers filled with fern-leaves, holding three or four gaily colored eggs. No child is allowed more than one nest, and when all are supplied, the merry party, carrying the nests and singing a carol, march into the dining-room. In the middle of the table a huge tray, sprinkled with sand, is fenced in by wire netting, and here are placed half a dozen downy little chicks, ** the best of all the party." Small paper rabbits and the yellow chickens and ducks, obtainable at every confec- tioner's at Eastertide, stand at each plate. Sugar- cakes, cut in egg shapes, and frosted with white and chocolate frosting; egg-shaped ices or blanc- manges, egg-shaped bonbons, are then served, and as the children say good-by, to each one a bunch of the real Easter flower, the daffodil,, is given. MAY-DAY PARTY A Maypole should be erected in the open, if possible; but should the weather prove unfavor- THE ART OF ENTERTAINING 55 able, it may be set up in a large room, a box, heavily weighted, taking the place of ground. If out of doors, the pole should be ten feet high and six inches thick at the base. Within a foot of the top, four-yard lengths of ribbon, of two harmonizing colors, should be fastened, flowers wreathed about this place and about the foot of the pole, the gay streamers of ribbon floating as a pennon from the top. For a while the children engage in their well-beloved plays, '' Ring around a rosie," '^ Oats, peas, beans," etc; then the May Queen is chosen, each child writing the name of a preferred one on a slip of paper. To the throne — a wicker chair profusely garlanded — the one elected is with much ceremony duly con- ducted, the little host or hostess repeating, when crowning the queen: ** Flossie, we hail thee as Queen of the May ! Our love bring as tribute, and bow to thy sway.** The queen's herald, a lad dressed picturesquely to fit the part, his trumpet gaily bedecked with ribbons, now announces that the queen is about to choose her court. With a wreath of flowers (paper will do) she crowns each little girl who bows before her, bestowing upon her the name of the flower composing her wreath, the boys 56 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES receiving a duplicate flower for hat or coat, also a short stick with a bunch of ribbon attached, match- ing the color of their ribbon on the May-pole, the herald, with flourish of trumpet, proclaiming the name of each boy as he bows before the queen. The dance around the pole is now in order, the folly-bells on the bo3's' sticks lending addi- tional liveliness to the scene. MISS Columbia's tea-party This Fourth-of-July party should be arranged for a sunset tea on the lawn, the little ones to remain for an exhibition of fireworks. Bunt- ing is everywhere, of course, and there should be stirring music appropriate to the day. The host- ess is dressed to represent Columbia, and a number of boys are in soldier costume of the period of the Revolution. Paper cocked hats can be pro- vided for all in the march which will take place, headed by two Revolutionary urchins with fife and drum. A recitation on the veranda of *^ Paul Revere's Ride," or any other selection breathing of patriotism, will be in order for the day. Toy drums and cannon filled with candies, toy sabers, and muskets, are given for souvenirs, and a suit- able prize for the one w^ho best enacts his part. THE ART OF ENTERTAINING 57 CHRISTMAS PARTIES FOR LITTLE FOLKS The poetic myth of Santa Claus, fat and jolly,, with his reindeer and jingling bells, his bulging pack of toys and candy-boxes, has charmed the children of many generations, and will, we hope, continue to for many more. If an elaborate setting for a Christmas enter- tainment is required for young children, cover the walls of the room in which they assemble with white cheese-cloth moistened with gum arabic (using brush or sponge) and powdered well with mica dust. Pile furniture in corners and cover with same, suggesting snowdrifts; small evergreen trees, placed here and there, may be trimmed with balls of cotton batting, also frosted, and jagged bits of combed-out cotton for icicles hang from various points, sprinkled heavily with the dust. Screens covered with sheets, to which sprays of greens are attached, also help to lend an air of fairyland to the room. This is the HOME OF SANTA CLAUS Open the entertainment with music, drifting into a Christmas hymn in which they can all join, followed by a recitation of '' The Night Before Christmas " by the little hostess, dressed as a 58 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES fairy, if she can be trained to the part. Now let silence fall upon the company, broken by some one saying " Sh-h." A bell is heard to ring loudly; a telegraph messenger is admitted, who announces that Santa Claus has been de- layed — a slippery roof, smoking chimney, fire down town, or any cause that comes to m.ind. This has a pronounced effect upon the very young children. After the buzz has subsided, again comes the warning ^' Sh-h." Sleigh-bells are now heard in the distance ; nearer and nearer they come; a bustle at the door; in comes Santa, pulling a sleigh on which is a huge snowball sparkling with diamond-dust frost, as are his hair and whiskers. This snowball is made of several ordinary wooden hoops, one inside the other to form a sphere, over which muslin is fastened, and then cotton batting lightly tacked. An open- ing is left in the muslin, through which Santa i Claus, with many a quip and jest, brings forth) a gift for each child. Sleigh-bells announce sup- per. In the center of the table is a Christmas tree trimmed with tinsel, upon the branches ofi which hang candies and small toys. After sup- per have a circle game or two, a dance, and — home. Or, decorate the room simply with branches of THE ART OF ENTERTAINING 59 evergreen and holly, and have It lighted only by candles and the glow of an open fire. After all are assembled, the mother of the little girl or boy who gives the party tells the children slowly and distinctly the legend of the Christ- mas stocking; of how good Saint Nicholas, overtaken by a storm one Christmas eve, took refuge in a convent, preaching to the gentle nuns, after supper, a wonderful sermon. They begged him to come again the following year at the same time. He did so, but, before retiring, asked each nun to give him a stocking. In the morning, to their great delight, each stocking was found filled with sugar-plums. In this way Saint Nicholas requited the nuns for their hos- pitality. The legend can be amplified and made very interesting to the children, picturing Saint Nicholas on the road, knocking at the gate, etc. In the silence that ensues, the door-bell rings loudly. A messenger enters with a package. Santa Claus is detained, but hopes to get around later. The hostess opens the package and dis- closes stockings of all sizes and colors within. Each child is given one, and his or her name, and the gift desired, are written and pinned upon it before he or she fastens it to the mantel. A childish game is played, then supper is announced. 6o ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES At intervals, noise as of something coming down the chimney is heard. When all return to the parlor, there stands Santa Claus, his whiskers, hair, and cloak marred with soot. In the mean- time the stockings have been filled, positions changed, and a general *^ mix-up " has taken place. Santa makes a humorous speech ; the chil- dren join hands and dance around him; then he bids them find their several stockings. A lively time ensues. THE ART OF ENTERTAINING ENTERTAINMENTS FOR OLDER BOYS AND GIRLS NEW year's eve TT has long been a custom to open wide the house-door the eve of January first, and with great formality take leave of the departing year and merrily greet the new. A little before twelve o'clock, as the guests invited for the evening are at table, the dining-room door opens, and on the threshold stands an old man with flowing white beard and hair, a scythe over his shoulder, and in his hand an hour-glass, the last grain of sand about to fall. The clock strikes twelve ; his head falls upon his breast; a sigh, a wave of his hand in farewell, and the Old Year departs, a tiny, golden-haired boy, robed in white and garlanded with flowers, taking his place, while unseen mu- sicians sing: ' ' Ring out the old, ring in the new ; Ring, happy bells, across the snow! The year is going, let him go ; Ring out the false, ring in the true ! *' 6i 62 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES Toasts are then drunk to the New Year, more song and music are enjoyed, and all, before de- parting, sing '' Auld Lang Syne." A LEAF-PARTY Upon your cards of invitation for a New Year's party sketch, or paste, a leaf — natural or paper — requesting the recipients to come and help you turn over some new leaves. Have pre- pared a book for each guest — large sheets of wanting paper between pasteboard covers deco- rated with a leaf — which a little boy represent- ing the New" Year may distribute. The pages of the book are headed first by ^^ Your faults: mention some of them." " What resolutions did you make last year? How many did you keep?" On the last page, ''Good Resolutions for 19 — ." The directions are not taken seri- ously, of course, and when the books are col- lected by the golden-haired '' New Year " and delivered to the hostess, who reads the confessions aloud, much laughter ensues, particularly if there be a few wits among the company. As the pages are unsigned, now comes a guessing contest as; to their authors, the one guessing the great-- est number correctly winning a prize — a pretty THE ART OF ENTERTAINING 63 clock, hour-glass, paper-weight, calendar, diary, etc. A clever hostess can see many possibilities in an affair of this kind, each guest, for instance, passing his book to his right-hand neighbor, a girl who, without glancing at the previous pages, must write the '' Good Resolutions," the feminine resolves following the male's peccadillos and vice versaj affording a very funny climax. Upon their entrance guests may be given leaves of different colors, to be pinned on corsage and coat, the young men in this way finding their partners for the evening. Music and dancing enter into an entertainment of this kind, or tests for telling the future. LEAP-YEAR DANCE OR PARTY In only one year out of four does the oppor- tunity occur for young folks to enjoy the pecu- liar privileges accorded them at leap-year. The dance, or party, may be given any time through the year, though December 31 and February 29 are favorite dates. At these parties the young women defray all the expenses of the evening, issue the invitations, individually, requesting the pleasure of Mr. So-and-So's company to the dance 64 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES or party, sending him by messenger, on the event- ful evening, a huge comic bouquet wrapped in many sheets of tissue-paper. A carriage is some- times engaged by the young woman to call for the invited one, or, better, by two young women, for their guests. At the hall or house the young men congre- gate, and act as near like bashful, unsophisticated maidens as they can, kissing one another raptu- rously as they meet, holding one another's hands, etc., the young women at the same time walking about and aping manners masculine. Presently the men find seats, and the young women, loun- ging about the door, solicit introductions of the floor-manager, and of each other, and try to get their partners' programmes agreeably filled. At supper, the young men sit still and are w^aited upon laboriously by the fair maids. Favors for the cotillon may include chocolate cigars, pack- ages of candy cigarettes, German pipes, and steins for the young women; housewives, candy scissors, buttons, hair-ribbons, etc., for the young men. The especial privileges of the evening cease when the time for leaving comes. The young ladies are escorted home in the usual man- ner. THE ART OF ENTERTAINING 65 Hallowe'en Of all the informal festival occasions of the year, none are so merry and unconstrained as All-hallow eve, or the eve of All Saints' day. On this night, according to time-honored leg- ends, fairies dance, witches ride, and ghosts walk. It is a night when charms read truly and future events are dimly shadowed forth. The practice of lighting bonfires on the 31st of October is a relic of the druids, who annually rekindled their altar-fires on that night. For a future party, decorate the rooms with cornstalks, red and yellow ears of corn, pumpkin lanterns, bunches of wheat or other grains, bowls of apples, oranges, and nuts. Have ready for each guest half a walnut-shell in which is fas- tened a small candle, or a taper made of melted beeswax and heavy cotton string. In a tub of water, representing the sea of life, these little craft are launched. If a taper burns steadily out without mishap, it augurs well for the owner ; if it floats alongside another for a considerable time, the lives of the owners will be much inter- twined ; if it bumps another, a quarrel will ensue ; if it sticks close to the sides of the tub, the 66 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES owner will never see foreign parts, and so on. The hostess, as oracle, knowing or suspecting the predilections one for another of her guests, can help on the tide of courtship, or interpret the movements of the boats as absurdly as she wills. For a fishing-party, invite the masculine guests to bring their fishing-tackle. They will respond with an elaborate outfit, probably, materially adding to the fun. For the ladies, rods have been provided, with ribbons of various colors for lines, to which are attached rather blunt- pointed hooks. In one corner of the room, behind a tall screen, decorated appropriately, sits the hostess, innumerable small articles in a basket beside her. A young man casts his line over the screen, asking Fate to direct his hook in catching something indicative of his future state. Fate — the hostess — recognizes the voice, and affixes to the hook a simpering bisque doll, indicating a frivolous wife for him; another fishes up a sock in bad need of darning, indicating bachelorhood ; another a picture of Mr. Henpeck cut out of a comic paper, and so on. One girl catches a thimble, suggestive of spinsterhood ; another a tea-cozy, or black cat; another a purse with naught but a rose in it, promising love and THE ART OF ENTERTAINING 67 poverty; another with literary aspirations, a wreath of green leaves. HUNT FOR FORTUNE Another Hallowe'en party may be entitled a hunt for fortune. The guests are invited to appear in ghostly attire, which means sheets and pillow-cases, white gloves and white masks, each carrying a hideous jack-o'-lantern in his hand. As they arrive, the hostess, enjoining silence, motions them to the parlor, where they must endeavor, without speech, to discover each other's identity. When one has been discovered he must unmask. After unmasking, the names of the girls are placed in a hat, the boys draw, and thus they find partners for the evening. Now begins the hunt. Here and there about the room knots of red and yellow ribbon are visible, to which two threads are attached; couples follow these threads, upstairs, downstairs, everywhere, each coming at last to a scroll, those for the boys tied with red ribbon, those for the girls with yellow. Then they reassemble, and the fortunes of each hunter and his partner are read aloud. This may be followed by bite the apple, which never fails to create great fun. For this, a stick 68 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES two feet in length is suspended horizontally from the ceiling, an apple stuck on one end and a small bag of sand or flour on the other. The string is twisted so that the stick revolves rapidly, and the boys and girls, with hands tied behind them, take turns in running up and trying for a bite of the apple, securing more blows from the bag than bites of the apple. Other tests familiar to All-hallow eve ob- servers are the three saucers, one containing pure water, one soapy water, and the other empty. Blindfolded, a young man is led up to these and told to dip his hand into one. If he touches the clear water, he will marry a young girl; if the soapy, a widow ; if the empty saucer, he will not marry at all. For the hickory-nut test two nuts are placed before an open fire, one named for the girl who makes the test, the other for the lad she admires. If the nut named for her chosen one jumps toward her own, he will propose before the year is out; if it burns brightly, the marriage will be a happy one. Then there is the mirror test, in which the lovelorn maiden goes down the cellar steps back- ward, mirror in hand, hoping to see her future husband's face reflected in the glass; and the' THE ART OF ENTERTAINING 69 apple-paring test, too well known to need de- scription. Bobbing for apples is also old, but great fun. Bring in a big washtub, half full of water, and set it on the floor, preferably the kitchen floor, where the best Hallowe'en sports should be; provide gingham aprons for the guests to tie around their necks, and bid them kneel around the tub. Then launch a number of rosy apples, one for each guest, with the guest's initials carved in the skin. Let three bob at a time — three girls or three boys — and their efforts to catch with their mouths (their hands must be tied) the apples bearing the initials they like best will result in hilarious fun. Another amusement may be provided by filling a bowl that holds about a quart with flour. Put it in loosely at first, and drop a heavy gold ring in with it; then pack the flour in as tight as possible and turn it out, molded, onto a plate. The guests form a ring around this plate on the table, and one by one approach the flour mold, and carefully cut with a dinner-knife a slice from it. The one who touches the ring in cutting, however lightly, will knock the mold to pieces, and he must stoop over, his hands behind him, and extract the ring with his teeth. 70 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES CHRISTMAS FOR YOUTHS AND ELDERS Christmas day was for many centuries kept as a holy day, and what we ordinarily call the " holiday " phase of it was observed on January 6, or Twelfth-night, the anniversary of the three kings' arrival bringing royal gifts to the Child. Later, religious observance began to be confined -' to the morning service on Christmas day, and merrymaking to mark the afternoon and evening. Roman Saturnalia, druidical rites, German folklore, all have contributed, along w^ith the Gospel narrative, to our present-day Christ- mas observances. An interesting thing to do when one has a houseful of young people to entertain is to separate the hodgepodge of Christmas customs into dis- • tinct national ceremonials, and have an Old! English Christmas, a Moravian Christmas, a Ger- • man Christmas, etc. On one occasion, when an old-time English Christmas was revived, the menu cards at dinner were printed in Old English text and surmounted by a paper doll dressed in medieval English cos- tume, the head a photograph or drawing of the guest whose place is designated. Wax tapers, in candlesticks of brass, iron, and pewter, lent THE ART OF ENTERTAINING 71 additional beauty to the highly polished table, whereon a huge boar's head, made of dough, rested on a platter in the center. This was presently lifted, disclosing a little pig roasted to a turn, the traditional apple in his mouth; a turkey, masquerading as ye royal bird, graced one end of the board. The huge wassail-cup was passed around and partaken of by all, though it contained something far milder than the brew or ale, or steaming punch. A plum pudding two years old and a huge mince pie w^ound up the feast. After dinner the guests repaired to the parlor, where mistletoe hung from unexpected places, and while a Yule lo-g, brought in with much ceremony, furnished with the candles, the only light, a company of mummers entered for their entertainment. In a Christmas observance to-day the mum- mers may costume in any ancient way, represent any character suitable to the occasion, and do any " stunts '' of which they are capable. They may adhere closely to the stately spirit of the old times, or may combine grand impersonations with nonsensical acts; for instance. Sir Roger de Coverley may lead in the dance bearing his name, or he and a girl costumed in white robes and holly may do a cake-walk, or other obviously 72 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES grotesque thing, for the. amusement of the party. The singing of old Christmas carols and a dance wind up the evening. A German Christmas, with its pretty customs, IS the proper environment for Santa Claus, the Yule log, the Christmas tree, and many other observances which have been so long borrowed from the Germans that it is sometimes hard to trace their origin. The Moravians (a religious sect, of whom many are found in Pennsylvania) have a little corner of each house devoted at Christmas to a diminutive representation of the Nativity, with rocks and trees of Palestine, the inn at Bethlehem, the manger, sheep, shepherds, etc. Households vie pleasantly with each other over the completeness of their representation, and when a new feature is added to it, the delight is the same as other households know when new ornaments are discerned among the familiar trinkets on the Christmas tree. HOME PASTIMES HOME PASTIMES INDOOR GAMES THE minister's CAT nPHIS game is very similar to that of *^ I love my love." Each of the players must de- scribe the minister's cat, going right through the alphabet to do so. " The minister's cat is an angry cat," says one; '^ an anxious cat," says another; and so on until every one has used an adjective beginning with ''A." Then they take the " B's." '' The minister's cat is a big cat," and so on. The leader of the game must see that no one hesitates for a word. If any one should take longer than half a minute he must pay a forfeit. WHO IS HE? One of the players describes some celebrated person by giving four traits in his character, personal appearance, etc. For instance, he could say: ** He is a man of wonderful energy, wears 73 74 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES eye-glasses, shows remarkable teeth, and is an exponent of muscular statesmanship.'^ The audi- ence would have little difficulty in recognizing Theodore Roosevelt. The players are only al- lowed one guess each, for every other guess they must pay a forfeit. TWENTY QUESTIONS One person goes out of the room and the rest of the players choose a subject which he must guess by asking not more than twenty questions. If he cannot guess it he must pay a forfeit and go out of the room again; but if he guesses cor- rectly he receives a good mark for every question under the twenty which he might have asked. For instance, if he guesses the subject after asking ten questions he receives ten marks; if he has asked fifteen questions he receives five good marks. The player who receives the greatest number of good marks has won the game, and receives the prize if one is given. CROSS QUESTIONS AND CROOKED ANSWERS To play this game it is best to sit in a circle, and until the end of the game no one must speak above a whisper. HOME PASTIMES 75 The first player whispers a question to his neighbor, such as, '' Do you like roses? " This question now belongs to the second player, and he must remember it. The second player answers, ^' Yes, they smell so sweet," and this answer belongs to the first player. The second player now asks his neighbor a question, taking care to remember the answer, as it will belong to him. Perhaps he has asked his neighbor, ''Are you fond of potatoes?" And the answer may have been, '^ Yes, when they are fried ! " So that the second player has now a question and an answer belonging to him, which he must remember. The game goes on till every one has been asked a question and given an answer, and each player must be sure to bear in mind that it is the question he is asked, and the answer his neighbor gives, which belong to him. At the end of the game each gives his question and answer aloud, in the following manner: '*' I was asked: ^ Do you like roses?' and the answer was: ' Yes, when they are fried ! ' " The next player says: '^ I was asked, 'Are you fond of potatoes?' and the answer was: 'Yes, they are very pretty, but they don't wear well.' " 76 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES SPIN THE PLATTER This IS a game which almost any number of children can play. The players seat themselves in a circle, and each takes the name of some town, or flower, or whatever has been previously agreed upon. One of the party stands in the middle of the circle, with a tin plate, or waiter, places it upon its edge, and spins it, calling out as he does so the name which one of the players has taken. The person named must jump up and seize the plate before it ceases spinning, but if he is not very quick the plate will fall to the ground, and he must then pay a forfeit. It is then his turn to spin the platter. THE traveler's ALPHABET The players sit in a row and the first begins by saying, ^' I am going on a journey to Athens,'' or any place beginning with A. The one sitting next asks, "What will you do there?" The verbs, adjectives, and nouns used in the reply must all begin with A; as, "Amuse Ailing Authors with Anecdotes." If the player answers correctly, it is the next player's turn; he says, HOME PASTIMES 77 perhaps: ** I am going to Boston." '^ What to do there?" ^^ Bring Back Beans and Brown Bread." A third says: '' I am going to Con- stantinople." ''What to do there?" '' Carr>- Contented Cats." Any one who makes a mistake must pay a forfeit. THIS AND THAT A confederate is necessary for this trick. The one performing the trick goes out of the room and the confederate agrees with the audience to touch a certain article. The person outside is recalled and his confederate begins to question him. ^' Did I touch this music-book?" "No." ''Did I touch this table? " " No." " Did I touch this knife?" "No." "Did I touch that fork?" " Yes." The secret consists in saying the word "^ that '' before naming the article touched, in- stead of '' this/" BATTLEDORE AND SHUTTLECOCK Can be played by quite young children of both sexes, and is equally adapted to "children of a larger growth." By increasing the size and weight of the shuttlecock, and substituting heavy 78 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES wooden battledores for the light, leather-covered frames, the game of shuttlecock may be made to yield considerable exercise as well as amusement. The simplest form is where there are two players, who strike the shuttlecock alternately, the one who first allows it to fall to the ground being the loser. But the game may be made more in- teresting, and at the same time amuse a greater number, when there are five or six players, who divide into sides, each having his number — one side, I, 3, 5 ; the other, 2, 4, 6. The shuttlecock, first struck by i, must then be hit by 2, and then in turn by 3, 4, 5, and 6. The player who lets it drop is out, and the side of which one or more men are still in, after all their opponents have lost their positions, wins. A good shuttlecock may be made, where there are no toy-shops tp supply it, by cutting off the projecting ends of a common cotton-spool, trim- ming one end with a knife, and drilling holes in the flat surface left at the other, in which holes the feathers of quill pens are to be inserted. As for the battledores, we should think very little of the boy who could not, on an emergency, cut out a set from a bit of thin board, or the flat lid of a box, with the help of the big blade of his pocket-knife. HOME PASTIMES 79 The French are great adepts at this game, and light battledores and shuttlecocks are wielded by them with great perseverance and considerable skill. There is one great advantage about this game, namely, that without requiring any great amount of strength, it thoroughly exercises every muscle of the player, and furnishes real exercise without producing exhaustion. BUZZ This is a very old game, and is always a great favorite. The more players, the greater the fun. The players sit in a circle and begin to count in turn, but w^hen the number 7 or any number in which the figure 7 or any multiple of 7 is reached, they say ^* Buzz,'' instead of whatever the number may be. As, for instance, supposing the players have counted up to 12, the next player will say '' 13," the next *' Buzz,'' because 14 is a multiple of 7 (twice 7) ; the next player will then say *' 15," the next "16" and the next would of course say ^* Buzz " because the figure 7 occurs in the number 17. If one of the players forgets to say *^ Buzz " at the proper time, he is out. The game then starts over again with the remaining players, and so it continues till there 8o ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES is but one person remaining. If great care is taken the numbers can be counted up to 70, which, according to the rules before mentioned, would of course be called Buzz. The numbers would then be carried on as Buzz i, Buzz 2, etc., up to 79, but it is very seldom that this stage is reached. THE STAGE-COACH The leader tells every member of the company to choose as a name some article connected with a stage-coach; the wheels, the horses, the whip, the bridle, etc., may be chosen. These the leader jots down on a piece of paper and then begins to tell a thrilling story. '^ The stage-coach left town amidst the thundering of the horses' hoofs and the cracking of the driver's whip/' Some mem.bers will probably have chosen to be the horses, another the whip, and as their names are mentioned they must rise, twirl round, and sit down again. Then the narrator continues: '* For some miles all went well, then a bridle gave way [the bridle must rise and twirl round] and the driver put down the reins ^ jumped from his seat and ran to the horses' heads. It was found neces- sary to unhitch the horses before the stage-coach could proceed on its way.'' As each member's HOME PASTIMES 8i name is mentioned he must rise and twirl round ; but when the stage-coach is mentioned every one must rise and change seats, when the narrator, who has been standing, tries to secure one. If he succeeds, the person left out becomes narrator. The great point is for the narrator to tell such a thrilling story that the members forget to acknowledge the mention of their names, when they must pay a forfeit. DROP THE HANDKERCHIEF A ring is formed by the players joining hands, while one child, who is to '' drop the handker- chief," is left outside. He walks round the ring, touching each one with the handkerchief, saying the following words: *' I wrote a letter to my love, But on my way I dropped it 5 A little child picked it up And put it in his pocket. It wasn't you 5 it wasn't you ; It wasn't you — but it qjuas you! ** When he says, *^ It was you'' he must drop the handkerchief behind one of the players, who picks it up and chases him round the ring, outside and under the joined hands, till he can touch 82 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES him with the handkerchief. As soon as this happens, the first player joins the ring, while it is now the turn of the second to ^' drop the handkerchief/' MAGIC MUSIC One of the players is sent out of the room, and the rest then agree upon some simple task for her to perform, such as moving a chair, touch- ing an ornament, or finding some hidden object. She is then called in and some one begins to play the piano. If the performer plaj^s very loudly the *^ seeker " knows that she is nowhere near the object she is to search for. When the music is soft, then she knows she is very near, and when the music ceases altogether, she knows that she has found, the object she was intended to look for. THE SEA-KING This game can be played by any number of children. They proceed by first choosing one of the party to act as the sea-king, whose duty it is to stand in the center of a ring, formed by the players seating themselves round him. The HOME PASTIMES 83 circle should be as large as possible. Each of the players having chosen the name of a fish, the king runs round the ring, calling them by the names which they have selected. Each one, on hearing his name called, rises at once, and follows the king, who, when all his subjects have left their seats, calls out, '' The sea is troubled," and seats himself suddenly. His example is immediately followed by his subjects. The one who fails to obtain a seat has then to take the place of king, and the game is con- tinued. '' I APPRENTICED MY SON '' The best way of describing this game is to give an illustration of how it is played. The first player thinks of ^* Artichoke," and com- mences. '^ I apprenticed my son to a greengrocer, and the first thing he sold was an A." 2nd player: '' Apple? "— " No." 3rd player: " Almonds? "—" No." 4th player: "Asparagus? " — '' No." 5th player: " Artichoke? "—" Yes." The last player, having guessed correctly, may now apprentice his son. No player is allowed more than one guess. 84 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES THE DWARF This IS a most amusing game if well carried out. The two performers must be hidden behind two curtains in front of which a table has been placed. One of the performers slips his hands into a child's socks and little shoes. He must then dis- guise his face, by putting on a false mustache, parting his eyebrows, sticking pieces of black court-plaster over one or two of his teeth, which will make it appear as though he has lost several teeth. This, w^ith a turban on his head, will prove a very fair disguise. The second per- former must now stand behind the first and pass his arms round him, so that the second performer's hands may appear like the hands of the dwarf, while the first performer's hands make his feet. The figure must, of course, be carefully dressed, and the body of the second performer hidden behind the curtains. The front player now puts his slippered hands upon the table and begins to keep time, while the other performer follows suit with his hands. The dwarf can be used either to tell fortunes, make jokes, or ask riddles, and if the performers HOME PASTIMES 85 act their parts well, the guests will laugh very heartily. PUSS IN THE CORNER This game is really for five players only, but by a little arrangement six or seven children can take part in the fun. Four players take their places in the different corners of the room, while the fifth stands in the middle. If a greater number of children wish to play, other parts of the room must be named ** corners, '' so that there is a corner for every one. The fun consists in the players trying to change places without being caught ; but they are bound to call *^ Puss, puss,'' first, and to beckon to the one they wish to change with. As soon as they leave their corners, the player in the center tries to get into one of them. When the center player succeeds in getting into a corner, the one who has been displaced has to take his place in the middle of the room. BLIND man's buff In the olden times this game was known by the name of ** hoodman-blind," as in those days 86 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES the child that was chosen to be '' blind man " had a hood placed over his head, which was fastened at the back of the neck. In the present day the game is called blind man's buff, and very popular it is among young folks. Before beginning to play, the middle of the room should be cleared, the chairs placed against the wall, and all toj^s and footstools put out of the way. The child having been selected who is to be blind man, or Buf¥, is blindfolded. He is then asked the question: '' How many horses has your father got? " The answer is ^* Three," and to the question: '' What color are they? '^ he replies: ''Black, white, and gray.'' All the players then cry: "Turn round three times and catch whom you may." Buff accordingly spins round, and then J:he fun commences. He tries to catch the players, while they in their turn do their utmost to escape Buff, all the time making little sounds to attract him. This goes on until one of the players is caught, when Buff, without having the bandage removed from his eyes, has to guess the name of the person he has secured. If the guess is correct, the player who has been caught takes the part of Buff, and the former Buff joins the ranks of the players. HOME PASTIMES SIMON SAYS Seat yourselves in a circle and choose one of the company to be the leader, or Simon. His duty is to order all sorts of different things to be done, the funnier the better, which must be obeyed only when the order begins with ^' Simon says.'* As, for instance, " Simon says: 'Thumbs up!*'' which, of course, all obey; then perhaps comes: *' Thumbs down!" which should not be obeyed, because the order did not commence with *' Simon says,'' Each time this rule is forgotten a forfeit must be paid. '' Hands over eyes," '' Stamp the right foot," *' Pull the left ear," etc., are the kind of orders to be given. THE SCHOOLMASTER This is always a favorite game. One of the players is chosen schoolmaster, and the others, ranged in order in front of him, form the class. The master may then examine the class in any branch of learning. Supposing him to choose geography, he must begin with the pupil at the head of the class, and ask for the name of a country or town beginning with A. If the 88 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES pupil does not reply correctly before the master has counted ten, he asks the next pupil, who, if he answers rightly — say, for instance, ** America," or ** Amsterdam " — in time, goes to the top of the class. The schoolmaster may go on in this way through the alphabet, either regularly or at random, as he likes. Any subject — names of kings, queens, poets, soldiers, etc. — may be chosen. The questions and answers must follow as quickly as possible. Whoever fails to answer in time pays a forfeit. DUMB CRAMBO Divide the company into two equal parts, one half leaving the room; the remaining players should then select a word, which will have to be guessed by those outside the door. When the word has been chosen — say, for instance, the word " will ''—the party outside the room are told that the word they are to guess rhymes with *' till." A consultation then takes place, and they may think that the word is *' ill." The company then enter and begin to act the word " ill," but without speaking a word. The audi- ence, v/hen they recognize the word that is being performed, will immediately hiss, and the actors then retire and think of another word. HOME PASTIMES 89 Thus the game goes on till the right word is hit upon, when the company who have remained in the room clap their hands. The audience then change places with the actors. HISS AND CLAP This is an excellent party game. One of the company goes out of the room, while the re- mainder of the players decide among themselves w^hich of them he shall kneel to. When this is settled upon, the person who is outside is allowed to enter, and he kneels in front of the player he thinks is the right one. If he should make a correct guess, the company clap their hands, and the person to whom he knelt goes outside. If, however, the guess is incorrect, the company hiss loudly, and the guesser has to go outside, come back, and try again. Of course, it will make more amusement if when a boy is sent out of the room a girl may be chosen as the person to whom he has to kneel ; and the opposite if a girl be outside. THE ADVENTURERS i This is a very good game, and will combine I both instruction and amusement. The idea is 90 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES that the company imagines itself to be a party of travelers who are about to set out on a journey to foreign countries. A good knowledge of geography is required, also an idea of the manu- factures and customs of the foreign parts about to be visited. It would be as well, if not quite certain about the location of the part, to refer to a map. A place for starting having been decided upon, the first player sets out upon his journey. He tells the company w^hat spot he intends to visit (in imagination) and what kind of conveyance he means to travel in. On arriving at his destina- tion, the player states what he w^ishes to buy, and to whom he intends to make a present of his purchase on returning home. This may seem very simple, but it is not so easy as it appears. The player must have some knowledge of the country to which he is going, . the way he will travel, and the time it will take to complete the journey. To give an instance, it will not do for the player to state that he is going to Greenland to purchase pineapples, or to Florida to get furs, nor will it do for him to make a present of a meerschaum pipe to a lady, or a Cashmere shawl j to a gentleman. HOME PASTIMES 91 More fun Is added to this game if forfeits are exacted for all mistakes. The game continues, and the second player must make his starting-point from where the first leaves off. Of course, all depends upon the imagination or the experience of the player: if he has been a traveler, or has read a good deal, his de- scriptions should be very interesting. '' OUR OLD GRANNIE DOESN't LIKE TEA " All the players sit in a row, except one, who sits in front of them and says to each one in turn : '' Our old Grannie doesn't like T ; what can you give her instead? " Perhaps the first player will answer, ^' Cocoa,'' and that will be correct ; but if the second player should say, ^^ Chocolate," he will have to pay a forfeit, because there is a '^ T " in chocolate. This is really a catch, as at first every one thinks that ^^ tea " is meant instead of the letter '' T." Even after the trick has been found out, it is rery easy to make a slip, as the players must answer before '' five " is counted; if they cannot, or if they mention an article of food with the letter " T " in it, they must pay a forfeit. 92 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES RULE OF CONTRARY This IS a simple game for little children. It is played either with a pocket-handkerchief or, if more than four want to play, with a table- cloth or small sheet. Each person takes hold of the cloth ; the leader of the game holds it with the left hand, while with the right he makes pretense of wanting on the cloth, while he says: *^ Here we go round by the rule of contrary. When I say, 'Hold fast,' let go; and when I say, ^ Let go,* hold fast.'' The leader then calls out one or other of the commands, and the rest must do the opposite of what he says. Any one who fails must pay a forfeit. CONSEQUENCES One of the most popular games at a party is certainly ^^consequences" ; it is a very old favorite, but has lost none of its charms with age. The- players sit in a circle; each person is provided with a half-sheet of note-paper and a pencil, and is asked to write on the top — (i) one or more adjectives, then to fold the paper over, so that li HOME PASTIMES 93 what has been written cannot be seen. Every player has to pass his or her paper on to the right- hand neighbor, and all have then to write on the top of the paper which has been passed by the left-hand neighbor (2) ^^ the name of the gentle- man " ; after having done this the paper must again be folded and passed on as before ; this time must be written (3) one or more adjectives; then (4) a lady's name; next (5) where they met; next (6) what he gave her; next (7) what he said to her; next (8) what she said to him; next (9) the consequence; and lastly (10) what the world said about it. Be careful that every time anything has been written the paper is folded down and passed on- to the player on your right. When every one has written what the world says, the papers are collected and one of the company proceeds to read out the various papers, and the result may be something like this: (i) The horrifying and delightful (2) Mr. Brown (3) met the charming (4) Miss Phillips (5) in the Public Library; (6) he gave her a flower (7) and said to her: '* How's your mother?'' (8) She said to him: "Not for Joseph"; (9) the consequence was they danced 94 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES the hornpipe, and the world said: (lo) ^' Just what we expected." EARTH, AIR, FIRE, AND WATER | To play this game seat yourselves in a circle, take a clean duster or handkerchief, and tie it in a big knot, so that it may easily be throw^n from one player to another. One of the players throws it to another, at the same time calling out either of these names: Earth, Air, Fire, or Water. If " Earth '* is called, the player to whom the ball is thrown has to mention something that lives on the earth, as lion, cat ; if '^ Air " is crJ^.ed, something that lives in the air; if '^ Water," something that lives in the water; but if ^' Fire " is called, the player must keep silence. Always remember not to put birds in the water or animals or fishes in the air; be silent when " Fire " is called, and answer before ten can be counted. For breaking any of these rules a forfeit must be paid. ''animal, vegetable, or mineral?" This is a capital game for a large party, foi It is both instructive and amusing. One playei HOME PASTIMES 95 is selected who has to guess what word or sen- tence the remainder of the company has chosen. He goes out of the room, and when the subject has been decided upon, returns and asks a question of each of the company in turn. The answer must be either '' Yes " or '^ No," and in no case should more words be used, under penalty of paying a forfeit. The first important point to be found out is whether the subject is " Animal," '' Vegetable," or '' Mineral." Supposing, for in- stance, the subject chosen is a cat which is sleep- ing in the room by the fire, the questions and answers might be like the following: ^^ Is the subject chosen an animal?" ''Yes." ''Wild animal?" "No." " Domestic animal ? " " Y^." " Comm.on? " " Yes." " Are there many to be seen in this town?" "Yes." "Have you seen m.any to-day?" "Yes." "In this house?" "No." "Have you seen many in the road?" "Yes." "Do they draw carts?" "No." "Are they used for working purposes? " " No." " Is the subject a pet?" "Yes." "Have they one in the house?" "Yes." "In this room?" " Yes." " Is it lying in front of the fire at the present time? " " Yes." " Is the subject you all thought of the cat lying in front of the fire in this room?" "Yes." The subject having 96 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES been guessed, another one is chosen and the game proceeds. CRAMBO One of the party leaves the room, and on his return he is asked to find a word which has been chosen by the other players in his absence, and in order to help him another word is men- tioned rhyming with the word to be guessed. Questions may then be asked by the guesser, and the players must all introduce, as the final word of their answer, another word rhyming with the word chosen. For instance, suppose the word *' way " is selected. The guesser would then be told that the word chosen rhymes with '' say.'' He might then ^ ask the first one of the party: *^What do you think of the weather?" and the answer might be: ''We have had a lovely day.""' The second question might be: "Have you en- joyed yourself?" and the answer might be: *' Yes, I have had lots of play'' The game would! proceed in this way until the guesser gave thee correct answer or one of the party failed to givee the proper rhyme, in which case the latter wouldd| then be called upon to take the place of guesser.' HOME PASTIMES 97 HUNT THE SLIPPER The players seat themselves in a circle on the floor, having chosen one of their number to re- main outside the circle. The children seated on the floor are supposed to be cobblers, and the one outside is the customer who has brought his shoe to be mended. He hands it to one of them, saying : ** Cobbler, cobbler, mend my shoe ; Get it done by half-past two. " The cobblers pass the shoe round to each other as quickly as they can, taking care that the customer does not see which of them has it. When the customer comes to fetch it he is told that it is not ready. He pretends to get angry : and says he will take it as it is. He must then try to find it, and the cobbler who has it must try to pass it to his neighbor without its being seen by the customer. The person upon whom ; the shoe is found must become the customer, while eithe customer takes his place in the circle on \t{the floor. 1 98 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES THOUGHT-READING This game always causes considerable amuse- ment, and if skilfully carried out will very suc- cessfully mystify the whole company. It is necessary that the player who is to take the part of thought-reader should have a con- federate, and the game is then played as follows: The thought-reader, having arranged that the confederate should write a certain word, com- mences by asking four members of the company to write each a word upon a piece of paper, fold the paper up in such a manner that it cannot be seen, and then to pass it on to him. The con- federate, of course, volunteers to make one oft the four, and writes the w^ord previously agreed upon, which is, we will suppose, ^' Hastings.'* The thought-reader places the slip of paper between his fingers, taking care to put the paper of his confederate between the third and little finger; he then takes the folded paper fromi between his thumb and first finger and rubs it,i folded as it is, over his forehead, at each ruh mentioning a letter, as H. rub, A. rub, S.T.I. N.', G.S., after which he calls out that some lad]!] or gentleman has written '' Hastings." '' I did,'| ^ replies the confederate. HOME PASTIMES 99 The thought-reader then opens the paper, looks at it, and slips it into his pocket ; he has, however, looked at one of the other papers. Consequently he is now in a position to spell another word, which he proceeds to do in the same manner, and thus the game goes on until all the papers have been read. '' MY MASTER BIDS YOU DO AS I DO '' For children fond of a little exercise, no better game than this can be chosen. When the chairs are placed in order round the room the first player commences by saying: ''My master bids you do as I do," at the same time working away with the right hand as if hammering at his knees. The second player then asks: '' What does he bid me do?" in answer to which the first player says: *' To w^ork with one as I do." The second pla5'er, working in the same manner, must turn to his left-hand neighbor and carry on the same conversation, and so on until every one is working away with the right hand. The second time of going round, the order is to work with two; then both hands must work; then with three; then both hands and one leg must work ; then with four, when both hands and loo ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES both legs must work ; lastly with five, when both legs, both arms, and the head must be kept going. Should any of the players fail in keeping in con- stant motion, a forfeit may be claimed. GREEN GRAVEL In this game the children join hands and walk round in a circle, singing the following words : * ' Green gravel, green gravel, your grass is so green ; The fairest young damsel that ever was seen, I'll wash you in new milk and dress you in silk, And write down your name with a gold pen and ink. Oh ! (Mary) 5 Oh ! (Mary), your true love is dead j He*s sent you a letter to turn round your head ! '' When the players arrive at that part of the song, ^' Oh! Mary,'' they name some member of the company; when the song is finished the one named must turn right round and face the outside of the ring, having her back to all the other players. She then joins hands in this position and the game continues as before till all the players face outward. They then recommence, until they all face the inside of the ring as at first. HOME PASTIMES loi^ THE FARMYARD This game, if carried out properly, will cause great amusement. One of the party announces that he will whisper to each person the name of some animal, which, at a given signal, must be imitated as loudly as possible. Instead, how- ever, of giving the name of an animal to each, he whispers to all the company, with the exception of one, to keep perfectly silent. To this one he whispers that the animal he is to imitate is the donkey. After a short time, so that all may be in readiness, the signal is given. Instead of all the party making the sounds of various animals, noth- ing is heard but a loud bray from the one un- fortunate member of the company. "" HOW MANY NUTS DO I HOLD HERE? '' One child takes a few small nuts betw^een his Hands, so that they rattle loosely when he shakes them. He must then strike his closed hands upon his knee, and the other players guess, in turn, how many nuts he holds. The various guesses must be put down on paper, and w^hen all have had a turn the first player opens his hands and 102 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES shows how many nuts he holds. He must then pay to each who guessed correctly the number guessed; but those who guessed incorrectly must pay him. COCK-FIGHTING This is a most amusing game, and although only two boys can play at it at one time, they will keep the rest of the company in roars of laughter. The two who are to represent the '' cocks '* having been chosen, they are both seated upon the floor. Each boy has his wrists tied together with a handkerchief, and his legs secured just above the ankles with another handkerchief; his arms are then passed over his knees, and a broomstick is pushed over ond arm, under both knees, and out again on the other side over the other arm. The "cocks" are now considered ready for fighting, and are carried into the center of the room and placed opposite each other with their toes just touching. The fun now begins. Each " cock'* tries with the aid of his toes to: turn his opponent over on his back or side. The one who can succeed in doing this firsti wins the game. 1 HOME PASTIMES 103 It often happens that both " cocks " turn over at the same time, when the fight begins again. THE SPELLING GAME Each player in this game has what are called three '' lives,'' or chances. When the company is seated in a circle, the first player mentions a letter as the beginning of a word. The game IS for each of the company, in turn, to add a letter to it, keeping the word unfinished as long as possible. When a letter is added to the former letters and it makes a complete word, the person who completed it loses a '^ life." The next player then begins again. Every letter added must be part of a word, and not an odd letter thought of on the spur of the moment. When there is any doubt as to the letter used by the last player being correct, he may be challenged, and he will then have to give the word he was thinking of when adding the letter. If he cannot name the word, he loses a ** life " ; but if he can, it is the challenger who loses. This is an example of how the game should be played: Supposing the first player commences I04 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES with the letter " p '' ; the next, thinking of '' play," would add an *' 1 "; the next an ** o," thinking of *' plow " ; the next person, not having either of these words in his mind, would add " v " ; the next player, perhaps, not knowing the word of which the previous player was thinking, might challenge him, and would lose a ^' life " on being told the word was ^' plover." The player next in turn would then start a new word, and perhaps put down " b," thinking of '* bat," the next, thinking, say, that the word was ^^ bone," would add an " o," the next player would add " n "; the player whose turn it would now be, not wanting to lose a '' life " by finishing the word, would add an- other ''n"; the next player for the same reason would add *' e," and then there would be nothing else for the next in turn to do but to complete the word by adding '* t " and thus losing a ^' life." It will be seen that there are three ways of losing a " life." First, the player may lay down a letter, and on being challenged be unable to give the word. Secondly, he may himself chal- lenge another player who is not at fault. Thirdly, he may be obliged to add the final letter to a word, and so complete it. This is a most amusing game for a large party, for as the different persons lose their three HOME PASTIMES 105 ** lives " the players gradually dwindle down to two or three, when it gets very exciting to see who will be the last person left in, for he or she will be declared the winner. THE ANTS AND THE GRASSHOPPER Lots are drawn in order to decide who shall be the grasshopper; the ants then seat themselves in a circle while the grasshopper writes on a piece of paper the name of a grain or food which a grasshopper might be supposed to like. He puts this in his pocket and then addresses the ants: *^ Dear friends, I am very hungry: would any of you kindly give me some food? " ** I have nothing but a grain of barley,'' says the ant spoken to. *^ Thank you; that is of no use to me," replies the grasshopper, and goes on to the next player. As soon as any one offers the grain of food which the grasshopper has written down, the paper must be produced, and the one who guessed the word pays a forfeit and becomes grasshopper. H no one guesses the word the grasshopper pays a forfeit. The game then goes on in the same way, except that a different question is asked on the second round. io6 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES ^' Neighbors," says the grasshopper, '^ I have eaten abundantly, and would have a dance. Which would you recommend?" A waltz, a polka, a quadrille, etc., are sug- gested, and when this question has gone the round, the grasshopper asks what music he can dance to, and the ants suggest the music of the violin, the piano, cornet, etc. Then the grasshopper says he is tired of dancing and wishes for a bed, and the ants offer him moss, straw, grass, and so on, to lie upon. '' I should sleep very comfortably," the grass- hopper says, '^ but I am in fear of being pounced upon by a hungry bird. What bird have I most reason to fear?" The ants answer: the crow, the sparrow, etc. When the game is ended the forfeits that have been lost must be redeemed. OATS AND BEANS AND BARLEY All the children form a ring, with the exception of one player who stands in the center. The children then dance round this one, singing the first three lines of the verses given below. At the fourth line they stop dancing and act the words that are sung. They pretend to scatter HOME PASTIMES 107 seed; then stand at ease, stamp their feet, clap their hands, and at the words '' Turn him round " each child turns round. They then again clap hands and dance round, and when the w^ords '' Open the ring and send one in " are sung, the center child chooses a partner, who steps into the ring, and the two stand together while the other children sing the remaining verse, after which the child who was first in the center joins the ring and the game is continued as before. **Oats and beans and barley O ! Do you or I or any one know How oats and beans and barley grow ? * * First the farmer sows his seed. Then he stands and takes his ease, Stamps his foot and claps his hands, And turns him round to view the land. *' Oats and beans and barley O ! Waiting for a partner, waiting for a partner j Open the ring and send one in. Oats and beans and barley O ! * * So now you're married you must obey, You must be true to all you say, You must be kind, you must be good. And help your wife to chop the wood, Oats and beans and barley O ! " io8 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES SALLY WATERS This game can be played by any number of children. A ring is formed in which all join, with the exception of one little girl who kneels in the center of the ring. The children then dance round her, singing the following verses: ** Little Sally Waters, sitting in the sun, Crying and weeping for a young man. Rise, Sally, rise ; wipe off your eyes ; Fly to the East and fly to the West, Fly to the very one that you love best." When they come to the words '' Rise, Sally " the' child in the center rises and chooses another from the ring. The next two lines are then sung, and the two children in the ring dance round and kiss. Sally then joins the ring, the second child remaining in the circle, and the game is continued as before till all the players have acted the part of Sally. LUBIN, LOO This game can be played by any number of children. The players form a ring by clasping hands; they then dance round, singing the first HOME PASTIMES 109 verse, which after the second verse serves as a chorus. "Here we dance lubin, loo j Here we dance lubin, light ; Here we dance lubin, loo. On a Saturday night." While singing the second verse, the children stop, unclasp their hands and suit their actions to the words contained in the verse. "Put all your right hands in, Take all your right hands out j Shake all your right hands together^ And turn yourselves about." Each child, while singing this, first stretches her right arm toward the center of the ring, then draws the same arm back as far as pos- sible, next shakes or swings her right hand, and when the last line is sung she turns right round. The children then once more join hands, and com- mence dancing, at the same time singing the chorus. The game proceeds as before till all the verses have been sung. Here are the remaining verses: ** Here we dance lubin, loo ; Here we dance lubin, light j Here we dance lubin, loo, On a Saturday night. no ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES ** Put all your left hands in, Take all your left hands out ; Shake all your left hands together, And turn yourselves about. Chorus : **Here we dance lubin, loo,'* etc. *' Put all your right feet in, Take all your right feet out ; Shake all your right feet together, And turn yourselves about. Chorus : "Here we dance lubin, loo," etc. **Put all your left feet in, Take all your left feet out; Shake all your left feet together. And turn yourselves about. Chorus: "Here we dance lubin, loo," etc ** Put all your heads in, Take all your heads out j Shake all your heads together, And turn yourselves about. Chorus : **Here we dance lubin, loo," etc, *'Put all the little girls in. Take all the little girls out ; Shake all the little girls together, And turn yourselves about. HOME PASTIMES iii Chorus : "Here we dance lubin, loo," etc. **Put all the little boys in, Take all the little boys out ; Shake all the little boys together, And turn yourselves about. Chorus : "Here we dance lubin, loo/' etc. **Put all yourselves in. Take all yourselves out ; Shake all yourselves together, And turn yourselves about.** Chorus : *'Here we dance lubin, loo," etc, SHOUTING PROVERBS This IS a rather noisy game. One of the company goes outside the door, and during his absence a proverb is chosen and a word of it is given to each member of the company. When the player who is outside reenters the room, one of the company counts, *' One, two, three," then all the company simultaneously shout out the word that has been given to him or her of the proverb that has been chosen. If there are more players present than there are words in the proverb, tv.o or three of them 112 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES must have the same word. The effect of all the company shouting out together is very funny. All that is necessary is for the guesser to have a sharp ear; then he is pretty sure to catch a word here and there that will give him the key to the proverb. ADJECTIVES A slip of paper and a pencil are given to each player, who must then write a number of ad- jectives on the paper. The slips are collected and given to the principal player, who has under- taken to read out a short story, substituting the adjectives on the slips for those already in the story. The adjectives must be taken as they come, not picked out to suit the story. The result is sometimes very laughable; as for in- stance — '^ The pretty rhinoceros is a very amiable animal. It is very attractive in its habits, and lives near lakes or rivers. Its delicate skin is so soft that special bullets are needed to pierce it,'* etc. THE FORBIDDEN VOWELS The players seat themselves, are questioned by the leader of the game, and must answer with- HOxME PASTIMES ijs out bringing in a word containing a forbidden vowel. Say the vowel '' a " is forbidden, the leader asks, " Are you fond of playing the piano?" The answer, ''Yes, very," would be correct, as the w^ords do not contain the letter '' a." But if the answer were, '' Yes, and I am fond of singing, too," the speaker would have to pay a forfeit. Any vowel may be forbidden, or if the players choose to make the game very difficult, two vowels may be forbidden. Say " a " and '' e " are forbidden, and the question is, ''Will your father be late home?" "I do not know," would be a correct answer. BLOWING THE CANDLE Place a lighted candle on a table at the end of a room. Invite some one to stand in front of it, then blindfold him, make him take three steps backward, turn round three times, and then advance three steps and blow out the candle. If he fails he must pay a forfeit. It will be found that very few are able to succeed, simple though the test appears to be. 114 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES CAPPING VERSES The players are supplied with slips of paper and a pencil and every one writes a line of poetry, either original or from memory. Then the slips must be folded so that the line is hidden ; but the last word of the line must be written over the fold. The slips are passed on, so that a different writer supplies the next line, which must rhyme with the last word of the previous line. Again the slips are passed on, a new line is written and passed on with the new rhyming word written on the fold. When the papers have gone the round of the company the slips are unfolded and the verses read out. QUESTION-RHYMES Each player is provided with two slips of paper; on one he must write a question and on the other a noun. The papers are then collected and placed in two hats, or any suitable recep- tacles, the questions in one, the nouns or answers in another. Each player draws a question and a noun for himself, and must then write, in verse, an answer to the question, bringing in the noun. Suppose HOME PASTIMES r[5 the question and noun to be, ^' Do you like oysters?" '^ Carnations,'^ the rhyme written might run like this: •' Do I like oysters ? Yes, I do, And I like carnations too. The first are very good to eat, The latter have an odor sweet." THE BLIND POSTMAN The game of the Blind Postman is one espe- cially adapted for a large party. It is played as follows: The Postman is selected by lot, while the Postmaster-general either volunteers his services or is elected by the company. The person (of either sex) on whom the unwished-for honor of enacting Postman falls is blindfolded; the re- mainder of the company meanwhile seating them- selves round the room. The number of chairs is limited, so that there shall be one less than the number of players. The Postmaster-general then writes the names of certain cities and towns on slips of paper, giving one to each person, so that they may remember by what name they are to answer. Should there be but few players, the names can be given orally. The Postman is ii6 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES placed in the center of the room, and the Post- master-general takes up a position from which he can address the entire company. He com- m.ences the game by calling out '' New York to Boston" (or any other places which he may select). The players bearing these names must instantly rise, and endeavor to change seats with each other; while the Postman tries to capture one of them before they accomplish the change. Should he succeed, he removes the bandage from his eyes, and takes the chair which his captive has vacated, while the latter is blindfolded and becomes Postman in turn, in addition to paying a forfeit. Forfeits are also incurred by those who do not spring to their feet and endeavor to change seats with the town or city whose name is called in connection with their own. Forfeits are also demanded of those who, in their hurry to be in time, answer when their name has not been called. The confusion arising places many chances in the Postman's favor. The Postmaster- general may hold his appointment till the end of the game, but if tires of his honors he may resign. HOME PASTIMES n7 HONEY-POTS For little ones there is scarcely a more popular game than Honey-Pots. Small children of three and four can be included in this game, but there should be two bigger children for the Buyer and the Merchant. The children, with the ex- ception of the Buyer and Merchant, seat them- selves upon the floor of the room, with their knees raised and their hands clasped together round them. These children are called Honey-Pots. The Merchant and the Buyer then talk about the quality and quantity of the Honey, and the price of each Pot, It is agreed that the price to be paid shall be according to the weight of the Honey and the Pot. The children are carefully " weighed '' by raising them two or three times from the floor and swinging them by their arms, one arm being held by the Merchant and the other by the Buyer. When the Honey-Pots are all weighed the Buyer says he will purchase the whole of the stock, and asks the Merchant to help him carry the Pots home. Then the Merchant and the Buyer carry the children one by one to the other end of the room. When all are safely at the Buyer's house, the ii8 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES Merchant goes out of the room, but suddenly returns and says to the Buyer: "I believe you have carried off my little daughter in one of the Honey-Pots.'' The Buyer replies: ** I think not. You sold me all the Pots full of Honey, but if you doubt me you can taste them/' The Merchant then pretends to taste the Honey, and after having tried two or three Pots, he exclaims: "Ah! this tastes very much like my little daughter." The little girl w^ho repre- sents the Honey-Pot chosen by the Merchant then cries out: "Yes, I am your little girl," and immediately jumps up and runs away, the Buyer at the same time endeavoring to catch her. When the one Honey-Pot runs away all the others do the same, the Buyer catches whom he can, and the game recommences. " THEY CAN DO LITTLE WHO CANNOT DO THIS, THIS, THIS " For this game the party seat themselves in a circle, or round the fire; the first person then takes a stick in the right hand and, knocking the floor, says, " They can do little who cannot do this, this, this." Then, passing the stick from the right to the left hand, he presents it to the HOME PASTIMES n^ next person. The little folks think the catch is in the number of knocks, or in the words spoken, when it is merely in taking the stick in the right hand, and passing it w^ith the left to the next person. A forfeit must be paid for each mistake. MALAGA RAISINS This amusing game is almost sure to bring^ in a large number of forfeits for the director ta redeem at the end of the evening. The catch is caused by the director coughing, or making a noise with his throat, before he says the sentence, which all the company m.ust repeat after him, one at a time. Thus, the party having all seated themselves in a circle, the director says, " H-e-m [here making a noise in his throat], Malaga raisins are very good raisins, but Valen- cias are better." The person sitting second is almost sure to say, ^' Malaga raisins are very good raisins, but Valencias are better '' — of course in- curring a forfeit through not saying ^* H-e-m '* (or making a noise in the throat), like the director. As soon as any one of the party has repeated the sentence, leaving out the " H-e-m," the director says, ^' Edward, or Fanny [or who- I2Q ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES ever it may be], you have said wrong — a forfeit! '* But he must not tell how the sentence was said wrong. Then he passes on to the next. The third, fourth, and almost all the party, with the exception of those who have played this game before, are almost sure to leave out the " H-e-m," and thus incur a forfeit each, as often as the game goes round. It makes the game even more amus- ing if one or two of the number do know the trick, as those not in the secret are puzzled by seeing others do it correctly while they themselves fail. And it is very good fun to see the many ways each pronounces the words; thinking they have to pay a forfeit through not pronouncing them properly. When the sentence has passed round three or four times, and a good many for- feits have been collected, then, and not before, the director may tell how the forfeits were in- curred. THE HUNTSMAN This game is one of the liveliest pastimes for a winter evening. It may be played by any number of persons above four. One of the players is styled the Huntsman, and the others must be called after the different parts of the HOME PASTIMES 121 - dress or equipment of a sportsman: thus, one is the coat, another the hat, while the shot, shot- belt, powder, powder-flask, dog, and gun, and every other article belonging to a huntsman, has its representative. As many chairs as there are players, excluding the Huntsman, should next be ranged in two rows, back to back, and all the players must then seat themselves; and being thus prepared, the Huntsman walks round the sitters, and calls out the assumed name of one of them; for instance, ''Gun! " when that player imimediately gets up, and takes hold of the coat- skirts of the Huntsman, who continues his walk, and calls out the others one by one. Each must take hold of the skirts of the player before him, and when they are all summoned, the Huntsman sets off running round the chairs as fast as he can, the other players holding on and running after him. When he has run round two or three times, he shouts out ''Bang!" and immediately sits down on one of the chairs, leaving his followers to scramble to the other seats as they best can. Of course one must be left standing, there being one chair less than the number of players, and the player so left must pay a forfeit. The Hunts- man is not changed through the game unless he gets tired of his post. 122 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES THE HORNED AMBASSADOR This IS a game which, if played with spirit, creates much merriment. It is played in this way: Strips of paper, twisted like a taper, are all the materials necessary. The first player turns to the person on his left hand, and with a bow says, '' Good morning, Royal Ambassador, always royal; I, the Royal Ambassador, always royal, come from his Royal Majesty [pointing to his neighbor on his right, who must bow], always royal, to tell you he has an eagle with a golden beak." The second player must repeat this to his left- hand neighbor exactly word for word as he hears it, adding brazen claws. If he leaves out a word, or makes any mistake, he must have one of the papers twisted into his hair. Then he becomes a one-horned ambassador, and must call himself so, instead of royal. For instance. No. i says: *' Good morning. Royal Ambassador, always royal; I, the Royal Ambassador, always royal, come from his Royal Majesty, always royal, to tell you that he has an eagle with a golden beak." No. 2. ** Good morning, Royal Ambassador, HOME PASTIMES 123 always royal; I, the Royal Ambassador, come from :' Having left out always royal after his own name, No. 2 is horned, and says: ^^ Good, etc.; I, a One-horned Ambassador, always one-horned, come from his Royal," etc. When his neighbor has gone on, he must add diamond eyes to the eagle — each player must add something to the eagle — and he must say he comes from his One-horned Majesty, instead of his Royal Majesty. By this time a good many of the party will be well horned; and as every horn incurs a for- feit, the game may cease until they are redeemed. Sometimes the ambassador becomes seven- or eight-horned before the game is over. MY lady's toilet Each having taken the name of some article of dress, chairs are placed for all the party but one, so as to leave one chair too few. They all sit down but one, who is called the Lady's Maid, and stands in the center. She then calls out, '' My lady's up and wants her shoes," when the one who has taken that name jumps up and calls *' Shoes!" sitting down directly. If any one 124 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES does not rise as soon as called, a forfeit is in- curred. Sometimes she says, *^ My lady wants her whole toilet,'^ then every one must jump up and change chairs, and as there is a chair too few, of course it occasions a scramble, and who- ever is left standing must be lady's maid, and call to the others as before. FOX AND GEESE There must be an even number of persons in this game. A circle is formed, the players stand- ing two by two, so that those who are on the outside each have one person in front of them; these are called the Geese, and there must be some space left between the couples, to allow the one who is chased to run in and out of the circle. Two must be left out, one a Goose, and the other the Fox. The Fox is to catch the Goose not belonging to the circle. The Goose may run around and also within the circle but the Fox is not allowed to pass within. When the Goose who is pursued places himself before one of the couples composing the circle, there will necessarily be three in the row, and as this is against the rule, the outside one of those three immediately becomes liable to be caught instead ^^ HOME PASTIMES 125 of the other, and must endeavor to avoid the pursuit of the Fox by darting within the circle and placing himself before some one of the players. It is the object of the Fox to catch the player who makes the third one of a row, and it is the object of each Goose to avoid the third place. The Fox can only touch the Goose as he stands the third in a row, or before he succeeds in escaping to a place of safety. If the Goose is touched by the Fox while in the position of third one in a row, or if touched in passing from this third place to one of safety, he becomes the Fox instead, and the other becomes a Goose again. The amusement of this game depends upon the spirit and animation with which it is conducted. Great rapidity of movement is neces- sary, especially when the Fox is a very active one, w^ho will endeavor to dart upon the outside Goose in sudden and unexpected ways. FLY-FEATHER The company sits in as small a circle as possible without crowding each other, and with a sheet stretched in the midst of them, held tightly under each chin. Somebody takes a small downy feather — any 126 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES pillow will furnish one — and lets it float in the air, giving it a puff with his breath. The person toward whom it descends must likewise blow it up and away, for if it falls upon him, or if he allows it to fall upon the sheet, he pays a forfeit. A GOOD FAT HEN The leader begins by saying, ''A good fat hen,'' which is repeated by ever>^body around the room. He then says, ''Two ducks and a good fat hen,'' which is likewise repeated. Then, ''Three plump partridges, two ducks, and a good fat hen," which again goes the rounds. And so on until, by adding one object at a time, the following is produced: " Ten sacrificed monkeys on a catamaran float- ing. Nine Mesopotamian mares with their manes and tails in good order. Eight transmogrified I priests in their pulpits preaching, Seven piggy- wiggies in a rye-field rooting, Six screaming] squirrels in a crab-tree screeching. Five gray.^ geese in a green field grazing, Four hares headless,; Three plump partridges, Two ducks, and a good fat hen." HOME PASTIMES 127 Whoever fails to repeat correctly this hetero- geneous accumulation is dropped from the game. THE CUSHION-DANCE A hassock is placed end upward in the middle of the floor, round which the players form a circle with hands joined, having first divided into tw^o equal parties. The adversaries, facing each other, begin by dancing round the hassock a few times; then suddenly one side tries to pull the other forward, so as to force one of their number to touch the hassock, and to upset it. The struggle that necessarily ensues is a source of great fun, causing even more merriment to spectators than to the players themselves. At last, in spite of the utmost dexterity, down goes the hassock or cushion, whichever it may be. Some one's foot is sure to touch it before very long, when the unfortunate individual is dismissed from the circle and compelled to pay a forfeit. HANDS up; or up, JENKINS The company seat themselves around a table, the opposite sides being opponents. Each side chooses a captain. The captain on one side 128 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES , conceals a piece of money (a silver quarter is best) in one hand. Holding up both hands, he asks the other side which of the hands it is in. If the other side guess right the quarter is passed over, and they begin the game as follows: All the hands of that side are hidden under the table while the quarter is given to one of the number. The captain on the other side calls, " Hands up! '' or '^Up, Jenkins!" Im.mediately the closed hands of all the party are held high, arms being vertical. They are held in this position while the opposing party view them. The captain then calls, ^'Down, Jenkins!" Every hand comes down flat on the table with open palms. The opposing party then try to locate the quarter, the side assisting their captain to guess. If the guess is right the quarter is passed over to the other side, but if the guess is wrong all the hands that are on the table are counted and noted for a score, and the quarter is retained. The sam© thing is gone over again until the money is- located and passed over. The side trying to gainr the quarter can, instead of locating it immediately/ request certain ones to take off their hands, whicH makes fewer counts against them in case of failure to locate. But if they require certain hands tc remove, and the money is under them, the handi HOME PASTIMES ^ remaining are counted against them, and the quarter is still retained until the other side locates it correctly. The side having the largest score, of course, wins the game. A PEANUT-GATHERING As the name of this game suggests, the object IS to gather peanuts which have been hidden in every available nook and corner, in crevices of sofas and chairs, under bric-a-brac, on mantels, and behind 'doors, etc. Each hunter is provided with a bag made with a piece of tape across the middle of the top, on which his name is written. As the peanuts are found they are placed in the bags. When it is thought that the hunting has continued long enough, the hunters are recalled to the room from which they started, the contents of the bags are counted by a committee appointed for the purpose, and a prize is awarded to the hunter having the largest number of peanuts. BEAN-BAGS Make twelve or sixteen bags, six inches square, of bed-ticking or heavy canvas, and loosely fill them with beans w^hich have been previously I30 ENTERTAIN^IENTS AND GAMES washed and dried to remove all dust. With these can be played a vr.riet}^ of games, the two most interesting of which are as follows: Appoint two leaders, who choose sides, arrang- ing the sides in lines facing each other, with small table at each end of each line. The bean-bags being equally divided, eacl leader deposits his share upon the table nearest him. Then at a given signal, seizing one bag at a time with one hand, with the other he starts them down the line, each player passing them to the next until they reach the last, who places them i as fast as received upon the table next him. When all the bags have reached this table, the last player, seizing each in turn, sends them back ;l up the line to the leader, who again deposits them I upon his table. Whichever side first succeeds in passing all the bags down the line and back wins the round. It takes five rounds to make a game, the side winning three out of the five being successful., The bags must be passed as rapidly as possible,: and every one must touch the end table before being returned. HOME PASTIMES 13^ If a bag falls to the ground it is best to leave It where it falls till all the others are down the line, when it may be quickly picked up and passed on with little loss of time. But if in his excitement a player stoops at once to pick it up, he will cause a delay in passing the remaining bags, which invariably creates much confusion and loss of time. II Have a board three feet long and two feet wide, elevated at one end by another board to an angle of thirty degrees, and having, some six inches from the top, an opening about five inches square. Station this board at one end of a long room, and divide the company equally. Eight of the bean-bags are all that are required. The leader of one side begins. Standing at a suitable distance from the board, he endeavors to throw the bags, one at a time, through the square opening. Every bag that reaches the goal counts ten, every one that lodges upon the board five, and every one that falls to the ground outside of the board a loss of ten. Suppose A to have put two bags through the opening (twenty) and two upon the board 132 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES (ten) — that is a gain of thirty — but the other four bags falling to the ground makes a loss of forty, so his real score is a loss of ten. B puts four through the opening (forty), three upon the board (fifteen), and one upon the ground (minus ten), which gives him a gain of forty-five. The sides play alternately, and after three rounds for each, the scores, which have been carefully kept by one member of the party, are balanced, and the side having the greatest gain is declared the winner. A prize is often given for the highest individual score. THE BAG OF LUCK The Bag of Luck is a decorated paper bag suspended in a doorway at a convenient height; the children, blindfolded, are given three trials to break it with pretty ribbon-wound wands pro- vided for the purpose. These sticks are given afterward as souvenirs of the evening. The child who succeeds in making the first hole in the bag is entitled to a prize, but all share its contents, It is usually filled with confectionery, but flowers ; may be substituted v/hen candy is considered 1 objectionable. HOME PASTIMES 133 GOING TO JERUSALEM One person goes to the piano, while the others arrange in a line as many chairs, less one, as there are players; the chairs alternately facing opposite directions. Then, as the pianist begins to play, the others commence marching around the line of chairs, keeping time to the music. When this suddenly ceases, everybody tries to sit down, but as chairs are fewer by one than players, somebody is left standing and must re- main out of the game. Then another chair is removed and the march continued, until the chairs decrease to one and the players to two. Whichever of these succeeds i in seating himself as the music stops has won the game. KNIGHT OF THE WHISTLE This game always proves enjoyable to young folks, no matter of what age. One unacquainted with the game is chosen for ^^ dupe." He kneels down, and with many weird incantations and pow-wows the ceremony of declaring him Knight of the Whistle takes place. As he kneels, a rib- 134 ENTERTAINMExNTS AND GAMES bon to which a whistle is attached is deftly pinnea to his coat. The company then sit on the floor in a circle, a whistle is produced by the leader, and the knight told to catch the one who blows It. All unconscious of the one dangling behind him — which is the one always blown — he turns round and round, vainly seeking the culprit. His frantic efforts in this direction are most amusing. In order to prolong the fun, the dan- gling whistle must not be touched by a clumsy hand. The one whom he at length catches at the trick must pay a forfeit, or wear a fool's cap the remainder of the evening. CAT AND MOUSE All the players join hands and form a ring. A little girl — the mouse — stands in the center; outside the circle prowls a boy — the cat. They dance round and round rapidly, raising their arms at intervals. Watching his chance, the cat tries to spring into the circle at one side; the mouse dashes out at the other. The children, always sympathizing with the mouse, aid her efforts and impede the cat's. When the latter gets into the circle, they lower their arms to keep him prisoner. He goes around meekly, HOME PASTIMES 135 crying '' Mew, mew," while they all dance gaily around him. With a sudden ^^ Miaow," out he dashes through a weak place he has found in the chain of hands. He at once pursues the mouse, who runs for safety into the ring. If the cat is so near as to follow the mouse into the ring before he can be prevented, she pays a forfeit ; also when caught outside the circle. If the cat is un- successful, he must pay the forfeit. Two other players are then selected by cat and mouse to succeed them. The forfeits are imposed by the hostess, and are paid when the game is over. They can be made very diverting. INDOOR BUBBLE CONTEST Cover a long table with a woolen cloth; at intervals place ribbon-bound wickets. Girls and boys take sides; each player blows three bubbles at a time, endeavoring to fan or blow them through the wickets before they burst. If the bubble passes one wicket, it counts five points; ten points are counted for two wickets, fifteen for three, and so on. A good formula for soap- suds, made the day before using, is: one gill of glycerin, one ounce white Castile-soap shavings^ pint of water; shake, and allow to settle. 136 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES FOX AND HEN This IS a good out-of-doors game, but can be played in the house if an entire floor can be given up to the sport. A tract, or space, is set apart for the farmyard, in which the chickens are safe from the fox. A boy is selected for the fox, and a girl for the hen; the rest are her chickens, standing in a row behind her, grasping one another by the waist. The fox then hides in his den, as secret a corner as he can find. The venturesome hen slowly approaches the den, followed by her chicks. " Please, Mr. Fox," says she very politely at the entrance, '' can you tell me what time it is?" If not inclined to catch a chick for dinner, the fox answers, '' One o'clock," or " Two," or " Three," upon which the hen meanders off unmolested. This will happen several times; at last he replies, ''Twelve o'clock at night," dashes out, catches a chick if he can, and carries it to his den, from which she tries to escape when he next dashes out. If the fox succeeds in catching the hen, she becomes IiikI the fox, and another hen is chosen. A sly fox will endeavor to keep the brood in a state oimi panic for some time by once in a while answeringl ^ ''Twelve o'clock, noon!" The excitement oflrt;; HOME PASTIMES 137 the little chicks will be enhanced if the fox bears the likeness of one by wearing a mask. FORFEITS As many of the indoor games require forfeits to be paid by those who do not fulfill the rules, It will perhaps be as well to give a list of easy forfeits and the way in which they should be carried out. When forfeit-time arrives, the one w^ho is to cry the forfeits must be blindfolded, so that he may not know on whom he is pro- nouncing judgment. A second person holds up the forfeits one at a time, and says of each: " Here's a pretty thing, and a very pretty thing: what shall be done to the owner of this very pretty thing? " Then the crier replies with one of the following forfeits: 1. Bow to the wittiest, kneel to the prettiest, and kiss the one you love best. 2. Bite an inch off the poker. — This is done by holding the poker an inch from your mouth and then pretending to bite. 3. Lie down your full length upon the floor, fold your arms, and rise without unfolding them. 4. Push your friend's head through a ring. — This is done by putting your finger through a i 138 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES ring, and then pushing your friend's head with the tip of your finger. 5. Put yourself through the keyhole.— Write the word '' yourself " on a piece of paper and pass^ it through the keyhole. 6. Sit upon the fire.— Write " the fire '' upon a piece of paper and then sit upon the paper. 7. Place a straw on the floor so that you cannot jump over it. To do this you must place the straw close to the wall. 8. Laugh in one corner, cry in another, sing in a third, and dance in a fourth. 9. Put one hand where the other cannot touch it._To do this you must clasp the elbow with the right hand. 10. Say: '' Quizzical quiz, kiss me quick,'' six times without taking breath. 11. Kiss a book inside and outside without opening it.— This is done by kissing the book inside the room and outside the room. 12. Put two chairs back to back, then take ofE your shoes and jump over them.— This is a catch: it is the shoes you jump over, not the chairs. 13. Put a candle where every one in the room except yourself, can see it.— To do this yoi place it on your own head. HOME PASTIMES 139 14. Repeat the letters of the alphabet three times, leaving out the letter ^' o " each time. 15. Take one of your friends upstairs and bring him down upon a feather. — Take some one upstairs, give him a feather and he will find down upon it, so you will have obeyed the command, '* to bring down upon a feather." i&. Shake a sixpence off the forehead. — The person who is to pay this forfeit must close his eyes, when some one else having wetted a sixpence proceeds to press it firmly upon his forehead. The sixpence is taken away, but the forfeit- payer still believes it to be there, and if told to shake the coin off will continue to try to do so for a minute or so before he finds out the deception. 17. Kiss the candlestick. — Ask a young lady to hold a candle, and then kiss her, as she will represent the candlestick. 18. Leave the room with two legs and return with six. — ^To do this you must bring a chair in with you. 19. Stand on a chair and make whatever grimaces you are bidden without smiling. 20. Stand on a chair and spell '* opportunity/' This is an opportunity for the other children to kiss you or tease you in any way. 140 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES 21. Repeat six times without a mistake: *' A lump of rough light red feather, a red light rough leather lump." 22. Repeat six times: "There was an old woman who was a thistle-sifter, she had a sieve full of sifted thistles, and a sieve full of unsifted thistles, and she was a thistle-sifter." 23. Ask a question to which it is impossible to answer " no." — The question is — '' What does y-e-s spell? " 24. To dot and carry one. — Hold one ankle in one hand and hop round the room. 25. Repeat six times: "Around the rugged rocks three ragged rascals ran a rural race." 26. Repeat a piece of poetry, counting the w^ords aloud. Thus: "Twinkle (one), twinkle (two), little (three) star (four). How (five) I (six) wonder (seven) what (eight) you (nine) are (ten)," and so on. 27. Become a statue. — You must stand on a chair and allow one of the company to place you in any ridiculous attitude he can think of. 28. Answer " It was I " to everything said to you. — Each person in the room may speak to you if he chooses. Suppose the first person says: "I saw a monkey to-day," the forfeit- payer must reply: " It was I," and so on. HOME PASTIMES 141^ 29. Play the part of exile. — Take a place in the corner of the room farthest removed from the company and remain there until the next forfeit is called, when the exile may inflict the punishment to be performed by the owner of the forfeit, and when he has seen it carried out may leave his corner. 30. Blow out a lighted candle blindfolded. — This is a much more diflScult feat to perform than you would imagine; you are almost sure not to blow in the right direction. 31. The German band.— Three or four of the players can all pay their forfeits at the same time. A toy musical instrument is given to each, and they must perform upon them as best they can. 32. Comparisons. — The forfeit-payer must compare some one in the room to some object, and then explain in which way he or she resembles it or differs from it. For instance, a gentleman may compare a lady to a rose, because they are both sweet, though, unlike the rose, she is without a thorn. 33. Compliments. — Pay five compliments to five ladies in turn. The first compliment must not have the letter " a " in it, the second must be without an " e," in the third there must be 142 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES no '' i/' in the fourth no ''o," and in the fifth no "u." 34. Kiss your own shadow. — Hold a lighted candle so that your shadow falls upon the face of one of your companions, and then kiss it. 35. Form a blind judgment. — The person upon whom this sentence has been passed must be blind- folded. The company are then made to pass be- fore him, while he gives his opinion of each one, without knowing who it is. 36. Send 3^our sw^eetheart's name by telegram. — To do this you must whisper the name of some one you admire to the person sitting next you. This person whispers it to his neighbor, and so on until every one has heard it. 37. Act the Prussian soldier. — This penance is for boys onl}^ The coat must be turned inside out, a paper cocked hat must be worn on the head, and a mustache drawn on the face with a burnt cork. The Prussian soldier must then march round the room, stop in front of a lady, and present arms. The lady rises, marches be- side the soldier to the other end of the room; she then whispers the name of the person she admires most in the room. The soldier must return and fetch this person in the same manner as before. He then asks the second person whom HOME PASTIMES 143 she will choose, and this goes on till some one chooses the soldier himself, and then his penance is over. 38. The three words. — The names of three articles are given to you and you must say what you v/ould do with them were they yours. You are only allowed a minute in which to decide, and you will not receive your forfeit back unless you are able to answer within that time. Sup- pose the three words are ^^ elephant,'* " hedge- hog," and '' carpet." It may be a little difficult to think of the use of a hedgehog at a moment's notice, still you must not wait, so you reply: *' I would ride the elephant, eat the hedgehog, and dance on the carpet." 39. The deaf man. — The forfeit-payer stands in the middle of the room and the company invite him to do certain things. To the first three invitations he must reply, '' I am deaf, and cannot hear," but to the fourth invitation he must reply, '' I am no longer deaf," and he is then bound to perform whatever the company suggest, no matter how disagreeable the task may be. 40. Spell Constantinople. — The speller begins : C-o-n-, con, s-t-a-n, stan, t-i, ti, n-o. Here all the company call out " No!" and if the speller does not know the trick he will think he has 144 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES made a mistake and begin to spell the word all over again. 41. Animal forfeit. — The forfeit-payer must go to each of the company in turn and ask for the name of his favorite animal, and must then imitate the cry of that animal. HOME PASTIMES TOYS AND TOY-GAMES AN ^OLIAN HARP T^HIS can be made on a long, thin, pine box, about four or six inches deep. Fasten to each end of the box little bridges, like those on a violin, and stretch across them thin strings of catgut. At one end fasten the strings to the box itself, and at the other to screw-pins. By this means the strings can be tightened or loosened at will. Place the harp in a current of air, and very sweet soft tunes may be obtained. ANIMATED SERPENT Take a piece of cardboard, firm, but not too thick, and draw upon it the form of a coiled-up serpent. Carefully cut out the serpent, going round and round until you reach the tip of its tail. Paint it green and gold in stripes, fasten a thread through the tail, and suspend it from the mantel, or wherever there is a cur- rent of air, and it will twist and writhe as though it were alive. 145 146 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES THE DANCING HIGHLANDERS Get an old glove and cut the first two fingers down to the second joint, slip the glove on to the hand, on the two bare fingers put a pair of doll's socks, the one for the first finger being padded in the toe so as to make the finger as long as the second finger. The tips cut from the gloves should be used as shoes. You must previously have cut out of card- board the upper part of a Highlander's figure, painted the face, and dressed it in a kilt. This must be fastened to the glove, either with glue or with stitching, in such a manner that the fingers appear like the Highlander's legs. The figure can then be made to dance jigs and cut capers in a very funny manner. THE CORK DANCER Cut out the head and bust of a figure in cork ; run four stout bristles into this so that it will stand upright. Paint the face, put on a cap and dress of tissue-paper, then stand it upon the sounding-board of a square or grand piano and play a lively tune. The vibration will cause the figure to dance very quaintly. ^^ HOME PASTIMES H7 MAGIC FLUTE Take an unused cork that has neither crack nor hole in it; place it against the teeth, holding it tightly with the lips, and play upon it with the handles of two forks. An imitation of the sound of a flute will thus be produced, and simple airs can be played. THE MOCKING CALL Cut a small square piece from the leaf of the common leek, lay it on a clean board, and scrape away a piece of the green, pulpy substance of the leaf, being very careful not to injure the skin. Place this against the roof of the mouth with the skin side down; press it into place with the tongue, and blow between the tongue and upper teeth. With a little practice, sounds of animals and birds can easily be imitated. SHOVELBOARD, OR SHUFFLEBOARD Take a board, or else use an unpolished table that will not suffer by a little scratching. Rule a line five inches from each end. Take eight pieces of metal or heavy counters, and give two each to four plaj^ers. 148 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES It is usual to play in sides, and the counters must be marked so that the four belonging to one side may be distinguished from the oppo- nents'. The counters are placed on the line at one end and, turn and turn about, first friend, then foe, push or shuffle these toward the opposite line. If the counters rest on the line, one point is counted ; if they cross the line, two points are counted, and if a counter rests at the edge of the table, half on, half off, it counts three. The counters which do not cross the line, or which fall off, count no points. Twenty-one points is the limit for the game. RING THE NAIL Drive a number of nails into a board, taking care that a nail in the center is very much taller than the rest. This is called the king. Some small rings are now required ; brass curtain-rings answer the purpose very well. Each player has so many rings to throw with, and must try to throw them over the nails. For every successful cast five is counted, unless the king is ringed, when twenty is counted. HOME PASTIMES 149 SKIPJACK Skipjack IS made from the wishbone of a fowl. Clean it well and fix two pieces of strong elastic or catgut to the two arms. These must be well twisted before being made fast. Then insert a piece of stick in the center of the twisted strings^ pull the long end of the stick backward, fasten it to the pointed arch of the wishbone with a piece of cobbler's wax, place the toy on the ground, stick downward, and very soon the wax will give and *' Jack '' will begin to skip. A SUCKER Cut a round piece of leather and bore a small hole in the center. Through this hole pass a string with a knot at one end sufficiently large to prevent the string running through. Soak the leather thoroughly, then press it against the flat surface of some object 5^ou wish to lift. When all the air has been excluded you will find that the object can easily be lifted by means of the sucker. JACKSTRAWS AND SPILLIKINS This game may be played with straws about three inches long, but thin slips of wood of the I50 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES same length are far superior, not being so liable to break. Forty or fifty of these slips are re- quired of three inches, and three or four of six inches in length; they should all be rounded at one end, and pointed at the other. Some of these jackstraws are styled king, queen, bishop, etc., and should be distinguished from the others by dipping both ends of the straw in red paint for the king, and one end for the queen; the bishop should differ in color, and he may be painted black ; the variations may also be made by putting little touches of wax on them instead of colors; these distinguished straws have different values assigned to them — -as, for instance, four for the king, three for the queen, and two for the bishop. One player should take up all the jackstraws in a bundle, and holding them at a little height from the table, let them fall down in a confused heap on it; each player must then try alternately to take away a jackstraw from the heap without moving any of the others, and this is generally very easy to accomplish at the first, for the top straws are mostly unconnected with the rest, but as the players proceed it requires some tact to jerk them out, with the help of a ^' pointer," or piece of wood made pointed for the purpose. The player who, at the entire re- HOME PASTIMES 15^ moval of the heap, has the greatest number of straws, wins the game. Should any of the straws while being removed shake the others, they must be put back into the heap again. It is usual in some places, instead of each player removing a straw alternately, for one to continue lifting up the straws until he happens to shake one, when another player takes his turn until he in like manner fails, when another tries his fortune; and so the game continues, until all the straws are Vv^ithdrawn. Spillikins is a game founded on that of jack- straws, the rules for playing it being precisely the same. The spillikins are made of thin pieces of ivory cut into different forms, some being like spears, others saw^s, boat-hooks, etc. ; of some of the patterns there are duplicates, while of others only one. Each pattern has a value assigned to it, the lowest being five, and the highest forty; the numbers do not run in regular succession — as five, six, seven, eight — but irregu- larly, as five, sixteen, twenty-five. Hooks, made of bone, are employed instead of pointers. THE CUTWATER The cutwater is a circular piece of sheet-lead, or tin, notched like a saw round the edge, and 152 ENTERTAINMENTS. AND GAMES having two holes pierced in it at some distance from each other, through which is passed a piece of string, the tw^o ends being afterward tied together. To set the cutw^ater in action the doubled string must be alternately pulled and slackened. Every time the string is relaxed the disk revolves in consequence of the impetus it has acquired from the previous pull, and every time the string is tightened it w^hirls round in an opposite direction, as the doubled string is then untwisted. If the edge of this toy be dipped in water, it may be made to sprinkle the by- standers and the player, hence its name of cut- water. HOME PASTIMES m TRICKS THE HEIGHT OF A HAT T7EW people have any idea of the real height of a gentleman's high hat, as you will easily discover if you show one to the company. After they have viewed the hat, put it out of the room, and ask those present to mark what they suppose to be the height of it on the wall. When this has been done, bring in the hat again, and you will find that nearly every one is absurdly out in his attempt. TO SUSPEND A NEEDLE IN THE AIR Place a magnet on a stand in order to raise it a little above the level of the table. Then bring a small threaded sewing-needle close to the magnet, and, to prevent the needle attaching itself thereto, keep hold of the end of the thread. The neeedle, attracted by the magnet, is pre- vented by the thread from flying to it, and re- mains suspended in mid-air. 153 154 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES THE DANCING EGG Get a hard-boiled egg, and place it on the reverse side of a smooth polished plate or bread- platter. If you now turn the plate round while holding it in a horizontal position, the egg, which IS in the middle of it, will turn round also, and as the pace is quickened, the egg will move more and more quickly, until it stands up on one end and spins round like a top. In order to be quite sure that the experiment will succeed, you should keep the egg upright, while it is being boiled, so that the inside may be hardened in the proper position. THE MAGIC THREAD Soak a piece of thread in a solution of salt or alum. (Of course, your audience must not know you have done this.) When dry, borrow a very light ring, and fix it to the thread. Apply the thread to the flame of a candle: it will burn to ashes, but it will still support the ring. THE SWIMMING NEEDLES There are several ways of making a needle float on the surface of the water. The simplest HOME PASTIMES i55 way is to place a piece of tissue-paper on the water and lay the needle on it: the paper soon becomes soaked with water, and sinks to the bot- tom, while the needle is left floating on the top. Another method is to hang the needle in two slings made of threads, which must be carefully drawn away as soon as the needle floats. You can also make the needle float by simply holding it in your fingers and laying it on the water. This requires a very steady hand. If you magnetize a sewing-needle by rubbing it on a fairly strong magnet, and float it on the water, it will make an extremely sensitive com- pass, and if you place two needles on the water at the same time, you will see them slowly ap- proach each other until they float side by side; that is, if they do not strike together so heavily as to cause them to sink. THE OBSTINATE CORK Take a small cork, and ask some one to blow It into a fairly large-sized ordinary bottle that has a neck. This seems to be quite an easy matter. Whoever tries it will probably blow as hard as possible upon the little cork; but, instead of 156 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES going into the bottle, as expected, it will simply fall down. The harder the puffs or blow^s, the more obstinate the cork will appear to be; and even if the effect of blowing gently be tried, it will be of no use ; the cork will not go into the bottle — much to the am.usement of those who are watch- ing. The reason why the cork will not go in is this: The bottle being already full of air, w^hen the cork is blown, more air will be forced into the bottle, and consequently the air inside will be greatly compressed, and will simply force the cork back. Here is a simple way of overcoming the diffi- culty: Instead of trying to force the cork through the compressed air in the bottle, just the contrary should be tried; that is, some of the air should be sucked out of the bottle; this being done, the bottle will become partly emptied, and when the outside air rushes in to fill up the empty space, it will carry the cork with it to the bottoin of the bottle. HOW TO LIGHT A CANDLE WITHOUT TOUCHING ITF Having allowed a candle to burn till it has a; long snuff, blow it out suddenly. A wreath of HOME PASTIMES 157 smoke will ascend into the air. Now if a lighted match is put to the smoke at a distance of three or four inches from the wick, the fire will run down the cloud and relight the candle. THE VANISHING DIME Stick a small piece of white wax on the nail of the middle finger of your right hand, taking care that no one sees j^ou do it. Then place a dime in the palm of your hand, and tell your audience that you can make it vanish at the word of command. You then close your hand so that the dime sticks to the waxed nail. Blow on your hand and make magic passes, and cry *^ Dime, begone! '^ Open your hand so quickly that no one will see the dime stuck to the back of your nail, and show your empty hand. To make the dime re- appear, you merely close your hand again, and rub the dime into your palm. THE FORCE OF A WATER-DROP Get a match, and m.ake a notch in the middle of it, bend it so as to form an acute angle, and place it over the mouth of a bottle. Now place a small coin on the match, and ask 158 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES any one to get the coin into the bottle without touching either the bottle or the match. This is very easy to do. Dip your finger in a glass of water, hold it over the place where the match is notched, and let one or two drops fall on this point. The force of the water will cause the sides of the angle to move apart, and the opening thus becomes large enough to let the coin fall into the bottle. THE DANCING PEA For this trick, take a piece, two or three inches long, of the stem of a clay tobacco-pipe, taking care that one end is quite even; with a knife or file, work the hole at the even end larger, so as to form a little cup. Choose the roundest pea you can find, run two small pins crosswise through it, put the point of one in the cup of the pipe and blow softly through the other end of the pipe, throwing back your head while you blow, so that 3^ou can hold the pipe in an upright position over your mouth. The pea will rise, fall, and dance in its cup, according to the degree of force you use in blowing, but you must take care not to blow too hard, or you may blow it away altogether. HOME PASTIMES 159 THE COIN TRICK Take a coin in each hand, and stretch out your arms as far apart as you can. Then tell your audience that you will make both coins pass into one hand without bringing your hands together. This is easily done by placing one coin upon the table and then turning your body round until the hand with the other coin comes to where it lies. You can then easily pick the coin up, and both will be in one hand, while your arms are still widely extended. TO LIGHT A SNOWBALL WITH A MATCH Roll a snowball and put it on a plate. While rolling, contrive to slip a piece of camphor into the top of it. The camphor must be about the size and shape of a chestnut, and it must be pushed into the soft snow so as to be invisible — the smaller end uppermost, to which the match should be applied. THE MYSTERIOUS BALL This seems to be a plain w^ooden ball with a hole bored in its center, through which a string is passed. The ball will move lightly up and i6o ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES down this cord ; but let some one who knows the trick take the string in his hands, and it becomes quite a different matter; the bail will move quickly or slowly, at command, and, if told to do so, will stand still until ordered to move on again. The reason for this peculiar behavior is that inside the ball there are two holes, one of which it quite straight, while the other is curved, and turns out of the straight hole. It is through this curved passage that the cord is passed, and you can easily see that to regulate the movements of the ball it is only necessary to hold the string more or less tightly. If you hold the cord perfectly tight, the ball will not be able to move at all. THE WONDERFUL PENDULUM If you fill a wine-glass with water and place a thick piece of paper over it so that no air can get in, you will find that you can turn the glass upside down without spilling a drop of water, because the pressure of the air on the outside will keep the paper from falling off. It IS on this principle that the present pendulum is to be made. HOME PASTIMES i6^ Take a piece of cardboard larger than the mouth of the glass; pass a cord through a small hole in the center of the card, and fasten it by means of a knot on the under side; then carefully cover the hole with wax, so that no air may get in. Place your cardboard over the glass full of water, and by making a loop in the end of the cord you can hang the glass from a hook in the ceiling without any fear of its falling off. In order to make sure that no air can get into the glass, it is wise to smear the rim with tallow before laying the cardboard on. CHINESE SHADOWS Here is a simple way of making shadow- pictures. Place a candle on the table, and fix a piece of w^hite paper on the wall at the same height from the ground as the light is. Now place some non-transparent object, as, for in- stance, a large book, between the candle and the paper, and on one side of the table place a mirror so that it w^ill reflect the light of the candle on to the paper on the wall. If you now^ put little cardboard figures between the candle and the mirror, a shadow will be i62 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES thrown on the white paper, and you can move your figures about just as you please. THE GAME OF SHADOWS For this game you require a white sheet to be hung up at the end of the room. Then the *' shadow-makers ^' take up their places on low stools behind the sheet; there must be only one lamp in the room, which should be placed about six or seven feet behind the shadow-makers. Then the shadow-makers drape themselves with shawls, or anything handy, and take their places so that their shadows are thrown upon the sheet. They must of course try to disguise themselves, so that the ^' shadow-seekers '* may not be able to guess their identity. By loosening the hair and letting it fall over the face, a girl may appear like a man with a beard. Bending the finger over the nose gives one a very queer-looking hooked nose in the shadow and entirely alters the appearance of the face. Covering one's self up in a sheet, and then extending the arms, gives one the appearance of a large bat. As soon as a shadow-maker's identity has been guessed he must take his place as a shadow- HOME PASTIMES 163 seeker, and the one who guessed him becomes a shadow-maker. The penalty of a glance behind on the part of the shadow-seeker is to pay a forfeit. LIVING SHADOWS In order to make these, you must stand in the corner of the room, near a mirror. Let some one hold a light behind you, so that the shadow of your head and shoulders w^ill be thrown upon the wall, and also so that the reflected light from the mirror will fall at exactly the same spot as the shadow of your head. If the mirror is now covered with a piece of thick paper^ from which two eyes, a nose, and a mouth are cut out, a strange effect will be produced. In order to make the shadow still more lifelike, cut out two pieces of paper, fasten one over the mirror, and move the other over it. In this way the eyes and mouth of the shadow may be made to move. TO GUESS THE TWO ENDS OF A LINE OF DOMINOES For this trick a whole set of dominoes is required, the performer taking care to hide one of the set, not a double, in his pocket. The i64 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES remaining dominoes should be well shuffled, and placed according to the ordinary rules of domino- games, and the performer undertakes to tell, without seeing them, the two numbers forming the extremes of the line, set during his absence from the room. The numbers on the extreme ends of the dom- ino-line will be exactly the same as the numbers on the domino which the performer has in his pocket. If he is asked to repeat the trick he should be sure to change the hidden domino, or he may chance to be found out. THE NUT-CATCH Tell your audience you will show them that which neither they nor any one else ever saw before, and which no one will ever see again. After every one has tried to guess what this can be, produce a nut from your pocket, crack it, show the kernel, and ask if any one has ever seen it before; then eat the kernel, and ask if any one will ever see it again. CLICKING PENNIES Blindfold a person. Now take two pennies between the first finger and thumb of the right HOME PASTIMES 165 hand, insert the first finger of the left hand in such a way that when withdrawn the pennies will make a clicking sound. Make this sound in certain positions and the blindfolded person will be unable to tell you from which direction it proceeds. For instance, if the clicking noise is made at the side of the head the one who is blindfolded will probably be able to at once detect the posi- tion of the pennies. But draw an imaginary line through the head as though it were to be cut in halves straight between the eyes and through the nose and chin^ then click the pennies at any point on this imaginary line and the person on whom the trick is played will probably guess wrongly at each attempt. He w^ill think the clicking pro- ceeds from the back of his head instead of the front. LORD dundreary's METHOD OF PROVING HE HAD ELEVEN FINGERS Begin by counting the fingers of both hands — I) 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Then count back- ward, touching them; 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, on one hand ; hold up the other hand and say, " and five are eleven.*' i66 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES THE LAMPLIGHTERS Two boys kneel down opposite one another, each resting on one knee, and holding the other leg off the ground; a lighted candle is placed in the hand of one of them, and a candle not lighted is given to the other ; the latter then tries to light his candle from that of the former. THE STOOPING-STRETCH Chalk a line on the floor, and place the outer edge of the right foot on it, and at a little distance behind the right foot, put the left heel on the line. Then take a piece of chalk in your right hand, bend down and pass the right hand between your legs and under the right knee, and chalk a line on the floor, as far from the former line as you possibly can, yet not so far but that you can easily recover yourself w^ithout touching the ground with your hands, or removing your feet from the line. Your knee and body may project beyond the chalked line, provided you keep your feet properly placed. THE PALM-SPRING Stand at a little distance from a wall, with your face toward it, and lean forward until HOME PASTIMES ^ you are able to place the palm of your hand quite flat on the wall; you must then take a spring from the hand, and recover your upright position, without moving either of your feet. It is better to practise it first with the feet at a little distance only from the wall, increasing the space gradually. TRIAL OF THE THUMB Place the inside of the thumb on the edge of a table, taking care that neither of the fingers nor the palm of the hand touch it, next move your feet as far back as you possibly can, and then, taking a spring from the thumb, recover your standing position, without shifting your feet forward. The table should be a heavy one, and not upon casters, or the other end should be placed against a wall, else in springing back you would in all probability push it away and fall upon your hands and knees. It greatly facilitates the spring if you rock yourself to and fro three or four times before you take it; and it is best to begin as in the ^^ palm-spring,*' with the feet at a little distance from the table, increasing the '' trial of the thumb '' by degrees. i68 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES TUMBLE-DOWN DICK A Strong, long-backed old-fashioned chair is the best adapted for this feat. Place the chair down on the floor, front legs down, and put a small piece of money at the end or else about the middle of the back. Next kneel on the back legs of the chair, and take hold with both hands of the sides of the legs near the seat-rail ; then bend down and endeavor to touch the back of the chair with your face, and take up the piece of money. You must be careful not to fall forward, or allow the top of the chair to touch the ground. The position of the hands may be altered, either higher up or lower down the back of the chair, as may be necessary. TO TAKE A CHAIR FROM UNDER YOU WITHOUT FALLING In order to perform this feat, you must lie along on three chairs. Throw up your chest, keep your shoulders down, and your limbs as stiff as you possibly can ; then take the center chair from under your body, carry it over and place it again under your body on the opposite side. Although this at first sight appears diffi- HOME PASTIMES 169 cult, yet in reality it is very easy; it is well, however, to have a chair of a rather lighter construction for the middle one, as you are thereby enabled to do it with less strain upon the muscles of the body and arm. PROSTRATE AND PERPENDICULAR Cross your arms on your body, lie down on your back, and then get up again, without using either your elbows or hands in doing so. KNUCKLE DOWN This is a very good feat. Place the toes against a line chalked on the floor, kneel down and get up again without using the hands, or moving the feet from the line. THE TANTALUS TRICK Desire a player to stand with his back close to the wall, then place a piece of money on the floor, at a little distance in front of him, and tell him he sha^l have it if he can pick it up without moving his heels from the wall. Al- though at first sight it appears very easy to do I70 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES this, It will be found impossible, as in bending a part of the body must necessarily go back beyond the heels, which is of course prevented by the wall. HOME PASTIMES OUTDOOR GAMES THE WHEELBARROW RACE •^1 "HE wheelbarrows are boys on their hands ^ and knees. They arrange themselves in a row on the lawn, with another boy standing behind each one. When the signal to start is given, the boy who is standing takes hold of the ankles of the one in front of him and lifts his knees from the ground, causing him to walk on his hands, at the same time pushing him forward. The pair who first get past the winning-post win the race. BULL IN THE RING A boy is chosen to be Bull. The remainder of the players join hands and dance round him. The Bull folds his arms, rushes at the circle, and tries to break through. H successful, the other players attempt to catch him; if he is Ciaught, the player who caught him\is Bull next time. 197 198 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES THE CAT TIGGY As soon as the plaj^ers have agreed to play this game they cry: *' The last perched is cat," at which every player tries to get a perch, that is, to get his feet off the ground. The players may stand on a piece of wood, sit on a gate, or, in fact, do anything so long as their feet are ofE the ground. The last perched is the cat. The other players beckon to one another, changing places by signal, or going to new perches, and the cat has to touch them before they have perched themselves. If the cat should succeed in touching any one who is off his perch, the player touched becomes cat. He cannot touch the old cat until the latter has been perched once. *' HERE GOES UP FOR MONDAY '' This game is played by seven children, each taking the name of one of the days of the week. The players stand facing a high wall. Sunday takes the ball, and throwing it high against the; wall, calls out the name of one of the players, who must try and catch it before it reaches the: ground, the others meanwhile running away. If the ball is caught, it is thrown against the HOME PASTIMES 199 wall by the catcher, and he in his turn calls a name; when a player misses the ball he loses a point, or an '' egg," as it is called. He must then pick up the ball and throw it at the other players, and if one is hit, that player also loses an egg, and has in his turn to throw the ball against the wall. The player who, when throwing the ball at the other players, fails to hit one, must himself throw the ball against the wall. The loss of three ^* eggs '* puts a player *'out''; the last one having an egg left wins the game. THE SACK-RACE For this race each boy is put into a sack, not fastened, however, higher than the neck. The boy who is to start the race lays them in a row, flat upon the ground, and at the signal each does his best to roll, hop, or in some way get past the winning-post. H sacks are not obtainable, the arms should be tied to the sides at the elbows and wrists, and the legs tied together at the knees and ankles. EGG-CAP The players, who may number from three or four to twelve, arrange their caps in a row 200 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES against a wall, and put three small stones, called *' eggs," into each cap. A player is chosen to begin the game. He stands at a distance of about ten feet from the wall, and tries to roll a ball into one of the caps. If he is successful, the boy into whose cap the ball has fallen must pick it out and throw it at the other players, who in the meantime have run away. If he hits a player, that one loses an egg, and must then roll at the caps. If a player, when rolling, fails to get the ball into a cap, he loses an egg, and another player takes the ball. The last player having an egg left in his cap wins the game. When a player's eggs are all gone, he is out of the game, and must leave, taking his cap w^ith him. Instead of using caps, holes may be dug in the ground, but it is, of course, more difficult to get the ball into a cap. TAG Eighteen persons are necessary to play this game properly. The players, except two, arrange themselves in a ring, two deep, leaving enough space between two pairs to allow a person to dodge between easily. The two players who are out of the ring are called the *' it " and the HOME PASTIMES 201 '' outplayer." The game is for the '' it " to try and touch the '' outplayer," who can dodge in and out or round the ring, and when he is tired or w^ishes to, he can stand in front of one of the pairs inside the ring, the outside member of which then becomes the '' outplayer/' If the *' outplayer " is touched he becomes '' it,'' and the previous '' it " must take refuge in front of a pair, and so on. THE THREE-LEGGED RACE This race is run in couples, the right leg of one boy being tied tightly to the left leg of another at the thigh, knee, and ankle. The couple first passing the winning-post win. It often happens that those who dash off to be first topple over, which enables a slower and surer pair to win the race. TOUCH WOOD AND WHISTLE This is very similar to tag, but any player, unless he is touching wood and whistling is liable to be ^^ it." Very frequently in the ex- citement of the game a boy touches w^ood and forgets to whistle, but one is '' no good " without the other. 202 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES ''dicky, show a light!" This game is a splendid one for a dark night; it IS a kind of hare and hounds, in which the hare, called Dicky, shows a light to guide his hunters. The player who takes the part of Dicky is provided with a dark lantern, and is allowed a few minutes' start. The hunters then go after him. and they also carry a lantern, the light of which they must show the whole time, while Dicky need only show his light about once every two minutes. If the hunters get quite astray*, and Dicky is too long in showing his whereabouts, they cry, '' Dicky, show a light! " He must then flash the light in their direction. A good Dicky never keeps the hunters too long without a light, but dodges round the party like a will-o'-the-wisp, first here, then there, making the most of his two minutes to get to the other side of a hedge or fence, or right round the party in an opposite direction. It is a good idea to fix upon some boundary beyond which Dicky may not go ; he has such advantages over the other players that if he can wander wherever he likes there is little chance of his being caught. HOME PASTIMES 203 THE PEG-GATHERIXG RACE A number of rows of pegs are driven lightly into the ground, one row for each player, sufficient room being left between the rows for a person to run up and dow^n. A basket is placed at the end of each row, as in the diagram, the players standing at the opposite end. At the word ** Go," the players rush to peg I, pull it from the ground, carry it to the basket and drop it in, then run back to peg 2, and so on, carrying each peg separately to the basket. The player who first puts all his pegs in the basket, and then gets back to the place he started from, wins the race. Stones or potatoes may be placed on the ground and used instead of pegs if these are difficult to obtain. THE MENAGERIE MAN n^ach of the players, except tw^o, takes the name of an animal, such as lion, leopard, panther, etc. ; one of the two remaining is called the buyer, and the other the seller. The 204 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES seller is supposed to own a menagerie, so he traces an imaginary cage upon the ground, and puts his beasts into it. The buyer then comes to the menagerie and pretends to knock at the door. The seller asks: ^^ Who knocks? " The bu^^r replies : '' A merchant." The seller asks: '^ What do you want?" The buyer saj^s: ''To buy an animal." The seller then asks: ''How much will you pay for it? " The buyer then mentions some price — say, ten dollars. The seller then invites the buyer to enter, asking him at the same time what kind of animal he w^ishes to buy. If an animal that the showman has is mxen- tioned, he tells it to run out, at which it runs away from the cage. Before the buyer may run after it, he has to pay the price agreed upon, giving as many little taps on the hand of the seller as he has mentioned dollars. He then pursues the animal he has bought; if it can get back to the cage without being caught, it takes a new name; if, however, the animal is caught, the buyer pretends to cut off its ears, after which it IS considered to be a dog. The dog or dogs have then to help to catch the other animals. The game ends when all the players have been caught and become dogs. HOME PASTIMES 205 " I SPY " This game is a mixture of tag and hide-and- seek. The plajers divide themselves into equal sideSj each side choosing a captain. The two captains decide which side shall hide first, helping their sides in hiding and seeking, by telling them, good places, and so on. The seekers mark out a base, and stay there with closed eyes or otherwise so that they cannot see w^here the hiders go to conceal themselves. The hiders give a whistle or shout to show that they are ready. The seekers then begin to look. As soon as a hider is seen, the player who sees him shouts ''I spy!" and all the seekers rush home, for on being called, the hider must come out, and he must try to tag a seeker before the home is reached. A hider need not wait to be called, but can try to tag a seeker whenever he sees a chance. The seekers should never pass a place where there is the least chance of any one being hidden, for if they are cut off from home they are sure to be caught. If the seekers are succcessful in spying out the hiders without being caught they go out to hide, but if most of the seekers are tagged the hiders go out again. 2o6 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES WIDDY-WIDDY WAY This game is sometimes known as *^ warning." A '^ home " is marked out against a wall. One of the players is chosen to be the leader, and begins the game by taking his place in the home. As soon as the leader is ready he clasps his hands together, kicks the wall, shouts '^Warning!" and starts in pursuit of the other players, as in tag, except that his hands must not be unclasped. If the leader unclasps his hands he cannot touch any player till he has gone home and started afresh. If the leader is caught as he returns, he must give the one who caught him a ride home pick-a-back. As soon as the leader touches a player, the two rush home to avoid giving ^' pick-a-backs." After joining hands, kicking the wall, and shout- ing ** Warning!" as before, the two start to- gether in pursuit of the others; in this way the game goes on, player after player getting caught, and having to join the chain. The players who are still free try to break the chain without being touched in order to get a ride home and to put off the time when they must themselves be caught, for as soon as the chain is broken the players composing it must run home. ^ HOME PASTIMES 207 If the playground is a small one It is best to arrange for a '' widdy of six '\* that is to say, when six are caught they must go in pursuit together, but the next one caught must start a fresh ^^ widdy." This prevents the chain get- ting so long as to stretch right across the ground and so to make dodging impossible. HARE AND HOUNDS Hare and hounds is a good country game. Two boys, who should be not necessarily the best runners, but the liveliest dodgers of the party, represent the hares, and the remainder are the hounds. The hares carry with them bags full of paper torn up in very small pieces, which they scatter behind them as they run, to act as scent. By this the hounds track and endeavor to capture them. The hares, of course, try to mislead them by all sorts of doublings and tw^istings, or by going over difficult country. The hares are not allowed, by the rules, to make false starts at any part of the run, or to separate and lay two scents. They are con- sidered caught if the scent gives out. The hounds will find a little discipline a wonderful help to them in baffling the tricks 2c8 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GABIES of the hares. A captain and whipper-in should be chosen, the former to lead, the latter to look after the stragglers if there happen to be any. So long as the scent is strong the whole pack simply follow the captain, keeping well together, but when he is not sure of his w^ay, he blows the whistle which he carries, and the pack halt. The whipper-in stands at the last point at which the scent can be seen, holding a handkerchief in his hand. The pack run round and examine the ground to find the lost scent. The moment they find it the captain blows his whistle and they go off again. HOCKEY OR SHINNY This game is usually played by twenty-two pla3^ers, eleven on each side. Five play as for- wards, three as half-backs, two as backs, and the eleventh as goal-keeper. The ball is an ordinary cricket-ball painted white. The ground is rectangular in form, the sides measuring lOO yards and 50 yards. The long sides are termed side lines, the short sides goal- lines. The goals are formed by two upright poles, twelve feet apart, with a horizontal bar seven feet from the ground, and are placed in ^^ HOME PASTIMES 209 the center of each goal-line. Fifteen yards in front of each goal a twelve-foot line is drawn parallel to the goal-line. Quarter circles are drawn from the extremities of this line, with the goal-posts as centers. This curve is called the striking circle, and the ball must be struck by one of the attacking side from a point within the striking circle in order that a goal may be won. The game is commenced by a '^ bully '' — that is, the ball is placed in the center of the field and the two opposing center forw^ards strike the ground in front of the ball and then each others' sticks above the ball. This is done three times. Then the game begins. When a goal has been scored, and at half time, when the sides change over, the ball is again started by means of a bully. The only stroke allowed in striking the ball is from right to left, no left-handed or back-handed strokes are allowed. A player may stop the ball with any part of his body, but must only drive it by means of his stick. No kicking, collaring, tripping, or rough play is allowed in this game. When a ball is driven over a side line it must be rolled back by a player on the opposite side. 2 IP ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES When the attacking side hits the ball over the goal-line a bully takes place twenty-five yards from the spot where the ball crosses the goal- line. If the ball is plaj^ed behind by the defend- ing side a '' corner " is allowed,, that means a full hit, and is taken by the attacking side from the nearest corner flag, the attacking side being outside the striking circle and the defending side behind the goal-line. As soon as the ball is struck they may rush forward. When a player strikes the ball any one of his side nearer the enemy's goal-line than he is ruled *' off-side," and must take no part in the game unless there be at least three of the enemy between him and their goal-line. He cannot become *' on-side " again until another player strikes the ball. If the rules are broken a '' free hit " is given against the offenders. When a free hit is taken no member of the offending side is allowed wuthin five yards of the ball. Two umpires are necessary for this game, one on each side. DOG-STICK AND SPLENT A tongue-shaped piece of w^ood is required tapering at one end, rounded at the other, and HOME PASTIMES 2i_i^ slightly hollo'ved so as to form a cup to hold the ball. Instead of the bat a club, called a dog-stick, is used — a boundary-line is drawn and the player must strike the tongue-shaped end of the splent in such a way as to shoot the ball up, and then before it falls to the ground he must strike it w^ith the club, sending the ball as far as possible beyond the boundary-line. The other players may stop the ball if they can. The farther the ball flies the better for the player, as he measures the number of stick-lengths from the boundary-line and counts them as points. The player is out if he misses the ball, or fails to strike it bej^ond the boundary-line, or if he is caught out. SNOW-GAMES It is very easy for boys and girls to invent snow-games for themselves; but a few hints as to how to set about it may be useful. First and foremost it should be remembered that snowballs should not be weighted with stones or heavy substances, which render them dangerous missiles instead of harmless and amus- ing ones. Freshly fallen snow should be chosen, and 212 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES before the game commences the players should be divided into sides and each side should employ all its members to m^ake snowballs as fast as they can. It is very unfair for the elder members to set the little ones to this work, while they are enjoying the fun of aiming the balls. The side which works the quicker naturally has the larger supply of ammunition and stands a better chance of winning. Lines should be drawn between w^hich the com- batants stand to fight, and whichever side drives the other side over the line is counted victor. JACK, JACK, THE BREAD BURNS Two of the players represent a Master baker and his man Jack; the remainder of the boys seat themselves on the ground, one behind the other, and hold each other tightly round the waist. These are supposed to represent loaves of bread. Suddenly the Master cries out ^^ Jack, , Jack, the bread burns,'' and he and his man rush at the loaves and try and detach the first loaf. If they succeed the loaf becomes theirs 5 and is placed in the ''shop" (a certain spotr chosen previously) for sale, there to await other r HOME PASTIMES 213 loaves. The chief thing for Jack and his Master to do is to take the loaves unawares. If, how- ever, the foremost loaf succeeds in catching either Jack or the Master and holding him so tightly that he cannot get away, the one caught must become a loaf, but goes to the rear as soon as it is decided he is fairly caught. The game con- tinues either till all the loaves are caught or till Jack and his Master are caught. BUCK, BUCK, HOW MANY FINGERS DO I HOLD UP? Three boys play this game. Master, Buck, and Frog. Buck places himself against a wall, bends his back, supporting himself by placing his head against the Master's stomach. The Master is supposed to render Buck as much assistance as possible. The Frog leaps upon Buck's back and asks him — '^ Buck, Buck, how many fingers do I hold up?" at the same time holding up some of the fingers of his right hand. If Buck guesses cor- rectly, he is at once released, if not Frog asks him again and again until the right number is guessed, when Buck becomes Master, Master be- comes Frog, and Frog becomes Buck. 214 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES THE SERGEANT One of the players is chosen as Sergeant and takes his station upon a spot from which he is not allowed to move. The remainder range themselves in a line in front of the Sergeant, and are bound to carry out his instructions. His com- mands never exceed two: '^ Do as I do," and " Do not laugh." This sounds very simple, but as the Sergeant makes the most absurd postures he can think of, and which his soldiers are bound to copy, it is very seldom that all obey the second command '^ Do not laugh." Whenever a soldier laughs he is turned out of the ranks, and when half the soldiers have lost their places the other half are entitled to mount their backs and ride them, the Sergeant urging on the unwilling steeds with a knotted handkerchief. DUCK ON THE ROCK This is a very good game. A large block of stone* is secured and set up. At about fifteen to twenty yards from this block a line is drawn. The space behind the line is '' home." The players provide themselves each with a small stone, and taking up their station on the line pro- ceed to throw at the block of stone in turn; the HOME PASTIMES 2j[5 one whose stone is farthest from the block be- comes Duck. He must place his stone on the block of stone and the others proceed to try and dislodge it. Should the first player succeed in doing this he must run and pick up his own stone and en- deavor to run back to his home, before Duck can replace his stone and touch him. If Duck is able to touch him the one touched becomes Duck. There are usually a goodly number of misses before the stone is knocked off the block, and as every one of the players is bound to run and pick up his stone before running home. Duck is almost certain to catch one, although he must re- place his stone on the block before doing so. If the one caught is very quick, he may sometimes catch Duck again as he has to run back, after touching any one, get his stone and run home. The last one touched always becomes Duck. FOLLOW MY LEADER One of the players is chosen as leader and the rest range themselves in a long row behind him. The leader begins to advance and those behind must follow w^herever he goes and copy his every dction. 2i6 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES Any boy failing to do this must go to the end of the line, and as all the boys prefer the front they watch each other most anxiously to see if any should fail to carry out the rule. When a certain time has elapsed it falls to the part of the first boy to become leader and the previous leader goes to the rear. It is fairer to draw lots as to the order in which the boys shall follow, as naturally each one wishes for a chance to become leader. AUNT SALLY This is such an old and popular game that it will need very little description. To be correct Aunt Sally should have a negress-head adorned with a turban, and a smart gown covering her wooden body; between her lips is fixed a short clay pipe. But any one can rig up an Aunt Sally for himself: an ordinary block of wood, the upper part of which may be painted to repre- sent a face, will serve equally well. A hole must be bored in the wood where the lips are painted, so that the pipe may be made fast. The players take up their stand at twelve or twenty yards from the figure, the distance being agreed upon between the players and marked out. HOME PASTIMES 217 Upon this mark the players take their stand armed with a short thick stick. Each one endeavors to throw the stick in such a way that Aunt Sally's pipe is knocked out of her mouth. For every time this occurs the player scores a point. The player who gains the most points wins the game. HIDE-AND-SEEK All the players hide except one, who stays at the point called home, with his eyes hidden. The hiders separate and hide in various places, but the last to be hidden cries ''Whoop," and the seeker then starts to find them. The hiders must try and steal home without being caught by the seeker. If they can manage this they can all hide again, if not the one caught must become seeker. FIVES In this game the players take turns to hit a ball with the hand above a line marked on a wall ; sometimes bats are substituted for the hand. That is the simple game of fives ; but the more complicated kind is played in a court. 2i8 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES There are two kinds of courts, the Eton court and the Rugby court. In both courts the players try to hit the ball above a line about three or four feet from the ground or ledge on the front wall in such a way as to prevent their opponents hitting it back again over the line before it has touched the ground for the second time. The game begins by one of the players serving the ball by striking it against the wall and making it fall into the side of the court where his adversary is. The latter returns it and the game goes on until one of the players misses the ball, or else fails to strike it above the line. The miss counts a point for the adversary. The game consists of fifteen points; but the rules vary according to the different courts in which they are played. Shoes without nails must be worn for this game. MARBLES The best method of shooting a marble is the following: Bend the thumb at the first joint and grasp it firmly with the middle finger. Place the marble above the thumb and hold it in posi- tion with the first finger, then suddenly, having HOME PASTIMES 219 taken good aim, let fly the thumb and the marble will be shot forward with considerable force. BRIDGE-BOARD The bridge consists of a narrow piece of board in which nine arches have been cut. The arches should be about an inch in height and width, rather less in width. Numbers are placed over the arches, but it is better not to place them in consecutive order — they might be — i, 5, o, 6, 2, 4, o, 3, o. One of the players becomes bridge-keeper, the others take turns to aim at the bridge. If a marble passes under one of the arches the player who aimed it claims the number of marbles marked over it from the bridge-keeper. If he fails to shoot through an arch one marble must be paid to the bridge-keeper. The bridge-keeper should be changed every round. BOUNCE-EYE A circle, about a foot in diameter, is made on the ground; every player subscribes a marble to make a pool, and these marbles are placed in the center of the circle. 220 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES The players draw lots to decide the order in which they shall play. The first player takes a marble between his first finger and thumb, and holding it near his eye, takes aim at the center of the marbles and lets the one he is holding drop. As many marbles as he can scatter outside the ring he may claim for his own; but if he does not succeed in putting any outside the ring the one he made the attempt with must remain forfeit to swell the pool. When all the marbles in the pool have been won the game is ended. HANDERS A small hole is made in the ground about a foot from a wall, or background of any kind. The players decide the order in which they shall play by each rolling a marble toward the hole and then fixing the order by playing according to their position, those nearest the hole playing first, and so on. The players then subscribe so many marbles each and the first player takes the whole of them in his hand and rolls them toward the hole. As many as fall into it he claims for his own ; HOME PASTIMES 22^ they must fall straight in ; any that rebound into it from striking against another marble do not count. Then the next player takes the remainder of the marbles and tries his luck, then the third, fourth, and so on. When the marbles are all used up, or very much reduced in number, a fresh supply must be subscribed, so that every player may try his luck. TEETOTUM SHOT This game is very much liked by boys. A teetotum is set spinning, and for the privilege of shooting at this each player must pay the one in charge of the teetotum one marble. If the shot hits the teetotum the number uppermost on it when it falls shows the number of marbles which the one in charge must pay the successful player. BOUNCE ABOUT This game is to be played by two, three, or four players, never more. Each player must know his own marble or " bouncer." The first •player throws down his bouncer. No. 2 pitches his bouncer at No. I's. If he hits. No. i must 222 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES pay him a marble; not the one struck, as it carries a distinctive mark on it and must remain on the ground; No. 3 then tries, and then No. 4. No. I then picks up his bouncer and tries his luck, and so on. When there are two or three bouncers on the ground the owner of the one struck must pay. EGGS IN THE BUSH This is not a game of skill, but merely a guessing game. Each player in turn holds the " eggs.'' He may have one or half a dozen marbles, if he can hold them, and the opponents guess in turn how many eggs he holds. Those who have guessed correctly can claim the number of marbles from the egg-holder; those who guess incorrectly must pay the differ- ence in the numbers. For instance, if any one says *' two,'' and the holder has three, he must pay the holder one. THREE HOLES Three holes are made in the ground, each of them being about an inch deep and two inches, in diameter. They should be about a yard apart, HOME PASTIMES 223 either in a line or any other position; but they must be numbered i, 2, and 3. A starting-line two yards from the nearest hole is fixed and the first player aims for hole i. If he succeeds, each of the other players must give him a marble and he may then try for hole 2, and again hole 3 if he is so fortunate^ Each success entitles him to another shot. If the first player fails to make the first hole, or having made that misses another, his taw or marble must remain on the ground. The other players are then allowed to aim at it and take another stroke off it; if they succeed, the owner of the taw must ransom it by an ordinary marble. No taw may be hit more than once by the same player. I ONE HOLE Either a cap is placed upon the ground or a round hole is dug, it does not matter which. Each player takes ten marbles in his hand and tries to throvv^ the whole of them into the cap or hole. He reclaims all that go in, but leaves those that fall outside where they drop. The players throw in turn; any player who gets the whole ten marbles into the cap takes the marbles that are lying around. 224 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES KNOCK OUT The players draw lots for the order in which they shall play. A line is then drawn two yards from a wall. The first player takes a marble and rolls it against the wall, the second follows suit and then the rest. Any one of them whose marble in the rebound strikes another marble may claim all the marbles on the ground. If a ball rolls over the line, it must be re- placed on the line at the point where it crossed it. LONG TAW This game is for two players only. The first player places a marble on the ground, the second places another two yards ofi in a line with it. At two yards' distance from the last marble the first player shoots another, which is generally a prize marble or taw. If he hits the marble nearest to him he pockets it and has a shot at the next, which he may also pocket. Then the marbles are set again and the second player tries his luck. If the first player should miss, the second player may aim at all three of the marbles on the ground, including his opponent's taw. HOME PASTIMES 225 PICKING THE PLUMS Two Straight lines are drawn parallel to one another, from four to eight feet apart. Each player places two or three marbles, which are called plums, upon one of the lines, leaving about an inch between them. The players in turn knuckle down at the other line and shoot at the plums, those hit being kept by the success- ful shooter, but a second shot is not allowed till the next round. If a player fails to hit a plum, he must add one to the row to be shot at. RING-TAW P This game is somewhat like the previous one. A circle about a foot in diameter is drawn on a piece of smooth ground or asphalt; each player puts an agreed-on number of marbles in the circle, as nearly as possible at equal distances from one another. Around this ring another must be drawn at a distance of from six to seven feet; the circle is called the taw-line. I The first player starts from any point on this ' line, and shoots at the marbles in the inner circle ; if he knocks one out and it goes outside the 226 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES larger ring he takes it, and may shoot again from the place where the marble he originally shot with stops, and may continue to shoot until he fails to knock a marble out. Whenever a player fails to knock a marble from the circle his ow^n marble must remain where it stops, unless it rolls out of the outer circle, in which case he may pick it up. The players follow one after the other, keeping the same order throughout the game, one succeeding another as soon as he fails to knock a marble from the ring. The marbles that have been shot and which remain in either of the rings are treated in the same way as the marbles originally put in the small ring. The game goes on until both rings are clear. PYRAMIDS The marbles for making a pyramid are sup- plied by one boy, who charges one marble a shot to every boy who wishes to play. A ring a foot in diameter is drawn upon the ground, and in the center three marbles are placed, arranged in a triangle, with a fourth on the top of them, forming a pyramid. Any marbles i HOME PASTIMES 227 knocked out of the ring become the property of the shooter, who also retains the marble he shot with, even if it remains in the ring, should he knock one out; but if his marble stops in the ring without knocking another out, it is claimed by the owner of the pyramid. The players shoot in rotation whether they w^in or lose. The pyramid must be remade each time it is knocked down. SPANNERS This is a good game for two players only. The first player shoots a marble, and the second tries to shoot his marble against it, or within a span of it. The players shoot alternately, but when one is successful he has another shot, and the other player pays him a marble. LEAP-FROG This IS the simplest and at the same time one of the best of overback games. The players stand behind each other, forming a long line; the first player in the line makes a back, the second leaps over, and makes a back a few feet farther on, the first one still remaining down. The third player goes over first one 228 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES and then the other, forming another back in the same manner as the second, and so on until all the line are down. Then the boy who made the first back starts again, and leaps each of the backs and makes another back at the end, the next player does the same, and thus a con- tinually advancing line of backs is formed. If the players are anxious to get over the ground quickly they can run a dozen yards or so before ** going down/' The whole fun of the game lies in its being played smartly and with spirit. FLY In this game a leader and a boy to make first back are chosen. The leader does som.e trick as he leaps the back, which the other players must exactly follow; any player making a mistake takes the place of the one who is giving the back. The variations are almost numberless, but one or two may be mentioned: for instance, to fly the back with the left hand only, or to place a cap on the back as you leap and pick it off before touching the ground. The back as soon as released takes the place of the leader, who becomes second player. HOME PASTIMES 229 TOM tiddler's ground A line is drawn to separate Tom Tiddler's Ground from the rest of the playground or field. Tom Tiddler takes up his position in this space and tries to touch any one who intrudes upon it. Any player he touches becomes a prisoner and must stand behind Tom Tiddler until a comrade comes to rescue him. To release the prisoner, the rescuer must touch him without being previously touched by Tom; if, however, Tom touches the rescuer first, he also becomes a prisoner. The whole spirit of the game lies in there being plenty of invaders, and in the prisoners being rescued quickly. I MULBERRY BUSH "Here we go round the mulberry bush, The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush j Here we go round the mulberry bush On a cold and frosty morning. • * This is the way we wash our hands, Wash our hands, wash our hands j This is the way we wash our hands On a cold and frosty morning. •*Here we go round the mulberry bush, The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush 5 230 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES Here we go round the mulberry bush On a cold and frosty morning. **This is the way we wash our clothes, Wash our clothes, wash our clothes ; This is the way we wash our clothes On a cold and frosty morning. • *'Here we go round the mulberry bush, The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush 5 Here we go round the mulberry bush On a cold and frosty morning. **This is the way we go to school, We go to school, we go to school 5 This is the way we go to school On a cold and frosty morning. * * Here we go round the mulberry bush. The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush ; Here we go round the mulberry bush On a cold and frosty morning. " The children form a ring, all joining hands and dancing round while singing the first verse. When they come to the last line of the verse they unclasp hands and twirl rapidly round and then stand still and commence singing the second verse, suiting the action to the word, that is to say, pretending to wash their hands. When that is finished the first verse is sung ; again as a chorus, the dancing commences afresh, , HOME PASTIMES 231^ and the first verse is repeated as a chorus after each different verse. The verses may be varied and carried on for any length of time: '^ This is the way we comb our hair '\- or, *^ This is the way we sweep the floor," and so on, just as long as the leader of the game fancies. When the children '' go to school," they should walk two and two, very quietly, but if the leader chooses to suggest, '' This is the way we come out of school," they should jump and skip about. j RING O' ROSES I This is a game for very little children. They I form a circle, holding hands, and walk round I singing the following verse: '*Ring-a-ringo' roses, A pocket full of posies, Hush-a, hush-a, we'll all tumble down." When they sing, '' We'll all tumble down," over they go, roly-poly on the grass. Then they get up again, and the game begins afresh. TOP-GAMES To spin a top, take a stout piece of string with a knot about an inch from one end. To the 232 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES other end fasten a metal button. Unravel the end of the string below the knot and slightly wet it. Take the top in the left hand and lay the wetted end of the string along the top, just above the peg, and hold it tight with the thumb. Now take the string in the right hand and wind it round the top. When you have wound up all the string, put the button between the middle and third fingers, place the thumb under the peg and the first and middle finger on the top. Take care to keep the string tight. Hold the top high above your head, throw it from you with a bold swing, and you will find the top will spin well. PEG IN THE RING This IS the best game with peg-tops. A large ring, say a yard in diameter, is marked, with a smaller one, a foot in diameter, within it. A player begins the game by spinning his top in the smaller ring; the next pegs at it, trying to split it. If a top when it stops spinning remains in either of the circles, it must be placed ** dead " in the inner one for the other players to peg at; if, however, it rolls clear, as it should HOME PASTIMES 233 do if well spun, the player spins it again. Every player spins again as soon as he can get his top, and is allowed to peg at every top, dead or spin- ning, within the inner ring. When a player successfully splits a top he keeps the peg as a trophy. CHIP-STONE This is another very good game with peg- tops. A small ring, a foot in diameter, is drawn upon the ground, into which each player puts a marble. The players spin their tops outside the circle, pick them up in their hands still spin- ning, and try, by slipping the tops out of their hands, or ^^ chipping,'' to knock marbles out of the ring. Any marbles chipped out become the property of the player knocking them from the ring. r WHIP-TOPS The top is started by a twist of the hands, and kept going by whipping. A good deal of fun may be derived from this if several players start in a row, and race with their tops to a certain point some distance off. Another game is for 234 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES two players to start their tops from opposite points and try to whip them against each other; the player who is able to knock his opponent's top over with his own, and at the same time to keep the latter spinning, is the winner. CHURCH AND SOCIETY CHURCH AND SOCIETY ENTERTAINMENTS ■\X 70RKERS in any church or social organiza- tion, who have attended meetings called to arrange for an entertainment, have all, it seems safe to say, experienced a feeling akin to despair when the question was asked, '^ What shall we give? '^ There are no especially new suggestions, but these paragraphs give the ex- perience of old favorites that are usually profit- able, with a few novelties in details, decorations, etc. Every such entertainment, whatever its charac- ter may be, should have a reception committee. The members chosen should possess a genial man- ner. It is also well for one among them to be well acquainted with everybody, for a ready recognition saves much embarrassment to strangers. NEW year's dinner The New Year's dinner took root and flourished so successfully in the small towns that 235 236 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES it became one of the j^early festivals, one of its chief charms being the relief it afforded to those upon whose shoulders rested the burden of cooking the holiday dinner at home. The menu was turkey, cranberry sauce or jelly, potatoes, celery or slaw, coffee, cheese and crackers, with ice-cream and cake as extras. It is very neces- sary to have some expert carvers present, as close carving makes an enormous difference in the profit. NEW year's drill A pretty New^ Year's drill is to have four young girls, dressed as the four seasons, come on the stage and go through a few figures; then another, representing the Year, comes on the stage supported by twelve little girls, each appropri- ately dressed to represent a month. The Year is led by the Months and Seasons to a throne in the center, a chorus appropriate to the occasion is sung, and then the four Seasons crown the Year with wreaths emblematic of each season, the Months meanwhile joining hands and dancing around the group, or marching in the center to slow music. When the Year is crowned, all ad- vance to the center of the stage, the Year in the CHURCH AND SOCIETY 237 middle, flanked by the Seasons and Months, and the curtain falls. MEN S SUPPER When the men in a certain parish proposed to give a supper, which they should prepare and serve, the ladies smiled in a superior way, and agreed to come out of sheer curiosity. But on the night of the supper curiosity gave way to real appreciation of the spick-and-span w^aiters in white coats and aprons, the daintily set table, and the splendid system which prevailed everywhere. In some instances the men did not prepare the contributions, but the credit of the planning and serving, the setting of the table, the washing of the dishes, the management of the kitchen, down to the most minute detail, belonged wholly to them ; and it is a fact worth recording that nearly tw^o hundred and fifty people were satisfactorily served that evening, and that not a single w^oman was asked to do any of the work. The men chose, as head of the whole supper, one of their number, who appointed a head waiter with eight assistants. The head waiter saw that everything w^ent well in the dainty room, and that each guest who sat down had a well-cleared space be- 238 ENTERTALNMENTS AND GAMES fore him, with clean knife and fork, and that no one's wants were neglected. The head man was in the kitchen. He made the coffee, saw that things were kept hot, and that the plates and dishes of food went into the dining-room looking as tempting as possible. He had two assistants to carve, and two to wash dishes. One young man, w^ho felt that he had no talent for cooking or serving, begged from the ladies various articles for a Common-Sense booth. He netted about thirty dollars. THE BABY SHOW The baby show is very ridiculous. Only grown people take part in it. They come dressed as babies, from those in long clothes to the two- year-old in kilts. They are arranged about the room, if possible, in imitation cradles or baby coaches, propped up on pillows, or held in their fond mother's arms. An admission fee is charged, and judges appointed w^ho award prizes to the best representatives of babyhood. GUESSING SOCIAL For a guessing social, four spaces on the wall are covered with pictures representing (i) CHURCH AND SOCIETY 239 famous men and women, (2) famous buildings, (3) authors of to-day, (4) famous men and women of our own time. Little programmes, with pencil attached, should be given to each competitor. Every picture is numbered, and op- posite the corresponding number on the pro- gramme the name of the person or building repre- sented is written. The person guessing the great- est number correctly is adjudged whinner. Prizes may be offered, ANOTHER GUESSING SOCIAL Another guessing social may be called the five senses social. The tables are arranged, the first w^ith a number of articles of food on it. Each person is blindfolded and led up to the table, and required to tell the various articles by the sense of taste. The second table has bottles or jars containing such things as vinegar, etc., which have to be designated by smelling. The third ex- hibit may consist of various kinds of fabric which are to be discriminated from one another by the sense of touch, the guesser being, of course, blind- folded ; and on a fourth may be arranged a large number of articles, which each person is allowed to look at for one or two minutes and then re- 240 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES quired to write a list of them from memory. Table No. 5 has different tests for hearing. It is extremely interesting to note how much more acute somiC senses are than others, in each person. A SATURDAY SALE A Saturday sale, given by a guild of girls, netted a nice little sum of money by the sale of ice-cream and other dainties. These sales were held on a prominent lawn every Saturday evening throughout the summer. People bought delicacies for Sunday's dinner, such as pies, cakes, and candies, while passers-by, and driving parties attracted by the Chinese lanterns and notices that ice-cream was served there, paused to refresh themselves, and very often proved to be good customers for the wares the girls had for sale. A CHICKEN-PIE SUPPER A chicken-pie supper always pays well. The pies should be made in dishes large enough to serve from eight to ten persons, and may be served with mashed potatoes, pickles, bread and butter, and coffee; ice-cream and cake are extra. Another magnet to draw a company is a ¥ CHURCH AND SOCIETY 241 chicken-salad supper. Hot biscuits, pickles, and coffee will be appropriate with it; or, for a slight increase in charge, fried oysters will be found an appetizing accompaniment; or fried chicken may form the basis of the supper. OYSTER SUPPER The oyster supper, serving the favorite bivalves in the various forms of fried, panned, and scal- loped, with cold slaw and celery, potato chips, rolls and butter, and coffee, is justly popular. AN ORCHARD TEA An orchard tea was given by a lady whose orchard adjoined the house, at the season when the trees were '' fruited deep." It proved to be a very delightful occasion, and one that the summer visitors said was one of the unforgettable evenings of the summer. The young girls, dressed in attractive summer dress and dainty white aprons, waited on the tables, which were scattered over the lawn, and not a few passers-by turned in for ice-cream and cake. The hostess, being of a romantic turn of mind as well as 242 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES hospitably inclined, had chosen a moonlight evening, which added length and enjoyment to the occasion. The apples from the orchard were sold in small baskets prettily decorated, at a quarter apiece. A FOURTH-OF-JULY LAWN TEA A Fourth-of-July lawn tea can be made not only pretty, but very profitable, the decorations being of flags and Chinese lanterns, the waitresses attired in red, white, and blue, and the tables adorned with flags becomingly draped, or covered with crepe paper of national colors. A fitting close for such an evening may be an exhibition of fireworks and the singing of patriotic songs. A JAPANESE FAIR A Japanese fair might be held on a good-sized lawn. Arches should be built forming an arcade and strung with Japanese lanterns. Leave a pathway from six to eight feet wide, and have booths on each side of this aisle for the sale of Japanese or fancy articles, cakes, pies, and candles. Upon another part of the lawn place CHURCH AND SOCIETY 243 tables to accommodate those who are to be served with ices and cake. COLOR SOCIAL The w^ay to give a color social is this: Select the color which shall prevail — pink, green, violet, orange, or lemon. Let all your decorations be of the color you select, and request every one who comes either to dress in that color or else be prominently decorated with it. The refreshments must be, as far as possible, of a corresponding shade. The lamps, or the globes on the chandelier, should be shaded with the color, and the color scheme adhered to in every possible way. BIRTHDAY SOCIAL A birthday social was given by a guild in a country church where three persons' birthdays fell on the same day ; so it was decided to make it not only memorable, but profitable to the church. A social was planned like this: A hall was se- cured ; the four corners were curtained off, and a fee charged for admittance to each one of the four exhibits. In one was a tableau of the three Fates: Clotho sat by the spinning wheel, Lachesis 244 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES held the thread, and Atropos held the shears. An owl was perched above, and on the wall was this inscription in black letters: g " Spin, spin, Clotho spin, Lachesis twist and Atropos sever; Sorrow is strong, and so is sin, But only God endures forever. ' * In the next booth dwelt a gypsy who read palms and sold fortunes in tiny envelopes, where the birthday of the buyer furnished the horoscope. The statue of Liberty stood in one alcove, that of Peace in another. Large cakes, containing each a ring, a button, and a ten-cent piece, were cut and served with the ice-cream. The feast was free of charge. BIRTHDAY PARTY The birthday party may take the form of a masque of the four seasons. Everybody who comes represents the season in which his or her birthday occurs, and all come appropriately dressed or decorated for the season. The older people might be required to guess from the cos- tumes to what season each belonged. This is a fitting time for a drill or kermess. CHURCH AND SOCIETY 245 A RAG-BEE The rag-bee form of social gives its profits in several ways. First, the ladies bring their rags to the place appointed for the meeting; some cut them into strips and others sew the strips to- gether, while others, again, wind the strips into balls. When a sufficient number of balls are made, they are sent to a weaver and woven into rugs, which sell from one dollar apiece upward. Supper is served, to which the men come, and for which they pay a stated sum. The evening is passed with music and conversation, or any form of entertainment considered suitable. VALENTINE SOCIAL I B The valentine social can be given a week or so before Saint Valentine's day. The room may be strikingly decorated with red hearts strung on wires everywhere. Booths should be prettily decorated in crepe papers, or cheese-cloth — if pos- sible heart-shaped — and have gaily dressed girls behind them selling valentines, or candy, or ice- cream and cake. Admission is charged, music is provided, and perhaps recitations, and every one that is present is expected to buy valentines. 246 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES ANOTHER VALENTINE PARTY Another valentine party may commence with a game of hearts. The choosing of partners is accomplished like this: Each lady is presented with a red heart and requested to write her name on the back. These hearts are pinned onto a sheet, which has been hung for the purpose. The gentlemen, one by one, in turn shoot at the hearts with bow and arrow; three shots are allowed, un- less one is pierced by the first shot. If the archer pierces any, he unpins the heart and goes off in search of its owner, who is to be his partner. The supper-table is to be decorated in the pre- vailing color. A piece of red ribbon about eight inches wide is carried down the center of the table, on the white cloth. If possible, let the bonbon dishes be in the shape of hearts. The menu may be creamed chicken or 03'Sters, or both, rolls and butter. The ice-cream is served on heart-shaped plates, or as individual ices, in the shape of hearts. With the coffee comes the dis- tribution of favors on the valentine order. If there is to be a floral centerpiece, red carnations would be appropriate. CHURCH AND SOCIETY 247 THE COBWEB SOCIAL The cobweb social is not only very pretty but also exciting, to onlookers and participants alike. It requires a good deal of preparation. It may be appropriately given as a Washington's Birth- day affair. Buy two or three balls each of red, white, and blue string, then loop one end of a ball over a tack stuck in the wall, and run it back and forth from wall to wall and from one room to another, securing it each time it reaches the wall by winding it once or twice about the tack in the form of a huge spider's web. Have as many of these webs as possible, about a hundred feet long each, and all ending at a web made of a large embroidery ring, or some sort of hoop, suspended from the center of one of the rooms or some other convenient place, the end of each string being attached to the sides of the frame. A fee is charged for unwinding each web. When all are ready, cut the ends at the web in the center, giving each competitor an end of string. The object is to find the beginning of the string first, winding the string into a ball. Various strings, of course, cross and recross each other, sometimes looped to the same tacks back and forth from room to room; this only makes the 248 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES race all the more exciting. The first one to un- wind hfs web and present it wound into a ball is the prize winner. ^i A children's sleigh-ride Quite a little sum of money was made by a children's sleigh-ride. Any child can buy a ticket. It was arranged that the ride should extend as far as a house three miles in the country, where the children were served with chocolate and cake. After a rest, the party returned home. THE FISH SUPPER The fish supper, with its decoration of nets draped on the walls, and oars and fishing rods crossed where taste dictated, was very unique. The centerpieces on the tables were either of bowls of goldfish or a mirror surrounded with seashells. The menu may be oysters scalloped, panned, or fried, lobster or salmon salad, sardines either cold or laid on toast in a hot oven, and ices and cake. TABLEAUX Advertisement tableaux are very amusing. They should be selected from well-known ad- CHURCH AND SOCIETY 249 vertisements, which are to be guessed by the audience. Each advertisement is numbered; the audience write what they believe is the correct answer, on paper. These papers are gathered up after the tableaux are over, and a committee decide upon the prize winner. While the de- cision is being made there might be an advertise- ment-drill or march. Or charades might be enacted and guessed, the acts representing dif- ferent parts of well-known advertising wording. We must not overlook the old favorites, straw- berry and peach festivals. CAKE AND CANDY SALE Cake and candy sales are always profitable apart from booths at the bazaar. People living 1 in the country are glad to be relieved from mak- ing cake, and every one enjoys home-made candy. Besides, it gives the young people an opportunity i to do something for the organization in which \ they are interested. HANDKERCHIEF SALE A very profitable sale before Christmas is a ; handkerchief sale. Beg all the handkerchiefs you 250 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES can from friends outside the town, and for the rest see what the local or city merchants can do for you. Have stocks, sachets, aprons, cushions, and dainty lingerie made from handkerchiefs. Silk handkerchiefs, or those with drawn-work borders, can be sold for high prices at a fete of this kind. POUND-PARTY In giving a pound-party, the articles offered for sale are wrapped in packages each weighing exactly a pound. These are sold at so much a pound, and much amusement ensues when they are opened. CLIPPING-PARTY The clipping-party is similar. A number off parcels of all shapes and sizes, and containing all I sorts of articles, are suspended on strings. Each purchaser is allowed to choose his parcel, which is then cut off its string on payment of the regular fee. One small organization raised about fifty dol-l lars in this way : Tiny silk bags ( about two inches long) were made and sent to all members, re-: CHURCH AND SOCIETY 251 questing them to inclose a nickel for every foot of their height and a cent for every extra inch. Get some one to write an appropriate verse ex- plaining the use of the bag. This may be given in combination with a tea or bazaar. DAISY TEA For a daisy tea have the room decorated with ferns and daisies. If possible, have the napkins of the color of the flower scheme. Let the butter be in daisy form. The white menu cards should have a daisy pasted on the outside, and should have a bow of yellow ribbon. The menu may be chicken salad, rolls, olives, orange cake, and ices. FLOWER BAZAAR For a flower bazaar, the children and others are asked to sow seeds and bulbs in flower-pots or boxes, and to bring the plants to the church for sale just after Easter. This makes a very nice way of raising money for missions, besides being a very pretty bazaar. HOLDING A BAZAAR Holding a bazaar in a vacant house has many advantages. Each room can be put to a lucrative 252 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES use. It should hardly seem necessary to remind church members that raffling articles off, taking chances on goods sent for sale, or in any way mak- ing such affairs matter of chance, is most properly, although plainly, described by the generic term of gambling, and should hardly be countenanced by church members anywhere, least of all at a fair or bazaar given under the auspices of the church. SroE-SHOWS For bazaar side-shows, a good one is the pound- party, already given; and also the express office, which differs from the pound-party in that the parcels are all of different sizes, and for a fee of ten cents one is handed out to the purchaser. The art gallery is another side-show. The various articles are grouped to represent pic- tures; for instance, one number is called the four seasons. This is represented by a tray containing: mustard, pepper, vinegar, and salt. Others willl readily suggest themselves. Weighing-scales are another source of profit Every one is charged five cents, and given a card."! upon which is marked his correct weight and a; fortune. P A very good supper for a bazaar in winter ial* CHURCH AND SOCIETY 253 served at a booth at which one or two chafing- dishes are in evidence, in which Welsh rabbit is made and served with coffee. A reasonable charge is made. dolls' millinery show The booth for the dolls' millinery show is made, like a round counter with three windows. On the counter stand tiny hatracks, with trimmed and untrimmed dolls' hats for sale. Hatpins, socks, necklaces, and handkerchiefs for dolls are strewn about, and the little girls have charge of it. PHOTOGRAPH-GALLERY A room may be set aside for a photograph-gal- lery, in charge of some one skilled in the use of the camera. This may be arranged for single photographs or groups. In addition to the articles offered for sale^ various other devices may be resorted to for in- creasing the returns. For instance, a tulip-bed^ which is made by laying on the floor boards a foot high and large enough to represent a flower- ;bed. Fill the bed with sawdust and plant tulips, 254 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES which may be made of tissue or crepe paper. At the root of each is a package buried in the saw- dust. For the payment of a certain sum agreed upon by the committee, each purchaser is en- titled to pull up his tulip with the package attached to its root. A vegetable-stand also represents its own charm. Within the turnips, beets, and other vegetables offered for sale is hidden some trinket. \ The price may vary according to the contents. It is well not to fill the same kind of vegetables with the same articles. Fruit of some kind — peaches, apples, or oranges — made of silesia, stuffed with cotton, and hung on a tree, is even a prettier receptacle for trinkets than vegetables. TABLEAU OF MOTHER GOOSE A children's tableau of Mother Goose has beei. given with great success. This requires a stage. One fat little fellow of four represents Jack Horner. The curtain rises, and displays him, sitting in a corner eating a large pie, while a voice from behind the scene sings the rhyme. When the singer comes to the line, ^^ He put inL^ his thumb and pulled out a plum,'' Jack takesJL CHURCH AND SOCIETY 255 out a plum and holds it high above his head, the singer pausing while the plum is exhibited. '' Mary, Mary, quite contrary/' A half-dozen little heads are seen above a green fence, and Mary, dressed like the maid she represents, goes along the line carrying the watering-pot and watering her flowers (with a dry pot, of course), w^hile the voice from behind the scenes tells the tale. On reaching the end of the line, she re- turns, and this time each little head, as she waters it, falls a little forward. Each face represents the center of a flower, while petals sur- round it, forming the corolla. bachelor's last evening In the bachelor's last evening a young man is seated facing the audience, a little to one side of the stage. It is the night before his marriage, and he is feeling a little sad as he thinks of all that he will have to give up on the morrow. He begins to think aloud of all his sweethearts: the Western broncho-rider, how fearless she was ! the dainty Quaker maiden in the plain dress, how charming were her thee's and thou's! the sum- mer girl ; the demure country lassie, with her sun- bonnet and milk pail, and so on, until his thoughts 256 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES bring him to the bride of to-morrow, the one who alone has made him a happy captive. While he talks, describing each one and dilating upon her charms one by one, each as she is described ap- pears at the back center of the stage as a tableau, appropriately dressed ; last of all, the bride, all in v/hite and veiled, and on her the curtain falls. The lover all this time is unconscious of their appearance, which is only visible to the audience. This makes a very agreeable close for a dramatic evening. Tennyson's '' Dream of Fair Women,'' read and illustrated in like manner, is also good. THE CHARACTER-PARTY The character-party is a little newer than its sister, the book-party. Those who attend are re- quested to come in the dress of some well-known hero or heroine, taken from a book. Whoever guesses the greatest number of characters cor- rectly receives a prize, which may appropriately be a book. Sometimes it is well for the reception committee alone to dress in costume and serve the salads and ices after the manner of the characters they are representing. CHURCH AND SOCIETY 257 A DICKENS EVENING The Dickens evening has been a great favorite for years ; the costumes are so very ridiculous and fascinating. PILLOW-DRILL A good ending to a general entertainment is the pillow-drill. It is very simple and pretty. Eight boys come on the stage dressed to look like pillows. Their heads, arms, and legs below the knee, are free. Their faces are powdered. They go through a simple calisthenic drill, or a figure from one of the square dances. Then a bell rings, and four larger boys, dressed like bolsters, enter and lie down at the back of the stage, bolsterwise. The pillows then arrange them- selves two and two on the bolsters, all of them moving to the time of the music. The curtain falls to the tune of a lullaby, or '* Good Night, Ladies.'' ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES SCHOOL EXHIBITIONS AND EXERCISES i npHE flag-drill is a very pretty opening-day exercise. It may be given as follows: A large flag on a staff is given to a boy who is designated as color bearer. He stands on the platform, flanked on either side by a boy. If pos- sible, these two boys beside him ought to be musicians. A march is played; at the first notes the whole school rises, forms, and marches in and out and round the room, each child saluting the flag as he or she passes it, while the color bearer stands *' at attention." When all have saluted the flag, the drill is over. The salute consists in each child coming to '' attention " in front of the flag, and raising the right hand, palm out, to the forehead. This drill can be given to better advantage in an empty room, when the marching may be carried out to a more elaborate degree. The children, at first forming in sixes, march down one side of the room; then, as they wheel across, the column breaks into twos, as they pass the flag, stopping and saluting it. On the other side of 258 SCHOOL EXHIBITIONS, ETC 259 the room the column wheels into sixes, marches again down and up the room, breaks again into twos, salutes the flag, forms into sixes, and so on and on the march is continued until the teacher orders a halt. A class-day just before Thanksgiving might commmence with the reading of the President's proclamation. A harvest hymn follows the read- ing; then comes an account of the first Thanks- giving day, which is followed by another hymn, or a song by the whole school. Paul Laurence Dunbar's '* The Signs of the Times '' might be recited, and other poems bearing upon Thanks- giving day. The children should be asked to bring some product of the fields for the decoration of the room. In one school each child was asked to bring what he or she could to make up baskets, which were sent to some poor families. It was very refreshing to see the pleasure the children showed not only in bringing their contributions, but also in packing the baskets. A Christmas entertainment opens with a representation of the Wise Men. Three boys, picked out for this, sing: ''We three kings of Orient are.'' A tableau might follow, showing the shepherds in the fields listening to the '' Song 26o ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES of the Angels,'' which is sung by the children who are not in the tableau. Pictures (stereopticon), tableau, or pantomine of the Old English Christ- mas, German Christmas, Puritan Christmas, etc., would be a good finale. A historical exhibit might be given at any time during the school year, and deal with the periods of history in which the class is working. For instance. Revolutionary scenes, representing the First Continental Congress, in which the boys dress to represent some of the most famous of the First Congress — Benjamin Franklin, John Han- cock, Samuel Adams, Patrick Henry, etc. The meeting is called to order with due dignity by John Hancock; the roll is called, and the various members respond to it with sentiments taken from the speeches or writings of the one represented. John Adams says, *' Sink or swim, live or die, survive or perish, I give my hand and my heart to this vote." Thomas Jefferson recites the opening sentence of the Declaration of Inde- pendence. John Hancock might say what he is represented to have said in the Congress, *' We must all hang together," to which Franklin added, " or we shall all hang separately." A second scene pictures the Battle of Bunker Hill, with General Warren urging his m.en, or SCHOOL EXHIBITIONS, ETC 261 the poem, '* Charge for the grounds, your own, my braves!" being spoken by the boy who represents that character. Those who take part are all, if possible, in the costume of that day. A third scene represents Washington Crossing the Delaware. A fourth, the Surrender of Corn- wallis, with an appropriate reading for the oc- casion. Other scenes will suggest themselves. A general historical exhibit has more tableaux than the foregoing. The first is The Landing of Columbus, with a reading from Lanier^s '' Psalm of the West." The Landing of the Pilgrim Fathers, with the reading of Mrs. Hemans's " Pilgrim Fathers." The Liberty Bell, its motto written over it in large lettering. Read the Declaration of Independence. Columbia sur- rounded by the Thirteen States; while this tableau is shown, a chorus or the whole school sings ** Columbia, the gem of the ocean." Then comes the Battlefield of Gettysburg, with a read- ing from Lincoln's '' Gettysburg Address." A flag-drill might come in at this point, followed by the national anthem. These historical exhibits might be good for the class-day exercises, or for any of the national holi- days. 262 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES A LITERARY DRILL This IS conducted in either of two ways. In the first, an author is selected as the subject. One child has to give his name, dates of birth and death; another tells something about his works; a third child reads or recites something from his writings. A glimpse of the author's appearance, with a short description of his character, is given by another child, and the whole is summed up by the teacher, who has the various points that have been given reviewed by the scholars. The child who remembers most and gets the most points might be rewarded in some way, such as by giv- ing him a work by the author under discussion or a prettily bound edition. The second way to carry out this exercise is to take a certain period in literature. Some of the scholars dress to represent authors of, say, the Elizabethan period; one might dress as Shake- speare, another as Raleigh, etc. Each one gives the date of the birth of the author he represents, some account of his life, etc., but always with- holding his name. The description is here given in the first person, and the impersonator may also quote from the author. The object of this drill is to have the rest of the scholars tell, from the SCHOOL EXHIBITIONS, ETC. 263 dates and description, the name of the author and what he has written. These drills might be given for a class-day to which the friends of the scholars have been invited. GEOGRAPHICAL EXHIBIT This consists in having each child come dressed in the costum.e of a country, perhaps of one they have learned about in their geography. They bring with themi a package containing some prod- uct of that country. These packages are handed to the teacher, and when all have been delivered, the scholars are asked to tell her from what country the product she holds up comes. One of the children points to the child who represents that country. Then she or he tells the teacher something about the country, and also about the product, and, if possible, the journey it takes to get to the place where the scholar lives. For instance, tea, how it is dried and prepared for m.arket, and by what course it would come to us. The parents and friends might be invited to attend the exhibit, which ends by the scholars singing some of the national anthems, and ending with their own. 264 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES ARITHMETIC EXHIBIT In this, each scholar is provided with a large pasteboard figure, cut out to represent one of the digits; these should be about a foot high. Some children should carry ciphers and others the four signs {-{-, — , X, and -^ ) and '' equals '' ( = )• The object of the exhibit is to go through the four rules by the use of these figures. For example: the teacher calls out 25 X 25; the chil- dren representing these figures come forward, and also the sign =. The answer is made by the children 6, 2, 5, who represent it; they take their places in proper order after = (equals). If the children representing the proper answer cannot give it, others are asked to pick out the right figures and to bring them forward. A variation of this is the living multiplication table. For instance, take the third line. The child who represents three comes up and stands in a designated place, next comes the sign (X)j then 072^; without a word, up comes equals ( = ), and lastly another three; and so on all down the line. The children can either remain in their places un- til the whole line is complete, or might go back to their places, as it suits the teacher. This might be carried out as a drill, the children coming for- i SCHOOL EXHIBITIONS, ETC 265 ward without having to be told to by the teacher. In such a case the children might all be dressed in one color, and when the line is complete they could all march, the whole five in a row, and by degrees form into four abreast, then three, and so on, until only the digit representing the line of tables taken remains. LIVING SPELLING-BEE The living spelling-bee can be carried out in much the same way. A word is given out, and the children who represent the correct letters come forward of their own volition. Columns of five words each might be formed, and a sentence as a finale. For instance, ''A merry Christmas," "Good-by," ^^God bless you," "A happy New Year," etc. THE COUNTY FAIR This is very instructive all the way through, without appearing to be so. Boys and girls are asked to bring exhibits of their own making or growing, if they have gardens; also their pets, somie of which, perhaps, they have raised. It is well to let the children help in every detail of the 266 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES fair, not only as exhibitors but '' behind the scenes.'' The fair can be held in a hall or tent, which should be divided off into sections, with proper places for the birds and animals; or for the doll show — the dolls, of course, have been dressed by their little owners; or for fancy and plain work. A judge is appointed, and prizes or medals may be given. At one county fair a boy of fourteen received a prize for a miniature wagon which he himself had constructed. Another boy, much younger, had a pug-dog whom he had taught all sorts of tricks ; he also received a prize. Girls' prizes might be given for the best biscuit, bread, or cake; the best-dressed doll; the neatest piece of hemming, etc. Some of the chil- dren might raise plants from seed; some boys are clever in raising squabs and canaries. There are many ways the county fair might be held, and for many objects. It is well to teach children to give to the children in hospitals, or to poor chil- dren. HANDICRAFT EXHIBIT In schools where manual training is a part of the course, it is a good plan to give an exhibition once or twice a year. This might consist of an SCHOOL EXHIBITIONS, ETC 267 exhibition of carpentering, designing in all its various branches, modeling in clay, free-hand and mechanical drawing, etc. Every exhibit should be arranged like any public affair— this not only teaches the pupil arrangement, but it also shows the work exhibited to better advantage — and marked with the name of the exhibitor. Music always adds greatly to such affairs, and it would be well if this part of the programme were carried out by the scholars themselves. APRIL 19TH April 19th is an anniversary that no school should neglect. Have '' Paul Revere's Ride ^* (by Longfellow) and Lowell's ^^ Ode to Free- dom " recited, also Emerson's '^ By the rude bridge that arched the flood." Show pictures of the Old North Church, where the signal-lanterns hung in the belfry for Paul Revere ; of Lexington Common and the Memorial Stone; of the North Bridge at Concord, with the monument to the British dead on one side and Daniel C. French's ** Minute Man " on the other. Get good prose descriptions of the event and have them read. Sing '' America," and " The People's Song of Peace " by Joaquin Miller. 268 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES ARBOR DAY Each child ought to be provided with a branch of some tree, and one or two boys should have hatchets and spades. Selections to be read might be such as '^ Woodman, spare that tree," the lines from '^ Evangeline " beginning, ^^ This is the forest primeval," ^' Thanatopsis," etc. At a given signal all will rise and stand in the aisle, and wave back and forth the branches they have brought with them, singing at the same time an appropriate song. During the singing the chil- dren march out with their branches, and a tree is planted in the school-yard or some suitable place. The exercises end with singing. ATHLETIC CONTEST ^j This is best given in the spring or fall. Some- times it is held in the school-yard, if it is pos- sible to secure seats for the onlookers. In this the boys of the school, or of different schools, take part, the exercises consisting of run- ning, jumping, pole-vaulting, throwing the base- ball, etc. Prizes are given to the winners, and also to those who come second in each contest. Each competitor begins, as a tournament be- SCHOOL EXHIBITIONS, ETC 269 gan, by asking for a favor from one of the fair ladies, which favor he wears throughout the day. The prizes are awarded to the winners by those from whom they received their favors. MAY-DAY At a May-day party given indoors in one school, the children were shown how to make baskets by cutting cardboard into squares measur- ing about eight inches, and sewing together the opposite corners. These baskets they filled with wild flowers they had gathered the afternoon be- fore. Handles for the baskets were made of wire fastened underneath the sew^ed-down corners, and the children marched to music, carrying their baskets and singing their pretty songs. Recita- tions about birds, flowers, and spring were brought in between the exercises. After the festival the baskets were taken to hospitals, and to sick children in poor homes. FLOWER-HUNT A picnic and a botany class were combined in one school; the children brought their lunch to school, and if the day was seasonable they all ate 270 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES it out of doors. Afterward thej^ started off in search of specimens, the teacher having explained to them something of the classification of flowers. The first afternoon the children gathered speci- mens, and soon learned how to tell to what family the flowers they had picked belonged. When they returned home they carried armfuls of flowers to give to any sick people they knew. MEMORIAL DAY Recitations appropriate for Memorial day are: '' All Quiet Along the Potomac," by Ethel Lynn Beers; ''Rifleman, shoot me a fancy shot," by Charles Dawson Shanley; ''Soldier, rest! thy warfare o'er," from "The Lady of the Lake " ; "The Blue and the Gray," by F. M. Finch; " Peace," by Phoebe Cary; " The Bivouac of the Dead," by Theodore O'Hara; "Sheridan's Ride," by T. B. Read; "Barbara Frietchie," by Whittier; "Old Ironsides," by O. W. Holmes, etc. ; including, whatever else is or is not on the programme, Lincoln's " Gettysburg Address." An account miight be read of the Civil War from both standpoints. A short talk might be given on one of the battles by an old soldier who was present, and patriotic songs should be sung in SCHOOL EXHIBITIONS, ET C. 271 chorus. Pictures of all the heroes of the war should be hung in the schoolroom, and the chil- dren might bring flowers to hang around them. The room should be decorated with flags, and perhaps some old arms which had been used in the war. FLAG DAY June 14th is the day set apart as the birthday of the Stars and Stripes, and should be observed if possible. Decorate with flags and with red, white, and blue bunting. Display a picture of the Betsey Ross house, and interest the children in the association (composed largely of children) which has for its object the preservation of this historic dwelling. Have some one recite *^ The American Flag,'' by Joseph Rodman Drake, and, of course, the singing of *' The Star-Spangled Banner " is a very prominent feature of the oc- casion. Have some one tell, or read in an essay, how Francis Scott Key came to wTite it. If the class is large enough, have a flag exercise as fol- lows: Thirteen children represent the thirteen original States, costumed as nearly as possible in characteristic way — Massachusetts, a Puritan ; Virginia, a Cavalier ; Pennsylvania, a Quaker ; 272 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES New York, a Knickerbocker, etc. On the wall behind where these are grouped in a tableau hangs a large flag with thirteen stars, and blue ground sufficient for all the others. The re- maining stars, neatly cut out of white cotton duck, are in a basket on the teacher's desk. One by one the States admitted come forward in chronological order, represented as character- istically as possible, and the child w^ho represents each, after telling something of its pioneer history and the date of its admission, pins a star onto the blue field, and then joins the ranks on the plat- form and is welcomed by those already there. Kentucky represented by Daniel Boone, Cali- fornia by a '' Forty-niner,'' Oregon by Lewis and Clark, and so forth, gives an opportunity for one of the best possible displays of the school year, and makes necessary much research. As a final tableau, the Philippine and Hawaiian islands and Porto Rico and Alaska might appear, and over them be waved the Stars and Stripes. COMMENCEMENT BANQUETS For a graduating banquet the decorations are^. in class colors, the centerpiece made of silk orff some other material, even crepe paper, cut intor SCHOOL EXHIBITIONS, ETC. 273 the figures representing the year. Each member of the class should be furnished with a card bear- ing the name of the school, with the date of graduation, and a pencil attached. On these cards each student is to write his name, so that each shall have the autograph of the entire class; to the cards might be attached a favor symbolical of some event in the school life of the student, or something characteristic of the school. In the cap-and-gown supper or banquet students are dressed in cap and gown. The favors are dolls dressed likewise. For the center- piece have a large representation of an inverted college cap, and place inside a bowl of the class .lowers. The ices are served in miniature college caps lined with white paper. The cakes are in the shape of hollow rolls; a roll of white paper is tucked within, on which a couplet or verse ap- propriate to the occasion has been written. The rolls represent diplomas, and are tied with rib- bons. SKULL AND CROSSBONE SUPPER The centerpiece is a large skull, made of white paper, hollow at the top to admit of a bowl of ^ flowers. The ices are served in miniature skulls, 274 ENTERTAINMENTS AND GAMES crossbones attached. If there is to be smoking, ash-trays, etc., might be in the style of skulls. The toastmaster's chair is decorated with skull and bones. Toasts might be given, if in a college where there is rowing, ^' on the skulls '' (sculls) ; on the ^^ crossbones " of the college ; on the col- lege meals, under the heading of *' Bones"; on the college intellect, under the heading of " How Hollow 'Tis," etc. MOCK COMMENCEMENT Mock commencement makes a good class ban- quet. The toastmaster impersonates principal or president, and addresses the class; a graduate reads a brief essay on '' Per aspera ad astra," or some equally joke-worn theme, and a bogus chair- man of the board of directors presents diplomas as follows: To the most popular member, a wooden spoon. To the handsomest, a mirror. To the most industrious, a garden implement for digging. To the fattest, a pair of scales. To the thinnest, a bottle of tonic. To the most talkative, a pair of clappers, etc Following this, the class historian may read its SCHOOL EXHIBITIONS, ETC. 275 history (comic), the prophet may read its future, some one Vv^ho will be a lawyer may make its will, bequeathing certain traditions to the Juniors, and many other amusing features may be intro- duced. : INDEX Adventurers, the, 89 Afternoon tea, 10 All fool's day, 25 Animal, vegetable, or mineral ? 94 Ants and grasshopper, 105 April 19th, 267 Arbor day, 268 Arithmetic exhibit, 264 Athletic contest, 26i8 B Balls, receptions, etc, 28 Bazaars, 251 Birthday party, 51, 244 Birthday social, 243 Card-party, 11, 32 Chafing-dish supper, 5 Character-party, 256 Children's parties, 49 Chinese feast, 38 Chinese shadows, 161 Christmas parties, 57, 70 Church and society en- tertainments, 235 Clambake, etc., 47 Class-day, 259 Cobweb social, 247 Commencement, mock, 274 Commencement ban- quets, 272 Conundrum - party, Shakespeare, 17 Conundrums, 171 Corn-roast, 47 County fair, 265 Crambo, 96 D Diamond puzzle, 171 Dinners, formal, 20 informal, 2 Dumb crambo, 88 Dwarf, the, 84 Earth, air, fire, and water, 94 Easter-rabbit party, 53 Engagement announce- ment, 27 Entertaining, formal, 20 informal, i Entertainments, church and society, 235 outdoor, 35 various, 15 Exercises, school, 258 Exhibitions, school, 258 Flag day, 271 Flower-party, 38 277 278 INDEX Forfeits, 137 Fortune, hunt for, (^'j Fourth-of-July party, 36 Games, card, 11 indoor, 15, 49, ^2> outdoor, 197 toy, 145 Geographical exhibit, 263 H Hallowe'en, 65 Handicraft exhibit, 260 High tea, 3 Historical exhibit, 260 Honey-pots (game), 117 I Indoor games, '/2, Informal dinners, 2 Informal entertaining, i Informal luncheons, 9 I spy, 205 Jackstraws, 149 Japanese fair, 242 Lawn-hunts, 40 Lawn-reception, 41 Leaf-party, 62 Leap-year dance or party, 6-^ Literary drill, 262 Lubin, loo, 108 Luncheons, formal, 2^ informal, 9 M Malaga raisins (game), 119 Marbles, 218 May-day, 53, 269 Memorial day, 270 Menagerie man, 203 Mother Goose tableau, 254 Mulberry bush, 229 N Name-puzzles, 172 National parties, 17 New Year's dinner, 23 New Year's drill, 236 New Year's eve, 61 O Oats and beans and bar- ley, 106 Obstinate cork, the, 155 Open-air vaudeville pic- nic, 46 Outdoor entertainments, 35 Outdoor games, 197 INDEX 279 Parties, 11, 17, 36, 42, 49, 62 Photograph-gallery, 253 Picnics, 43 Postman, the blind, 115 Puzzles, 171 Q Questions, twent}^ 74 S Saint Patrick's day, 16, 25 Santa Claus, home of, 57 School exercises, 258 School exhibitions, 258 Sewing-circle, 14 Shadows, Chinese, 161 game of, 162 Shakespeare c o n u n - drum-party, 17 Snow-games, 211 Social, birthday, 243 cobweb, 247 color, 243 guessing, 238 valentine, 245 Spelling game, 103 Stag-dinner, 8 Stage-coach, the, 80 Supper, chafing-dish, 5 men's, 237 Tea, afternoon, 10 Tea-party, Miss Colum- bia's, 56 Thought-reading, 98 Toys and toy-games, 145 Traveler's alphabet, the, 76 Tricks, 153 Twenty questions, 74 Valentine party, 52, 246 Valentine social, 245 W Washington's Birthday dinner, 24 Witch-party, 18 Word-hunt, 16 Word-puzzles, 174 ^^Je: 3i<-77-3 L 21 ^