Chapter 7

Then the captain of company A announces, "Washington is crossing the Delaware." The captain of the opposite company "B" replies, "How?" The first captain responds "A" whereupon the soldier of his company whose name begins with "A" walks across the space and back "awkwardly," "angrily" or acting whatever name has been given to him (or her.) The opposite side try to guess the name from the actions or manner of the soldier. If the soldier crosses to the opposite side and back before his name is guessed he remains with his own company, but if the soldiers of the opposite side guess his name before he reaches camp he must join their ranks.

Then the captain of company B announces, "Washington is crossing the Delaware." Captain of company A asks, "How?" Captain of company B responds "A" and his soldier "A" crosses over "anxiously," "actively" or whatever the name may be. If he succeeds in reaching camp before his name is guessed he remains there but joins the opposite company if they guess his name before he reaches camp.

Now it is company A's turn to send soldier "B" across with the same preliminaries as before. Then company B sends soldier "B" across the Delaware. Then Company A sends soldier "C" followed by soldier "C" of company B and so on, a soldier from each company alternately until all have had a chance to cross.

The company having the most soldiers is victorious, as they have either crossed successfully or been captured. They may be rewarded by some appropriate trifle such as a tiny flag or paper hatchet, or some of the small brass or metal stick pins representing shields, flags, eagles, colonial hats, rosettes, muskets, drums, etc., etc.

=APRIL FOOL'S DAY=

April first would be an occasion for a fancy dress party en masque. Invitations may be written on a large sheet of paper and folded or rolled into a small parcel and tied up in wrapping paper like a package.

Decorate the rooms with paper or artificial flowers and plants. April Fool the guests when time for them to arrive by having the lights as low as possible. The maid or person admitting the guests informs them the hostess is "not at home," but immediately adds "please come in and wait," and they are then directed to lighted rooms where they may remove their wraps.

An invitation to a "Folly Party" may be adorned with a picture of a fools cap and bells or a Jester. One form reads thus:--

On ye night of April first at stroke of eight Ye Fooles and Jesters will congregate At ---- St; Prithee come, likewise Bedecked in frivolous garb, Thy face disguise So unquestioned you may see "What fools these mortals be."

If there is any question as to which member or members of the family is giving the party, enclose a visiting card or write the name of the host or hostess on the reverse side of invitation or back of envelope.

One may choose from the following menu, foolish food for refreshment.

Turtle Soup--au natural (Soup plates or bouillon cups of water with tiny toy turtle in each one)

Radishes (Toy or paper red dishes)

Piccalilli (A dish of artificial or natural lilies to pick from)

Blue Points (Short pointed ends of blue crayon or lead pencils)

Crackers (Tiny fire crackers)

FISH

Baked Sole (An old sole of a shoe)

Fried Perch (A wooden perch--the kind used in bird cages)

ROAST

Spring Lamb (A toy lamb in place of a jack-in-the-box)

Wild Duck (Throw at the guests a large handful of small rubber or paper balls attached to rubber strings, so they will return and hit no one--the guests will "duck" to escape being hit.)

ENTREES

Rabbit en casserole (Hair (hare) in covered dish)

DESSERT

Strawberry Ice (Strawberry buried in ice)

Cake--Devil's Food (Sulphur matches)

Black Coffee (Have the colored man step in and cough)

Mixed Nuts (Iron nuts such as used on bolts and machinery)

Raisins (Yeast cakes)

The hostess should have a bell at her place and ring it before each course, when the butler (or a gentleman who will act as butler for the occasion) will repeat in a loud voice the order of the hostess which, of course, will be simply the name of the food about to be served. Or have at each plate a small card with the menu written on it.

For a centerpiece a dish of artificial fruit or a vase of daffodils (daffy-dills) may be used, placed on a cloth centerpiece, circular and cut in points, a bell on each point. Two colors should be used for the points.

A few dishes of April Fool bon bons may be distributed on the table.

After this foolish feast is ended genuine refreshments should be served. One might reverse the order of serving; begin with the dessert and end with what should have been first.

Many viands may be served "in disguise" and yet be very palatable. For instance creamed chicken, sweet breads, etc., may be encased in mashed potato or boiled rice.

Line tin moulds with the potato or rice, fill the center with the creamed fowl, sweet breads or oysters and heat in pan of hot water. When inverted on serving plate there will be, apparently, a mound of potatoes or rice.

Large baked potato skins may be used to enclose the meat, also grape fruit or orange rinds cut in half and contents removed, then filled with the hot chicken, etc., and the other half replaced, or cover the top with a lettuce leaf or sprigs of water cress or parsley.

Lift one section of a banana skin, remove fruit, fill with any desired salad and replace section of skin. Use a toothpick to keep in place if necessary.

Olives may be served, each covered with the half of an English walnut shell. A corn husk may hold a sandwich, etc., etc.

Fruit cups may be made from apples, oranges, lemons, grape fruit, bananas, etc., and many of the vegetables could be utilized. The large telephone pea pods may contain a small pickle or relish of some kind.

Mangoes or green pepper pods, tomatoes, cantaloupe, cucumbers, etc., may be scooped out and filled with food of a different nature.

Cover the opening in the bottom of small flower pots with stiff paper or fill with paraffin wax. Line the flower pot with stiff white paper to within an inch of the top. Fill with chocolate ice cream or any desired cream, but cover the top with chocolate ice cream or chocolate frosting as dark as possible, sprinkle grated sweet chocolate or bits of chocolate fudge on top. Stick rather a short stemmed carnation, daisy or similar flower in the center and serve.

Small cakes may be served from cabbage heads. Use cabbage having the outside leaves on. Open the outer leaves carefully until there is enough to hide the interior. Cut out the center of the cabbage and fill with small cakes.

All sorts of odd candy boxes filled with candies may be used for favors.

Ordinary refreshments may be served on dishes not ordinarily used for that particular purpose. Use bowls or soup dishes instead of cups--saucers, vegetables dishes, cups, etc., where plates or platters should be used.

The clever hostess will, no doubt, think of many ways wise and otherwise to serve refreshments on such an occasion.

AN APRIL FIRST FESTIVAL

A "King's Jester," painted in water-color, clad in red and yellow, smiling and beckoning, is painted on one side of the white card of invitation. On the reverse side is written, in gold ink, "'Fools make feasts and wise people eat them,' saith the seer. Will you be one of the many wise ones on All Fools' Day evening to partake of a feast, and make merry betimes?"

On the appointed evening the guests are met at the door and conducted to the parlor by a youth, dressed in a red blouse with full bishop sleeves and long pointed yellow cuffs, and a full-gathered, double skirt, half way to the knees, made in pointed scallops--the scallops of the lower skirt of yellow alternating with the scallops of the upper one of red with a jingling gold bell sewed to each scallop. One stocking is red, and the other yellow, and one foot is thrust into a red sandal, and the other into a yellow one, with a bell on each sharply pointed toe.

Around his waist is a red leather belt; a yellow jester's cap with red leather rim, and with bells on the hood, and a red cape with yellow lining completes his dress. The costume is made of glossy sateen; the sandals of canton flannel.

A half hour before dinner, the "fool" hands each guest pencil and paper and menu card, and they are asked to guess the dinner viands. The menu reads, "Food for the Wise:"

1. Baked portion of beast Americanized in 1493, by Columbus. (Ham.)

2. Fried jewel-boxes of the sea. (Oysters.)

3. Fried young sons of a fowl first found in Java. (Spring chicken.)

4. Slices of a Chilean tuber that once saved a cross-sea nation from famine. (Chipped potatoes.)

5. Love apples. (Tomatoes.)

6. Salad of a bleached vegetable, akin to the hemlock of Socrates. (Celery salad.)

7. A nineteen-day vegetable. (Radishes.)

8. A Greek herb pudding. (Asparagus.)

9. Fruit that caused a war. (Apples.)

10. Sauce of an old world plant, akin to dock. (Rhubarb.)

11. Slices of bread, and the fruit of the emblem of peace. (Olives sandwiches.)

12. A food with which Canaan was said to flow--eggs and sugar, boiled and frozen. (Custard.)

13. Dear to squirrels. (Nuts.)

14. Sugar plums. (Bon-bons.)

15. Obtained from the hoopskirt and tin can eater. (Cheese.)

16. Sugared dough. (Cake.)

17. A drink (from a berry) introduced in England in 1652 by a Greek. (Coffee.)

The prizes for the best "guessers" are books--Max Pemberton's "Queen of Jesters" for the fortunate girl, and Victor Hugo's "Man Who Laughs" for the lucky man. The booby prizes are wands with "fools' heads" of gingerbread.

The cloth of the dining table is made of sheeting, with a two-inch hem, and with pleasantly jingling bells of yellow and red sewed thickly around the entire edge.

At each end of the table, with each hand catching a red ribbon that runs in waves entirely around the table, is a King's Jester, painted on the cloth--facsimiles of the living one who served the guests.

For painting the cloth--common tube paints are used--taking for a thinning medium a mixture of three ounces of turpentine, ten drops of pure cider vinegar, six drops of lemon extract, and a little sugar of lead. The figures are drawn with a lead drawing pencil, and care taken in painting them to prevent the paint spreading over the edges of the design. Several days are given the cloth to dry before using.

The tomatoes and apples are yellow and red; the radishes are red; the cakes are small squares, iced yellow and red, and the bon-bons are little clear red and lemon colored fishes--typical of the French "poissons d'Avril," "April fish," as their "April Fool" is called.

Following are a few games, etc., for the amusement of children small and children tall.

FOLLIES OF FORTUNE

Let one of the ladies be blindfolded and seated behind a large screen or curtain or in a tent in an adjoining room which is dimly lighted. A gypsy tent may be improvised with three long sticks tied together at one end, the other ends resting on the floor at equal distances forming a tripod which is covered with a couple of large sheets.

Announce to the guests, "We have secured for your pleasure this evening that remarkable necromancer, Madam Loof-lirpa. (April fool spelled backwards.) The madam is the seventh daughter of the seventh daughter and has the rare and marvelous power of second sight, and while securely blindfolded she will tell you anything that you have done."

"All are welcome to visit this seeress but only one at a time. Mr. ---- you may come first if you please," (naming one of the gentlemen present.)

Just before ushering the "fated" one into the presence of Madam Loof-lirpa, inform him that in order to be sure the fortune teller cannot see through the bandages over her eyes, he should make several motions or signs or pose before her for a few seconds and then say to her "Madam, what did I do?"

The Seeress may keep him in suspense a second or two before replying or may say "I am not quite sure. Please do it again," and finally answer, "You made a fool of yourself."

Each victim has the privilege of remaining near enough to see the next one caught.

FOLLOW MY FOOT-STEPS

Place a number of articles such as pillows, books, handkerchiefs, inexpensive bric-a-brac, etc., on the floor. One person acts as leader and walks in a zigzag path around the obstacles, followed by the others. Then one of the party is blindfolded and told by the leader to "follow my foot-steps and if you do not break or mar anything you shall have a surprise."

When the "victim" starts on his journey everything is quietly removed from his path and when he has tired of wandering and removes the bandage he is greeted by "April Fool."

FOOLISHNESS

Ask the guests to tell the most foolish thing they ever did and give a suitable prize for the most foolish answer.

IT IS TO LAUGH

The players form a circle taking hold of hands and circle around one of the players who is blindfolded and holds a staff or cane. When he raps on the floor with the cane they all stand still. He then points the cane towards some one, saying, "It is to laugh." The person touched by the cane or nearest it places the end of the cane close to his mouth and laughs. If his name is guessed by the player in the center they change places and circle again--if not, they circle until the player in the center succeeds in naming the owner of the laugh.

THE MUSEUM

The guests are invited to inspect your collection of curios and souvenirs which are displayed in numerous paste board boxes, collectively on a large table, or distributed in convenient places about the room on mantels, tables, piano, book shelves, etc.

Each box bears a large placard or label of its contents. "An Ancient Instrument of Punishment," a worn slipper; "An Irish Bat," a brick bat; "The Mummy of the Mound Builders," a stuffed mole; "Bonaparte," two small bones placed apart from each other; "An American Fool's Cap," a sheet of fools-cap paper; "Tainted Money," a penny flattened and mutilated until it is spoiled; "A Longfellow Souvenir," a section of bamboo; "A Pair of Ancient Pincers," two dried crawfish or lobster claws; "A Fool's Paradise," a pair of dice; "Sacred White Rabbit," a white hair.

"A Lobster," a small mirror reflecting each one who peers in;

"A Marble Bust from Italy," a broken marble;

"A Pair of Pink Hose from London," two tiny toy hoes colored pink;

"A Necktie from Mexico," a rope noose;

"An Old Fashioned Beaux," a bow of ribbon;

"A Diamond Tray," the three spot of diamonds.

"A Crazy Flower," a daffodil (daffy-dill);

Etc., etc.

Pitfalls and snares for the unwary are all around. A silver coin is glued to the floor. A handkerchief or bow is fastened to the floor. A vase of flowers have a little snuff or pepper sprinkled on them--those who smell will sneeze. An artificial mouse is attached to a curtain. Slyly pin papers, bearing different inscriptions, on the backs of some of the guests. One may read, "Please tell me my name." All who read it will tell him his name which becomes monotonous. "Please kiss me," "Please hold my hand," "Please kick me gently," "Please borrow my money," "Please make me laugh," "Please call me Fond Heart."

These and many other foolish things will seem funny on All Fool's Day.

=EASTER=

Easter Day should be a peaceful, happy day of rejoicing, thanksgiving and praise to the Giver of all good. Easter is symbolic of a new life, and a brighter one. It is springtime, the sun shines brightly, and Nature smiles. She is rejoicing because her dead are coming to life again. The trees, the grass, the flowers all rise up in the glory of a new and beautiful life. Chrysalis and egg are not strong enough to keep back the new life of butterfly and bird which rises skyward to rejoice, each in its own way.

One of the oldest and most characteristic Easter rites and the most widely diffused is the use of paschal (Easter or Passover) eggs. They are usually dyed in various colors and people mutually make presents of them. There can be little doubt that their use at this season was originally symbolical of the revivication of nature, the springing forth of life which in turn is symbolical of the ascension.

In some parts of the country colored eggs are hidden in nests or in corners, and the children have a great deal of pleasure on Easter morning hunting for the eggs which, according to German folk-lore, were brought during the night by the White Rabbit.

Here is an idea for an Easter Luncheon which would be appropriate at this season.

A LUNCHEON IN WHITE AND YELLOW

Use a large plateau or mirror for the centerpiece, in the center of which lay an irregular piece of real (or artificial) moss about one-half the diameter of the plateau (to represent an island.) Stick a few sprays of asparagus and maidenhair fern in it and a number of white and yellow spring flowers--the crocus, jonquil, daffodil, daisy and snowdrop. Cut the stems of the flowers in various lengths to give a better effect. Place a few (artificial) little fluffy chickens on the island and several downy ducklings in the surrounding lake (mirror.) Or use a vase of jonquils and daffodils for a center piece.

Place cards may be made by cutting bristol board into egg shape or oval pieces. On a portion of this card spread some mucilage and sprinkle yellow sand over it. Then stand a tiny yellow chick (these are made of wool and can be purchased very cheap) on the sand (using glue) and close behind it glue the small end of an egg shell. Similar cards can be purchased all ready decorated.

Serve a grape fruit cocktail first. Cut the grape fruit in half, take out the fruit in as large pieces as possible, place in a bowl with the juice. Mix with this a small amount of white grapes, halved and the seeds removed, and a portion of pineapple canned or fresh cut in small pieces and some of the juice or syrup from the pineapple. Add a little sugar and angelica wine if desired. Remove the pulp from the grape fruit, fill each half with the mixture and serve on doylie covered plates.

For a relish use celery, white radishes, small yellow tomato pickles or pickled white grapes.

The meat course consists of creamed chicken, creamed sweetbreads and creamed veal. Carefully cut about one-third of the shell off the top of as many eggs as needed. Remove egg and fill shell with the hot creamed meat, (use three shells for each plate, each having a different filling) and replace top of shell.

Form shoestring potatoes into a nest on a serving plate and place the stuffed eggs in the nest. (Tap the filled egg slightly on the end, indenting but not breaking it and the egg will easily stand on end.)

Or make a nest of mashed potatoes pressing it through a fruit press or potato ricer and place in the center of it meat croquettes, oval shaped and very delicately browned.

Bread sticks or tiny rolls tied with white and yellow ribbon. Mould the butter into the shape of an egg.

Escalloped corn in ramikins.

Salad of California Asparagus tips on bleached lettuce leaf: Place a ring of hard boiled eggs around the stem end of asparagus (slice hard boiled eggs cross-wise, remove the yolk and thrust the ends of asparagus through the white part) serve with French dressing.

If ice cream is to be served on plates, have vanilla and orange flavors packed in a tubular mold, the orange in the center and the vanilla around the outside so that when cut it has the appearance of a slice of hard boiled egg.

If the cream is served in glasses have the two colors moulded in the form of an egg.

Serve lady fingers and egg kisses, or angel food and sunshine cake.

At each place have salted almonds in a yellow egg shell cup. Color the eggs a rich yellow, cut off about one-third of the top and remove egg--use the larger portion of the shell, mash the end a trifle and glue to a small oval paste board.

Bon-bons consist of small jelly eggs, white and yellow in a tiny basket at each place.

The favors are Easter bonnets which the guests are asked to wear. (Procure small doll hats of various styles profusely trimmed with flowers of white and yellow and place a common white hat pin in each one.)

AN EASTER BONNET PARTY

A very pleasant entertainment to be given about Eastertide is one at which the all-engrossing head covering of the season is to be manufactured.

The materials required are simple--two sheets of tissue paper for each guest, numerous pairs of scissors and silver table knives, and pins without limit.

The workroom--preferably one provided with a large table--is decorated with plates of fashionable hats borrowed from a milliner, advertisements of all sorts displaying bonnets, and half a dozen pattern hats previously made by the hostess.

Placards announcing "Fashion's Fancies" or "Hints on Headgear" give substantial advice like the following: "Bald-headed gentlemen are no longer affecting the pompadour style of hat;" "A simple crown is King Edward VII.'s favorite headgear at present;" "None but the very fast set will wear more than fifteen colors in any one bonnet this season."

Each guest is furnished with a roll of two sheets of paper which harmonize in hue, and is told to make a hat or bonnet in fifteen minutes. Really surprising results will begin to appear. Some very lovely creations will be evolved by the tasteful fingers of the wonderful woman who can stretch a dollar; exceedingly funny dunce and soldier caps with nodding tassels of paper fringe will be the products of the big men who can always laugh and give others an occasion for mirth. Hats with brims and without, crownless and with peaked crowns, with streamers and with ties, so small that they challenge the ever-present bow in the hair, and so large as to give cause for another arrest in a New Orleans theater--all the hat family will be there--and so will fun.

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 opponent's 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.