Chapter 9
THREADING A NEEDLE
Sit on round bottle laid lengthwise on floor, and try to thread a needle. First to succeed will be first married.
ALPHABET GAME
Cut alphabet from newspaper and sprinkle on surface of water; letters floating may spell or suggest name of future husband or wife.
NEEDLE GAME
Each person floats greased needle in basin of water. Impelled by attraction of gravitation, needles will act very curiously; some cling together, others rush to margin and remain. The manner in which one person's needle behaves towards another's causes amusement, and is supposed to be suggestive and prophetic.
APPLES AND FLOUR
Suspend horizontally from ceiling a stick three feet long. On one end stick an apple, upon other tie small bag of flour. Set stick whirling. Each guest takes turn in trying to bite apple-end of stick. It is amusing to see guests receive dabs of flour on face. Guest who first succeeds in biting apple gets prize.
CYNIVER
Each girl and boy seeks an even-leaved sprig of ash; first of either sex that finds one calls out cyniver, and is answered by first of opposite sex that succeeds; and these two, if omen fails not, will be joined in wedlock.
WALNUT BOATS
Open English walnuts, remove meat, and in each half shell fasten short pieces of differently colored Christmas candles, each of which is to be named for a member of party and, after lighting, set afloat in large pan or tub of water. The behavior of these tiny boats reveals future of those for whom they are named. If two glide on together, their owners have a similar destiny; if they glide apart, so will their owners. Sometimes candles will huddle together as if talking to one another, while perchance one will be left alone, out in the cold, as it were. Again, two will start off and all the rest will closely follow. The one whose candle first goes out is destined to be old bachelor or maid. These nut-shell boats may also be made by pouring melted wax into halves of walnut-shells in which are short strings for wicks.
WINDING YARN
Throw a ball of yarn out of window but hold fast to one end and begin to wind. As you wind say, "I wind, who holds?" over and over again; before end of yarn is reached, face of future partner will appear in window, or name of sweetheart will be whispered in ear.
SNAPDRAGON
1. The dragon consists of half a pint of ignited brandy or alcohol in a dish. As soon as brandy is aflame, all lights are extinguished, and salt is freely sprinkled in dish, imparting a corpse-like pallor to every face. Candied fruits, figs, raisins, sugared almonds, etc., are thrown in, and guests snap for them with their fingers; person securing most prizes from flames will meet his true love within the year.
2. Or, slips of paper on which verses are written are wrapped tightly in tin-foil and placed in dish. Brandy is poured on and ignited. The verse each person gets is supposed to tell his fortune.
Place burning dish in middle of bare table, for drops of burning spirits are often splashed about.
NECKLACE
Make barrel-hoop into necklace of bread, candies, red peppers and candle-ends, and hang horizontally from ceiling. Set hoop whirling and try to grasp its freight with your teeth. Accordingly as you like your first bite will you enjoy married life.
WINNOWING CORN
Steal out into barn or garden alone and go three times through motions of throwing corn against the wind. The third time an apparition of future spouse will pass you; in some mysterious manner, also, you may obtain an idea of his (her) employment and station in life.
MAGIC STAIRS
Walk downstairs backward, holding lighted candle over your head. Upon reaching bottom, turn suddenly and before you will stand your wished-for one.
PUMPKIN ALPHABET
Carve all the letters of the alphabet on a medium sized pumpkin. Put it on a dish and set on a stand or table. Each guest in turn is blindfolded and given a hat-pin, then led to pumpkin, where he (she) is expected to stick pin into one of the letters on the pumpkin, thus indicating the initial of future life-partner.
JUMPING LIGHTED CANDLE
Place a lighted candle in middle of floor, not too securely placed; each one jumps over it. Whoever succeeds in clearing candle is guaranteed a happy year, free of trouble or anxiety. He who knocks candle over will have a twelve-month of woe.
DUMB CAKE
Each one places handful of wheat flour on sheet of white paper and sprinkles it over with a pinch of salt. Some one makes it into dough, being careful not to use spring water. Each rolls up a piece of dough, spreads it out thin and flat, and marks initials on it with a new pin. The cakes are placed before fire, and all take seats as far from it as possible. This is done before eleven p. m., and between that time and midnight each one must turn cake once. When clock strikes twelve future wife or husband of one who is to be married first will enter and lay hand on cake marked with name. Throughout whole proceeding not a word is spoken. Hence the name "dumb cake." (If supper is served before 11:30, "Dumb Cake" should be reserved for one of the After-Supper Tests.)
HIDING RING, THIMBLE AND PENNY
Hide ring, thimble and penny in room. To one who finds ring, speedy marriage is assured; thimble denotes life of single blessedness; penny promises wealth.
PULLING KALE
All are blindfolded and go out singly or hand-in-hand to garden. Groping about they pull up first stalk of kale or head of cabbage. If stalk comes up easily the sweetheart will be easy to win; if the reverse, hard to win. The shape of the stump will hint at figure of prospective wife or husband. Its length will suggest age. If much soil clings to it, life-partner will be rich; if not, poor. Finally, the stump is carried home and hung over door, first person outside of family who passes under it will bear a name whose initial is same as that of sweetheart.
PERPLEXING HUNT
In this game the seeker for a prize is guided from place to place by doggerels as the following, and is started on his hunt with this rhyme:
"Perhaps you'll find it in the air; If not, look underneath your chair."
Beneath his chair he finds the following:
"No, you will not find it here; Search the clock and have no fear."
Under the clock he finds:
"You will have to try once more; Look behind the parlor door."
Tied to the door-knob he discovers:
"If it's not out in the stable. Seek beneath the kitchen table."
Under the kitchen table he finds another note, which reads:
"If your quest remains uncertain, You will find it 'neath a curtain."
And here his quest is rewarded by finding the prize.
DOUGH TEST
Take water and meal and make dough. Write on slips of paper names of several of opposite sex friends; roll papers into balls of dough and drop them into water. First name to appear will be future husband or wife.
WATER EXPERIMENT
A laughable experiment consists in filling mouth with water and walking around house or block without swallowing or spilling a drop. First person of opposite sex you meet is your fate. A clever hostess will send two unsuspecting lovers by different doors; they are sure to meet, and not unfrequently settle matters then and there.
THE DREAMER
If a maid wishes to know whom she is to marry, if a man of wealth, tradesman, or traveler, let her, on All-Hallow-e'en, take a walnut, hazelnut, and nutmeg; grate and mix them with butter and sugar into pills, and take when she goes to bed; and then, if her fortune be to marry a rich man, her sleep will be filled with gold dreams; if a tradesman, she will dream of odd noises and tumults; if a traveler, there will be thunder and lightning to disturb her.
MIRROR AND APPLE
Stand in front of mirror in dimly lighted room and eat an apple. If your lover reciprocates your love he will appear behind you and look over your right shoulder and ask for a piece of apple.
CELLAR STAIRS
Cellar-stairs' test is where girl boldly goes down stairs backward, holding a mirror, and trying to catch in it the features of him who is to be her mate.
AROUND THE WALNUT TREE
Of all Hallow-e'en spells and charms associated with nuts, the following is one of the oldest: If a young man or woman goes at midnight on Hallow-e'en to a walnut tree and walks around three times, crying out each time, "Let him (her) that is to be my true love bring me some walnuts," future wife or husband will be seen in tree gathering nuts.
DUCKING FOR APPLES
Into one tub half filled with water are placed apples to the stems of which are tied bits of paper containing the names of the boys present at the party, while across the room is a similar tub in which the names of the girls are placed. With hands tied behind them the young folks endeavor to extricate the apples with their teeth, and it is alleged that the name appearing upon the slip fastened to the apple is the patronymic of the future helpmeet of the one securing the fruit from the receptacle.
COMBING HAIR BEFORE MIRROR
Stand alone before mirror, and by light of candle comb your hair; face of your future partner will appear in glass, peeping over your shoulder.
THE FOUR SAUCERS
Place four saucers on table in line. Into first put dirt; into second, water; into third, a ring; into fourth, a rag. Guests are blindfolded and led around table twice; then told to go alone and put fingers into saucer. If they put into dirt, it means divorce; into water, a trip across ocean; where ring is, to marry; where rag is, never to marry.
GAME OF FATE
Guests take part, seated in a circle. Three Fates are chosen, one of whom whispers to each person in turn name of his (her) future sweetheart. Second Fate follows, whispering to each where he (she) will next meet his (her) sweetheart; as, "You will meet on a load of hay," or, "at a picnic," or, "at church," or, "on the river," etc. The third Fate reveals the future; as, "You will marry him (her) next Christmas," or, "You will be separated many years by a quarrel, but will finally marry," or, "Neither of you will ever marry," etc. Each guest must remember what is said by the Fates; then each in turn repeats aloud what has been told him (her). For example, "My future sweetheart's name is Obednego; I shall meet him next Wednesday on the Moonlight Excursion, and we shall be married in a week."
WHERE DWELLS MY LOVER?
Steal out unobserved at midnight; plucking a small lock of hair from your head, cast it to breeze. Whatever direction it is blown is believed to be location of future matrimonial partner.
"I pluck this lock of hair off my head To tell whence comes the one I shall wed. Fly, silken hair, fly all the world around Until you reach the spot where my true love is found."
FEATHER TESTS
To foretell complexion of future mate, select three soft fluffy feathers. (If none is handy, ask for a pillow and rip open and take out feathers.) On bottom end of each feather fasten a small piece of paper; a drop of paste or mucilage will hold all three in place. Write "blonde" on one paper; "brunette," on another, and "medium" on the third. Label papers before gluing them on feathers. Hold up feather by its top and send it flying with a puff of breath. Do same with the other two; the feather landing nearest you denotes complexion of your true love. To make test sure, try three times, not using too much force in blowing feathers, which should land on table, not on floor.
ROSE TEST
Take two roses with long stems. Name one for yourself and one for your lover. Go to your room without speaking to any one; kneel beside bed; twine stems of roses together, and repeat following lines, gazing intently on lover's rose:
"Twine, twine, and intertwine, Let my love be wholly thine. If his heart be kind and true, Deeper grow his rose's hue."
If your swain is faithful, color of rose will grow darker.
DRY BREAD
Dreams mean much on Hallow-e'en, but certain ceremonies must be carefully followed in order to insure the spell. Before going to sleep for the night have some one bring a small piece of dry bread. No word can be spoken after this; silence must prevail. Eat bread slowly, at same time making a wish and thinking the pleasantest thing imaginable. Then drop off to sleep, and your dreams will be sweet and peaceful, and your wish will come true, if the charm works.
THE LOAF CAKE
A loaf cake is often made, and in it are placed a ring and a key. The former signifies marriage, and the latter a journey, and the person who cuts the slice containing either must accept the inevitable.
TO TRY ONE'S LUCK
In a dish of mashed potatoes place a ring, a dime, and a thimble. Each guest is provided with a spoon with which to eat the potatoes; whoever gets the ring is to be married within a year; the thimble signifies single blessedness, while the dime prophesies riches or a legacy.
Some canny lassies have been known to get the ring into one of their very first spoonfuls, and have kept it for fun in their mouths, tucked snugly beneath the tongue, until the dish was emptied. Such a lass was believed to possess the rare accomplishment of being able to hold her tongue, but nevertheless tricky.
MELTING LEAD
Each person melts some lead and pours it through a wedding-ring or key into a dish of water. The lead will cool in various shapes, supposed to be prophetic. Any ingenious person will interpret the shapes, and furnish much amusement for the listeners; thus, a bell-shaped drop indicates a wedding within the year; a drop resembling a torch or lamp signifies fame; a pen or ink-bottle, that the future companion is to be an author; a horn of plenty, wealth; a bag or trunk, travel; etc.
NAMING CHESTNUTS
Roast three chestnuts before the fire, one of which is named for some lady (or gentleman); the other two, for gentlemen (or ladies). If they separate, so will those for whom they are named; those jumping toward the fire are going to a warmer climate; those jumping from the fire, to a colder climate; if two gentlemen jump toward one another, it means rivalry.
THE MIRROR
Walk backward several feet out of doors in moonlight with mirror in your hand, or within doors with candle in one hand and mirror in the other, repeating following rhyme, and face of your future companion will appear in glass:
"Round and round, O stars so fair! Ye travel and search out everywhere; I pray you, sweet stars, now show to me This night who my future husband (wife) shall be."
BOWLS
One bowl is filled with clear water, another with wine, a third with vinegar, a fourth is empty. All are placed in line on table. Each person in turn is blindfolded, turned about three times, and led to table. A hand is put out and prophecy made by bowl touched. Water shows happy, peaceful life; wine promises rich, eventful, noble career; vinegar, misery and poverty; an empty bowl is a symbol of bachelor or spinster life.
LOVER'S TEST
A maid and youth each places a chestnut to roast on fire, side by side. If one hisses and steams, it indicates a fretful temper in owner of chestnut; if both chestnuts equally misbehave it augurs strife. If one or both pop away, it means separation; but if both burn to ashes tranquilly side by side, a long life of undisturbed happiness will be lot of owners.
These portentous omens are fitly defined in the following lines:
"These glowing nuts are emblems true Of what in human life we view; The ill-matched couple fret and fume, And thus in strife themselves consume; Or from each other wildly start, And with a noise forever part. But see the happy, happy pair, Of genuine love and truth sincere; With mutual fondness while they burn, Still to each other kindly turn; And as the vital sparks decay, Together gently sink away; Till life's fierce trials being past, Their mingled ashes rest at last."
FLOUR TEST
A bowl is filled tightly with flour. During the process of filling, a wedding ring is inserted vertically in some part of it. The bowl, when full, is inverted upon a dish and withdrawn, leaving the mound of flour on the dish. Each guest cuts off with a knife a thin slice which crumbles into dust. The guest who cuts off the slice containing the ring will be married first.
APPLE SEEDS
Apple seeds act as charms on Hallow-e'en. Stick one on each eyelid and name one "Home" and the other "Travel." If seed named travel stays on longer, you will go on a journey before year expires. If "Home" clings better, you will remain home. Again, take all the apple seeds, place them on back of outspread left hand and with loosely clenched right hand strike palm of left. This will cause some, if not all, of seeds to fall. Those left on hand show number of letters you will receive the coming fortnight. Should all seeds drop, you must wait patiently for your mail.
Put twelve apple seeds carefully one side while you cut twelve slips of blank paper exactly alike, and on one side of each write name of friend. Turn them all over with blanks uppermost and mix them so that you will not know which is which; then, holding seeds in your left hand, repeat:
"One I love, Two I love, Three I love I say; Four I love with all my heart Five I cast away. Six he loves, Seven she loves, Eight they both love; Nine he comes, Ten he tarries, Eleven he courts and Twelve he marries."
Stop at each line to place a seed on a paper, and turn slip over to discover name of one you love or cast away. Continue matching apple seeds with papers as you count, until all twelve seeds and twelve papers are used.
=THANKSGIVING=
AFTER DINNER GAMES FOR THANKSGIVING DAY
The game of enigmatical menus, as its name implies, is not only especially appropriate for Thanksgiving Day, but has the further merit of not requiring a great deal of preparation beforehand, and is therefore not too great a tax upon a busy woman's time. Before this greatest feast day of the year, the hostess is usually so fully occupied in planning the actual bill of fare, that a game which requires nothing more than pencils, and sheets of paper with the following riddles either plainly written or typewritten upon them, will be found a boon indeed. An hour's time is usually allowed for guessing the names of the guests, and of the viands suggested upon any one of the menus which are given together with the correct answers.
A DINNER FOR HISTORIC CELEBRITIES
The Guests
1. He who refused the crown of England.--Cromwell.
2. The conqueror of Napoleon I.--The Duke of Wellington.
3. He who escaped from his foes by reversing his horse's shoes. --Israel O. Putnam.
4. He who owed his good fortune to his cat.--Dick Whittington.
5. The inventor of printing.--Guttenberg.
6. The captive king whose hiding place was discovered by his troubadour.--Richard Coeur de Leon.
7. A sly one.--Fox.
8. The kernel of the peach.--Pitt.
9. Minister to George II.--Walpole.
10. The author of Poor Richard's Almanac.--Benjamin Franklin.
The Menu
1. Soup--The mainstay of the Chinese. Rice.
2. Fish--A color. Blue Fish.
3. Roast--The pride of Old England. Roast Beef.
4. Vegetable--A porridge and an apartment. Mushroom.
5. Game--A nut cracker.--Squirrel.
6. Salad--Part of a house and a letter. Celery.
7. Pudding--A summer residence. Cottage.
8. Cake--What variety gives to life. Spice.
9. Fruit--From an historic tree. Cherries.
10. Wine--The kind of invitation one likes to receive. Cordial.
A DINNER FOR LITERARY CELEBRITIES
The Guests
1. A barrel maker.--Cooper.
2. A mixture of black and white.--Gray.
3. The baby of the flock.--Lamb.
4. A disagreeable fellow to have on one's foot.--Bunyan.
5. Joyous hardness.--Gladstone.
6. A country in Europe.--Holland.
7. A lion's abode, free from dampness.--Dryden.
8. A head covering.--Hood.
9. Small talk and a cask.--Chatterton.
10. Absence of all color.--Black.
The Menu
1. Soup--What a ship sometimes springs. Leek.
2. Fish--All colors combined. White Fish.
3. Roast--A red hot bar of iron. Pig.
4. Vegetable--To steal mildly. Cabbage.
5. Game--Chinese English. Pigeon.
6. Relish--Dreadful predicaments. Pickles.
7. Pudding--The mantle of winter. Snow.
8. Cake--Brightest and best of all. Sunshine.
9. Fruit--A church dignitary and a fruit. Elderberry.
10. Wine--An island in the Atlantic. Madeira.
NUTS TO CRACK
Pass pencils and paper to each guest with the following written upon it:--
1 (A Dairy product.)
2 (A Vegetable.)
3 (A Country.)
4 (A Girl's name.)
5 (A structure.)
6 (A name often applied to one of our presidents.)
7 (Every Ocean has one.)
8 (That which often holds a treasure.)
9 (The names of two boys.)
10 (A letter of the alphabet and an article made of tin.)
Explain that the above describes ten different nuts, which they are to guess. The nuts described are (1) butternut; (2) peanut; (3) brazil nut; (4) hazel nut; (5) walnut; (6) hickory nut; (7) beechnut; (8) chestnut; (9) filbert; (10) pecan. A prize may be awarded to the one first having correct answers.
Thanksgiving originated with the pilgrims who came from England in the Mayflower. What other ships were they acquainted with? Provide the guests with pencils and paper having the following questions written upon it:
1. What they met for on Sunday?
2. What feeling existed among them?
3. What ship was popular with the young folks?
4. What did it lead up to?
5. What was one of the young women fond of?
6. What was unpleasant for them?
7. What caused them to leave England?
8. What interfered with their peace?
9. What would have aided them?
10. What increased their number?
A prize may be awarded to the one who correctly answers the questions first. The answers are: 1. Worship; 2. Friendship; 3. Courtship; 4. Partnership; 5. Fellowship; 6. Hardship; 7. Rulership; 8. Leadership; 9. Airship; 10. Heirship.
=CHRISTMAS=
"Christmas comes but once a year and when it comes it brings"--a whole lot of things. If there doesn't seem to be anything to be thankful for, there was a Christmas hundreds of years ago which gave us One who comprised and radiated everything to be thankful for, so let us rejoice in memory of that Christmas and be merry and cheerful and glad.
Children, especially, love to have games and amusements at this time of the year, so a number are suggested as appropriate, some of which will prove entertaining to grown-ups.
JOLLY ST. NICHOLAS
One child is chosen to represent Jolly St. Nicholas or Santa Claus and stands in the center of the room. The other children stand around in a circle while Santa Claus reads his rules of good behavior to them which are as follows:--
"You must speak when you are spoken to. Do you understand?" (The children reply, "Yes, sir.")
"You must come when you are called. Come here." (The children run toward Santa Claus and stand still when he raises his hand.)
"You must keep your place." (The children return to their former places.)
"You must be asleep by eight o'clock." (Santa Claus counts eight and the children must all close their eyes by the time he says 'eight.')
"It is more blessed to give than to receive." The children are supposed to keep their eyes closed and when Santa Claus gives them something (which will be a little tap on the hand or a light trod on the foot, a kiss, a hug or gentle pull of the hair or ear or something of that sort,) the recipient must pass it on to the next who passes it on to the next, and so on.
If Santa Claus observes anyone disobeying his rules he tags them and they are out of the game. If any of the children succeed in being perfectly good children they are given a suitable prize by Santa Claus, and another Santa Claus chosen if it is desired to continue the game.
CHRISTMAS STOCKING