Rhymed Replies

This is a game that needs a certain amount of readiness and some skill with words. Each of the party writes at the top of a piece of paper a question of any kind whatever, such as "How old was Caesar when he died?" or "What is your favorite color?" The paper is folded over and passed on, and the next player writes a word—any word—such as "electricity," "potato," "courageously," "milk." The papers are then passed on once more and opened, and the task of each player is to write a rhyme in which the question on his paper is answered and the word on his paper is introduced.

Missing Information

Every one is supplied with a piece of paper and pencils and tries to write down correct answers to questions about everyday things which we none of us know. A suggestive list is given but any one can add to it indefinitely.

1. How big do you think a postage-stamp is, in inches—a five dollar bill?

2. Draw a picture of a clock's face with the hands pointing to five minutes of twelve.

3. How tall do you think a man's silk hat is, a derby?

4. Draw the design in panels of the door to the room you are in. (Of course without looking at it.)

5. How many holes are there in a high laced shoe—your own?

6. How many toes has a cat, a dog?

7. How many legs has a fly?

8. How does a cow lie down? A horse?

9. About how many petals has a common daisy? A wild rose? A sun flower?

10. How high from the ground is a street-car?—a railway car?

The person who can answer most correctly the greatest number of questions is the winner.

Consequences

"Consequences" is always a favorite game when a party has reached its frivolous mood. The method of playing is this: Sheets of paper and pencils are handed round, and every one writes at the head (1) an adjective suitable to be applied to a man, such as "Handsome." This word is then folded over so that it cannot be read, and each paper is passed on to the next person. The name of a man (2) is then written, either some one you know, or a public person, such as the president or Mr. Carnegie. This in turn is folded over and the papers are passed on. The word "met" is understood to be inserted at this point. That is to say, the completed story will tell how Handsome Mr. Carnegie met some one. The next thing (3) is to put down an adjective suitable to apply to the woman whom he met, such as "Buxom," and then (4) the woman's name, again either some one you know, or a public person,—the papers being folded and passed on after every writing. The remaining items are these:—(5) The place where they met—say, on the pier. (6) What he said to her—say, "I hope your neuralgia is better." (7) What she said to him—say, "There's nothing like rain for the crops." (8) What the consequence was—say, "They were married." (9) What the world said—"All's well that ends well."

It must be remembered that unless there are very few players, when it is less fun, you do not get the chance of writing more than once, or at most twice, on the same sheet of paper, so that it is of no use to have a reasonable series of remarks in your mind. The specimen given above is an average one. In print nothing could be much less funny, but when the company has the spirit of "Consequences," even so tame a story as this might keep the room merry. The game is always full of the unexpected, and the people who meet each other are almost sure to be laughing-stocks. The results are often better if all the papers are handed to one player to read.

Consequences Extended

The form of "Consequences" above given is the ordinary one and the simplest. But in certain families the game has been altered and improved by other clauses. We give the fullest form of "Consequences" with which we are acquainted. As it stands it is rather too long; but players may like to add to the fun of the ordinary game by adopting a few of these additions:—

Adjective for a man. The man. What he was wearing. What he was doing. (Met) Adjective for a woman. The woman. What she was wearing. What she was doing. The person he would much rather have met. Where they met. What he thought. What he said. What she thought. What she said. What he gave her. What she did with it. Where they went. What they did. What the consequence was. What the world said.

Example:—

The honorable Theodore Roosevelt, who was dressed in a Moire antique bath-towel and was eating walnuts, met coy Aunt Priscilla in a Khaki tea-gown playing with her Noah's Ark, when he would much rather have met Madame Tussaud. They met at South Hampton. What he thought was, "Here's this woman again," but he merely said, "That's a very chic costume of yours." What she thought was, "I wonder if he's seen Peter Pan," but she only said, "That's wet paint you're leaning against." He gave her a piercing glance, and she swallowed it. So they went to prison together and learned to ride the bicycle, and the consequence was they caught influenza, and the world said, "It's an ill wind that blows nobody good."

Composite Stories

Another folding-over and passing-on game is "Composite Stories." Paper is passed round, and for five minutes each player writes the opening of a story with a title prefixed. The papers are passed on, and each player reads through as much of the story as has been written and for five minutes adds to it. And so on, until each player has written once on each paper. The papers are then passed on once more, with the result that each paper will be found to be lying before the player who began it. The next and last five minutes are then spent by each person in reading through the story and bringing it to an end, sometimes a difficult enough task. If six persons are playing and allowances of five minutes have been given, there will be at the end of thirty-five minutes six complete stories to read aloud.

Another Story Game

A variety of the story game is for each player to write the name of a well-known person or friend of the family on the top of the paper, fold it over, and pass it on. This happens, say, five times, which means that when the papers are opened the names of five persons will be found on each. A story has then to be written introducing these people.

Improbable Stories

Another story game is one in which each player attempts to tell the most improbable or impossible story. In this case the papers are not passed on, but a certain amount of time is given for the stories to be written in.

The Newspaper

This is a rather elaborate but really very easy game to play. One player, who acts as editor, takes as many sheets of paper as there are players and writes at the head of each the title of a section of a newspaper. Thus on one he will write, Paris Correspondence; on another, English Correspondence; on another, Berlin Correspondence; on a fourth, Political News; on a fifth, Our Fashion Page; on a sixth, Reviews; on a seventh, Weather Report; and so on. Each player then, for a given time, writes on the subject allotted to him, more or less in the manner of the daily press, and at the end the result is read aloud by the editor.

The plan is easily adapted to family or village life. The heading may refer to domestic matters, such as Nursery Correspondence, Kitchen Gossip, Fashions for Gentlemen (an account of father's new suit), Garden News, Village Chatter, and so on. Or, instead of a newspaper, a popular magazine may be contributed, with illustrations.

Predicaments

This is a good game for a company of ingenious people, and it will be found that almost every one is ingenious when confronted with a difficult situation and given time to think out a solution. Every one is given paper and pencil (or this is not necessary since the solutions may be oral). Then one player starts the game by suggesting some predicament and asking the company "What would you do in such a case?" Five minutes are given for reflection, and fifteen if the answers are to be written. Then each in turn must say how he would have extricated himself from the scrape.

A few suitable subjects are given here. If you found yourself in a strange city, where you didn't know a soul, with no money and nothing you could pawn, what would you do?

If you should wake up in the night and see a burglar just entering the room, what would you do?

If you should look out of your school-room door and see smoke and fire in the hall, what would you do?

If you should be in a foreign country, not able to speak the language and wanted to order a room and breakfast, what would you do?



TABLE AND CARD GAMES

Card Games and Others

Card games proper, such as Bezique and Cribbage and Whist, do not come into the scope of this book. Nor do games such as Chess, Draughts, Halma and Backgammon. It is not that they are not good games, but that, having to be bought, their rules do not need enumerating again. The description of a few very old and favorite games with cards, and one or two new ones, is, however, given, because they can be made at home.

Letter Games

On page 178 will be found the simplest letter game. Letters can be used for a round game by one player making a word, shuffling it, and throwing it face upward into the middle of the table. The winner is the player who first sees what it spells.

Distribute a box of letters among the players, dealing them face downward. In turn each player takes up a letter at random and puts it face upward in the middle of the table. The object of the game is to make words out of these letters. Directly a player sees a word he calls it out, and taking the letters places them in front of him, where they remain until the end of the game, when each player counts his words and the owner of the greatest number is the winner. If, however, a word has been chosen which, by the addition of another letter or so from the middle of the table, can be transformed into a longer word, the player who thinks of this longer word takes the shorter word from the other player and places it before himself. Thus, A might see the word "seat" among the letters, and calling it out, place it before him; and then B, noticing another "t," might call out "state," and adding it to A's word, take that to himself. If, however, A then detected an "e" in the middle and called out "estate" the word would be his again. These losses and reconquests form the chief fun of the game. An "s" at the end of a word, forming a plural, is not allowed.

Patience, or Thirteens

Many games of "Patience" can be played as well with numbered cards as with ordinary playing cards. It does not matter much what size they are, but for convenience, in playing on a small table, they may as well be about an inch wide and two inches long, with the number at the top. Thus:—

12

A "Patience" set consists of four packs of cards each containing four sets of thirteen cards numbered from 1 to 13. These can be made at home perfectly well, and a little bag to hold each pack should also be made. The simplest game is to arrange the four sets in their right order. One player empties her four bags into a basket, shakes them up, and calls them out as she picks them out (at random). The others, who have the cards spread before them, then arrange them in four rows as well as may be, until a 1 is called and there is a chance to begin packing the others upon it. With inexperienced players five rows are sometimes allowed. We do not give other games of "Patience," for two reasons. One is that it is not exactly a children's game, and the other, that it is one of the games which can be properly taught only by personal instruction. Varieties of "Patience" are very numerous, and good books can be had on the subject.

Snap

There can be no real need to describe "Snap," but perhaps it may be useful to have the rules in print here in case of any dispute. A pack of "Snap" cards is dealt round, any number being able to play; and the game begins by the players taking their cards one by one from their hands and in turn laying them face upward on the table before them. If a card is turned up similar to a card already on view on the table, the player who turns it up or the player who owns the similar card cries "Snap," and the cards go to the player who says "Snap" first. As it is sometimes difficult for the players to distinguish which says "Snap" first, it is well to have an umpire. In the case of an undoubted dead-heat the game should go on as if nothing had happened. The player who won the cards gathers up also into his hand all the cards which were before him and continues the game. When a player has transferred all his cards from his hand to the table he waits until his turn comes and then takes them into his hand again. This is a very exciting moment, because, if his top card were snapped, then he would lose everything.

In good "Snap" packs there are several sets of cards which are intentionally made nearly but not absolutely alike, and it is very common to say "Snap" by mistake when one of these turns up. In that case the cards of the player who cried "Snap" are placed in the middle of the table, where they stay until some one turns up a card exactly like the top one and "Snap Centre" is called, when both the centre pack and the pack in front of the turner-up belong to the player who cried "Snap Centre." It may of course be the turner-up himself, but is very likely somebody else, because whereas under ordinary conditions only the owners of similar cards may cry "Snap," when there are cards is the middle too any one may cry "Snap Centre." (In some houses any one may cry "Snap" all through the game, but that is not the best way.)

When a player has lost all his cards he is out of the game until there are cards in the middle again, when an opportunity comes of snap-centring them and getting into play again. The game goes on until one player has all the cards.

Grab

In "Grab," a very rowdy variety of "Snap," a cork is placed in the middle of the table. The rules are the same as in "Snap," except that, instead of saying "Snap," you snatch for the cork; in the case of "Snap Centre," snatching and saying "Centre" too.

Snap Cards

"Snap" cards may just as well be home-made as bought. They either can be painted, in which case you must be careful that the sets of four articles are just alike, or you can cut out shapes of different colored paper and stick them on. A bundle of wall-paper patterns is splendid material for a pack. The only advantage that bought "Snap" cards have over home-made ones is that they slip better.

Old Maid

This game can be played by any number, either with a home-made pack or with ordinary playing cards from which three of the queens have been taken away; the remaining queen being the old maid. The cards are then dealt and each player first weeds out all pairs, such as two knaves, two aces, two fives, and so on. All having done this, the player who begins offers her hand, with the cards face downward, to her neighbor, and her neighbor takes one. She then looks through her cards to see if it pairs with any that she already has, and, if it does, throws the pair on the table. Having finished her examination she offers her cards in the same way to the next player, and so it goes on. As the possessor of the old maid card is, at the end, the loser of the game, each one who gets it does all in her power to induce the next player to take it. As the cards get fewer and fewer the excitement grows and grows.

"Old Bachelor" is played in the same way, except that three of the kings are then thrown out.

Pig

"Pig" is a very noisy game. It is played with ordinary cards, unless you like to make a "Pig" set, which would be very easy. Having discovered how many persons want to play, you treat the pack accordingly. For instance, if five want to play you throw out all cards except five sets of four; if six, or three, you throw out all cards except six sets of four or three sets of four. Thus, if five were playing, the cards might consist of four aces, four twos, four threes, four fours, and four fives; or, if you began at the other end, four kings, four queens, four knaves, four tens and four nines. The cards are shuffled and dealt round, four each, and the game is for each player to complete a set of four. You do not, as in "Old Maid," select one from the cards that are offered, face downward, but each player hands whatever card he likes to the next player, who is bound to accept it. Directly a player has a set of four complete he lays the cards on the table, either very stealthily or with a bang, whichever he likes. Immediately a set is laid on the table (or directly the other players notice it) all other cards have to be laid there, too. The player who is last in laying them down is Pig. The game is played for as many rounds as you like, the player who was last the fewest times being the winner. The word Pig alters with each round. The last player to lay down his cards in the second round is not merely Pig, but Little Pig; in the third, Big Pig; in the fourth, Mother (or Father) Pig; in the fifth, Grandmother (or Grandfather) Pig; in the sixth, Ancestral Pig; in the seventh, Venerable Pig; in the eighth, Primeval Pig; in the ninth, Crackling.

Prophecies and Characteristics

This is a memory game and a very amusing one. It is played with two packs of cards of any sort. One pack is laid in a heap, face down, in the middle of the table. The other pack is distributed to the players, who lay them face upward in rows; each person should not have more than twelve cards since it is practically impossible to remember more than that number. Any one can begin by giving either a prophecy or a characteristic—thus: "Who will inherit a fortune inside a year?" or "Who will be the first in the room to wear false teeth?" at the same time turning up a card from the centre pile. Whoever has the card matching this, takes it, lays it face down on his card repeating the prophecy, "I will be the first to wear false teeth." The next in turn gives a characteristic, "Who has the worst temper?" or "Who has the most unselfish disposition?" This process continues around, until all the centre cards are matched. Then the memory test comes in. Every player in turn tries to remember and repeat all the prophecies and characteristics which have fallen to his share, giving them aloud in rapid succession. He is allowed for deliberation on any one only the time while ten is being counted. The one who remembers the greatest number is the winner.

The Old Maid's Birthday

This game is utterly foolish, but it can lead to shouts of laughter. It has been founded on an old-fashioned card game called "Mr. Punch." The first thing required is a pack of plain cards on which should be written the names of articles of food and clothing, household utensils, and other domestic and much advertised things: such, for example, as a frock-coat, a round of beef, a foot-warmer, a box of pills. A story, somewhat on the lines of that which follows, must then be prepared and copied into a note-book. The company take their places and the cards are handed round. These should be held face downward. When all is ready one of the players reads the story, pausing at each blank for the player whose turn comes next to fill it in by calling out whatever is on his uppermost card. No matter how often the game is played (provided the cards are re-shuffled) the unexpected always happens, and it is usually so absurd as to be quite too much for a room all ready for laughter. The number of blanks in the story should be equal to the number of cards, and in order that the story may run on smoothly it is well for the next player always to glance at his top card just before his turn, so as to bring it out readily and naturally. The following story, which makes provision for nearly fifty cards, should be found serviceable until a better and more personal one is written. It will add to the amusement if the player who reads it substitutes the names of real shops and, if he likes, real people:

Attention. It was Miss Flitters's birthday, and she woke with a start and hurried down to see what the postman had brought. There were five parcels and a letter. The letter was from Miss Bitters. "Dear Miss Flitters," it ran, "I am so sorry to hear of your cold, and in the hope that it will do you good, I am sending you a ——. I always find it excellent, although mother prefers ——. We both wish you many happy returns of the day." The other presents were, from Miss Ditters a handsome ——, from Miss Glitters a delicate ——, and from Miss Hitters a particularly refined ——. "Dear me!" said Miss Flitters, "what a useful gift! just exactly what I wanted." She then sat down to breakfast, which, this being a special day, consisted of ——. "I did my best to do it to a turn," said the cook, as she laid it on the table with her own hands. "Mary said as how you'd prefer a ——, but, bless your 'eart, Miss Flitters, I know your tastes best." "You do, indeed," said Miss Flitters. "The thing is perfectly cooked. It's delicious. It reminds me of ——. To-day," she added, "I am giving a party, and I want you to let us have a very charming meal. I will get the things directly after breakfast. What do you think we shall need?" "Well, ma'am," said the cook, "you may please yourself about everything else, but we've done without a —— for so long, that I must have one." "Quite right," said her mistress.

She then prepared for going out; and seeing that it looked like rain, took a —— from the cupboard and on her head tied a ——. "Bless your 'eart, mum," cried the cook, "you've forgot your smelling salts. Suppose you was to feel faint—what then? Never mind," she added, "this'll do just as well"—handing her a ——. Miss Flitters hurried off at such a pace that she ran right into the minister. "I beg your pardon," she exclaimed, "I mistook you for a ——." "May I come with you?" asked the minister. "Most certainly," said Miss Flitters.

They went first to Buszard's for a ——, and selected two particularly juicy ones. Then to Marshall and Snelgrove's for a ——. "Is this for the complexion?" asked the minister, picking up a —— from the counter. "La, sir," said Miss Flitters, "how little you know of domestic life!" Then they went to Fuller's for a ——, and to Jay's for a ——. "It's too dear," said Miss Flitters. "Give me a ——instead." At the stores they inspected ——. "Haven't you anything fresher?" asked Miss Flitters: "I'd as soon buy a ——." None the less she bought two and slipped them into her reticule, adding as a little gift for the cook a ——.

The party began at six o'clock. The first to come was Miss Kitters. "You don't mind my bringing my work, I know, dear," she exclaimed; "I'm embroidering a —— for the natives of Madagascar, and it must be done soon." Miss Litters came next, and being rather short-sighted, sat down on a ——. "Never mind," said Miss Flitters. "Oh, I don't," she replied, "but it would have been more comfortable if it had been a ——." Miss Mitters came just as the clock struck. She was wearing a charming —— trimmed with ——. "What perfect taste she has!" the others murmured. Miss Nitters followed. Miss Nitters was the exact opposite of Miss Mitters in all matters relating to dress. She had no taste at all, and was wearing merely a —— with pompons attached, and in place of earrings a couple of ——. "So fast!" whispered Miss Litters. Miss Pitters, Miss Ritters, and Miss Titters each brought a present. Miss Pitters's present was a silver-plated ——. "So useful for the toilet table," she said. Miss Ritters's was a Japanese ——, a piece of exquisite workmanship; while Miss Titters produced from her pocket a brown paper parcel which turned out to contain a very choice ——, an heirloom in the Titters family for centuries. "I didn't know whether to bring this or a ——," she said; "but father decided me. Father always knows best."

When all were assembled, the guests sat down to supper. But here an awkward thing happened. "If you please, mum," the cook was heard to whisper in a loud voice, "the —— hasn't come. Shall I get a —— instead?" "Yes," said Miss Flitters, "that will do very well. Don't you think so, Miss Pitters?" "I think," was the reply, "I should prefer ——." It was none the less an excellent and generous repast. Opposite Miss Flitters was a noble ——, flanked by a —— and a ——. At the foot of the table was a dish of ——. "I never tasted anything so delicious in my life," said Miss Mitters, taking a large helping of ——. "Oh!" said Miss Glitters, "you should try the ——. It's yumps." The first course was followed by sweets, the most imposing of which was a wonderful frosted —— with Miss Flitters's name in pink sugar. "You must all have a piece," said the hostess, "but I'm afraid it's rather rich."

After supper came games, "Blind Man's Buff" and "Hunt the Slipper," but as no one cared to lend a slipper, they used instead a ——, and it did very well. At midnight the party broke up, the guests saying that they never had spent a pleasanter evening. As a protection against the cold Miss Flitters gave them each a hot ——. She then hurried to bed and dreamed all night of ——.



THINKING, GUESSING, AND ACTING GAMES

The Ship Alphabet

The players sit in a long row, as if in a class at school. The one that acts as schoolmaster asks sharply, beginning at one end, "The name of the letter?" "A," says the player. The schoolmaster turns to the next player, "the name of the ship?" and straightway begins to count ten very quickly and sternly. "Andromeda," is perhaps rapped out before he reaches that number. "The name of the captain?" "Alfred." "The name of the cargo?" "Armor." "The port she comes from?" "Amsterdam." "The place she is bound for?" "Antananarivo." "The next letter?" "B," and so on. If the schoolmaster is very strict and abrupt with his questions and counting, he can drive every idea from the mind of the person he points at. If he counts ten before an answer comes, he passes on to the next, and the next, and the next, until the answer is given. The one who gives it moves up above those that failed. The game should be played rapidly.

A variation on this is "When my ship comes in." This is played with a handkerchief knotted into a ball. Any letter of the alphabet is chosen; say B. One player throws the handkerchief to another, crying out, "When my ship comes in it will be laden with ——." The player who catches the handkerchief must supply a cargo, beginning with B before ten is counted, bees, butterflies, belts, etc. If he fails to do this he gives a forfeit. When one letter is exhausted another is chosen and the game starts over.

I Love My Love

This is not played now as once it was. In the old way the players sat in a line and went steadily through the alphabet, each one taking a letter in order. This was the form:—"I love my love with an A, because he is [a favorable adjective beginning with A]. I hate him with an A because he is [an unfavorable adjective beginning with A]. He took me to the sign of the [an inn sign beginning with A], and treated me to [two eatables or an eatable and drinkable beginning with A]. His name is [a man's name beginning with A], and he comes from [a town or country beginning with A]." Then B, and so on.

A and B might run thus:—

I love my love with an A because he is adorable. I hate him with an A because he is apish. He took me to the sign of the Alderman and treated me to arrowroot and ale. His name is Arnold, and he comes from Ayrshire.

I love my love with a B because he is brisk. I hate him with a B because he is bookish. He took me to the sign of the Beetle and treated me to biscuits and bovril. His name is Brian, and he comes from Boston.

There is no reason why men should always be chosen. For the sake of variety the love may as well have a woman's name and a woman's qualities. In that case the inn might perhaps go and some such sentence as this take its place:—

I love my love with an A because she is amiable. I hate her with an A because she is awesome. We went to Uncle Alexander's, and had apricots and Apollinaris. Her name is Audrey, and she comes from Annapolis.

As finding seven words beginning with one letter is rather a heavy task for each player, the words might be taken in turn, as in the case of the "Ship" game mentioned above.

For a shorter way of playing "I Love my Love" the following form is used:—"I love my love with an A because he—or she—is [favorable adjective]. I will send him—or her—to [some place] and feed him—or her—on [something to eat]. I will give him—or her—an [some article, the use for which must be mentioned after it], and a bunch of [some flower] for a nosegay." Thus:—

I love my love with an A because he is artistic. I will send him to Australia, and feed him on asparagus. I will give him an alpenstock to climb with, and a bunch of asters for a nosegay.

My Thought

The players sit in a row or circle, and one, having thought of something—of any description whatever—asks them in turn, "What is my thought like?" Not having the faintest idea what the thought is they reply at random. One may say, "Like a dog"; another, "Like a saucepan"; a third, "Like a wet day"; a fourth, "Like a comic opera." After collecting all the answers the player announces what the thought was, and then goes along the row again calling upon the players to explain why it is like the thing named by them. The merit of the game lies in these explanations. Thus, perhaps the thing thought of was a concertina. The first player, asked to show why a concertina is like a dog, may reply, "Because when it is squeezed it howls." The next may say, "It is like a heavy saucepan because it is held in both hands." The third, "It is like a wet day because one soon has enough of it"; and the fourth, "It is like a comic opera because it is full of tunes."

P's and Q's

Another old game of this kind is "P's and Q's." The players sit in a circle and one stands up and asks them each a question in turn. The question takes this form, "The King of England [or France, or Germany, or Africa, or Russia, or India, whatever country it may be] has gone forth with all his men. Tell me where he has gone, but mind your P's and Q's." The player who is addressed must then reply, naming, in whatever country is mentioned, some town that does not begin with P or Q or with any letter before P in the alphabet. Thus, if the question refers to England, he may say "Salisbury" but not "Bristol," "Redruth" but not "Oxford"; or to France, "Toulon" but not "Lyons," "Versailles" but not "Dieppe."

The game is capable of improvement or, at least, of variety. For instance, instead of P's and Q's, the questioner may say, "Mind your K's and L's," or instead of ruling out all letters before P, all letters after Q may be stopped. And one need not confine the game to geography, but may adapt it to include animals, or eatables, or books.

The Elements

The players sit in a circle, and the game is begun by one of them throwing a rolled-up handkerchief to another and at the same time calling out the name of one of the four elements—air, water, earth, or fire. If "Air" is called, the player to whom the handkerchief is thrown must at once mention some creature that flies. Having done so she throws the handkerchief to some one else, calling perhaps "Earth," whereupon that player must mention an animal that inhabits the earth. And so on. The same animal must not be mentioned twice, and when "Fire" is called, the player to whom the handkerchief is thrown must keep silence until she throws it on again. Sometimes each player, after throwing the handkerchief and calling the element, counts ten as the limit of time in which the answer must be given. If it is longer in coming, or if something is mentioned which has been mentioned before, then a forfeit follows.

Suggestions

This is a game which people either dislike or like very much. The players sit round the fire or table, and one of them begins by naming an article of any kind whatever, such as watering-pot. The word "watering-pot" will immediately suggest something to the next player—say "gardener." He therefore says "gardener." The next is perhaps reminded by the word "gardener" of a bunch of violets she saw the gardener carrying that morning, and she therefore says "violets"; the next at once recollects finding violets when she was in the country last spring, and she therefore says "Vermont." Thus the game goes on for, say, ten rounds, by which time, as we have seen already, the minds of the players have been carried miles away from the original watering-pot which set them at work. It is now necessary to trace the series of suggestions back to watering-pot again. This is done by the last player mentioning, not the last thing that he thought of, but the thing which suggested that to him. (Thus, the player next him may have said, in the last round, "an apple-core," which may have suggested to him "Tom Sawyer." He would not, however, when the task of retracing begins, say "Tom Sawyer," because to repeat your own words is too easy, but "an apple-core" and the next player, going backward, in his turn would repeat the word which suggested "an apple-core" to him.) The second part of the game, retracing the suggestions, is naturally more difficult than the first.

In this game two things are very important. One is, that silence should be maintained; the other, that the word you give should be suggested to you only by the previous player's remark. Also it is more fun to be quite honest about it, and really say what was first suggested, instead of making a choice.

Quotation Games

This is a game which requires some poetical knowledge. The players sit in a circle and one begins by repeating a line of poetry. The next caps it by repeating whatever line comes next to it in the poem from which it is taken. The poem may either be continued or the game may deal only in couplets or four-lined stanzas. In another quotation game the first player repeats a line of poetry and the next follows it with another line of poetry which begins with the last letter of the previous quotation. Thus, if the first player says—

It was the schooner Hesperus That sailed the wintry sea,

the next might cap it with—

A man's a man for a' that,

and the next with—

The quality of mercy is not strained.

Two Rhyming Games

Rhyming games require more taxing of brains than most players care for. The ordinary rhyming game, without using paper, is for one player to make a remark in an easy metre, and for the next to add a line completing the couplet. Thus in one game that was played one player said—

It is a sin to steal a pin, Much more to steal an apple.

And the next finished it by adding—

And people who are tempted to, With Satan ought to grapple.

But this was showing more skill than there is real need for.

An easier rhyming game is that in which the rhyme has to come at the beginning of the line. The players are seated in a circle and one begins by asking the next a question of any nature whatever, or by making any casual remark, the first word of the answer to which must rhyme with the last word of the question. The game is then started, each player in turn adding a remark to that made by the one before him, always observing the rhyming rule. Thus, the original question may be, "Do you like mince pies?" The next player may reply, "Wise people always do." The next, "You, I suppose, agree with that?" The next, "Flat you may knock me if I don't." The next, "Won't you change the subject, please?" And the next: "Eas-ily; let's talk of books."

Telling Stories

This is another of those fireside games that need more readiness of mind than many persons think a game should ask for. The first player begins an original story, stopping immediately (even in the middle of a sentence) when the player who is appointed time-keeper says "Next." The next player takes it up; and so forth until the end comes, either at the end of the first round or whatever round seems best.

Another way is for each player to contribute only a single word; but this is rarely successful, because every one is not at the same pitch of attention. Except on the part of the person who is narrating there ought to be absolute silence.

Clumps

The company, according to the number of persons, divides up into two or three or even four groups, or clumps, in different parts of the room, seated closely in circles. As many players as there are clumps then go out and decide on some extremely out-of-the-way thing which the clumps have to guess. In one game, for example, the mine was thought of from which the iron was taken to lay the first railroad rails in America. That is the kind of far-fetched and ingenious thing. When it is decided upon, the players return to the room and take their places, one in the midst of each clump. Questions are then put to them the answers to which must be either "Yes" or "No," and the clump that discovers the thing first is the winner.

Other Yes and No Games

The same game can be played without such keen rivalry, one player sitting in the midst of a great circle and answering questions in turn. There is also a game called "Man and Object," in which two players go out and decide upon a man (or woman) and something inanimate or not human with which he is associated or which he is known to have used, such as "Washington and his hatchet," "Whittington and his cat," "A druid and his mistletoe-knife." They then return and each player asks them each a question in turn until the problem is solved.

The same game is sometimes turned inside out, the players that remain in the room deciding upon some one whom the player that has gone out has to personate and discover. In this case it is he who puts the questions. As he is supposed for the time being actually to be the thing thought of, he ought to frame his questions accordingly: "Am I living?" "Have I been dead long?" "Am I a man?" and so forth.

My Right-Hand Neighbor

This is a catch game and useless except when one of the company knows nothing about it. That player is sent out of the room, and after a due interval is called in again and told to guess what the other players have thought of. He may ask any questions he pleases that can be answered by "Yes" or "No." The thing thought of is each player's right-hand neighbor, who is of course so different in every case as to lead in time to the total bewilderment of the guesser.

How, When, and Where

One player leaves the room, while the others decide on some word, the name of a thing for choice (such as tale, tail), which has one pronunciation but two or three different meanings and perhaps spellings. They then sit in a circle or line and the other player is called in, his object being, by means of questions put in turn to each player, to discover what the word is. His questions must take the form, "How do you like it?" "When do you like it?" and "Where do you like it?" Let us suppose that "tale" is the word thought of. "How do you like it?" he will ask the first of the circle. The answer may be, "I like it amusing" (tale). "How do you like it?" he may ask the next. "I like it active" (tail). To the next, "When do you like it?" "I like it at night" (tale). To the next, "Where do you like it?" "At the end" (tail). To the next, "Where do you like it?" "In an armchair" (tale). And so on until he guesses the word.

Coffee-Pot

A similar game is called "Coffee-Pot" or "Tea-Pot." In this case also the company think of a word with more than one meaning, but instead of answering questions about it they make a pretense of introducing it into their answers by putting the word "coffee-pot" in its place. As the player who is guessing is at liberty to put any kind of question he likes it is well to choose a word that will go easily into ordinary conversation. Let us suppose, for instance, that the word is rain, reign, rein. The questions and answers may run something like this:—"Are you feeling pretty well to-day?" "I always feel well when there is no coffee-pot" (rain). "Have you been reading anything interesting lately?" "Yes, a very interesting book on the present coffee-pot" (reign). "I hope your toothache is better." "Thank you, I hope its coffee-pot will soon be over" (reign). "Did you walk here this evening?" "No; we came with the assistance of the coffee-pot" (rein). The guesser is allowed to make three guesses aloud, but after that he must meditate on the word in silence or put questions to test his theories. If the word is a verb and a past tense or present tense has to be used in an answer, the player says "coffee-potted" or "coffee-potting."

Throwing Light

This is much like "How, When, and Where," except that instead of asking questions the player, or players, that went out sit still and listen to the others talking to each other concerning the selected word's various meanings. Thus, if it is "Spring," the first may remark, "It makes our drives so much more comfortable"; the next, "I am always happier then than at any other time"; the next, "To drink there is to know what drinking really is"; and so on.

Animal, Vegetable, and Mineral.

This is also a similar game to "How, When, and Where," except that the player who goes out of the room has, on his return, to guess something belonging to one of these three groups. His first question therefore is, "Is it animal?" Perhaps it is not. "Is it vegetable?" "No." He knows then that it is mineral, and after that to find out what it is is only a matter of time.

Proverbs

One or two players go out. The others sit in line and choose a proverb having as many words as there are players. Thus, if there were eight players, "They love too much who die for love" would do; or if more than eight, two short proverbs might be chosen. Each player having made certain what his word is, the others are called in. It is their duty to find out what proverb has been fixed upon, and the means of doing so is to ask each player in turn a question on any subject whatever, the answer to which must contain that player's word in the proverb. If the first round of questions does not reveal the proverb, they go round again and again.

Shouting Proverbs

In this game, instead of answering questions one by one, when the guesser or guessers come in the players at a given signal shout the words which belong to them at the top of their voice and all together. The guessers have to separate the proverb from the din.

Acting Proverbs

This is a very simple acting game. The players should divide themselves into actors and audience. The actors decide upon a proverb, and in silence represent it to the audience as dramatically as possible. Such proverbs as "Too many cooks spoil the broth," and "A bad workman quarrels with his tools," would be very easy—almost too easy if any stress is laid upon guessing. But, of course, although the guessing is understood to be part of the fun, the acting is the thing.

Acting Initials

Two players go out. The others choose the name of a well-known person, public or private, the letters of whose name are the same in number as the players left in the room. Thus, supposing there are seven persons in the room, the name might be Dickens. The letters are then distributed; each player, as soon as he knows which letter is his, selecting some well-known living or historical character beginning with the same letter, whom he has to describe or personate. To personate is more fun than to describe. The players seat themselves in the right order to spell the name, and the other two are called in. When they are ready the first player, D, is called on to describe or impersonate his letter; and so on in the right order.

Acting Verbs, or Dumb Crambo

In this game the company divides into two. One half goes out, and the one that remains decides upon a verb which the others shall act in dumb show. A messenger is then despatched to tell the actors what the chosen word rhymes to. Thus, if "weigh" were the verb fixed upon, the messenger might announce that it rhymes to "day." It is then well for the actors to go through the alphabet for verbs—bay, bray, lay, neigh, pay, prey, pray, play, stay, say; and act them in order. When the word is wrong the spectators hiss, but when right they clap. If the word chosen has two syllables, as "obey," notice ought to be given.

Guessing Employments

A very simple game. One player goes out. The others decide on some workman to represent, each pretending to do some different task belonging to his employment. Thus, if they choose a carpenter, one will plane, one will saw, one will hammer, one will chisel, and so on. Their occupation has then to be guessed. It is perhaps more interesting if each player chooses a separate trade.

Stool of Repentance

One player goes out. The others then say in turn something personal about him—such as, "He has a pleasant voice"; "His eye is piercing"; "He would look better if he wore a lower collar." Those remarks are written down by one of the party, and the player is called in and placed on a chair in the middle. The recorder then reads the remarks that he has collected, and the player in the middle has to name the persons who made them.

Eyes

A sheet, or a screen made of newspapers, is hung up, and two holes, a little larger than eyes and the same distance apart, are made in it. Half the players retire to one side of it, and half stay on the other. They then look through the holes in turn, while those on the opposite side try to name the owner of the eyes. The game sounds tame, but the difficulty of recognition and the false guesses made soon lead to laughter.

Making Obeisance

This is a trick. Those in the company who have never played the game go out of the room. One of the inside players, who is to represent the potentate, then mounts a chair and is covered with a sheet which reaches to the ground. At the point where it touches a shoe is placed, the toe of which is just visible. In the potentate's hand is a sponge full of water. One of the players outside is then invited in; he is told to kneel down and kiss the toe; the potentate on the chair leans forward a little to bring his sponge immediately over the subject's head; and a shower-bath follows. Then another subject is admitted, but after a while there is enough water on the floor to make them suspicious.

Mesmerism

Another trick. The players who are to be mesmerized—among them being the one or two who do not know the game—stand in a row, each holding a dinner-plate in the left hand. The mesmerizer, who also has a dinner-plate, faces them, and impresses on them very seriously the importance, if they really want to be mesmerized, of doing exactly what he does and not moving their eyes from him in any direction. He then holds the plate flat, rubs the first finger of his right hand on the bottom of it, and makes an invisible cross on his forehead, on each cheek, and on the tip of his nose. That is all. The trick lies in the fact that the plates of the players who do not know the game have been held in the flame of a candle until they are well blacked. This means that when the mesmerism is over they each have black marks on their faces, and know nothing about it until they are led to a looking-glass.

Thought-Reading Tricks

In all thought-reading games it is best that only the two performers should know the secret. Of these two, one goes out of the room and the other stays in, after having first arranged on the particular trick which will be used. Perhaps the company will then be asked to settle on a trade. Let us say that they decide on a chemist. The other player is then called in, and his companion puts questions to him in this way:—"You have to name the trade which we have thought of. Is it a grocer?" "No." "Is it a draper?" "No." "Is it a goldsmith?" "No." "Is it a fruiterer?" "No." "Is it a lawyer?" "No." "Is it a chemist?" "Yes." This will look rather mysterious to some of the company; but the thing is really simple enough. The questioner merely arranged with his companion that the trade thought of should follow a profession.

Perhaps on the next occasion the company will be asked to think of an article in the room. Let us say that they fix on the clock. The questions will then run something like this:—"You have to name the article in this room which has been thought of. Is it the piano?" "No." "Is it the curtain-rod?" "No." "Is it the carpet?" "No." "Is it the fireplace?" "No." "Is it the sideboard?" "No." "Is it the armchair?" "No." "Is it the clock?" "Yes." This again is bewildering; but again the trick is very simple, the questioner having arranged that the article shall follow something that has four legs.

A third way is for an article to be touched and for the thought-reader to be asked to name it. "Is it this?" "Is it this?" "Is it this?" is asked of one thing after another, the answer always being "No." "Is it that?" "Yes." The secret is that the article touched is always signified by "Is it that?" But in this case, and in that of the others already described, the effect of mystification can be increased by arranging beforehand that the article in question shall not follow the key phrase immediately, but, say, two questions later.

A fourth way is for the questioner to begin each question in due order with a letter of the French word for the article touched. Thus, if it were the bell, he might say, "Come now, was it the table?" "Look, was it the armchair?" "Or the piano?" "Come now, was it this book?" "How about this hearth-rug?" "Endeavor to be quick, please. Was it the clock?" By this time "Cloche" has been spelled, so that the next question is, "Was it the bell?" "Yes."

In another form of "Thought-reading" the two players who know the secret remain in the room long enough for the trick to be made sure. One stands in a corner and the other calls loudly, "Ebenezer, do you hear?" (Ebenezer is the usual name, but a more attractive one would do.) Ebenezer says nothing, but listens attentively to hear who among the company speaks first. The other player repeats the question and still there is no answer. Soon after that some one will perhaps make a remark, and then Ebenezer, having got what he was waiting for, says, "Yes, I hear." "Then leave the room," says the other player, and Ebenezer goes out. The other player then makes a great show of choosing some one to touch, but ends by touching the person who spoke first after the game began. This done, Ebenezer is called in to say who was touched, and every one is puzzled by his knowledge.

To Guess Any Number Thought of

With these thought-reading tricks may be put one or two arithmetical puzzles. Here is a way to find out the number that a person has thought of. Tell him to think of any number, odd or even. (Let us suppose that he thinks of 7.) Then tell him to double it (14), add 6 to it (20), halve it (10), and multiply it by 4 (40). Then ask him how many that makes. He will say 40. You divide this in your mind by 2 (20), subtract 6 (14), divide by 2 again (7), and astonish him by saying that the number of which he thought was 7.

To Guess Any Even Number Thought of

In this case you insist on the number chosen being an even number. Let us suppose it is 8. Tell him to multiply by 3 (24), halve it (12), multiply by 3 again (36), and then to tell you how many times 9 will go into the result. He will say 4. Double this in your mind and tell him that he thought of 8.

To Guess the Result of a Sum

Another trick. Tell the person to think of a number, to double it, add 6 to it, halve it and take away the number first thought of. When this has been done you tell him that 3 remains. If these directions are followed 3 must always remain. Let us take 7 and 1 as examples. Thus 7 doubled is 14; add 6 and it is 20; halved, it is 10; and if the number first thought of—7—is subtracted, 3 remains. Again, 1 doubled is 2; 6 added makes 8; 8 halved is 4, and 1 from 4 leaves 3.

A more bewildering puzzle is this. Tell as many persons as like to, to think of some number less than 1,000, in which the last figure is smaller than the first. Thus 998 might be thought of, but not 999, and not 347. The amount being chosen and written down, you tell each person to reverse the digits; so that the units come under the hundreds, the tens under the tens, and the hundreds under the units. Then tell them to subtract, to reverse again, and add; remarking to each one that you know what the answer will be. It will always be 1089. Let us suppose that three players choose numbers, one being 998, one 500, and one 321. Each sets them on paper, reverses the figures, and subtracts. Thus:—

998 500 321 899 005 123 —- —- —- 099 495 198

The figures are then reversed and added. Thus:—

099 495 198 990 594 891 —— —— —— 1089 1089 1089

Guessing Competitions

Guessing competitions, which are of American invention, can be an interesting change from ordinary games. In some the company are all asked to contribute, as in "Book Teas," where a punning symbolic title of a book is worn by each guest, and a prize is given to the person who guesses most, and to the person whose title is considered the best. Thus, a person wearing a card having the letter R represented Middlemarch, and a person with catkins in his buttonhole, Hazell's Annual. But simpler devices are just as interesting.

In other guessing competitions the preparations are the affair of the household which gives the party. It is with these that we are concerned here. Giving prizes certainly adds to the interest of them.

Guessing Quantities

Several articles of number are placed on a table, say a box of matches, a bag of beans, a reel of cotton or ball of string, a large stone, a stick, a photograph, and various coins with the date side turned down. Each of the company is provided with a card on which these articles are written, and the object is to guess as nearly as possible something about each; for instance, how many matches there are in the box, how many beans in the bag, the length of the string, the weight of the stone, the length of the stick, the age of the person in the photograph, and the date of each coin. The right answers are, of course, ascertained beforehand and written on a card in the hostess's possession.

Observation

The real name of this game may be something else, but "Observation" explains it. A small table is covered with a variety of articles, to the extent of some twenty or thirty. It is then covered with a cloth and placed in the middle of the room. The players stand round it and the cloth is removed for a minute (or longer). During that time the aim of each player is to note and remember as many of the things as possible. The cloth is then put on again and the players have five minutes in which to write the fullest list they can of the objects seen.

Scents

A more puzzling competition is to place a row of large bottles on the table, all numbered, at the bottom of each of which is a small amount of liquid bearing a noticeable scent. Some may be toilet scents, and others medicines or essences used in cooking. A card numbered according to the bottles is given to each player, and the game is to guess as many of the scents as possible.

The Topsy-Turvy Concert

The performers in this concert, who should be of nearly the same size, take their places behind a sheet stretched across the room at the height of their chins. They then put stockings on their arms and boots on their hands (or this may be done before they come into the room), and stand looking over the sheet at the company, with their hands and arms carefully hidden. The concert begins by the singing of the first verse of a song. Immediately the verse is finished, the singers, stooping down so that their heads disappear from view, thrust up their arms and wave them about, the effect being that of a row of people standing on their heads. The chorus is thus sung. Then they pull down their arms and put up their heads again and sing the next verse.

The Dancing Dwarf

This is a very amusing illusion and easy to arrange. All the players but two are sent out of the room and these stand behind a table. One stands close to the table, his arms in front of him so that the fingers rest on the table. Boots, or stockings and shoes, are put on their arms and a long dark cloak is thrown over the shoulders of the first player covering the one behind him. The one behind furnishes the arms by thrusting his out in front. The little feet resting on the table show from the folds of the cloak and give the appearance of a dwarf. The players are then called back and the dwarf, whose face should be disguised, performs any feat that they ask for—he sings a song, or makes a speech or prophesies the future of any one who desires it, always ending with a wild dance performed by the arms and hands of the other person. The light should be turned down somewhat and the audience should be straight in front of the table to keep the illusion at its best.



Charades

"Charades" can be written in advance and carefully rehearsed, but in this book we are concerned more nearly with those that are arranged a few minutes (the fewer the better) before they are performed. As a rule a word of two or three syllables is chosen, the syllables are first acted, then the whole word, and then the audience guess what it was. Sometimes the word is brought in, both in its complete form and in its syllables; and sometimes—and this is perhaps the better way—it is acted. Thus, if the word were "Treason," one way would be to make the acts themselves anything that occurred to you, merely saying "Tree" with some distinctness in the first; "Son" or "Sun" in the second; and "Treason" in the third. The other and more interesting way would be to make the first act relate to tree-felling or tree planting, or, say, a performance by Mr. Tree; the second to a son or the sun; and the third to some treasonable situation, such as, for example, the Gunpowder Plot. On account of the time which is occupied in preparing and acting it is better to choose two-syllabled words—which, with the whole word, make three scenes—than three- or four-syllabled ones; although there are certain four-syllabled words which split naturally into two halves of two syllables each. "Parsimony," for example, could be performed: Parsee, money, parsimony. As a general rule the charades that are arranged during the evening are better performed in dumb show, with plenty of action, than with any talking at all. Under the circumstances gestures are so much easier than words and not any less amusing.

Dumb Performances

Very good fun can be had also from impromptu pantomimes, where the performers enact some story which every one knows, such as "Aladdin" or "Red Riding Hood" or "Cinderella"; or a scene from history proper, or from village or family history. The contrast between the splendor of Cinderella's carriage in the story and the old perambulator which has to serve in the charade only adds to the fun. Every one, being dumb, acts to the utmost. It is sometimes more amusing if all the parts are turned upside down and a boy plays the heroine and a girl the hero. Where the scene is too tremendous for any representation to be given, it is best to meet the case frankly and use, as they did in Shakespeare's day, written labels, such as "This is Aladdin's Palace."

Dressing Up

It is, of course, much more fun to dress up; but dressing up is not so important that a charade is spoiled without it. If, on the day of your party, you know that charades will play a part in it, it is wise to put in a convenient room a number of things suitable to dress up in. Then at the last minute there need be no furious running up-stairs to pull things out of closets and boxes, and the unpleasantness will be avoided which sometimes follows when you have taken somebody's best clothes for a rather violent performance.

Almost the best garment there is for dressing-up purposes is a fur coat. While priceless for Red Riding Hood's wolf it will make also most of the other animals in the Zoo. A soldier's uniform is a great possession, and a real policeman's helmet has made the success of many charades. Most kinds of hat can, however, easily be made on the morning of a party out of brown paper. Epaulettes and cockades are also easily made of the same material. Powder or flour for white hair, some corks for moustaches and beards (you hold them in the candle for a minute and wait till they are cool enough to use), and a packet of safety-pins should be in handy places. Cherry tooth-paste makes serviceable rouge.

Tableaux Vivants

"Tableaux Vivants" are a change from acting, but they need, if done at all well, a great deal of preparation and rehearsal, and are therefore perhaps better left to older people. But quickly-arranged groups representing (not too seriously) scenes in American history might be good fun.

Remarks on Acting

The drawback to all charades and dressing up at a party is that they make away with so much valuable time of the players who are out of the room, and unsettle those who are left in. It should be the first duty of every one taking part in acting at parties to decide quickly on the subject or word, and to perform it quickly. Many and many a party has been spoiled by the slowness of the actors outside. Historical or family scenes with no dressing up and some action are perhaps better than much dressing up and absolute stillness. In "Canute and the Waves," for example, it is better that the incoming tide should be represented by a boy rolling slowly over the carpet than that there should be nothing but fixed eyes and stern faces.



RAINY-DAY GAMES

This is a chapter written to meet the needs of several children shut up together in bad weather. The chapter on "Indoor Occupation and Things to Make" gives suggestions for a single child, but here are a few suggestions for several occupations for a group of children, which do not mean the destruction of the furniture.

Any one of the games given in the chapter "In the Train" is suitable for rainy days.

There are of course many games treated elsewhere in this book which can be played on rainy days indoors. Many of the parlor and outdoor games are equally suitable for indoors. All the card games and back-gammon, checkers, etc., are invaluable resorts in case of a long dreary day, but there are a few other recreations which, in some families are saved for such occasions.

Bean-Bags

One of these is the old fashioned game of bean-bag. One rainy morning can be spent in making the outfit. The girls can be occupied in making the cloth bags, from six to ten inches square, partly filled with beans: and the boys in making the board which is shown in the illustration.

It should be about three feet square of any sort of boards and propped up at one side so that it forms an inclined plane. Five holes are cut in it, about seven inches square, all but the centre one which is only five inches square. The players stand off from six to twelve feet according as their skill increases with practice and try to throw the bags through the holes. There are various rules for playing the game which you can arrange to suit yourself, or to make a change. One way is have the bags in sets of six, each six being of one color, different from the others. The players stand in a line and all throw at once, trying to get their six bags in the holes as soon as possible. When they have thrown their bags they rush up to the board, gather up those which have gone wild and run back to the firing line. The one who gets his six bags in first wins the game. A bag thrown through the small centre hole counts as two.



Another way to play it is to throw in turn, each throwing all his six bags one after another. The one who gets most in is the winner.

Ring-Toss

Ring-toss is another game in which skill can be acquired only through practice and it is very good for rainy-days. It is really indoor quoits, and is a favorite game for shipboard. Any one with a little patience and care can make the rings which are of rope fastened together with slanting seam, wound with string so that there is no bulging, overlapping hump at one side.



A stake is nailed upright to a board (the stake can be a section of an old broom handle, or a smooth, small, straight peeled branch of a tree) and the outfit for the game is complete. It is played with the same rules as quoits (see "Outdoor Games for Boys"), and a very considerable degree of skill can be obtained by practice. As in pitching quoits, the rings should be thrown with a little level twist to make them whirl about.

Ring-the-Nail

A variation of this can be played with common large nails and brass curtain rings. Eight nails are driven into a board in a circle, leaving about an inch sticking up. In the centre, one is driven, standing about three inches tall. Small rings, curtain rings, for instance, are thrown toward this. Each time they encircle one of the lower nails is counted five, and the centre nail ten.

Soap-Bubbles

A soap-bubble race is easy to arrange and very good fun. An old shawl or blanket is laid on a table or the floor, goals are made at each end of it with piles of books, leaving an opening between, and each person is provided with a pipe for blowing bubbles. One bowl of soap-bubbles is enough for the company (see page 279 on the best way to make lasting soap-bubbles). The game is to see who can most quickly blow a bubble, deposit it on the woolen cloth at one end and blow it through the goal at the other. Of course you try to direct your puffs so that you will not only blow your own bubble along but will force your opponent's back.

Another way is to stretch a cord across the room and divide into two sides, standing three feet from the cord. At a given signal dip your pipes in the bowl of soap-suds, blow a bubble, and try to blow it over the cord. The side which succeeds in landing most bubbles in the enemy's territory wins.

Jack-Stones

A game which is good, quiet fun for a rainy day is Jack-stones. Although not played much nowadays it is very interesting and is to indoors what "mumble-the-peg" is to outdoors. It is played usually with small pieces of iron with six little feet: but it can also be played with small pebbles all of a size. All kinds of exercises can be used, many of which you can invent yourself but a few of the commonest are given below. 1. The five stones are thrown up and caught on the back of the hand. 2. Four of the stones are held in the hand while one is thrown up. They must then be laid on the table, or floor, in time to catch the stone before it comes down. It is then thrown up again, and the four stones are picked up either one at a time or all together, and the stone caught again.

Nearly all the exercises are variations of this. One stone is thrown up and different things must be done quickly with the others before it falls again.

Tying Knots

Another occupation for rainy days that will interest several children (as well as one) is puzzling out the construction of some of the simplest sailor's knots. This is a useful and a very desirable accomplishment. Often several together can solve a difficult knot better than one, and after some proficiency is acquired it is interesting to have a competition to see who can tie them most quickly and perfectly. Every one is supplied with a piece of clothes-line (the best rope for this purpose) and some one calls out "Running Noose," or "Figure of Eight." Every one must then make this as quickly as possible.

It is impossible to give directions in words about tying knots. The best way is to get clear illustrations and then work over them until you have mastered the intricacies. A few simple knots are shown here, but there are many books which give an almost endless variety.



Illustrating

A competitive game which is easy to manage is hit-or-miss illustrating. Any old magazine (the more the better) will furnish the material. Figures, furniture, landscape, machines—anything and everything—is cut out from the advertisement or illustrations, and put in a box or basket in the middle of the table. Every one is given a piece of paper and a proverb is selected for illustrating. Twenty minutes is allowed to choose suitable pictures, to paste them on to sheets of paper and to add, with pencil, accessories that are necessary: and then results are compared. The variety and excellence of these patchwork pictures are surprising. This can be played during convalescence. It is not necessary to select a proverb for illustrating. Any suggestive title will do. A few that have been found fruitful of varied and spirited pictures are given here.

A trying moment. Companions in misery. This is my busy day. "I didn't know it was loaded." His proudest moment. The unhappy experimenter. The best of friends. A great scare. Fine weather for ducks. "Won't you have some?" "Don't we make a pretty picture?" Too busy to stop. No harm done. "I didn't mean to do it." Stage-struck. A great success. "See you later." A temporary quarrel. A narrow escape. A happy family. The peace-maker. A happy mother.

Shuffle-Board

A game which is often played on shipboard can be modified for an indoor, rainy day game very easily. This is shuffle-board, all the outfit for which you can easily make yourself. If you can have a long table that scratching will not injure your board is all ready, but you can easily procure a common, smooth-finished piece of plank, two feet wide, if possible, and four feet long. On one end mark a diagram like the preceding, about ten inches by eight inches. Mark a line at the other end of the board about four inches from the edge, put your counters on the line and you are ready to play. The counters may be checkers (or any round pieces of wood) or twenty-five cent pieces, or large flat buttons, although discs of lead are the best because the heaviest. Your pusher should be a little tool made especially, like the illustration, about a foot long, and anybody with a jack-knife can whittle a satisfactory "shovel" as it is called.



But if an impromptu game is desired, your counters may be pushed off with a common ruler, with a long lead-pencil, or even snapped with the finger nail, though this is apt to hurt. Each player has six counters which he plays by three's, thus one person begins by shoving off three of his counters toward the board on the end, trying to make them fall on the places that count the highest. The next player then shoots three of his counters, trying not only to place his own men well but to dislodge his adversary's men if they are in good places. After all have played in turn, the first player shoots his other three counters and so on till all have played again. At the close of each round the board is inspected and each person is credited with the sum of the numbers on which his men rest. The game is continued thus, until some one has reached the limit set, which may be a hundred, or fifty, or any other number according to the skill of the players.

The counters of each player may be distinguished from the others by any distinctive sign marked on them. They must not be pushed along but struck a sharp blow with your shovel. The head of your shovel must not pass the line marked for the counters. Counters which rest on, or touch a line do not count. A very considerable degree of skill can be attained in this game and it is a never failing resource on dull days.

A rainy day is a good time to practice various tricks and puzzles so as to perfect yourself in performing them.

Balancing Tricks

There are a number of balancing tricks which are easy and ingenious. The secret of most such tricks is in keeping the centre of gravity low, and when this idea is once mastered you can invent tricks to suit yourself. For instance a tea-cup can be balanced on the point of a pencil thus: put a cork through the handle of the cup (it should be just large enough to be pushed in firmly) and stick a fork into it, with two prongs on each side of the handle, and with the handle under the bottom of the cup. (Fig. 1.) The centre of gravity is thus made low, and if you experiment a little and have a little skill, and a steady hand you can balance the whole on a pencil's point.



Or you can balance a coin edgeway on a needle's point. The needle is stuck firmly into the cork of a bottle, and the coin is fixed in a slit cut in a cork, in which two forks are stuck. (Fig. 2.)

The simplest of these tricks is to balance a pencil on the tip of your finger by sticking two pen-knives in it, one on each side. (Fig. 3.)

A cork with two forks stuck in it can be made to balance almost anywhere—on the neck of a bottle from which the contents are being poured for instance. (See fig. 4.)

Amusing toys can be constructed on this principle. Tumbling dolls are made of light wood or cork, glued to the flat side of a half bullet. No matter how often they are knocked flat, they rise again at once.

The Dancing Egg

Another good trick that needs a little practice is to make an egg dance. Boil an egg hard, keeping it in an upright position (between cups set in the water or in some other way). Then turn a plate bottom side up and put the egg on it. Turn the plate around, more and more quickly, always holding it flat and level, and the egg will rise on its end and stand quite straight while it spins about.

The Dancing Pea

A pea can be made to dance on a column of air as you sometimes see a rubber ball rising and falling in a fountain of water. Take a piece of a clay pipe about three inches long, and make one end into a little rounded cup, by cutting the clay carefully with a knife or file. Then run two small pins cross-wise through a big, round pea, put the end of one pin in the pipe and hold the pipe in an upright position over your mouth. Blow gently through the pipe and the pea will dance up and down.

The Glass-Maker

Another trick to play with pins is the glass-making pin. Cut an ordinary rubber band in two, and stick a bent pin through the middle of this. Now hold an end of the elastic in each hand and whirl it rapidly around, stretching it a little. The revolving pin will at once assume the appearance of a tiny glass vase, or tumbler, and the shape can be varied at will. It is best to have a strong ray of light on the pin and the rest of the room darkened.



Electricity

Various tricks can be played by means of the electricity in paper. Ordinary sealing wax, rubbed briskly on a coat-sleeve until it is warm will attract bits of tissue paper, or any other soft paper. A variation on jack-straws can be played by means of this trick. Tiny scraps of tissue paper, each numbered, are piled in the centre of the table and each player by means of a piece of sealing wax tries to draw out the greatest number in the shortest time. This is a fascinating game and arranged impromptu in a very short time. The pieces of paper need not be of tissue paper, as any very thin paper will do. They should be about a quarter of an inch wide by an inch long and numbered up to twenty. They must be removed from the centre pile and put in piles before the players without touching with the fingers. It will be found that shaking them off the sealing wax is often harder than making them stick to it. Of course an effort should be made to secure those pieces of paper which have the largest numbers on them, as a few of these count more than many of the others.

Electric dancers are easy to make. Cut little figures out of tissue paper and lay them on the table. Put on each side of them two books and lay a sheet of glass over them about an inch and a half above them. Rub the glass briskly with a flannel cloth and they will jump up and down.



A rubber comb rubbed with a silk handkerchief will attract small bits of paper, feathers or wool. Various games and tricks can be devised by this means, such as "bringing the dead to life," i. e., raising paper figures to an upright position from a grave made of books, or a box.



OUTDOOR GAMES FOR GIRLS

Outdoor games for girls and outdoor games for boys are very often the same, although they are separated here for the sake of convenience.

Battledore and Shuttlecock

"Battledore and Shuttlecock" is equally good for one player or for two. The only game to be played is to see how long the shuttlecock can be kept in the air. If you are alone the best way is to set yourself a number, say a hundred, and persevere until you reach it. This can be varied by striving to reach, say, thirty, by first hitting the ball each time as hard as possible, and then hitting it very gently so that it hardly rises at all.

Jumping Rope

Ordinary skipping is good enough fun for most of us, but for those who are not satisfied with it there is skipping extraordinary, one feat of which is now and then to send the rope round twice before you touch the ground again. To do this, as it cannot be done with a mere rope, you must make a new rope of whipcord, in the middle of which you place a small chain about a foot long. This chain gives the weight necessary for whirling the rope very swiftly through the air.

Tom Tiddler's Ground

The player who is first going to be Tom Tiddler stands or sits inside the part of the garden (or room) marked off for him, pretending to be asleep. The others venture on his ground, crying, "Here we are on Tom Tiddler's ground, picking up gold and silver." As Tom still sleeps they grow bolder and bolder until he suddenly awakens and dashes for them. The one that is caught becomes Tom Tiddler. Tom may not cross the boundary-line.

Old Stone

Another "Tom Tiddler's Ground." One player crouches down pretending to be a stone. The others run round about her, gradually, as she shows no sign of life, getting nearer and more bold. The stone suddenly leaps up and begins to chase them, and the one caught is the old stone.

Hen and Chickens

Even more exciting than "Tom Tiddler's Ground" is "Hen and Chickens." In this game one player represents a fox and sits on the ground looking sly and hungry. The others, who are the hen and chickens, form a procession, holding each other's skirts or coats by both hands, and march past the fox, saying in turn—

Chickany, chickany, crany crow, I went to the well to wash my toe, And when I came back a chicken was dead.

Then they leave go of each other and stand round the fox, and the leader, the hen, says, "What are you doing, old fox?" The fox replies, "Making a fire"; and the conversation goes on like this:—

The Hen: What for? The Fox: To boil some water. The Hen: What is the water for? The Fox: To scald a chicken. The Hen: Where will you get it? The Fox: Out of your flock.

With these words the fox springs up and the hen and chickens run in all directions. The chicken that is caught becomes the new fox, and the old fox is the new hen, the leader of the procession.

The same game is played by Essex children with an old woman in place of the fox, and with different words. In this case the hen and chickens make a procession in front of a player who personates an old weeping woman. As they march by, the hen sings—

Chickens, come clock, come clock, come clock, Chickens, come clock, come clock, come clock, The hawks are away and the crows are asleep, It's time that my chickens had something to eat.

Then they leave go of each other and stand round the old weeping woman, and between her and the hen the following conversation is held:

The Hen: What are you crying for, my poor old woman? The Old Woman: Because I've lost my needle. The Hen: What do you want a needle for? The Old Woman: To sew a bag with. The Hen: What do you want a bag for? The Old Woman: To put salt in. The Hen: What do you want salt for? The Old Woman: To scour a saucepan. The Hen: What do you want a saucepan for? The Old Woman: To boil one of your chickens in.

The old woman then leaps up and tries to catch a chicken, and the hen tries to stop her.

Other Garden Games

Many of the games described in other parts of this book are good also for the garden; such as "Still Pond! No More Moving!" (p. 4), "Puss in the Corner" (p. 7), "Honey-pots" (p. 11), "Nuts in May" (p. 12), "Here I Bake" (p. 13), "Lady Queen Anne" (p. 20), "The Mulberry Bush" (p. 28), and "Looby, Looby" (p. 29).

Witches

"Witches" is a home-made game played thus, according to the description of E. H.—"One player is made witch. A good spot is chosen for home, and here the others wait until the witch has had time to hide. The idea is that the country round is preyed upon by the witch, home being the only place where she has no power. The rest of the children have to explore the witch's country without being caught by her. It must be a point of honor to leave no suspicious place unexamined. The child chosen for witch need not be a particularly fast runner, but she must be clever and a good dodger. Any one that the witch succeeds in touching is at once turned to stone and may not stir except as she is moved about by the witch, who chooses a spot to stand her victim in as far removed from home as possible. The stone can be released only by some other child finding her and dragging her safely home, where the spell ceases to act. But until actually home the victim remains stone, so that if the rescuer is surprised by the witch and lets go her hold, the stone has to stand where she is left and is so recovered by the witch. The witch must not, of course, guard her prisoners too closely. She ought to try and intercept the rescuers on their way home, rather than spring upon them in the act of finding the stone. But each time the stone is recovered the witch may place her in a more inaccessible spot, so that it becomes more and more dangerous to release her. Sometimes at the end of the game all the children are turned to stone in different parts of the garden, but sometimes, of course, a swift runner will outstrip the witch and drag the victim safely home. A clever witch acts the part too—appearing and disappearing suddenly, prowling about in a crouching attitude, making gestures of hate and rage, and so on."

The Ballad Game

Another home-made game is described by E. H. thus:—"The game is taken from the player's favorite ballads. In our play the eldest of the four players, who was also the best organizer, represented the cruel father. The youngest little girl was the fair damsel. The other two represented the wicked lover and the faithful knight, the part of the faithful knight being taken by the fleetest of the party to balance the combination of the father and the wicked lover. The game begins by the fair damsel being imprisoned in the coach-house because she refuses to marry the wicked lover. (Of course any shed would do.) Here she waits until her knight comes to rescue her, and they escape together, pursued by the other two. If the lovers succeed in getting away the story has a happy ending; but the more dramatic ending is the tragic one, when the faithful knight is overtaken, and after killing the cruel father and the wicked lover, himself dies of his wounds, the fair damsel slaying herself with his sword over his dead body.

"The interest of this game is greatly increased by having retainers. These are armies of sticks which are planted at particular corners. There must be some mark by which your own retainers can be distinguished from the enemy's. For instance, the faithful knight may have peeled sticks and the others unpeeled. If, when charging round the house, you come across a troop of the enemy's retainers, you cannot go on until you have thrown them all down, as they are set to guard the pass. So, if the lovers are escaping and they find their way blocked by the father's retainers (the father and the wicked lover may have separate sets of retainers, in which case the war is always bitterest between the two rivals, as the father's retainers are sometimes spared for the damsel's sake), they have to lose time by first overcoming the retainers and that gives time to their pursuers to come up. But if they are so far in advance that they can stop to set up their own retainers in the place of the enemy, it serves to give them further time to make good their escape, as the others have to wait to overthrow the knight's sticks in their turn. In no case are you allowed to take away your enemy's sticks. If the lovers are overtaken, the rivals have to fight, and meanwhile the father once more carries off and imprisons the damsel."

Counting-Out Rhymes

To decide who is to begin a game there are various counting-out rhymes. All the players stand in a circle, surrounding the one who counts. At each pause in the rhyme (which occurs wherever a stroke has been placed in the versions which follow) this one touches the players in turn until the end is reached. The player to whom the last number comes is to begin. This is one rhyme:—

Eena-a, deen-a, dine-a, dust, Cat'll-a, ween-a, wine-a, wust, Spin, spon, must be done, Twiddlum, twaddlum, twenty-one. O- U- T spells out.

Others:—

Intery, mintery, cutery corn, Apple seed and apple thorn; Wine, brier, limber lock, Five geese in a flock; Sit and sing by a spring O- U- T and in again.

One-ery, two-ery, Ziccary zan; Hollowbone, crack-a-bone, Ninery, ten; Spittery spot, Must be done, Twiddledum, twaddledum, Twenty-one.

Ring around a ring-pot, One spot two spot three spot san Bob-tailed winnie-wack tittero tan Ham Scram Fortune man Singum sangum Buck!

Daisy Chains

The old way of making a daisy chain is to split one stalk and thread the next through it up to the head, as in this drawing. That is for out-of-doors. If you are using the chain for decorations indoors, it is perhaps better to cut off the stalks and thread the heads on cotton; but there seems to be no great need to use daisies in this way at all.



An ivy chain is made by passing the stalk of one leaf through the point of another and then bending it round and putting it through the point of its own leaf, the hole thus made being used for the stalk of the next, and so on, as in this drawing.



Flower Show

A flower-show competition is an excellent garden game. A handkerchief on sticks forms the tent. Underneath this is a bed of sand in which the flowers, singly or in groups, can be fixed. Some one can easily be persuaded to come out of the house to act as judge.

Garden Shop

Shop in the garden or out-of-doors is played with various things that resemble articles of food. Thus you can get excellent coffee from sorrel, and capital little bundles of rhubarb can be made by taking a rhubarb leaf and cutting the ribs into stalks. Small stones make very good imitation potatoes, and the heads of marguerite daisies on a plate will easily pass for poached eggs.

Flower Symbols

In this place a word might be said about some of the curious things to be found in flowers and plants. If you cut the stalk of a brake fern low down, in September, you find a spreading oak tree. The pansy contains a picture of a man in a pulpit. A poppy is easily transformed into an old woman in a red gown. The snap-dragon, when its sides are pinched, can be made to yawn. The mallow contains a minute cheese. By blowing the fluff on a dandelion that has run to seed you can tell (more or less correctly) the time of day. An ear of barley will run up your sleeve if the pointed end is laid just within it; and an apple's seeds make exquisite little mice.

Summer Houses

If the garden has no summer-house or tent a very good one can be made with a clothes-horse and a rug.



OUTDOOR GAMES FOR BOYS

This book is written for children who need help in amusing themselves. It is natural that there should be some difficulty about thinking of games for indoors, or when there is a problem of a large company to amuse; but it is hard to imagine any healthy boy, turned loose out of doors, who cannot take care of his own entertainment. The number of things to do is without limit and the boy so uninventive as to be at a loss with all outdoors before him must be in a sad way. Hence there has been no effort made in this chapter to make an exhaustive list of outdoor games, only those being given which are suggestive, that is, which can be infinitely varied according to your ingenuity; which are, so to speak, the first of a series.

Also, the rules of regular games are not given here (such as baseball, football, hockey, etc.). There are plenty of small manuals, given away with the outfits for these games, which print in much more detail than would be possible here, their principles. More than that, most boys absorb a general knowledge of these games through their pores, and need a book only to settle some small, knotty, disputed point of ruling.

One of the best things to have when out of doors is a ball. There is no end to the uses one can make of it.

Ball Games

The simplest thing to do with a ball is to catch it; and the quicker one is in learning to catch well the better baseball player one will become. Ordinary catching in a ring is good, but the practice is better if you try to throw the ball each time so that the player to whom you throw it shall not need to move his feet in order to catch it. This teaches straight throwing too. Long and high throwing and catching, and hard throwing and catching (standing as close together as you dare), are important. There is also dodge-catching, where you pretend to throw to one player and really throw to another and thus take him unawares. All these games can be varied and made more difficult by using only one hand, right or left, for catching.

Ball Games Alone

A boy with a ball need never be very lonely. When tired of catching it in the ordinary way he can practice throwing the ball straight into the air until, without his moving from his place, it falls absolutely on him each time. He can throw it up and catch it behind him, and if he has two others (or stones will do) he can strive for the juggler's accomplishment of keeping three things in the air at once. Every boy should practice throwing with his left hand (or, if he is already left-handed, with his right): a very useful accomplishment. If it is a solid india-rubber ball and there is a blank wall, he can make it rebound at different angles, one good way being, in throwing it, to let it first hit the ground close to the wall's foot. He may also pledge himself to catch it first with the right hand and then with the left for a hundred times; or to bat it up a hundred times with a tennis racket or a flat bit of board. An interesting game for one is to mark out a golf course round the garden, making a little hole at intervals of half a dozen yards or so, and see how many strokes are needed in going round and getting into each hole on the way.

Races

All kinds of races are easy to arrange and these can be repeated from day to day as your proficiency increases. Here are a few.

The Spanish race, sometimes called the Wheelbarrow race, is played by forming the boys into two lines, one standing back of the other, and the front row on their hands and knees. At a signal to begin, each boy on the back row takes hold of the ankles of the boy is front of him and lifts his knees off the ground. The boy in front walking on his hands, and the boy behind trundling him along, make the greatest haste possible. The pair who first reach the goal are the winners.

Races may be run, hopping on the right foot, or on the left, or with both together, or with first a hop and then a jump. It is well to appoint one of the boys umpire during these odd races, to see that they are run fairly and none of the rules agreed upon are broken.

A sack race is fun. Each boy is tied into a gunny sack and shuffles his way to the goal. A substitute for this is the three-legged race, run by two boys. They stand side by side, and the right leg of one is tied to the left leg of the other and so with three legs between them they must somehow get to the goal.

Hands and knees races, backward races (run with your back to the goal), races with burdens on your back, or balancing a pole across your hand or on the tip of your finger—there is no limit to the ones you can invent.

But the best ones, after all, are the plain old trials of speed. There is no more fun than a good running race, and a walking race is next to it. Bicycle races are apt to be dangerous and a course that is very wide should always be selected.

Quoits

Quoits is a game not played as much as it should be by American boys. It is easy to arrange, for although there is an outfit sold in the toy shops, a home-made one is just as good. It consists of a collection of horseshoes and a stake driven in the ground—certainly not a difficult apparatus to assemble. The stake should not project more than an inch above the ground and the players, according to the grown-up rules, should stand about fifteen yards away from the stake (which is usually called "the hub"). But for boys the distance from the hub can be determined by your skill. You may increase it as you improve with practice. Every player has a certain number of quoits (horseshoes) and standing at a fixed distance from the hub he tries to pitch them so that they will go as near as possible to the hub. Some very good players can cast a quoit so that it falls about the hub. This is called a "ringer" and counts ten, but it is a rare shot. Every one pitches his quoits and then all go to the hub and reckon up the score. The one whose quoits lie nearest to the hub counts one point for each quoit, but each quoit entitled to count must be nearer the hub than any of the opponents' quoits. This continues until the score is complete. People usually play for eleven. This game can be played with flat stones instead of horseshoes and with any rules that you choose to make.