PERHAPS you have near your house a clover patch where four-leaved
clovers are whispering “Come and find me!” Then of course you must have
a clover party! Press as many clover leaves as you have invited guests,
and decorate each invitation card with one of the pressed leaves. Write
the invitations in green ink. There isn’t a great deal to get ready for
this party. Ask mother for a sheet, and either you or she can draw in
green crayon a large, four-leaved clover. Cut from green cardboard four
leaves which will exactly fit this outline. Have ready a large paper
bag filled with nuts and candy, a stick twined with green paper for a
wand, and as many green baskets as you have invited children. Do not
forget to have several “clover” pins, to use for prizes.
After everyone has come, you can announce a four-leaved clover hunt,
and reward the lucky finder with the clover pin, as a prize.
Next comes the clover contest, which is almost the same as the famous
“Donkey Party.” Fasten up between two trees the sheet upon which the
four-leaved clover has been drawn. Blindfold each child in turn, giving
him the four clover leaves to pin in place, and give a prize to the
one who has come nearest to the right places.
“Bees in Clover” is a lively game which all will enjoy. Mark off a line
by means of string, which shall be the boundary of the “clover patch.”
The farmer stands in the clover patch, and tries to keep the bees (the
other children), out of his clover. As soon as a bee crosses the line,
the farmer tries to touch him, and if he succeeds, the bee must stay
and help him catch the others.
When you are tired of this game, ask mother to hang the bag of nuts
and candy high up, where you can reach it with the wand, and give each
child a basket. Now blindfold each in turn, and let him try to be the
“lucky” one who will strike the bag with the wand and break it. When
the bag is broken the candy and nuts will come tumbling down, and then
there will be a general scramble to gather them and fill the baskets.
Refreshments should be served on the lawn or piazza, and the table
should be prettily decorated with clover blossoms. The refreshments may
be tongue and lettuce sandwiches, grape lemonade, cakes with pink icing
and cherry ice. It would be a good idea to serve the sandwiches from
picnic plates decorated with clover.
O come to my party, for welcome you’ll be,
And I will expect you exactly at three.
A large bow of pink kindly pin on your clothes,
For this is a party whose color is rose.
[Illustration]