When a player is so fined he must immediately

20 06 2008

When a player is so fined he must immediately surrender some pocketpiece
or personal belonging as a pawn or security which may later be redeemed
when “Blind Justice” passes the real sentence.
The players usually select some ready witted person to assume the part
of Justice, another acts as Crier or Collector. Justice is blindfolded
and the Crier holds the article over his head saying: “Heavy, heavy
hangs over thy head.” Justice asks: “Fine or Superfine?” If it be an
article belonging to a gentleman the Crier answers “Fine;” if it belongs
to a lady he answers, “Superfine,” and asks, “What shall the owner do to
redeem his (or her) property?” and Blind Justice renders the sentence.
If the proper person has been chosen for Justice a great deal of fun may
be caused by the impromptu imposition of ridiculous penalties.
Or the persons making up the party may in turn take the part of Justice,
each imposing a penalty. Some of the most familiar penalties are:
Put one hand where the other cannot touch it–Grasp the elbow.
Take the Journey to Rome.–The culprit is required to go to each person
and say that he or she is going on a journey to Rome and ask whether
they have anything to send to the Pope. The players load him up with
various articles, the more cumbersome the better, which he must carry
until every person has been visited. Then he must walk out of the room
and back, distributing the articles to their proper places.
Spell Constantinople.–When the offender begins to spell and reaches
C-o-n-s-t-a-n-t-i-, the players cry “no” (the next letters in the word
being n-o). Each time the culprit gets to C-o-n-s-t-a-n-t-i-, the
players cry “no,” and unless he knows the trick he will begin the
spelling again and again.
Kiss Your own Shadow.–If the culprit is not familiar with this forfeit
he will kiss his own shadow on the wall, but realizes how foolish he was
when he sees some other victim place himself between the light and a
lady and kiss his shadow which then falls on the lady.
Sit Upon the Fire.–This forfeit will puzzle the culprit, but may be
easily accomplished by writing the word “fire” on a slip of paper and
sitting upon it.
Ask a Question Which cannot be Answered in the Negative.–”What do the
letters y-e-s spell?”
Kiss a Book Inside and Outside Without Opening the Book.–This
apparently impossible feat may be accomplished by kissing the book
inside the room and then carrying it outside of the room and kissing it
there.
Take a Person up Stairs and Bring him Down on a Feather.–This is
another apparently impossible feat but of course there is “down on a
feather.”
Act Living Statue.–The victim must stand upon a chair and is posed by
the players in succession according to their various ideas of Grecian
statuary, giving the victim various articles to hold in his hand such as
pokers, shovels, etc.
RHYMES
A number of slips of paper are passed among the players and each one is
asked to write upon one of the papers, two words which will rhyme. These
papers are collected and in turn read aloud, the players then writing
short stanzas employing the rhyming words. It is amusing to note in what
very different ways the same set of words is treated by the various
players. The usual forfeits may be claimed if the players fail to write
the rhyme in a given time.
SKETCHES
Each player is asked to draw a haphazard line on a piece of paper. The
line may be anything he wishes and does not need to suggest or resemble
any object. The papers are collected and again distributed. Any player
getting his own drawing may exchange with any one he wishes. Each player
must draw the picture of some object, using in its composition, the
original haphazard line.



The game then goes on again

17 06 2008

The game then goes on again, in the same way, until all the children
have been caught and have chosen which they will be, “oranges” or
“lemons.” When this happens, the two sides prepare for a tug-of-war.
Each child clasps the one in front of him tightly and the two leaders
pull with all their might, until one side has drawn the other across a
line which has been drawn between them.
HUNT THE WHISTLE
The chief participator in this game must be ignorant of the trick about
to be played. He is told to kneel down whilst a lady knights him, naming
him “Knight of the Whistle.” During the process someone fastens a small
whistle to his coat tails by means of a piece of ribbon. He is then
bidden to rise up and search for the whistle. The hunt begins; all the
players combine to deceive the searcher; they must blow the whistle
whenever they can do so without being detected. When the searcher
discovers the trick the game is, of course, at an end.
“I SELL MY BAT, I SELL MY BALL”
A ring is formed with one child in the middle, who is called the
“drummer-man.” Whatever this child does the others mimic, moving round
as they do so, and singing the following words:–
“I sell my bat, I sell my ball,
I sell my spinning-wheel and all;
And Ill do all that eer I can
To follow the eyes of the drummer-man.”
Anyone who does not at once imitate the “drummer-man” must pay a forfeit
and take his place as “drummer-man.”
JUDGE AND JURY
The company should be seated in two lines facing each other, and one of
the party should then be elected to act as judge. Each person has to
remember who is sitting exactly opposite, because when the judge asks a
question of anyone, it is not the person directly asked who has to
reply, but the person opposite to the judge. For instance, if the judge,
addressing one of the company asks: “Do you like apples?” the person
spoken to must remain silent, whilst the person who is opposite to him
must reply, before the judge can count ten; the penalty on failing to do
this or answering out of ones turn is a forfeit. A rule with regard to
the answers is that the reply must not be less than two words in length,
and must not contain the words: “Yes,” “no,” “black,” “white,” or
“grey.” For the breaking of this rule a forfeit may also be claimed.
“MY MASTER BIDS YOU DO AS I DO”
For all those children who are 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 work with one as I do.” The
second player, working in the same manner, must turn to his left-hand
neighbor and carry on the same conversation, and so on until everyone is
working away with the right hand.



There are three types of saddles generally used

15 06 2008

There are three types of saddles generally used: The English saddle is
simply a leather seat with stirrups, and while it is the most refined
type and the one used for fox hunting and all expert riding in
England, it is not the best kind to learn on. The army saddle and the
Mexican or cowboy saddle with a pommel or box-stirrups are far safer
and less expensive. If you know of a dealer in second-hand army
equipments you can buy a saddle and bridle of excellent material at
less than half the retail price of the stores.
[Illustration: Mexican saddle, Army saddle, English saddle]
Before mounting your horse always examine carefully your saddle and
bridle to see that the girths are tight, that the bridle is properly
buckled, and the stirrups are the proper length. The latter is
sometimes determined by placing the stirrup under the armpits and
touching the saddle with the finger tips. A more accurate way is to
have the straps adjusted after you are in the saddle. A beginner will
prefer a short stirrup, but it is a bad habit to acquire. In mounting,
stand on the left side and place the left foot in the stirrup. Swing
the right leg over the horse and find the right stirrup with the toe
just as quickly as possible. Do not jerk a restless horse or otherwise
betray your excitement if he starts. Let him see by your calmness that
he too should be calm.
So much depends on the kind of horse you are riding that it will be
difficult to say just how to handle him. A horse that is “bridle wise”
is not guided in the customary way; that is, by pulling on the rein on
the side you wish him to turn as one does in driving. A bridle-wise
horse is guided by pressing the opposite rein against his neck. Such a
horse is much easier to handle on horseback and we should try to teach
our horse this method as soon as possible.
There is very close understanding between a horse and rider that does
not exist when a horse is driven to a carriage. A horse can be guided
simply by the leg pressure or spur. The proper seat is well back in
the saddle with the toe pointing almost straight ahead. In order to
learn to ride quickly we must overcome any strain or tension of our
muscles and try to be flexible above the waist. In this way we soon
accommodate our own motion to that of the horse. The most difficult
gait to ride is the trot. There are two distinct styles of riding–to
trot in English style of treading the stirrups, which necessitates
rising from the saddle at every step of the horse, and the army style
of simply sitting back in the saddle and taking the jouncing. Either
method will prove very difficult for the beginner. A partial treading
or easing up but not as extreme as the English style will probably be
the best to acquire. So much depends upon the gait of a horse that we
learn to ride some horses in a very few days, and would be several
times as long with some others.
[Illustration: The wrong way to mount a horse–facing forward]
A horse that habitually stumbles is very dangerous. We must be sure
our saddle horse is sure footed. In using English stirrups never
permit the foot to go through the stirrup and rest on the ball. The
toes should be in such a position that the stirrups can be kicked off
at an instants notice in case the horse falls with us.
[Illustration: The right way to mount–facing toward his tail]
In tying a saddle horse in the stable for feeding or rest always
loosen the girth and throw the stirrups over the saddle.
A saddle horse should always be spoken to gently but firmly. The horse
can tell by your voice when you are afraid of him.
The canter is the ideal gait. After we once learn it, the motion of a
good saddle horse is almost like a rocking chair and riding becomes
one of the most delightful of outdoor pastimes. The boy who expects to
go on an extended trip in the saddle should learn to care for a horse
himself. A horse should never be fed or watered when he is warm unless
we continue to drive him immediately afterward. Neglect of this
precaution may cause “foundering,” which has ruined many a fine horse.



There are a number of strokes used in swimming and especially in racing

13 06 2008

There are a number of strokes used in swimming and especially in
racing. The common breast stroke is the first one to learn. In this
the swimmer should lie flat on his breast in the water and either be
supported by the hand of his teacher or by an inflated air cushion.
The hands are principally used to maintain the balance and to keep
afloat. The real work should be done with the legs. We learn to use
the hands properly in a very short time, but the beginner always shows
a tendency to forget to kick properly. For this reason swimming
teachers lay great stress on the leg motion and in a measure let the
hands take care of themselves. In swimming the important thing is to
keep our heads above the water, a simple statement, but one that
beginners may take a long time to learn. The impulse is not only to
keep our heads but our shoulders out of the water also, and this is a
feat that even an expert can not accomplish for very long. If we can
allow ourselves to sink low in the water without fear, and if we can
also remember to kick and, above all, to make our strokes slowly and
evenly, we shall very soon learn to swim. I have frequently seen boys
learn to swim in a single afternoon. Another tendency of the beginner
is to hold his breath while swimming. Of course we cannot swim very
far or exert ourselves unless we can breathe. We should take a breath
at each stroke, inhaling though the mouth and exhaling through the
nose, which is just the opposite to the hygienic method of land
breathing. Whatever may be our methods, however, the main thing is not
to forget to breathe, which always results in finishing our five or
ten strokes out of breath and terrified.
A great deal may be learned about swimming strokes by practice on
land. In fact some swimming teachers always follow the practice of
teaching the pupil ashore how to make the stroke and how to breathe
correctly. A small camp stool or a box will give us the support we
need. The three things to keep in mind are the leg motion and the
taking in of the breath through the mouth as the arms are being drawn
in and exhaling as they are pushed forward. It is better to learn to
swim in salt water, for the reason that it will support the body
better. An additional advantage is that we always feel more refreshed
after a salt-water bath.
If we take up fast swimming, we must learn one of the various overhand
or overarm strokes. The chief difference between these strokes and the
simple breast stroke is that the arms as well as the legs are used to
propel the body through the water, and this power is applied so
steadily and uniformly that instead of moving by jerks we move with a
continuous motion and at a greater speed. The single overarm is easier
to learn than the double overarm or “trudgeon” stroke. This latter
stroke is very tiring and while undoubtedly faster than any other when
once mastered, it is only used for short sprints. Most of the great
swimmers have developed peculiar strokes of their own, but nearly all
of them have adopted a general style which may be called the “crawl.”



The first baseman is usually a tall boy who is

10 06 2008

The first baseman is usually a tall boy who is active and who can
cover his position both in reaching for high balls and in picking up
grounders. Of course in a baseball score the first baseman will score
the largest number of “put outs,” because practically all he is
obliged to do is to cover the base and to catch the ball before the
runner gets there. It is in fielding his position and in pulling down
balls that are thrown wildly that the first baseman can show his
chief skill.
The positions of second base and shortstop are practically the same,
and these two players should understand each other perfectly and know
just when to cover the base and when to back up the other. Neglect of
this precaution often results in the most stupid errors, which are
discouraging alike to the team and the spectators. Both players should
be quick and active, with an ability to throw both over and under
handed as well as to toss the ball after picking it up on the run. The
shortstop is often the smallest man on a team, due no doubt to the
theory that his work is largely in picking up grounders.
The shortstop is often led into habits which are commonly known as
“grand-stand plays”; that is, he attempts to make difficult plays or
one-handed stops with an unnecessary display of motions, to bring the
applause of the spectators. No ball player was ever made by playing to
the audience. Good form is not only very desirable but very necessary,
but the main thing in ball playing is to play your part and to forget
that there is such a thing as an audience or applause. If your form is
good so much the better, but if by paying too much attention to it
you miss the ball and score an error, your team may suffer defeat on
account of your pride. The main thing is to get the ball and after
that to to do it as gracefully as possible. One-handed stops are well
enough when you cannot get both hands on the ball, but an error made
in this way is not only the most humiliating kind but also the most
inexcusable.
It must not be inferred that grand-stand playing is confined to the
shortstop. Any member of the team can be guilty of it. No player, no
matter how good he may be, should be allowed to hold his position on a
team unless he is willing to do his best at all times and unless he
feels that the game is not lost nor won until the last man is out.
Many experienced players consider that the most difficult position to
play well is third base. This player has to be ready for slow bunts as
well as hard drives; he must cover a lot of ground and try to get
every ball that comes near him. At the same time he must cover his
base to stop the base runner from advancing home. He will be obliged
to stop hot liners with one hand and often while on the run to make an
accurate throw to first base.
Out-fielders are usually chosen because of their ability to bat as
well as to be quick on their feet and catch fly balls on the run.
Fielders should practise if possible to catch the ball in a throwing
position, so that no unnecessary time may be lost in getting the ball
back to the in-field. Of the three fielding positions, right-field is
by far the most important. He must be sure of ground balls as well as
flies and also, in common with all the fielders, be a good judge of
the batsmen and try to be where the batted ball is going. The
centre-fielder must be especially quick on his feet, as he is expected
to back up both shortstop and second base as well as to run in for
line hits that just go over the in-fielders heads. The ability to
start quickly when running for a ball can be greatly developed by
practice and will greatly improve the players game.



Did you ever make one

7 06 2008

Did you ever make one? Lay together two squares of tissue of different
colors (white and blue are pretty), gather it–with pins–in a circle,
so as to form a crown, leaving the four corners sticking straight out
for the present. Roll back two corners loosely, so as to give a
pompadour effect for the front, and plait the others so they stand stiff
for high trimming behind. This gives you a foundation. For trimming use
aigrettes–long fringe pinned so tightly as to stand stiff and curled on
its edges with a table knife–and ostrich plumes–short fringe well
curled. Pin on the back a pair of bewitching strings, pat, punch and
pull into shape, and you have a fetching bonnet.
That is only one–an easy one. Numberless forms come when one begins to
invoke them.
When the time has expired, form couples for a cake walk before the
judges and award the prizes. A bunch of Easter lilies, or a clump of
hepaticas or pasque flowers growing in a tiny china bowl is appropriate
for head prize; a hat-pin or a book of nonsense verse for the foot
prize.
The following games are also suggested.
MATCHING EGGS
Give each person a certain number of hard boiled eggs. The one who
succeeds in cracking the shells of his opponents by hitting the ends
together is the winner.
EGG RACE
Place six hard boiled Easter eggs on each side of the room about one
foot apart. A large basket is placed at the far end of the room. The
players are divided in two sides, each side being chosen one at a time
by the leaders. A large wooden or tin spoon is then given to one player
on each side, who, at a given signal, dishes up the eggs one at a time
with the spoon, placing them in the basket provided. The leader replaces
the eggs on the floor and the next player on each side takes the spoon
and lifts the eggs from the floor and carries them to the basket and so
on until all have had a turn.
A record is kept of the winners and the side having the greater number
wins the game. This game may be changed slightly by someone timing the
players with a watch, keeping track of the seconds and the one getting
all the eggs into the basket in the shortest time receives a prize.



The children endeavor to secure their opponents flag

4 06 2008

The children endeavor to secure their opponents flag. If a leader
tags anyone who crosses the boundary and comes too near the flag, that
child is out of the game. However, if one does succeed in capturing
the others flag, and carries it over the boundary into his side, that
side is victorious.
FLAGS OF ALL NATIONS.
Flags of all nations are collected and displayed around the room. Each
one is numbered. The guests are given pencil and paper with numbers
down the left hand side.
Opposite each number the guest writes the names of the country which
the flag bearing the corresponding number stands for. Allow a certain
length of time for guessing, then collect the papers, read the correct
list, and correct the papers. Prizes may be awarded, but the
satisfaction of having guessed the most seems to be enough reward.
OUR FLAG.
Other games for the Fourth are as follows: Each child is given a piece
of white paper or cardboard 6-1/2 by 3-1/2 inches in size. All sit
around a table on which are red and blue paper and a pile of stars by
each ones place. Scissors and a bottle of mucilage are handy. The
children are given a certain length of time in which to make their
flags, putting the blue field and stars and stripes correctly on their
pieces of cardboard. The one who completes his flag first deserves a
prize.
Suspend a bell in a doorway low enough for the children to reach. The
children stand about ten feet away and each in turn throws a beanbag,
endeavoring to make the “liberty bell,” as it is called, ring. Those
who succeed in making it ring receive little bells as a reward.
The contents of several boxes of torpedoes may be emptied and hidden
around the room. The children hunt for them, and have a jolly time
shooting them off after the hunt is over.
HALLOWEEN.
A Halloween party is probably the only gathering where the stiffness
and formality entirely disappear. Every one is in for a good time, and
should be dressed in old clothes ready to try all sorts of
experiments.
Decorate the room appropriately with pumpkin jack-o-lanterns, greens,
weird lights, and strings of peppers, if possible. Mirrors should be
in profusion. Effective lights may be made from cucumbers by scraping
out the inside and cutting holes in the rind for eyes and nose, and
placing a candle in each.
Persons dressed as ghosts may receive the guests and usher them into
the room where the fun is to be. As soon as a person enters, the
hostess, who is not a ghost, blindfolds the victim, and those already
in the room take turns shaking hands with him. He has to guess who
each person is. It is marvellous how many mistakes will be made, even
if the guests are the best of friends.
HALLOWEEN STORIES.
There are several ways of telling ghastly stories on Halloween. Have
a large ball of different colored yarn handy and before the midnight
hour, turn out the lights, and ask all the players to sit in a
circle. The hostess, holding the ball of yarn, begins by telling some
weird story, unwinding the yarn as she proceeds, until she comes to a
different color, and then she tosses the ball to someone in the
circle, and that one must proceed with the story until she comes to a
different color. It is then tossed to another, and so on, until the
ball is unwound and the story ended.
Another way, more ghastly still, is to give each guest a saucer in
which is a handful of salt and some alcohol. Each one in turn lights
the contents of the saucer and tells some ghost story, continuing
until all the alcohol is burned, and no longer. The stories may be
lively or sad.



When division B thinks they have had enough

2 06 2008

When division “B” thinks they have had enough time, the players call
out, “Jenkins up!” and the players of “A” hold up their closed hands,
and when “Jenkins down!” is called, they must place their hands, palm
down, on the table. The players of “B” must guess under which palm the
coin is. Each player has one guess, those on the opposite side raising
their hands when requested to do so.
If “B” guesses correctly, the coin is passed over to them and “A” must
guess who has it, but if not, “A” keeps the coin, and “B” has another
trial for guessing.
Tally may be kept, 1 being counted for every correct guess, and a
certain number, as 50, may be the limit. The side gaining 50 points
first is victorious.
STATE OUTLINES.
This is a splendid game for the beginning of an evening as the guests
mingle together and become acquainted while hunting for their
partners.
The hostess prepares pieces of cardboard on which she has drawn the
outline of a state without the name. The state capitals are written on
separate pieces of paper. The cards and slips are handed out haphazard
as the guests arrive.
The object of the game is to find the state to which the capital
belongs or vice versa, as the case may be.
The one who succeeds in locating his capital first is the winner.
The hostess can arrange for the length of time.
PREFIXES.
One of the players is sent out of the room. The others then decide
upon some word which he is to guess when he returns. He is told what
the prefix of the word is, and must guess, by asking questions, what
the rest of the word is. The players answer his questions by their
manner or actions.
Suppose the word chosen is “encouraged,” the answers may be given in a
cheerful way.
The player who is guessing may think of any number of words with the
prefix “en,” but he must continue asking questions until the right
word has been guessed.
The player who has revealed the word by his or her actions, takes the
others place and leaves the room while the rest are deciding upon
some word for him to guess. The game continues as before.
MY FATHER HAD A ROOSTER!
All the players sit in a circle, the leader begins by saying, “My
father had a rooster!” The player to his left says: “A what?” The
leader answers: “A rooster!” Each player repeats this in turn to his
left-hand neighbor who asks the question, until it is the leaders
turn again.
He then repeats the first part and asks the player next to him, “Could
he crow?” The player answers, “Crow he could.” This is repeated by
each player with the previous questions. The next time the leader
says “How could he crow?” The player on the left answers
“Cock-a-doodle-doo!” This goes around the circle again and when the
last one has taken part, all together say “Cock-a-doodle-doo,” as a
finish.
No one is supposed to laugh during the whole game, whoever does, may
either pay a forfeit or is out of the game. It is best to have a
person who knows the game sit next to the leader, so they can start
the game correctly. The complete statements are these,
“My father had a rooster!”
“A what?”
“A rooster!”
“Could he crow?”
“Crow he could!”
“How could he crow?”
“Cock-a-doodle-doo!”
CROSS QUESTIONS AND CROOKED ANSWERS.
All sit in a circle for this game. The first one begins by whispering
some question to his left hand neighbor, such as “Do you like apples?”
The second player must remember the question asked him, and he answers
No. 1 by saying, “Yes, the nice, red, juicy kind.” This answer belongs
to No. 1 and he must remember it. No. 2 asks No. 3 a question, being
careful to remember his answer, as it belongs to him. Suppose he asks,
“Are you fond of books?” and the answer is “Yes, I read every one that
comes out.” Thus No. 2 has a question and answer that belong to him.
Every one in turn asks a question and gives an answer, remembering the
question he was asked and the answer his neighbor gave him, which
belong to him. When all have had a turn, No. 2 begins by saying aloud:
“I was asked: Do you like cats? and the answer was Yes, the nice,
red juicy kind;” No. 2 says: “I was asked, Do you like apples? and
the answer was, Yes, I read every one that comes out,” and so on.



HUNT THE SLIPPER The players seat themselves

31 05 2008

HUNT THE SLIPPER
The players seat themselves in a circle on the floor, having chosen one
of their number to remain 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 get 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 on to his
neighbor without its being seen by the customer. The person upon whom
the shoe is found must become the customer, whilst the customer takes
his place in the circle on the floor.
HOT BOILED BEANS AND BACON
This is a game for young children. Some small article is hidden in the
room, while the little one who has to find it is sent outside. This
finished, the players call out together: “Hot Boiled Beans and Bacon;
its hidden and can be taken!” The little one enters and begins to hunt
about for the hidden article. When she comes near to its hiding-place,
the company tell her that she is getting “hot”; or if she is not near it
she is told that she is “cold.” That she is “very hot” or “very cold,”
will denote that she is very near or very far away from the object that
is hidden, whilst if she is extremely near, she would be told that she
was “burning.” In this way the hidden object can be found, and all the
children can be interested in the game by being allowed to call out
whether the little one is “hot” or “cold.”
HIDE AND SEEK
One child is chosen “It.” This one stands by a post or in a corner which
is called “base,” and hides his eyes. The children decide among
themselves how many he shall count while they are hiding. Suppose they
choose 100, then he counts 5, 10, 15, 20, etc., until he reaches 100,
and then he calls out:
“Ready or not,



The players seat themselves round the room

29 05 2008

The players seat themselves round the room, and the old man standing in
the centre tells them that some of their number have committed a crime
and he is about to question them, in order that he may discover the
guilty ones. He then begins–”Now, Mr. Lion, where have you been
hunting, and what have you eaten to-day?” “I hunted in the forest and
caught an antelope.” “Then you are twice guilty and must pay two
forfeits,” says the old man; and the lion must pay his forfeit without
being told the crime he has committed. The old man passes on to a Polar
The next player says: “I was asked: Are you fond of potatoes? and the
answer was: Yes, they are very pretty, but they dont wear well.”
THE CURATE
A player is chosen to represent “The Curate.” The other players are
assigned such names as printer, plumber, jeweler, butcher, druggist,
shoemaker, etc. “The Curate” starts the game by saying,
“Mr. Butcher (or any other name) I called to see you this morning but
you were not at home.”
The Butcher: “I had just gone over to the jewelers.”
Curate: “And what business had you at the jewelers?”
(The jeweler is the next to speak but he must not do so until the
question is answered.)
“I went to get a bracelet for Mrs. Butcher.”
The Jeweler: “I was not at home for I had gone to the printers.”
The Curate: “And what was your business at the printers?”
(The printer is the next to speak but he must not do so until the
question is answered.)
The game may be made very interesting by bringing into it little
personal references and bits of innocent scandal, as
“I was at the jewelers to help Mr. —- select a ring for Miss —-.”
DEFINITIONS
A subject is given to the company by the “teacher” and those joining in
the game are each to define the subject in as terse a manner as
possible, in epigram or verse, written on a slip of paper. The cards are
then signed, turned in and the “teacher” reads the definitions. Then the
company are to decide which one of the definitions has the greatest
merit. For instance, the word “Friendship” is given and the answers
might run like these:
“A feather from loves wing.”
“The greatest of boons.”
“Something akin to glue,” etc.
Or the word “Gold” might evoke:
“That which I have not.”
“The root of all evil.”
“What goes to the plumber,” etc.
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 thrown
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