Part 5

Every player assumes the character of a business man or woman, or they may have a profession. They may be manufacturers or tradespeople, it matters little what, provided there be no duplicates. Choose one for your leader who will assume no trade or profession, but will read the newspaper as will be explained.

All should sit before the leader, so there can be no mistake about seeing each other.

When every person has settled her and his part, the leader takes up any daily paper which is convenient and reads from it; but whenever the leader pauses, and looks at a player, whether the pause and look is intentional or accidental, the one looked at must at once make a suitable remark about his profession, business or trade. There must not be a second’s hesitation, and the more ridiculous such a remark may be, the more amusement is gotten out of the game.

As soon as the player has concluded his observation, the leader continues reading, the same as if his theme had not been interrupted, and in a few seconds, pauses again, and looks at another player. Then this player makes his remark instantaneously about his trade, and thus the game goes on.

In order to better understand, suppose the leader reads, “This is Bunker Hill Day. It is not a legal holiday, but by general consent the banks and stores laid aside,” (here he looks at the dressmaker).

Dressmaker: “The big sleeves and wide skirts are not liked by everybody.”

“The observance of the day by a—”

Marine Artist: “Sale of my painting ‘Off the Rocks at Scarborough.’”

“Is limited to Charlestown district, on one of whose hillslopes stood the Middlesex farmers, the hayseed still in their—”

Butcher: “Marrow bones and spareribs.”

“And in their hands the guns that had been gaining reputation in the shooting of—”

Grocer: “Eggs twenty-five cents a dozen.”

“And wild fowl. How they refused to budge before British regulars, until they had fired all their—”

Confectioner: “Chocolate caramels packed in layers with waxed paper between.”

“Away, and felt the pricks of the enemy’s polished—”

Ironmonger: “Poker and tongs, shovels and spades.”

“The world well knows Charlestown keeps up the remembrance of these—”

Florist: “Water-lily pads, and moss-rose buds.”

“At a lively rate.”

And so on reads the newspaper, making the proper pauses and glances, until everybody has taken part and indeed over and over again taken part. Care should be used as to the selection read, as some paragraphs allow for much more amusement than do others.

When any player fails to at once make a suitable remark he must pay a forfeit, which can only be redeemed by music or recitation.

THE NEW DIXEY’S LAND.

This is an out-of-door game, and may be played on the ground or on the grass, marking the court or lawn with the same material as if arranging a court for tennis.

Form a circle with a diameter of twelve feet, divide the circle into quarters, each quarter representing a section of our country, east, west, north, south, and should be so marked. One letter would represent each word,—E, for east, W, for west, and so on. The oldest boy now becomes the owner of the entire territory, and is named Dixey. This boy must stand directly at the point where the lines unite, the middle of the circle, and as soon as he is in position, any player may run into any quarter of the ground. He must not stand on the line; should he do so, and be tagged on that line, he can no longer play.

But having run into a quarter, he must loudly call, “Dixey, I’m on your North land, now it belongs to me.” Or, “Dixey, I’m on your South land,” etc. He must rightly name the section on which he stands.

Dixey must tag him before he is through stating words above given. Should he fail to do so, the invading player must then run from the part he has claimed, all around the outside of the circle, and then to Dixey’s station, the centre. Dixey, of course, runs after him, trying to tag him before he completes the circuit. Neither may take short cuts by darting across lines, until the run around the circle is completed, and the invader strikes in toward Dixey’s middle ground. Whoever gets there first is now owner of all, and the original Dixey can only get back by earning the position, as the new Dixey has just done.

The winner of the game is the one who has been Dixey the greatest number of times, or should no one be Dixey but once, whoever holds the position at the game’s close.

Therefore the necessity of deciding how long you will play before the game commences.

Any number that can stand on a quarter, may be there at the same time, as only one can be Dixey.

Dixey cannot save himself by failing to leave his post. The first call he hears, he must obey, just as any other landowner would keep off an intruder.

Every rule must be strictly obeyed. Should any one fail, he is no longer a player.

The game is peculiarly adapted to boys, and each one must be careful neither to be rough nor rude. In the straining to get ahead, it will be such an easy thing to knock another boy down, or to prevent him from reaching the goal. First, remember to be honest; second, to be polite.

BATTLE OF FLOWERS.

Why should not boys and girls take the lead in the popular _fête_? All who own pony carts, phaetons, wagons of any sort, or who can borrow them, may enter the parade and battle, and why not interest your Sunday or day school in such an entertainment and secure a large float?

The designs for floats are innumerable; among them might be mentioned Flora and the seasons, America, pagodas, chariots, Daughters of the American Revolution, the Floral Queen. The teachers should have the matter in charge, and one of them should act as chairman, and appoint committees to attend to all the necessary business. The scholars should willingly assist in the gathering of flowers, trimming, or whatever would be required.

All the vehicles must be transformed into moving bowers, and this necessitates considerable work, but it is work that pays; besides, the real jolly boys and girls will only consider that they have had great fun.

Decide on your decorations, and then gather flowers. You will need a great many to make much show. And wire will be found helpful in making the flowers stand upright, or giving the desired twist. Flowers may be tied upon cord, and when a long rope is made, it can be wound around, or fastened to the carriage, but it will take less time, and be less hurtful to the hands, if you cut a piece of wire netting the desired shape, and run the flower stems through the holes, or cut a piece of soft muslin the correct shape, and baste the flowers on. Flowers such as golden-rod, will need to have all the leaves stripped before commencing to decorate. Wreaths the exact size of the wheel hubs will look very handsome, particularly if the spokes are wound about with satin ribbon the same color as the flowers. If you cover the reins, sew two pieces of ribbon lengthwise, through which the reins will slip; put full bows of the same on the harness, and cover the collar with flowers. The same ribbon should also appear in the carriage decoration.

A very pretty effect is gotten from white hydrangeas and yellow satin ribbons, or white hydrangeas tipped with pink and pink satin ribbons. Violet-colored flowers look well in such a parade, and a stylish cut carriage may be trimmed with ears and husks of corn, suspending the ears by the husks. The costume of those inside the carriage must be complementary to the decoration.

The streets through which you pass should look festive and the spectators be dressed in holiday attire. A line of march must be arranged, and, on the counter-march, the battle begins. Then roses and flowers of all sorts are thrown from carriage to carriage, and from the carriages to the people on the street, and from those on the street to the carriages; indeed people throw them with both hands, so excited they become.

Until it is time for the battle, have your baskets full of flowers to throw well hidden. And when the pelting begins have a sufficient supply, so that it will not be necessary to use any of the decorations.

GRACE HOOPS.

This game is usually played out of doors, but it may be played in large rooms or conservatories, provided you put out of accident’s way all the _bric-à-brac_, potted plants, and palms. Try the game also in an enclosed veranda or sun-parlor, should the time appointed prove stormy, or the grass be soggy from last night’s storm, or there be too high a wind.

Grace hoops require a pole, not as tall as a maypole, but one smooth at the top. The one we lately saw had been a noticeable balsam tree, until cut off five feet from the ground. Its top was stocky, its side branches as healthful and green appearing as ever, notwithstanding the fact that they had been trimmed close enough to allow a small hoop to easily fall over them.

The rings called grace hoops are made of light wood, not dissimilar to embroidery rings, excepting that they are nearly two feet in diameter. To make such a game very pretty, trim the hoops with wild flowers, wintergreen berries or leaves. All the girls should wear gay frocks and flower-dressed, broad-brimmed hats.

If you are playing the game in the spring, suggest spring flowers and colors in your costume. A pretty effect would be gotten from a violet-colored cloth, trimmed with purple velvet, with a glint of gold revealed in the shoulder-bow ribbons and wide sash, the hat being a deep yellow straw flat, massed with single violets. Arbutus, wild roses, lilies of the valley, lilacs and cowslips, as, also, the new green, are all suggestive of spring, and catchy lawn toilets.

Throw the grace hoops over the pole, and there let them hang until the score has counted. You may each throw in turn, as often as has been decided before the game opens. Each time the hoop hangs on the pole it counts one.

Pretty silk badges may be lettered or gold-starred, to denote your score, or you may use plain cardboard, and mark such with a lead pencil. Between each round the score must be marked. After the last round is played distribute rewards, which may assume any character you please, but it is better to give wreaths of flowers, or crown the hero with laurel. The wreath might go to the highest girl scorer, and the laurel to the boy, or give each wreaths, or each bouquets.

A simple grace-hoop game is played by two people. Stand facing each other, ten feet apart, and rapidly toss the hoop from one to the other, catching it on sticks. Try and see how often you can keep it from falling.

AN AMATEUR CIRCUS.

When so many young people are trained in athletic sports, calisthenics, delsarte exercises, etc., why not form an amateur circus company? Limit the number to twenty four, the girls and boys being equal or unequal in number, as seems best. Such a company might easily arrange an attractive entertainment, and invite their friends to an occasional matinée performance, or, should they feel inclined, they could give a performance as a charity benefit.

Musicians, tricksters, clowns, animals and a ring would be required.

The space for the ring would be the most difficult to obtain, but many people have large shady grounds connected with their homes that it would be a pleasure to lend to their young friends.

Outline a ring as you would mark a court, and make it sufficiently large to comfortably give your exhibition. Do not attempt a tent.

Place the seats for your audience six feet back of the ring, as this allows freedom for both performers and spectators. Keep an entrance to the ring free, so that performers do not disarrange the seats.

As nearly as possible, copy the programme of the regular circus; therefore, the first display should be the grand tournament and triumphal _entrée_, when the entire company should march several times around the ring. Every one should look fantastic; some of the girls might go bareheaded, others wear wreaths of artificial flowers, and again others wear jaunty caps, etc. Remember that fancy-colored paper, muslin, gold paper, and spangles, will give showy effect. The clowns should be either very thin or very stout. The thin ones may be made stout by building themselves with cotton batting. A noticeable costume for the clowns might be white muslin, showered with gold and silver stars and spangles, or yellow muslin ornamented with silver or red full moons, circles or polka dots. And their head covering might be white beaver hats or fools’ caps.

Throughout the procession, carry numerous flags and banners. An effective banner might be made of white canton flannel, showered with diamond dust; indeed make the _entrée_ as gay as flowers, color and spangles can produce.

The entire company should be active members, some of them being the drum corps, others musicians; comic songs should be sung by the funny clown, assisted by a chorus.

There should be walking and running matches, three-legged and sack races, jumping, fancy tumbling, sensational feats of all sorts. There could be a mimic football match, and a tennis tournament between those who had never held a racket; indeed anything could be introduced that would give genuine fun. The clowns should tell several jokes, and laughable stories, ride pigs, cows, and make themselves generally ridiculous.

Perhaps some of the company could borrow trained dogs or other trained animals. If so, remember that tricks are always entertaining.

THE STILL HUNT.

Possibly some of the boys’ fathers have been still hunting, and if so they fully understand that it means deer hunting without hounds.

The game still hunt differs from the real hunt in many ways, but possibly the most important one is in the fact that the deer in this case is only the form of a deer. It is better to play it out of doors, but if you have a large enough room it may be played anywhere.

Whoever can draw best should be the individual to outline the deer, and it must be drawn on the ground. The best ground is gravel, though, as in the case of tennis, or other field games, the deer may be designed on the grass.

The deer should be fully grown and have large antlers. After he is distinctly drawn he must be surrounded by a circle, the line of which measures four feet from the nearest point of the deer.

When the game is played out of doors, a smooth round stone about the size of a walnut will be required; but when played inside use a fifty-cent piece, or an old-fashioned cent. And for the indoor drawing use chalk.

The deer circle being now ready, the girls and boys become hunters, and state which part of the deer they want. Some will decide on the antlers, because they will make a useful ornament, and they will have them serve as a rack for a gun or umbrella. Others again want a hoof, because it will make such a fine hunting-knife or paper-cutter handle, and so each part of the deer is divided.

When everybody has selected their part, the tallest hunter takes his stand, with his toes to the outer edge of the circle, and as far from the part he selected as is possible. He then throws the stone. If it rests on any part of the chosen place, he may count ten, but if the stone stops outside of the part, he is marked down five. He then picks up the stone, and hands it to the next player, who is the one next to himself in height. Then this hunter takes his stand at the place furthest from his selected part, and thus the game continues, until all have played in turn. Then the first hunter takes another chance, and so on again all follow. The one counting fifty first has won.

It is necessary to keep an accurate score, as the fives marked against the hunters have to be deducted; indeed if great care is not used, a hunter will be in debt, instead of earning his game. Therefore, the best hunter is he who keeps _still_ and takes accurate aim. If he fails at the first throwing, notice where the fault lies,—it may be less force is required.

It is better to have an umpire; therefore select one before the game begins, and remember to pleasantly abide by his decision.

The stone must be altogether on, to be counted on, and in the case of the antlers the stone must touch some of the antler points.

LAWN GOLF.

This is played somewhat like croquet, only twenty-five wickets are used, instead of nine, and they are placed one after another, all around the ground. Beyond each wicket is a small hole, large enough for the ball to enter, and the game is to send the ball through the wicket and into the hole at one shot. When a player fails to do this, he may be allowed three shots to an inning.

Before commencing the game, state the time it will be played.

Decide who is to lead by shooting an arrow from a selected point. Whoever throws the farthest is to go first, the others follow, according to the distance made. In considering space, measure the distance between the starting place and the arrow’s sharp end.

If you want a famous good time give a Lawn Golf Party.

When you do so trim the handles of your golf sticks with gay-colored ribbons, and at the game’s close, give the champions paper-flower rewards.

Exquisite flowers may nowadays be made out of paper, and the making of such afford only pleasure. Roses of all shades are fetching, so also are violets, and some varieties of lilies. Every one who lives in a large city will at once know where to get materials and instruction, and one girl can readily teach another. Those who live in the country or small villages, surely have some kind city friend who can select and send materials, and possibly written directions about the making.

After presenting the rewards, have supper on the lawn, and afterwards other games are in order.

GROWN-UPS.

ALPHABETICAL GEOGRAPHY.

Give every one in the room a number. And when you call for a number announce a letter of the alphabet. The person called must, before you count six, apply the letter to the name of a place and to two things he might see there.

For example:

No. 1. Y.

I am going to York to see Youngsters and Yachts.

No. 2. B.

I am going to Baltimore to see Belles and Beaux.

COMPOSITION.

Arrange for it beforehand, and therefore have the requisite slips of paper, and nicely sharpened lead pencils ready for all, but if you are not ready there is a certain satisfaction in knowing that part of the amusement may be in the preparation. In the latter case, have a competition as to who will make the sharpest points on the pencils, or cut the papers the most accurately; when all is prepared, however, give slips of paper and lead pencils to your friends, and ask them to write the words you will name. State that they will have fifteen minutes in which to write a composition, and put into the same every word you have mentioned. No one can look over his neighbor’s paper, and each composition must be signed with the writer’s full name.

When the time has expired, all the compositions are collected and read aloud, votes are taken as to which is the best, and the individual having received the highest number of votes is entitled to a prize.

Example: Wreath, Mausoleum, suicide, farewell, another, conjointly, starred, huntsman’s song, early, queen, historical, many, dramas.

Alfred, Lord Tennyson, was for _many_ years Poet Laureate. He wrote several poems, descriptive, _historical_, national and otherwise. He also wrote three notable _dramas_, one called Becket, known as Thomas à Becket, Chancellor of England, afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury, _another_ called _Queen_ Mary, the ill-_starred_ daughter of Henry the Eighth, and Harold, who was Earl of Wessex, afterwards King of England.

_Early_ in life Tennyson wrote several poems, _conjointly_ with his brother Charles. Among these were the _Huntsman’s Song_, The Grave of a _Suicide_, The Fall of Jerusalem, and the Bard’s _Farewell_.

Tennyson’s monument is in that great English _mausoleum_, Westminster Abbey. On the dark stone slab, the visitor may frequently see a _wreath_ of laurel, so placed in grateful memory.

As this game would oftener than otherwise be played informally, the matter of prizes cannot be too simple. If you are in the birch-bark section, why not make a bookmark or a napkin ring out of the bark? Should you be at the seashore make a nest of shells. For example, find a large mussel shell, and next to it put one a size smaller, and so on fit in the others, graduating them evenly, the top one being very small. Or give a curious shell, which may be used as an ornament or receptacle.

INITIAL PLATTER TWIRLING.

This is very amusing, but the players must be on the alert or they will surely be caught.

Before the game commences, every player must tell the initials of his and her name, and to aid memory, slips of paper may be given, on which each one may write his initials.

When the sentence is called by the person twirling the platter, all the company must eagerly listen, or else the platter will fall to the floor before the one who should have run for it, recognizes he is the one called. If the platter is not caught by the proper person before it ceases to whirl, he or she must exchange places with the one who has whirled the platter. As the sentences are impromptu, they are apt to be absurd and ridiculous, but in any case they should be correct, or the one making the error must give a forfeit. Each sentence must have as many words as the initials of the one called, and each word must commence with the right letter. Example: Frank Fraser Phillips might be called French Fried Potatoes. Or Janet Belle Roberts might be June Brings Roses.

This game should cause much merriment. It quickens thought and language, and it is suitable to all ages,—the boys and the girls, or their fathers and mothers.

OVER, OVER, WHOSE HEAD IS IT OVER?

This is a clever trick, and it requires two persons. The idea is for the confederate out of the room to correctly name the individual over whose head the other person is holding a wand.

A person takes a cane, which he carelessly points toward some one; while so doing he is cleverly explaining what he is about to do, asking people to move, in order to further mystify, etc. The confederate notes where the cane is pointing, then goes from the room, and the one holding the wand puts it over several heads, saying “Over,” which the confederate echoes, until finally the question comes, when the wand is over the person before surreptitiously pointed out, “Whose head is it over?” The confederate’s answer is naturally correct.

TEAKETTLE.

This may be played by a number of people.

A noun which has two or more meanings is selected. One may be thought of by any of the players, and in describing the same he should use the word “teakettle” instead of the proper name. All meanings of the word must be explained, but not too clearly at the first, else the “teakettle” will be at once guessed. When any of the listeners think they have discovered the word, instead of naming it, he should ask a question regarding the “teakettle” which would indicate to the one describing the same, whether the interrogator was correct. If correct, he too joins in the description, and throws light on the word. This should be continued until all the company show by their conversation that they know the noun selected. Not infrequently it is necessary to talk very plainly, or throw “electric light” on the teakettle before it is guessed.