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[Illustration:
EVERY
BOY’S
BOOK
GEORGE ROUTLEDGE & SONS
LONDON
AND NEW YORK.]
EVERY BOY’S BOOK:
A COMPLETE ENCYCLOPÆDIA
OF
_SPORTS AND AMUSEMENTS_.
EDITED BY
EDMUND ROUTLEDGE.
With more than Six Hundred Illustrations
FROM ORIGINAL DESIGNS.
LONDON:
GEORGE ROUTLEDGE AND SONS,
THE BROADWAY, LUDGATE.
NEW YORK: 416, BROOME STREET.
1869.
_R. Clay, Son, and Taylor, Printers,
Bread Street Hill, London._
EDITORS PREFACE.
The twelve years that have passed since the first edition of EVERY BOY’S
BOOK was published, have brought so many changes in our national sports
and pastimes, and have seen the introduction of so many new games, that
it has been thought desirable to remodel this work, in order to bring it
down to the requirements of the present time. In carrying out this plan
effectually, EVERY BOY’S BOOK has been almost entirely rewritten; and
scarcely anything now remains of the old work except the title.
All the articles that were in the former edition have been thoroughly
revised, and papers on Boxing, Canoeing, Croquet, Fives, Golf, Rackets,
Sliding, Billiards, Bagatelle, Dominoes, Spectrum Analysis, Canaries,
Hedgehogs, Jackdaws, Jays, Magpies, Owls, Parrots, Ravens, Boats,
Cryptography, Deaf and Dumb Alphabet, Dominoes, Mimicry and
Ventriloquism, Shows, Stamp Collecting, and Tinselling, appear now for
the first time.
In carrying out this work much valuable assistance has been given by
Professor Pepper, the Rev. J. G. Wood, W. B. Tegetmeier, Clement Scott,
Sidney Daryl, J. T. Burgess, Dr. Viner, Thomas Archer, W. Robinson of
the _Field_, Cholmondeley Pennell, and other well-known writers on
sports.
The articles at the end of this work on American Billiards, Base Ball,
and the Canadian sport of La Crosse, have been contributed by Henry
Chadwick, the leading authority on these games in America.
CHRISTMAS, 1868.
PREFACE TO THE ORIGINAL EDITION.
It would be impossible for a single author to produce a book of this
description with a fair prospect of success, because it necessarily
treats of many subjects; and a perfect acquaintance with some of the
more important would occupy a lifetime. The reading and researches of
one man would not be sufficiently extensive to embrace the rich variety
of the materials required. Being fully convinced of this fact, the
Publishers have endeavoured to obtain the aid of the most distinguished
writers in the various departments of knowledge which the following
pages are intended to illustrate. Thus each contributor, in furnishing
his quota of information for the work, has been engaged in a congenial
task, one best suited to his peculiar turn of mind, as well as to his
individual acquirements, and one upon which he could, therefore, with
the greatest ease and accuracy dilate. This brief explanation will show
in what spirit the Publishers embarked in the undertaking; and the
accompanying list of the writers may be received as a proof that they
have succeeded in securing the services of the most competent
authorities. With that portion of the book with which he was practically
acquainted each of the following gentlemen has dealt: W. Martin, Esq.,
C. Baker, Esq., R. B. Wormald, Esq., J. F. Wood, Esq., A. McLaren, Esq.,
Stonehenge, author of “Rural Sports,” and the Rev. J. G. Wood, author of
several works on Natural History, who also furnished some of the
designs. The remaining illustrations are by William Harvey and Harrison
Weir; and the credit for the able manner in which they have been
engraved is due to the brothers Dalziel.
2, FARRINGDON STREET,
_February, 1856_.
CONTENTS.
PART I.
EASY GAMES WITHOUT TOYS.
OUTDOOR.
PAGE
Hop, Step, and Jump 1
Hopping on the Bottle 2
Hop-Scotch 2
French and English 3
Drawing the Oven 4
I Spy 4
Pitch-Stone 3
Duck-Stone 5
Prisoner’s Base, or Prison Bars 5
Fox 7
Baste the Bear 7
Leap-Frog 8
Fly the Garter 8
Spanish Fly 9
Touch 10
Touch-Wood and Touch-Iron 10
Buck, Buck, how many Horns do I hold up? 10
Warning 10
Follow my Leader 11
The Fugleman 11
Hare and Hounds 11
Steeple Chase 13
Duck and Drake 13
Simon Says 14
King of the Castle 14
Battle for the Banner 14
Snow-Balls 15
Snow Castle 16
Snow Giant 17
Jack! Jack! show a Light! 18
Jingling 19
Jump little Nag-tail! 19
Jumping Rope 20
My Grandmother’s Clock 20
Rushing Bases 21
See-saw 21
Thread the Needle 22
Tom Tiddler’s Ground 22
Two to One 22
Walk, Moon, Walk! 22
Want a day’s work? 23
Will you List? 23
Whoop! 24
High Barbaree! 24
Bull in the Ring 24
Cock Fight 25
Dropping the Handkerchief 25
INDOOR.
Blind Man’s Buff 26
Bob-Cherry 26
Buff 27
Concert 27
Consequences 28
Cross Questions & Crooked Answers 28
Dumb Motions 29
Family Coach 29
Frog in the Middle 30
The Four Elements 31
Hand 31
Hot Boiled Beans 32
Hot Cockles 32
How? Where? and When? 32
Hunt the Slipper 33
Hunt the Ring 33
Hunt the Whistle 33
Magic Music 34
Post 34
Proverbs 35
Puss in the Corner 36
Red-Cap and Black-Cap 36
Shadow Buff 37
Slate Games 37
Trades 40
Trussed Fowls 40
The Two Hats 40
What is my Thought like? 41
EASY GAMES WITH TOYS.
OUTDOOR.
BALLS 43
Catch Ball 43
Doutee-Stool 43
Egg-Hat 44
Feeder 44
Monday, Tuesday 45
Nine-Holes 46
Northern Spell 46
Rounders 46
Sevens 48
Stool-Ball 48
Trap, Bat, and Ball 48
HOOPS 49
The Hoop 50
Encounters 50
Hoop Race 51
Posting 51
Tournament 52
Turnpike 52
KITES 53
How to make a Kite 53
Flying the Kite 54
Messengers 55
Calico Kites 55
Fancy Kites 55
MARBLES 57
Bounce Eye 58
Conqueror 58
Die Shot 58
Eggs in the Bush 59
Increase Pound 59
Knock out, or Lag out 59
Long Taw 60
Nine-Holes, or Bridge Board 60
Odd or Even 61
Picking the Plums 61
The Pyramid 61
Ring Taw 61
Spans and Snops, and Bounce About 62
Teetotum Shot 62
Three-Holes 62
Tipshares, or Handers 63
TOPS 64
The Humming-top 64
Peg-top 65
Spanish Peg-top 65
The Whip-top 65
Chip-stone 66
Peg-in-the-Ring 66
MISCELLANEOUS TOYS 68
The Apple Mill 68
Aunt Sally 68
Baton 69
Cat 69
Cat and Mouse 70
Knock-’em-down 71
Pea-shooters 71
Quoits 71
Nine-pins 72
Skittles 72
Dutch-pins 73
Throwing the Hammer 73
The Boomerang 74
The Skip-jack, or Jump-jack 74
The Sling 74
Walking on Stilts 76
The Sucker 76
INDOOR.
Battledore and Shuttlecock 78
Bandilor 79
Cup and Ball 79
The Cutwater 79
Fox and Geese 80
Goose 81
Head, Body, and Legs 81
Knuckle-bones 82
Merelles, or Nine Men’s Morris 83
Paper Dart 83
The Popgun 84
Push-pin 84
Schimmel 84
Spelicans 86
PART II.
ATHLETIC SPORTS AND MANLY EXERCISES.
ANGLING 89
A Word about Fish 90
About the Rod 91
Choosing the Rod 91
Lines or Bottoms 92
Shotting the Line 93
The Float 93
Reels or Winches 94
Reel Lines 94
Hooks 94
How to bait a Hook 95
Baits 95
To Bait with Greaves 97
To Scour and Preserve Worms 97
The Plummet 97
Plumbing the Depth 97
Landing-hook and Landing-net 98
Clearing Ring and Line 98
Drag-hook 98
Bank Runner 98
Live-bait Kettle 99
Disgorger 99
Angling Axioms 99
Salmon 100
Trout 100
Jack or Pike 101
Gudgeon 103
Roach 104
Dace 105
Perch 106
Grayling 107
Chub 108
Carp 109
Tench 110
Pope, or Ruff 110
Bream 111
Flounder 111
Eels 112
Stickleback and Minnow 113
Barbel 114
Natural Fly-fishing, or Dipping 115
Fly-fishing and Artificial Flies 115
Materials for making Flies 115
ARCHERY 121
The Long-bow 122
The Cross-bow 122
Feats of the Bow 123
Length of Bows and Arrows, and how used in
Ancient Times 124
Marks for Shooting at 124
Equipment for Archery 125
Ancient Directions for Archery 125
Decline of Archery 125
Modern Archery 126
The Bow 126
The String 126
Stringing the Bow 127
The Arrows 127
The Quiver 128
The Tassel, Brace, Belt, and Pouch 128
Shooting Glove, and Grease Pot 129
The Target 129
Butts 130
How to draw the Bow 130
Flight Shooting 131
Clout Shooting 131
Roving 131
General Hints for Archers 132
BOXING 133
CANOES AND CANOEING 140
CRICKET 143
The Bat 145
The Ball 145
The Stumps 145
Pads or Guards 146
Batting Gloves 147
Wicket-keeping Gloves 148
The Laws of Cricket 148
The Laws of Single Wicket 152
The Batsman.--Hints to Young Players 153
Fielding 159
Bowling 162
The Wicket-keeper 165
Long-stop 166
Point 166
Short-slip 166
Cover-point 167
Long-slip 167
Long-on 167
Long-off 167
Leg 167
Mid-wicket on and off 167
Third Man up 167
Diagram I.--Fast Round-arm Bowling 168
Diagram II.--Medium Pace Round-arm Bowling 169
Diagram III.--Slow Under-hand Bowling 169
CROQUET.--Materials of the Game 170
The Mallets 170
The Balls 171
The Hoops 171
The Posts 172
Clips 172
Marking Board 173
Tunnel 173
The Cage 173
A Croquet Stand 174
How the Game is played 174
Diagram, No. I. 177
„ „ II. 178
„ „ III. 179
„ „ IV. 180
Rules 181
Striking 181
Order of Playing 181
The Croquet 182
The Posts 185
The Rover 185
Hints to Young Players 186
DRIVING 192
Introduction 192
The Horse in Harness 193
The Horse 194
The Harness 194
The Carriage 195
Putting to 196
Directions for Driving 196
FENCING 198
The Guard 199
Advance 200
Retreat 201
The Longe 201
The Recover 201
The Engage 202
Parades 202
Quarte 203
Tierce 203
Seconde 205
Demi-Cercle 205
Octave 206
Contre-Parades 206
Attacks 207
The Straight Thrust 207
The Disengagement 207
The One-Two 208
The Beat and Thrust 208
The Beat and Disengagement 208
Cut over the Point 208
Cut over the Disengagement 208
Double 209
All Feints 209
The Assault 209
General Advice 210
Broadswords 210
Positions 211
Target 212
Cuts and Guards 213
Cuts 213
Points 214
Guards 215
Parry 215
Hanging Guard 216
Inside Guard 216
Outside Guard 217
Attack and Defence 217
Draw Swords 218
Recover Swords 219
Carry Swords 219
Slope Swords 219
Return Swords 219
Practices 220
Second Practice 220
Third Practice 220
Fourth Practice 221
Fifth Practice 221
Fort and Feeble 222
Drawing Cut 222
General Advice 222
FIVES 223
FOOT-BALL 224
GOLFING 226
GYMNASTICS 228
Introduction 228
Historical Memoranda 229
Modern Gymnastics 230
Walking 230
The Tip-toe March 231
Running 232
Jumping 232
Leaping 233
To climb up a Board 234
Climbing the Pole 234
„ „ Rope 235
„ Trees 235
The Giant Stride, or Flying Steps, and its
capabilities 235
Parallel Bars 241
The Horizontal Bar 243
The Horse 246
The Swing 249
Throwing the Javelin 253
The Trapeze, Single and Double 254
Tricks and Feats of Gymnastics 262
HOCKEY 265
RACKETS 268
RIDING 270
The Horse 271
The Marks of Age in the Horse 271
The Paces of the Horse 272
Terms used by Horsemen 274
Form of the Horse 274
Varieties of the Horse suitable for Boys 274
The Accoutrements and Aids 275
Mounting 277
Dismounting 278
The Management of the Reins 278
The Seat 279
The Control of the Horse 280
Management of the Walk 280
The Trot and Canter 281
The Management of the Gallop 282
Leaping 282
Treatment of Vices 284
ROWING 288
Historical Memoranda 288
Construction of Ancient Ships and Galleys 289
Roman Galleys, Ships, &c. 290
Of Boats 291
The Component Parts of Boats 292
The Oars and Sculls 293
Sea Rowing 293
River Rowing 293
Management of the Oar 294
The Essential Points in Rowing 295
Management of the Boat 295
Rowing together 296
Caution to Young Rowers 296
SAILING 297
Characters of a Yacht 301
Various kinds of Yachts 302
Description of the Cutter Yacht 303
Construction of the Hull 303
Something about the Masts, Spars, Ropes, &c. 306
Sailing a Yacht 308
Bringing up 310
Making Snug 310
Going back 310
Jibing 310
Bringing up at Moorings 310
Of the Mariners’ Compass, and various Nautical
Terms 311
Cautions and Directions 312
Nautical Terms 312
SKATING 316
The Skate 317
Putting on the Skates 318
How to start upon the Inside Edge 319
Movement on the Outside Edge 319
Forward Roll 320
The Dutch Roll 320
The Figure of Eight 321
The Figure of Three 321
The Back Roll 321
General Directions to be followed by Persons
learning to Skate 322
SLIDING 323
SWIMMING 325
Places and Times for Bathing and Swimming 327
Entering the Water 328
Aids to Swimming 328
Striking off and Swimming 329
How to manage the Legs 330
Plunging and Diving 330
Swimming under Water 331
Swimming on the Side 332
Swimming on the Back without employing the Feet 332
Floating 333
Treading Water 333
The Fling 333
Swimming on the Back 334
Thrusting 334
The Double Thrust 335
To Swim like a Dog 335
The Mill 335
The Wheel backwards and forwards 335
To Swim with one Hand 336
Hand over Hand Swimming 336
Balancing 336
The Cramp 337
Saving from Danger 337
Sports and Feats in Swimming 338
Bernardi’s system of Upright Swimming 338
The Prussian System of Pfuel 339
TRAINING 342
PART III.
SCIENTIFIC PURSUITS.
ACOUSTICS 347
Difference between Sound and Noise 347
Sounds, how propagated 347
To show how Sound travels through a Solid 347
To show that Sound depends on Vibration 347
Musical Figures resulting from Sound 347
To make an Æolian Harp 348
The Invisible Girl 348
Ventriloquism 349
AERONAUTICS 350
Balloons 350
How to make an Air-balloon 351
How to Fill a Balloon 352
To make Fire-Balloons 352
Parachutes 352
CHEMISTRY 353
Gases 357
Oxygen Gas 358
Experiments 359
Nitrogen 360
Experiments 361
Atmospheric Air 362
Hydrogen 364
Experiments 364
Water 365
Experiment 366
Chlorine 367
Experiments 368
Muriatic Acid Gas, or Hydric Chloride 369
Experiments 370
Iodine 371
Experiments 371
Bromine 371
Experiments 371
Fluorine 372
Experiment 372
Carbon 372
Experiments 373
Carbon and Hydrogen 374
Experiment 375
Coal Gas 376
Experiment 376
Phosphorus 377
Experiments 377
Sulphur 378
Metals 379
Potassium 381
Experiments 381, 382, 383
Crystallization of Metals 383
Experiment 383
To form a Solid from two Liquids 384
To form a Liquid from two Solids 384
Experiments 384
Changes of Colour produced by Colourless Liquids 385
ELECTRICITY 386
Simple Means of producing Electricity 386
Attraction and Repulsion exhibited 387
How to make an Electrical Machine 388
The Conductor 389
The Plate Electrical Machine 389
How to draw Sparks from the tip of the Nose 389
How to charge a Leyden Jar 390
The Electrical Battery 390
Dancing Balls and Dolls 391
The Electrical Kiss 391
Ringing Bells 391
Working Power of Electricity 392
The Electrified Wig 392
Imitation Thunder Clouds 393
The Lightning Stroke imitated 393
The Sportsman 394
GALVANISM, OR VOLTAIC ELECTRICITY 395
Origin of Galvanism 395
Simple Experiment to excite Galvanic Action 396
With Metal Plates in Water 396
To make a Magnet by the Voltaic Current 397
Effects of Galvanism on a Magnet 397
Change of Colour by Galvanism 397
The Galvanic Shock 398
The Electrotype 398
How to make an Electrotype Apparatus 398
To obtain the Copy of a Coin or Medal 399
HEAT 399
Heat or Caloric 399
Expansion 402
HYDRAULICS 404
The Syphon 405
The Pump 405
The Hydraulic Dancer 406
The Water Snail or Archimedean Screw 407
MAGNETISM 408
Relation of Magnetism to Electricity 408
To make Artificial Magnets 409
How to Magnetise a Poker 409
To show Magnetic Repulsion and Attraction 409
North and South Poles of the Magnet 410
Polarity of the Magnet 410
The Magnetic Fish 410
„ Swan 411
To suspend a Needle in the Air by Magnetism 411
To make Artificial Magnets without the aid either
of Natural Loadstones or Artificial Magnets 411
Horse-shoe Magnets 412
Experiment to show that soft Iron possesses
Magnetic Properties while it remains in the
vicinity of a Magnet 412
Electro-Magnetism 413
Power of the Electro-Magnet 413
The Mariner’s Compass, and Experiments with a
Pocket Compass 413
Variation of the Needle 414
Dip of the Needle 414
Useful Amusement with the Pocket Compass 414
Interesting Particulars concerning the Magnet 415
MECHANICS 417
Experiment of the Law of Motion 417
Balancing 418
The Prancing Horse 418
To construct a Figure, which being placed upon a
curved surface and inclined in any position,
shall, when left to itself, return to its former
position 418
To make a Carriage run in an inverted position
without falling 418
To cause a Cylinder to roll by its own weight
up-hill 418
The Balanced Stick 419
The Chinese Mandarin 419
To make a Shilling turn on its edge on the point
of a Needle 419
The Dancing Pea 420
Obliquity of Motion 420
The Bridge of Knives 421
The Toper’s Tripod 421
THE MICROSCOPE 422
The Compound Microscope 432
OPTICS AND OPTICAL AMUSEMENTS 455
Light as an Effect 455
Refraction 456
The Invisible Coin made Visible 456
The Multiplying Glass 457
Transparent Bodies 457
The Prism 457
Composition of Light 457
A Natural Camera Obscura 458
Bullock’s-eye Experiment 458
The Camera Obscura 458
The Camera Lucida 459
The Magic Lantern 460
Painting the Slides 460
To exhibit the Magic Lantern 461
Effects of the Magic Lantern 461
Tempest at Sea 461
The Phantasmagoria 462
Dissolving Views 462
How to raise a Ghost 462
The Thaumatrope 463
The Bird in the Cage 463
Construction of the Phantasmacope 464
Curious Optical Illusions 464, 465
The Picture in the Air 465
Breathing Light and Darkness 466
To show that Rays of Light do not obstruct each
other 466
Optics of a Soap-bubble 467
The Kaleidoscope 467
Simple Solar Microscope 468
Anamorphoses 468
The Cosmorama 470
Distorted Landscapes 470
PHOTOGRAPHY 472
How to make the Negative on Glass, using
Collodion bromoiodized for Iron development 472
PNEUMATICS 477
Weight of the Air Proved by a pair of Bellows 477
The Pressure of the Air shown by a Wine-glass 478
Another Experiment 478
Elasticity of the Air 478
Reason for this 479
The Air-Pump 479
To prove that Air has Weight 479
To prove Air elastic 480
Sovereign and Feather 480
Air in the Egg 480
The Descending Smoke 480
The Soundless Bell 481
The Floating Fish 481
The Diving Bell 482
Experiments 482, 484, 485
With Ice or Snow 485
Without Snow or Ice 485
SPECTRUM ANALYSIS 486
How to use the Spectroscope 488
To obtain the Bright Lines in the Spectrum given
by any Substance 488
Professor Stokes’ Absorption Bands 489
To Map out any Spectrum 489
PART IV.
DOMESTIC PETS.
BEES AND BEE-KEEPING 493
THE CANARY 497
DOGS 506
GOLD AND SILVER FISH 516
Glasses 517
Feeding 517
Diseases 517
THE GUINEA PIG 518
THE HEDGEHOG 520
THE JACKDAW 521
THE JAY 523
THE MAGPIE 524
OWLS 526
THE PARROT 532
PIGEONS 541
Varieties of Pigeons 545
Blue Rock Dove 545
The Antwerp, or Smerle 546
The Pouter 547
The Carrier 548
The Dragon 549
The Tumbler 549
The Barb 550
The Owl 551
The Turbit 551
The Fantail 551
The Trumpeter 552
The Jacobin 553
POULTRY 554
Fowls 554
Fattening 555
Laying 555
Hatching 555
Rearing of Chickens 556
The Pintado, or Guinea Fowl 557
Ducks 558
THE RABBIT 560
THE RAVEN 570
SILKWORMS 574
Food of the Silkworm 576
Hatching, Feeding, and Temperature 576
Moultings 577
The Cocoon 577
The Aurelia 578
Winding the Silk 578
The Moth 578
General Remarks 579
THE SQUIRREL 580
WHITE MICE 587
PART V.
MISCELLANEOUS.
BAGATELLE 591
English Bagatelle 591
The French Game 591
Sans Egal 591
The Cannon Game 592
Mississippi 592
BILLIARDS 593
The Angles of the Table 597
The American Game 602
Pyramids, or Pyramid Pool 602
Winning and Losing Carambole Game 602
Pool 603
Italian Skittle Pool 604
BOAT-BUILDING 605
Cutter 606
Smack 607
Schooner 607
Lugger 608
CARPENTERING 609
The Shop and Bench 609
Of Planes 610
Saws 611
The Spoke Shave 613
Stock and Bits 613
How to make a Wheelbarrow 613
The Way to make a Box 615
To cut the Dovetails 615
The Bottom of the Box 616
THE GAME OF CHESS 617
The Laws of the Game 618
The King’s Knight’s opening 620
Game I.--Philidor’s Defence 621
„ II.--Petroff’s „ 622
Variation A. on White’s 5th Move 622
Game III.--The Giuoco Piano 622
Variation A. on White’s 6th Move 622
Game IV.--The Evans’ Gambit 623
Variation A. on White’s 9th Move 623
„ B. „ „ „ 624
„ A. on Black’s 10th Move 624
The Gambit declined 625
Game V.--Ruy Lopez Knight’s Game 626
Variation B. on Black’s 3rd Move 627
„ C. „ „ „ 627
Game VI.--The Scotch Gambit 627
Variation A. on Black’s 4th Move 628
The King’s Bishop’s Opening 630
Game I.--The Lopez Gambit 630
Variation A. on White’s 4th Move 631
Game II.--The Double Gambit 631
Game III. 631
Variation A. on Black’s 4th Move 632
The King’s Gambit 632
Game I. 632
The Salvio Gambit 633
Variation A. on Black’s 4th Move 633
Game II.--The Muzio Gambit 633
Game I.--The Allgaier Gambit 635
Game II. 635
Game I.--The Bishop’s Gambit 636
Game II. 636
The Gambit refused 638
Game I. 638
Game II. 639
The Centre Gambit 639
Game I. 639
Variation A. on Black’s 3rd Move 640
Game II. 640
The Queen’s Gambit 641
Game I. 641
Variation A. on Black’s 3rd Move 641
Game II. 642
THE YOUNG CONJURER 643
Sleight of Hand 645
The Flying Shilling 645
Another Method 646
The Beads and Strings 646
To get a Ring out of a Handkerchief 647
To tie a Knot in a Handkerchief which cannot be
drawn tight 647
The Three Cups 648
To tie a Handkerchief round your Leg, and get it
off without untying the Knot 648
The Magic Bond 649
The Old Man and his Chair 649
To tie a Knot on the Left Wrist without letting
the Right Hand approach it 651
The Handcuffs 651
To pull a String through your Button-hole 652
The Cut String restored 652
The Gordian Knot 653
The Knot loosened 653
To put Nuts into your Ear 654
To crack Walnuts in your Elbow 654
To take Feathers out of an empty Handkerchief 654
Tricks requiring Special Apparatus 654
The Die Trick 655
The Penetrative Pence 656
The Doll Trick 657
The Flying Coins 657
The Vanished Groat 658
The Restored Document 658
The Magic Rings 658
The Fish and Ink Trick 659
The Cannon Balls 659
The Shilling in the Ball of Cotton 660
The Egg and Bag Trick 660
The Dancing Egg 661
Bell and Shot 661
The Burned Handkerchief restored 662
The Fire-Eater 662
Tricks with Cards 663
To make the Pass 663
To tell a Card by its Back 664
The Card named without being Seen 664
The Card told by the Opera Glass 664
The Four Kings 666
Audacity 666
The Card found at the Second Guess 666
The Card found under the Hat 667
To call the Cards out of the Pack 667
Heads and Tails 667
The Surprise 668
The Revolution 668
The Slipped Card 668
The Nailed Card 668
To ascertain the Number of Points on three Unseen
Cards 669
To tell the Numbers on two Unseen Cards 669
The Pairs repaired 669
The Queen digging for Diamonds 670
The Triple Deal 670
The Quadruple Deal 671
Tricks with Cards that require Apparatus 671
The Cards in the Vase 671
The Metamorphosis 672
To change a Card in a Person’s Hand 673
CRYPTOGRAPHY 674
THE DEAF AND DUMB ALPHABET 682
The Alphabet 682
The Numbers 685
DOMINOES 685
The ordinary Boy’s Game 686
All Fives 687
The Matadore Game 687
All Threes 687
Tidley-Wink 688
The Fortress 688
Whist Dominoes 688
DRAUGHTS 689
How to play the Game 690
The Moves 690
Laws of the Game 690
Games for Practice 691
Game I. 691
Game II. 692
FIREWORKS 693
Gunpowder 693
How to make Touch-paper 694
Cases for Squibs, Flower-pots, Rockets, Roman
Candles, &c. 694
To choke the Cases 694
Composition for Squibs, &c. 694
How to fill the Cases 695
To make Crackers 695
Roman Candles and Stars 695
Rockets 696
Rains 696
Catherine Wheels 696
Various Coloured Fires 696
Crimson Fire 696
Blue „ 697
Green „ 697
Purple „ 697
White „ 697
Spur „ 697
Blue Lights 697
Port or Wild Fires 697
Slow Fire for Wheels 697
Dead Fire for Wheels 697
Cautions 697
To make an Illuminated Spiral Wheel 698
The Grand Volute 698
A brilliant Yew-tree 699
GARDENING 700
On Laying out a Small Garden 702
Planting the Ground with Trees, Flowers, &c. 703
The Noblest Kind of Gardening for Boys 703
The Boy’s Flower Garden 710
„ „ Fruit Garden 717
Cropping the Ground 719
Digging 719
Hoeing 720
Raking 720
Weeding 720
Sowing Seeds 721
Transplanting 721
Watering 722
Various Modes of Propagation 723
Layers 723
Pipings 723
Grafting 724
Tongue-Grafting 724
Budding 725
Inarching 725
Grafting Clay 726
Pruning 726
Training 726
Insects and Depredators 727
Protection from Frost 727
The Young Gardener’s Calendar for the Work to be
done in all the Months of the Year 728
January 728
February 729
March 729
April 729
May 730
June 730
July 731
August 731
September 731
October 732
November 732
December 732
MIMICRY AND VENTRILOQUISM 733
PUZZLES 736
The Divided Garden 736
The Vertical Line Puzzle 736
The Cardboard Puzzle 736
The Button Puzzle 736
The Circle Puzzle 737
The Cross Puzzle 737
Three-Square Puzzle 737
Cylinder Puzzle 737
The Nuns 738
The Dog Puzzle 738
Cutting out a Cross 738
Another Cross Puzzle 738
The Fountain Puzzle 738
The Cabinet-maker’s Puzzle 739
The String and Balls Puzzle 739
The Double-headed Puzzle 739
The Row of Halfpence 740
Typographical Advice 740
The Landlord made to Pay 740
Father and Son 740
ANSWERS TO PUZZLES 741
The Divided Garden 741
Vertical Line Puzzle 741
Cut Card Puzzle 741
Button Puzzle 741
Circle Puzzle 741
The Cross Puzzle 742
Three-Square Puzzle 742
Cylinder Puzzle 742
The Nuns’ Puzzle 742
The Dog’s Puzzle 742
Cutting out a Cross Puzzle 743
Another Cross Puzzle 743
The Fountain Puzzle 743
The Cabinet-maker’s Puzzle 743
String and Balls Puzzle 744
Double-Headed Puzzle 744
The Row of Halfpence 744
Typographical Puzzle 745
The Landlord made to Pay 745
Father and Son 745
SHOWS 746
Punch and Judy 746
Fantoccini 749
The Sailor 751
The Juggler 751
The Headless Man 751
The Milkwoman 751
POSTAGE-STAMP COLLECTING, OR PHILATELY 752
TINSELLING 768
THE AMERICAN GAME OF BASE-BALL 769
American Billiards 797
La Crosse 812
PART I.
EASY GAMES WITHOUT TOYS.
OUTDOOR.
[Illustration]
HOP, STEP AND JUMP.
Make a mark on the ground at a place called the “starting point.” At ten
yards’ distance from this make another, called the “spring.” Then let
the players arrange themselves at the starting point, and in succession
run to the second mark called the spring. From the spring make first a
_hop_ on one leg, from this make a long _step_, and from the step a long
_jump_. Those who go over the greatest space of ground are of course the
victors.
HOPPING ON THE BOTTLE.
Various games are in vogue among boys, in which hopping on one foot is
the principal object. Among these is one which not only assists in
strengthening the limbs, but also teaches the performers the useful art
of balancing themselves upon a movable substance. A wooden bottle, a
round wooden log, or something of that description, is laid upon the
ground, a mark is made at a certain distance, and the players have to
hop from the mark upon the bottle, and retain their possession while
they count a number agreed upon. In the olden times of Greece, this was
considered an exercise of sufficient importance to give it a place at
the public games. The performer in this case had to hop upon inflated
leather bags, carefully greased, and of course, by their inevitable
upsettings and floundering, caused great amusement to the spectators.
The sports took place on the Dionysia, or festivals of Bacchus, when the
vintage was gathered in, and the victor was appropriately rewarded with
a cask of wine. The rustics in many parts of England introduce a
modification of this game in their rural festivals. Two men place
themselves opposite to each other, the right knee of each being
supported on a wooden cylinder, while the remaining foot is totally
unsupported. When they are fairly balanced, they grasp each other by the
shoulders, and endeavour to cast their opponent to the ground, while
themselves retain their position upon their fickle support.
HOP-SCOTCH.
This is a game played by hopping on one foot and kicking an oyster-shell
or piece of tile from one compartment to the other, without halting the
lifted foot, except in one case, to the ground, and without suffering
the shell or tile to rest on any of the lines. A diagram is first drawn
similar to the subjoined. It consists of twelve compartments, each being
numbered, and at its further end the pleasant and inviting picture of a
plum pudding with knife and fork therein stuck. In commencing the game,
the players take their stand at the place marked by a star, and “quoit”
for innings. The object is, that of doing what every boy is supposed to
like above all things to do, _i. e._ “pitch into the pudding,” and he
who can do this, and go nearest to the plum in the centre, plays first.
[Illustration]
_Method of Playing._--The winner begins by throwing his shell into No.
1; he then hops into the space, and kicks the tile out to the star *; he
next throws the tile into No. 2, kicks it from No. 2 to No. 1, and
thence out. He then throws it into No. 3, kicks it from 3 to 2, from 2
to 1, and out. He next throws it into No. 4, kicks it from 4 to 3, from
3 to 2, from 2 to 1, and out; and so he proceeds till he has passed the
cross and comes to No. 7, when he is permitted to rest himself, by
standing with one foot in No. 6 and the other in No. 7; but he must
resume hopping before he kicks the tile home. He then passes through the
beds 8, 9, 10 and 11, as he did those of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, &c., and so on,
till he gets to plum pudding, when he may rest, and placing his tile on
the plum, he is required, while standing on one foot, to kick it with
such force as to send it through all the other beds to * at one kick. If
one player throws his tile into the wrong compartment, or when he is
kicking it out, he loses his innings, as he does also if the tile or his
foot at any time rests on a line, or if he kicks his tile out of the
diagram.
FRENCH AND ENGLISH.
This is an old Greek game, and, like very many simple boys’ games, has
retained its popularity to the present day. Its Greek name was rather a
jaw-cracking one, but may be literally translated by “Pully-haully.” It
consists of two parties of boys, who are chosen on different sides by
lots. One party takes hold of one end of a strong rope, and the other
party of the other end. A mark being made midway between the parties,
each strives to pull the other over it, and those who are so pulled
over, lose the game.
In this game, two leaders should be appointed, who must calculate the
powers of their own side, and concert plans accordingly. The leader of
either side should have a code of signals, in order to communicate with
his own friends, that he may direct them when to stop, when to slacken,
or when to pull hard. So important is the leader’s office, that a side
with a good leader will always vanquish a much superior force which has
no commander to guide it. For example, when all the boys are pulling
furiously at the rope, the leader of one side sees that his opponents
are leaning back too much, depending on their weight more than on their
strength. He immediately gives the signal to slacken, when down go half
the enemy on their backs, and are run away with merrily by the
successful party, who drag them over the mark with the greatest ease. Or
if the enemy begins to be wearied with hard pulling, an unanimous tug
will often bring them upright, while they are off their guard, and once
moved, the victory is easily gained. We have seen, assisted, and led
this game hundreds of times, and never failed to find it productive of
very great amusement. No knots are to be permitted on the rope, nor is
the game to be considered as won, unless the entire side has been
dragged over the line.
DRAWING THE OVEN.
This is a game not very dissimilar to the preceding, but not so much to
be recommended, as the clothes are very apt to be torn, and if the
players engage too roughly, the wrists are not unfrequently injured. The
method of playing the game is as follows:--Several boys seat themselves
in a row, clasping each other round the waist, thus fantastically
representing a batch of loaves. Two other players then approach,
representing the baker’s men, who have to detach the players from each
other’s hold. To attain this object, they grasp the wrists of the second
boy, and endeavour to pull him away from the boy in front of him. If
they succeed, they pass to the third, and so on until they have drawn
the entire batch. As sometimes an obstinate loaf sticks so tight to its
companion, that it is not torn away without bringing with it a handful
of jacket or other part of the clothing, the game ought not to be played
by any but little boys.
I SPY.
This is a capital game for the summer months. The players divide
themselves into two parties, one party remaining at a spot called
“Bounds,” and concealing their faces, while the other party goes out and
hides. After waiting for a few minutes, the home party shouts, “Coming,
coming, coming.” After a short pause they repeat the cry, and after
another short interval they again shout, “Coming.” If any out-player is
not concealed, he may cry, “No,” and a few minutes more are allowed. At
the last shout, the home players, leaving one to guard bounds, sally
forth in search of their hidden companions. Directly one of the seekers
sees one of the hiders, he shouts, “I Spy,” and runs home as fast as he
can, pursued by the one he has found, who tries to touch him before he
can reach bounds. If he succeeds, the one so touched is considered
taken, and stands aside. If the hiding party can touch three, or more,
if especially agreed upon, they get their hide over again. The object of
the hiders is to intercept the seekers, and prevent them from reaching
bounds without being touched. The worst player is left at the bounds, in
order to warn his companions, which he does by the word “Home,” as any
hider may touch any seeker.
PITCH-STONE.
This game is played by two boys, each of whom takes a smooth round
pebble. One player then throws his pebble about twenty feet before him,
and the next tries to strike it with his stone, each time of striking
counting as one. If the two pebbles are near enough for the player to
place one upon the other with his hand, he is at perfect liberty to do
so. It is easy enough to play at this game when the pebbles are at some
distance apart; but when they lie near each other, it is very difficult
to take a good aim, and yet send one’s own pebble beyond the reach of
the adversary’s aim. Two four-pound cannon balls are the best objects to
pitch, as they roll evenly, and do not split, as pebbles always do when
they get a hard knock.
DUCK-STONE.
This game may be played by any number of players. A large stone is
selected, and placed on a particular spot, and the players first “Pink
for Duck,” that is, they each throw their stones up to the mark, and the
one who is farthest from it becomes “Duck.” The Duck places his stone on
the other, while the rest of the players return to the bounds, and in
succession pitch their stones at his with the endeavour to knock it off.
If this is accomplished, Duck must immediately replace it, and the
throwers must pick up their stones and run to the bounds. As soon as
Duck has replaced his stone, he runs after any of the other players, and
if he can succeed in catching or merely touching any one of them, the
player so touched becomes Duck.
[Illustration]
PRISONER’S BASE, OR PRISON BARS.
This is a most delightful game, and is a very great favourite among boys
of all classes. It is commenced by choosing Captains, which is either
done by lot or by the “sweet voices” of the youths. If by lot, a number
of straws of different lengths are put in a bunch, and those who draw
from one end, the other being hidden, the two longest straws, are the
two “Captains;” each of which has the privilege of choosing his men: the
drawer of the longest of the two straws has the first choice. When this
has been arranged each Captain selects, alternately, a boy till the
whole are drawn out.
This method is, however, often attended with considerable inconvenience,
as it is not impossible that the lots may fall on the two worst players.
It is very much better to let the boys choose the two Captains, as the
two best players will then assuredly be elected, and most of the success
of the game depends on the Captains.
The leaders being thus chosen, the next point is to mark out the homes
and prisons. First, two semicircles are drawn, large enough to hold the
two parties, the distance between the semicircles being about twenty
paces. These are the “homes,” or “bounds.” Twenty paces in front of
these, two other semicircles, of a rather larger size, are marked out.
These are the prisons; the prison of each party being in a line with the
enemy’s home. These preliminaries being settled, the sides draw lots;
the side drawing the longest straw having to commence the game. The
Captain of side A orders out one of his own side, usually a poor player,
who is bound to run at least beyond the prisons before he returns.
Directly he has started, the Captain of side B sends out one of his men
to pursue, and, if possible, to touch him before he can regain his own
home. If this is accomplished, the successful runner is permitted to
return home scathless, while the vanquished party must go to the prison
belonging to his side; from which he cannot stir, until some one from
his own side releases him, by touching him in spite of the enemy. This
is not an easy task; as, in order to reach the prison, the player must
cross the enemy’s home. It is allowable for the prisoner to stretch his
hand as far towards his rescuer as possible, but he must keep some part
of his body within the bounds; and if several prisoners are taken, it is
sufficient for one to remain within the prison, while the rest, by
joining hands, make a chain towards the boy who is trying to release
them. When this is accomplished, both the prisoner and his rescuer
return home, no one being able to touch them until they have reached
their home and again started off. But the game is not only restricted to
the two originally sent out. Directly Captain A sees his man pressed by
his opponent, he sends out a third, who is in his turn pursued by
another from side B; each being able to touch any who have preceded, but
none who have left their home after him. The game soon becomes spirited;
prisoners are made and released, the two Captains watching the game, and
rarely exposing themselves, except in cases of emergency, but directing
the whole proceedings. The game is considered won, when one party has
succeeded in imprisoning the whole of the other side. Much depends upon
the Captains, who sometimes, by a bold dash, rescue the most important
of their prisoners, and thereby turn the fate of the battle; or, when
the attention of the opposite side is occupied by some hardly-contested
struggle, send some insignificant player to the rescue; who walks
quietly up to the prison, and unsuspectedly lets out the prisoners one
by one. No player is permitted to touch more than one person until he
has returned to his home; when he can sally out again armed with fresh
strength, like Antæus of old, who could not be conquered at wrestling,
because whenever he touched the ground his strength was renewed by his
mother Earth.
FOX.
This game was extensively played at the school where our boyhood was
passed; but we never saw it elsewhere. It used to afford us such
amusement in the long summer evenings, that it deserves a place in this
collection of sports. One player is termed Fox, and is furnished with a
den, where none of the players may molest him. The other players arm
themselves with twisted or knotted handkerchiefs, (one end to be tied in
knots of almost incredible hardness,) and range themselves round the den
waiting for the appearance of the Fox. He being also armed with a
knotted handkerchief, hops out of his den. When he is fairly out, the
other players attack him with their handkerchiefs, while he endeavours
to strike one of them without putting down his other foot. If he does so
he has to run back as fast as he can, without the power of striking the
other players, who baste him the whole way. If, however, he succeeds in
striking one without losing his balance, the one so struck becomes Fox;
and, as he has both feet down, is accordingly basted to his den. The den
is useful as a resting-place for the Fox, who is often sorely wearied by
futile attempts to catch his foes.
[Illustration]
BASTE THE BEAR.
This is a funny game. The players generally draw lots for the first
Bear, who selects his own Keeper. The Bear kneels on the ground, and his
Keeper holds him with a rope about four feet long, within a circle of
about five feet in diameter. The other players tie knots in their
handkerchiefs, and begin to strike or baste the Bear, by running close
to, or into the ring. Should the Keeper touch any of the boys while they
are at this sport without dragging the Bear out of the ring, or should
the Bear catch hold of any player’s leg, so as to hold him fast, the
player so touched or caught becomes Bear. The second Bear may select his
Keeper as before, and the play continues.
[Illustration: AN INSTRUMENT OF TORTURE.]
LEAP-FROG.
This is an excellent game of agility, and very simple. It consists of
any number of players; but from six to eight is the most convenient
number. Having by agreement or lots determined who shall give the first
“back,” one player so selected places himself in position, with his head
inclined and his shoulders elevated, and his hands resting on his knees,
at ten yards’ distance from the other players; one of whom immediately
runs and leaps over him,--having made his leap, he sets a back at the
same distance forward from the boy over whom he has just leaped. The
third boy leaps over the first and second boy, and sets a “back” beyond
the second; and the fourth boy leaps over the first, second, and third,
and sets a “back” beyond the third, and so on till the players are out.
The game may continue for any length of time, and generally lasts till
the players are tired; but the proper rule should be, that all who do
not go clean over should be out. Those who “make backs” should stand
perfectly stiff and firm; and those who “make leaps” should not rest in
their flight heavily upon the shoulders of their playmates, so as to
throw them down, which is not fair play.
FLY THE GARTER.
Chalk or make a line, or, as it is usually termed, “a garter,” on the
ground; on this line one of the players must place himself and bend down
as in leap-frog, while the other players in rotation leap over him, the
last one as he flies over calling out “Foot it.” If he should fail in
giving this notice, he is out, and must take the other boy’s place at
the garter. The boy, immediately the word is given, rises, and places
his right heel close to the middle of the left foot; he next moves the
left forwards and places that heel close up to the toes of his right
foot, and bends down as before. This movement is called a “step,” and is
repeated three times. The other players should fly from the garter each
time a step is made, and the last player must invariably call out “Foot
it” as he leaps over. After making the three “steps,” the player giving
the back takes a short run, and, _from_ the spot where he made his last
step to, jumps as far forwards as he possibly can, and bends down again;
the others jump from the garter and then fly over. Should any of the
players be unable to jump easily over the one giving the back, but
rather slide down upon, or ride on him, the player so failing must take
the other’s place at the garter, and the game be begun again; if, also,
through the impetus acquired in taking the jump from the garter, a
player should happen to place his hands on the back of the player
bending down, and then withdraw them in order to take the spring over,
he is out, and must take his turn at the garter. It is usual, in some
places, for the boy giving the back to take a hop, step, and a jump
after he has footed it three times, the other players doing the same,
and then flying over.
SPANISH FLY.
This game is capable of being varied to any extent by an ingenious boy,
but it is generally played in the following way:--One boy, selected by
chance, sets a back, as in “fly the garter,” and another is chosen
leader. The game is commenced by the leader leaping over the one who
gives the back, and the other players follow in succession; the leader
then leaps back, and the others follow; then they all go over in a cross
direction, and return, making, in all, four different ways. The leader
then takes his cap in both hands, and leaves it on the boy’s back while
he is “overing,” and his followers perform the same trick; in returning,
the last man takes the lead, and removes his cap without disturbing the
others, and each boy does the same: this trick is repeated in a cross
direction. The next trick is throwing up the cap just before overing,
and catching it before it falls; the next, reversing the cap on the
head, and so balancing it while overing, without ever touching it with
the hands; both tricks must be performed while leaping the four
different ways. The leader, with his cap still balanced, now overs, and
allows his cap to drop on the opposite side; the others do likewise, but
they must be careful not to let their caps touch the others, nor to let
their feet touch any of the caps in alighting; the leader now stoops
down, picks up his cap with his teeth, and throws it over his head and
the boy’s back; he then leaps after his cap, but avoids touching it with
his feet. The other players follow him as before. The next trick is
“knuckling,”--that is to say, overing with the hands clenched; the next,
“slapping,” which is performed by placing one hand on the boy’s back,
and hitting him with the other, while overing; the last, “spurring,” or
touching him up with the heel. All these tricks must be performed in the
four different directions, and any boy failing to do them properly goes
down, and the game begins afresh.
TOUCH.
This is a brisk game, and may be played by any number of boys. One of
the players being chosen as Touch, it is his business to run about in
all directions after the other players, till he can touch one, who
immediately becomes Touch in his turn. Sometimes when the game is played
it is held as a law that Touch shall have no power over those boys who
can touch iron and wood. The players then, when out of breath, rush to
the nearest iron or wood they can find, to render themselves secure.
Cross-touch is sometimes played, in which, whenever another player runs
between Touch and the pursued, Touch must immediately leave the one he
is after to follow him. But this rather confuses, and spoils the game.
TOUCH-WOOD AND TOUCH-IRON.
These games are founded on the above. When the boys pursued by Touch can
touch either wood or iron they are safe, the rule being that he must
touch them as they run from one piece of wood or iron to another.
BUCK, BUCK, HOW MANY HORNS DO I HOLD UP?
This is a very good game for three boys. The first is called the Buck,
the second the Frog, and the third the Umpire. The boy who plays the
Buck gives a back with his head down, and rests his hands on some wall
or paling in front of him. The Frog now leaps on his back, and the
Umpire stands by his side: the Frog now holds up one, two, three, five,
or any number of fingers, and cries, “Buck! Buck! how many horns do I
hold up?” The Buck then endeavours to guess the right number; if he
succeeds, the Frog then becomes Buck, and in turn jumps on his back. The
Umpire determines whether Buck has guessed the numbers rightly or not.
In some places it is the custom to blindfold the Buck, in order to
prevent him seeing. This plan, however, is scarcely necessary.
WARNING.
This is an excellent game for cold weather. It may be played by any
number of boys. In playing it “loose bounds” are made near a wall or
fence, about four feet wide and twelve long. One of the boys is
selected, who is called the Cock, who takes his place within the bounds;
the other players are called the Chickens, who distribute themselves in
various parts of the playground. The Cock now clasps his hands together,
and cries, “Warning once, warning twice, a bushel of wheat, and a bushel
of rye, when the Cock crows out jump I.” He then, keeping his hands
still clasped before him, runs after the other players; when he touches
one, he and the player so touched immediately make for the bounds; the
other players immediately try to capture them before they get there; if
they succeed, they are privileged to get upon their backs and ride them
home. The Cock and his Chick now come out of the bounds hand-in-hand,
and try to touch some other of the players; the moment they do this they
break hands, and they and the player now touched run to the bounds as
before, while the other players try to overtake them, so as to secure
the ride. The three now come from the bounds in the same manner, capture
or touch a boy, and return. If, while trying to touch the other boys,
the players when sallying from the grounds break hands before they touch
any one, they may immediately be ridden, if they can be caught before
they reach the bounds. Sometimes when three players have been touched
the Cock is allowed to join the out party, but this is of no advantage
in playing the game.
FOLLOW MY LEADER.
This may be played by any number of boys: one being selected as the
Leader, and the others are the Followers. The Followers arrange
themselves in a line behind the Leader, who immediately begins to
progress, and the others are bound to follow him. The fun of this sport
is in the Leader carrying his Followers into “uncouth places,” over
various “obstacles,” such as hedges, stiles, gate-posts, &c., through
“extraordinary difficulties,” as ditches and quagmires,--every player
being expected to perform his feats of agility; and those who fail are
obliged to go last, and bear the emphatic name of the “Ass.” The game
lasts till the Leader gives up, or the boys are all tired out.
THE FUGLEMAN.
This is a game something like the above. It consists of the Fugleman and
his Squad. The Fugleman places himself in a central spot, and arranges
his Squad before him in a line. He then commences with various odd
gestures, which all the Squad are bound to imitate. He moves his head,
arms, legs, hands, feet, in various directions, sometimes sneezes,
coughs, weeps, laughs, and bellows, all of which the Squad are to
imitate. Sometimes this is a most amusing scene, and provokes great
laughter. Those who are observed to laugh, however, are immediately
ordered to stand out of the line, and when half the number of players
are so put out, the others are allowed to ride them three times round
the playground, while the Fugleman with a knotted handkerchief
accelerates their motions.
HARE AND HOUNDS.
[Illustration]
This is perhaps the very best game that can be introduced into a school.
The principle of it is very simple, that one boy represents the Hare and
runs away, while the others represent the Hounds and pursue him. The
proper management of the game, however, requires some skill. When we
were at school in the north, this game was extensively played; and in
more recent times, when we ourselves were masters instead of scholars,
we reduced the game to a complete system. The first thing to be done is
to choose a Hare, or if the chase is to be a long one, two Hares are
required. The Hare should not be the best runner, but should be daring,
and at the same time prudent, or he may trespass into forbidden lands,
and thereby cause great mischief. A Huntsman and Whipper-in are then
chosen. The Huntsman should be the best player, and the Whipper-in
second best. Things having advanced so far, the whole party sally forth.
The Hare is furnished with a large bag of white paper torn into small
squares, which he scatters on the ground as he goes. An arrangement is
made that the Hare shall not cross his path, nor return home until a
certain time; in either of which cases he is considered caught. The
Hounds also are bound to follow the track or “scent” implicitly, and not
to make short cuts if they see the Hare. The Hare then starts, and has
about seven minutes’ grace, at the expiration of which time the Huntsman
blows a horn with which he is furnished, and sets off, the Hounds
keeping nearly in Indian file, the Whipper-in bringing up the rear. The
Huntsman is also furnished with a white flag, the Whipper-in with a red
one, the staves being pointed and shod with metal. Off they go merrily
enough, until at last the Huntsman loses the scent. He immediately
shouts “Lost!” on which the Whipper-in sticks his flag in the ground
where the scent was last seen, and the entire line walks or runs round
it in a circle, within which they are tolerably sure to find the track.
The Huntsman in the meanwhile has stuck his flag in the ground, and
examines the country to see in what direction the Hare is likely to have
gone. When the track is found, the player who discovers it shouts Tally
ho! the Huntsman takes up his flag, and ascertains whether it is really
the track or not. If so, he blows his horn again, the Hounds form in
line between the two flags, and off they go again. It is incredible how
useful the two flags are. Many a Hare has been lost because the Hounds
forgot where the last track was seen, and wasted time in searching for
it again. Moreover, they seem to encourage the players wonderfully. We
used often to make our chases fourteen or fifteen miles in length; but
before such an undertaking is commenced, it is necessary to prepare by a
series of shorter chases, which should however be given in an opposite
direction to the course fixed upon for the grand chase, as otherwise the
tracks are apt to get mixed, and the Hounds are thrown out. The Hare
should always carefully survey his intended course a day or two
previously, and then he will avoid getting himself into quagmires, or
imprisoned in the bend of a river. A pocket compass is a most useful
auxiliary, and prevents all chance of losing the way, a misfortune which
is not at all unlikely to happen upon the Wiltshire downs or among the
Derbyshire hills.
STEEPLE CHASE.
This is a trial of speed and agility, and may be played by any number of
boys. It consists in the boys agreeing upon some distant object for a
mark, such as a conspicuous tree, or house, or steeple. The players then
start off in whatever direction they please, each one being at liberty
to choose his own course. In a long run of a mile or so it very often
happens that hedges, ditches, and other obstructions, have to be got
over, which adds great interest to the play, and the best climbers and
jumpers are the most likely to come in victors. He who comes in first to
the appointed object is called the King, the second the Duke, the third
the Marquis, the fourth the Viscount, the fifth the Earl, the sixth the
Knight. The last receives the dignified appellation of the Snail, and
the last but one the Tortoise.
At Oxford there were in our undergraduate days two clubs for the purpose
of Steeple-chasing, one named the Kangaroo Club, and the other the
Charitable Grinders, whose performances over hedges and ditches were
really astonishing. There was also a club which kept a set of beagles,
and used to hunt a red herring with intense perseverance.
DUCK AND DRAKE.
This is a very simple sport, but necessarily restricted to those spots
where there is a river, or a pond of some magnitude. It consists in
throwing oyster-shells, flat stones, or broken tiles along the water, so
as to make them hop as often as possible. One hop is called Dick, the
second Duck, and the third Drake. The sea-shore is a capital place for
this sport, as, if the player can only succeed in making the stone touch
the top of a wave, it is tolerably certain to make a succession of hops
from wave to wave. If a rifle-bullet is shot along the water, it will go
a great distance, making very long hops, and splashing up the water at
every bound. In war, this method of firing at an enemy that lies low is
extensively made use of, and is called “ricochet practice.” It is also
much used in naval warfare.
SIMON SAYS.
This, if well managed, is a very comical game. The players are arranged
as in Fugleman, the player who enacts Simon standing in front. He and
all the other players clench their fists, keeping the thumb pointed
upwards. No player is to obey his commands unless prefaced with the
words, “Simon says.” Simon is himself subjected to the same rules. The
game commences by Simon commanding,--“Simon says, _turn down_:” on which
he turns his thumbs downwards, followed by the other players. He then
says, “Simon says, _turn up_,” and brings his hands back again. When he
has done so several times, and thinks that the players are off their
guard, he merely gives the word, “Turn up,” or “Turn down,” without
moving his hands. Some one, if not all, is sure to obey the command, and
is subject to a forfeit. Simon is also subject to a forfeit, if he tells
his companions to turn down while the thumbs are already down, or _vice
versâ_. With a sharp player enacting Simon, the game is very spirited.
KING OF THE CASTLE.
This is a very good game, and to play it properly there must be in the
centre of the playground a small hill or hillock. One player, selected
by choice or lot, ascends this hill, and is called the King; and the
object of the other players is to pull or push him from his elevation,
while he uses his endeavours to keep his “pride of place.” Fair pulls
and fair pushes are only allowed at this game; the players must not take
hold of any part of the clothes of the King, and must confine their
grasps to the hand, the leg, or the arm. If a player violates these
rules, he is to sit down upon the ground, and is called “Dummy.” The
player who succeeds in dethroning the King, takes his place, and is
subjected to the like attacks.
BATTLE FOR THE BANNER.
This game is to be played from a mound, the same as the above, and it
may consist of any number of players. Each party selects a Captain, and
having done this, divide themselves into Attackers and Defenders. The
defending party provide themselves with a small flag, which is fixed on
a staff on the top of the mound, and then arrange themselves on its side
and at its base, so as to defend it from the attacks of their opponents,
who advance towards the hillock, and endeavour to throw down those that
oppose them. Those that are so thrown on either side, are called “dead
men,” and must lie quiet till the game is finished, which is concluded
either when all the attacking party are dead, or the banner is carried
off by one of them. The player who carries off the banner is called the
Knight, and is chosen Captain for the next game.
[Illustration]
SNOW-BALLS.
Every boy has played at snow-balls, from the time that his little
fingers were first able to grasp and mould a handful of snow. Elderly
gentlemen know to their cost how apt the youthful friend is to hurl very
hard snow-balls, which appear to pick out the tenderest parts of his
person, generally contriving to lodge just at the juncture of the chin
and the comforter, or coming with a deafening squash in the very centre
of his ear. Even the dread policeman does not always escape; and when he
turns round, indignant at the temporary loss of his shiny hat, he cannot
recognise his assailant in the boy who is calmly whistling the last new
nigger-song, as he saunters along, with both his hands in his pockets.
The prudent schoolmaster will also not venture too near the playground,
unless he has provided himself with an umbrella. It is rather a
remarkable fact, that whenever a Grammar-school and a National-school
are within a reasonable distance of each other, they are always at
deadly feud. So it was at the school where our youthful days were
passed. One winter’s morning, just after school had opened, the door was
flung violently open, and a party of National-school boys hurled a
volley of snow-balls at the head-master. He, after the door had been
secured, remarked in a particularly mild voice,--“Now, boys, if _I_ had
been at school, and _my_ schoolmaster had been assaulted by
National-school boys, _I_ should have gone out and given them a
thrashing. Remember, I do not at all advise you to do so, but merely
mention the course that I should have adopted under such circumstances.
We will resume lessons at three.” So saying, he took off his gown, put
on his hat and gloves, and walked out to see the fun. Now, the prospect
of a morning’s holiday would have made us attack a force of twenty times
our number, but as they only out-numbered us threefold, we commenced a
pursuit without hesitation. After a sharp engagement, we drove them back
to their own schoolroom. The cause of their yielding was, that they
threw at random among us, whereas each of our balls was aimed at the
face of an opponent, and we very seldom missed. When they had reached
their school, they closed and barred their door; at which we made such a
battering, that their master, a large negro, rushed out upon us, vowing
vengeance, and flourishing a great cane. He was allowed to proceed a few
yards from the door, when one snow-ball took off his hat, and two more
lodged in his face. He immediately went to the right-about, and made for
the school, which he reached under an avalanche of snow. We pursued, but
he had succeeded in fastening the door, and we could not open it for
some time. When we did, the school was deserted; not a boy was to be
seen. There was no back entrance to account for their disappearance, and
we were completely puzzled. At last, when we had quieted down a little,
a murmuring was heard apparently below our feet, and on examination we
found that the entire school had taken shelter in the coal-cellar. We
made a dash at the door (a trap-door), and in spite of the showers of
coal that came from below, fastened and padlocked the door, carefully
throwing the key among a clump of fir-trees, where it was not likely to
be found. Having achieved this victory, we had a snow-ball match among
ourselves, and then returned to school. About five o’clock, in rushed
the black schoolmaster, who had only just been liberated by the
blacksmith, and who came to complain of our conduct. So far, however,
from obtaining any satisfaction, he was forced to apologise for the
conduct of his boys.
SNOW CASTLE.
The object of this game is, that a castle of snow is built, which is
attacked by one party and defended by the other. The method of building
the castle is as follows:--A square place is cleared in the snow, the
size of the projected castle. As many boys as possible then go to some
distance from the cleared square, and commence making snow-balls,
rolling them towards the castle. By the time that they have reached it,
each ball is large enough to form a foundation-stone. By continuing this
plan, the walls are built about five feet six inches high, a raised step
running round the interior, on which, the defenders stand while hurling
the balls against their opponents. In the centre are deposited
innumerable snow-balls, ready made; and a small boy is usually pressed
into the service, to make snow-balls as fast as they are wanted. If the
weather is very cold, some water splashed over the castle hardens and
strengthens it considerably. The architect of the castle must not forget
to leave space for a door.
[Illustration]
SNOW GIANT.
This is made in the same way as the snow castle, that is, by rolling
large snow-balls to the place where the giant is to be erected, and then
piled up and carved into form. He is not considered completed until two
coals are inserted for eyes, and until he is further decorated with a
pipe and an old hat. When he is quite finished, the juvenile sculptors
retire to a distance, and with snow-balls endeavour to knock down their
giant, with as much zest as they exhibited in building him. If a snow
giant is well made, he will last until the leaves are out, the sun
having but little power on so large a mass of hard snow. There is a
legend extant respecting the preservation of snow through the warmer
parts of the year. A certain Scotch laird had for a tenant a certain
farmer. The laird had been requested by influential personages to
transfer the farm to another man directly the lease was run out. The
farmer’s wife, hearing of this from some gossip of hers, went to her
landlord, and besought him to grant a renewal of the lease. When she
called, he was at dinner with a numerous party of friends, and replied
in a mocking tone, that the lease should be renewed when she brought him
a snow-ball in July. She immediately called upon the guests to bear
witness to the offer, and went home. In due time the winter came, and
with it the snow. One day, her husband, an excellent labourer, but not
over bright, asked her why she was wasting so much meal. At that time,
she had taken a large vessel of meal to a valley, and was pouring it
into the space between two great stones. Upon the meal she placed a
large quantity of snow, which she stamped down until it was hard. Upon
this she poured more meal, and placed upon the meal a layer of straw.
The whole affair was then thickly covered over with straw and reeds. To
her husband, who thought she had fairly lost her senses, she deigned no
reply, except that the meal would repay itself. So affairs went on until
July, when the good dame, hearing that her landlord had invited a large
party to dine with him, many of whom had been at the party when the
promise was made, proceeded to the store of snow, which she found about
half diminished. The remainder she kneaded hard, and put it in a
wheelbarrow, well covered with straw, which she rolled up to the laird’s
own house. When once there, she took out her snow-ball, and presenting
it to her landlord, before all his guests, demanded the renewal of her
lease. It may be satisfactory to know, that the laird, struck with her
ingenuity and perseverance, at once granted her request.
[Illustration]
JACK! JACK! SHOW A LIGHT!
This game can only be played in the dusk of evening, when all the
surrounding objects are lost in the deepening gloom. The players divide
into two parties, and toss up for innings, which being gained, the
winners start off to hide themselves, or get so far away that the others
cannot see them; the losers remaining at the home. One of the hiding
party is provided with a flint and steel, which, as soon as they are all
ready, he strikes together; the sparks emitted guide the seekers as to
what direction they must proceed in, and they must endeavour to capture
the others ere they reach home; if they cannot touch more than two of
the boys, the hiders resume their innings, and the game continues as
before. It is most usual, however, for the boys at the home to call out,
“Jack, Jack! show a light!” before the possessor of the flint and steel
does so. When one party is captured, the flint and steel must be given
up to the captors, that they may carry on the game as before.
JINGLING.
The jingling match is a common diversion at country wakes and fairs, and
is often played by schoolboys. The match should be played on a soft
grass-plot within a large circle, enclosed with ropes. The players
rarely exceed nine or ten. All of these, except one of the most active,
who is the “jingler,” have their eyes blindfolded with handkerchiefs.
The jingler holds a small bell in his hand, which he is obliged to keep
ringing incessantly so long as the play continues, which is commonly
about twenty minutes. The business of the jingler is to elude the
pursuit of his blindfolded companions, who follow him by the sound of
the bell in all directions, and sometimes oblige him to exert his utmost
abilities to effect his escape, which must be done within the boundaries
of the rope, for the laws of the sport forbid him to pass beyond it. If
he be caught in the time allotted for the continuance of the game, the
person who caught him wins the match; if, on the contrary, they are not
able to take him, he is proclaimed the winner.
[Illustration]
JUMP LITTLE NAG-TAIL!
In this game, six or eight players on each side is the best number. The
two leaders should toss up for choice of partners, and after selecting
them, toss again for innings. The loser must then place himself quite
upright, with his face to a wall, against which he rests his hands; and
one of his partners should next stoop down, and put his head against his
leader’s skirts, as shown in the annexed illustration; another partner
also bends, and places his head against the skirts of the second player,
and the rest of the partners must take their places in the same manner,
one behind the other: when thus arranged, they are called “nags.” One of
the winning party next takes a run, and placing his hands on the back of
the last player or “nag,” endeavours to spring on to the back of the
first, or at least to clear as many “nags” as he possibly can, in order
to allow room for those following him to leap on the backs of the other
“nags,” which they should do in succession, until they are all fairly
astride. If any of the “nags” sink under the weight, or in trying to
support themselves touch the ground either with their hands or knees, or
if the riders can keep their seats without touching the ground, whilst
their leader counts twenty, or repeats the words, “Jump little nag-tail
one, two, three!” three times, concluding with “off, off, off!” the
riders resume their innings, and begin again; on the contrary, should
there not be sufficient space for all to leap on, or they are unable to
keep their seats on the backs of the “nags,” they lose their innings,
and become “nags” in their turn. The “nags” must, while in the line,
hold either by the trousers of the player before them, or else lean
their hands on their knees, or cross their arms on their breasts. Each
rider must call out “Warning” before he leaps on the back of one of the
“nags.”
JUMPING ROPE.
Two players swing round a long rope, and when the revolutions become
tolerably regular, one, two, or even more boys step forwards, and
allowing it to swing over their heads, jump up as it descends, so as to
let it pass under their feet as in the case of the common skipping-rope.
The leapers must step forwards the moment the rope is at its highest, in
order to be ready to skip over as it swings close to the ground; and
they should be careful to keep the same time with the motions of the
boys holding the rope, so as not to be struck by it in its circuit.
Another game may be played with a long skipping-rope, by the player at
one end holding the rope in his outside hand, making a step or two
towards the other player, and with his help swinging it round, and then
skipping over it.
MY GRANDMOTHER’S CLOCK.
In this amusing sport the players join hands, and extend their arms to
their full extent. One of the outside players remains stationary, and
the others run round him as fast as they can, which proceeding is called
“winding the clock.” In this manner the straight line becomes a confused
spiral, and all the players get huddled together in a most laughable
manner. The winding of the clock usually leads to such disorder that it
is next to impossible to unwind it without breaking the line of boys.
RUSHING BASES.
Two bases having been made, one at each end of the playground, all the
players take up their position in one of them, except one, who is
generally elected by counting out; this player, who is called “the
King,” stations himself midway between the bases, and endeavours to
catch the others as they rush through his territory from base to base.
Should the king succeed in catching one of the trespassers, he raps him
on the head, saying, “I crown thee king!” and the one so crowned joins
the first king between the bases, and helps to catch the other players.
When the out-players considerably outnumber those remaining in the
bases, they may enter the bases, and, if they are strong enough, pull
the others out and crown them. In this lively game the rule is, that a
player must run to the opposite base if he puts both feet outside his
own. In some parts of England this game is known by the name of “King
Cæsar.”
[Illustration]
SEE-SAW.
For this amusement a stout plank should be laid across a felled tree or
a low wall; it must be very nicely balanced if the players are of the
same weight; but if one is heavier than the other, the end on which he
intends to sit should be the shortest. Two players then take their seats
on the plank, one at each end, whilst a third stations himself on the
middle of it, as represented in the illustration; the name of this
player is in some places Jack o’ both Sides, and in others Pudding. As
the players by turns make slight springs from their toes, they are each
alternately elevated and depressed, and it is the duty of Pudding to
assist these movements by bearing all his weight on the foot, on the
highest end of the plank, beyond the centre of the tree or wall on which
it rests. This will be best understood by referring to the illustration:
thus, A is the trunk of a tree; across it a plank is laid, on which two
players, B, C, take their seats; D is “Pudding;” it will be seen that
his left foot is beyond the centre of the trunk A, on the highest end of
the board, and consequently his weight being added to that of B will
depress that end of the plank, and the end on which C sits must, of
course, rise; Pudding then bears on his right foot, and C in turn
descends; and thus the game continues during pleasure, Pudding bearing
alternately on each side.
THREAD THE NEEDLE.
This game can be played by any number of boys, who must all join hands;
the game is begun by the outside players at each end of the line holding
the following dialogue: “How many miles to Babylon?” “Threescore and
ten.” “Can I get there by candle-light?” “Yes, and back again.” “Then
open the gates without more ado, and let the king and his men pass
through.” The player and the one next to him at the end of the line
opposite the last speaker then elevate their joined hands as high as
they can, to allow the speaker to run under, and the whole line follows
him, still holding hands. This should be done, if possible, without
breaking the line by letting the hands go, and is styled “threading the
needle.” When all the boys have passed through, the same conversation
begins again, excepting that the respondent in his turn becomes the
inquirer, and runs between the opposite players, the others following as
before.
TOM TIDDLER’S GROUND.
This is a very favourite game with little boys, and may be considered as
a modification of rushing bases. A large base is formed by drawing a
line across the playground, and one boy, called “Tom Tiddler,” takes his
station within it, while the others run in crying out, “Here am I on Tom
Tiddler’s ground, picking up gold and silver.” If Tom Tiddler can touch
any boy while he is on his ground, the boy so touched takes his place as
the guardian of the imaginary gold and silver.
TWO TO ONE.
Two to one is a very capital exercise with a common skipping-rope. It is
done by skipping in the usual way for a short time, and then increasing
the rapidity of your movements, and leaping tolerably high, endeavouring
to swing the rope round so quickly that you can pass it twice under your
feet while you are taking the leap; practise this till you are quite
proficient, and then try to pass the rope three times under your foot
instead of twice.
WALK, MOON, WALK!
This may be played by any number of boys, who all tie large knots in one
corner of their pocket-handkerchiefs, and then toss up to see who shall
be “Moon;” the loser is the one to whom the part falls, and he must be
blindfolded. “Moon” now stands with his legs stretched apart, while his
playmates go behind him in succession, and jerk their handkerchiefs
between his legs, as far as they can and in whatsoever direction they
please. When all the boys have done this, one of them cries “Walk, Moon,
walk!” which is a signal for the blindfolded player to walk forwards
until he treads upon one of the handkerchiefs, when in an instant the
other players pick up their knotted handkerchiefs, with which they
belabour the unlucky owner of the one trodden upon by Moon, as he runs
to a distant base and back; after which he becomes Moon, and the game
continues as before.
WANT A DAY’S WORK?
This is a capital game when well played, and the antics and grimaces of
boys who are mimics cause great merriment. It also gives a boy a good
notion of how mechanical labour is done, as no boy will ask for work
unless he understands something of the nature of the business he
solicits to be employed upon. The game begins thus, and it matters not
how many boys are engaged in it:--A line is drawn; within that line is
the shop, and when a bad workman is discharged he is pushed across the
line. The employer, or master, should be a very sharp lad. A boy comes
up, and the master asks him if he wants a day’s work; the boy says he
does. He is then asked what trade he is; if he says a tailor, a coat is
supposed to be given to him to make; if a shoemaker, a pair of shoes; if
a tinker, a saucepan to bottom; if a stonemason, a stone to cut or saw,
and every boy must imitate the actions of the tailor, shoemaker, &c.,
while at work, whatever the trades may be. Then the master looks over
the work, finds fault, gets in a rage, discharges the workman, and, if
he can, turns him out of the shop. But if in the struggle the boy turns
the employer out, he then becomes master, and the other is set to work.
So that, after a few good-natured trials of strength, each boy in turn
generally becomes master.
WILL YOU LIST?
This is a very old game, and in some places is called “playing at
soldiers;” the whole ceremony of enlisting is gone through, taking the
shilling and swearing to serve the Queen, &c. But there ought to be two
parties of boys, of not less than a dozen, with a commanding officer on
each side. After learning their exercise, such as shouldering arms and
marching, war breaks out; then one party is English and the other the
enemy. Their weapons ought to be bulrushes, or stout reeds, such as are
used in building, or something that will not do any injury when the
charge commences. The side that breaks or takes away the most weapons is
the conqueror, and much skill may be displayed in capturing the arms of
others, and retaining your own. If boys can get some old soldier to
drill them a few times, this may be made as good a game as they can play
at. We have too few military amusements in our English games.
WHOOP!
One player takes his station at a spot called the “home,” while the
others go to seek out various hiding-places in which to ensconce
themselves; when all are ready, one of them calls out “Whoop!” on which
the player at the “home” instantly goes in search of the hiders, and
endeavours to touch one of them as they run back to “home;” if he can do
so, the one caught takes his place at the “home,” while he joins the out
players.
[Illustration]
HIGH BARBAREE!
In this game sides are chosen, and one party remains “at home,” while
the other hides. When the hiders are all ready, one of them calls out
“High Barbaree!” upon which the seekers sally forth to look for them, as
in “Whoop!” If the seekers can succeed in touching a certain number of
the hiders before they can get to “home,” they take their turn at
hiding. The number to be caught must be agreed upon beforehand, and of
course depends upon the number of players. It is usual to mention this
number in the cry--thus, “High barbaree! _three_ caught he!”--“_four_
caught he!” and so forth. As a general rule, the number to be caught
should exceed half the number of the hiders.
BULL IN THE RING.
This active, merry, noisy game can be played by any number of boys, and
commences by their joining hands and forming a ring, having enclosed
some boy in the middle, who is the Bull. It is the Bull’s part to make a
rush, break through the ring, and escape, and the part of the boys who
form the ring to hold their hands so fast together that he cannot break
their hold. Before making a rush the Bull must cry “boo” to give
warning, so that the boys may grasp their hands more tightly. The whole
ring generally replies to the Bull’s challenge by crying “boo” all
together, and a pretty noise they make. When the Bull breaks through the
ring he is pursued until captured, and the boy who seizes him first is
“Bull” when they return. A good “Bull” will lead them a pretty dance,
clearing hedges and ditches; and if he gets back and touches some mark
agreed upon, near to where he broke through the ring, he is “Bull”
again.
COCK FIGHT.
This humorous sport must not be confounded with the cruel battles
between game-cocks once so popular in England. Two boys represent the
feathered combatants; each hops upon one leg, with his arms folded, and
bumps against the other, endeavouring to compel him to put both feet to
the ground. The boy who keeps up longest wins the game.
DROPPING THE HANDKERCHIEF.
A tolerably large ring should be formed by several boys standing in a
circle and joining hands; another boy, who stands out, when all are
ready walks round outside the ring, drops a handkerchief behind one of
the players, and immediately runs off; he is instantly followed by the
one behind whom he dropped the handkerchief, and who must track him in
all his windings in and out under the arms of the boys in the ring, who
elevate them for the purpose, and indeed wherever he runs to; should the
pursuer be able to touch the pursued, the former takes the handkerchief
in his turn, and the latter joins hands in the circle. If the boy who
dropped the handkerchief is enabled to elude his follower by passing
through and about the ring, he walks again round and drops the
handkerchief behind some other player.
EASY GAMES WITHOUT TOYS
INDOOR.
BLIND MAN’S BUFF
[Illustration: “SEEING’S BELIEVING.”]
Consists in one person having a handkerchief bound over his eyes, so as
to completely blind him, and thus blindfolded trying to chase the other
players, either by the sound of their footsteps, or their subdued
merriment, as they scramble away in all directions, endeavouring to
avoid being caught by him; when he can manage to catch one, the player
caught must in turn be blinded, and the game be begun again. In some
places it is customary for one of the players to inquire of Buff (before
the game begins), “How many horses has your father got?” to which
inquiry he responds, “Three.” “What colours are they?” “Black, white,
and grey.” The questioner then desires Buff to “turn round three times,
and catch whom you may,” which request he complies with, and then tries
to capture one of the players. It is often played by merely turning the
blindfold hero round and round without questioning him, and then
beginning. The handkerchief must be tied on fairly, so as to allow no
little holes for Buffy to see through. Blind Man’s Buff is a very
ancient pastime, having been known to the Grecian youths. In England it
formerly went By the name of Hoodman Blind, because it was customary to
blind Buff with his hood.
BOB-CHERRY.
Attach a cherry to a piece of string, and then fasten it to a door,
sufficiently high to compel the player to jump a little in order to
catch the cherry in his mouth. The cherry is then set swinging; and the
players, ranging themselves in line, jump at the cherry, one after the
other. This game is productive of much amusement, and may be kept up for
a long time.
BUFF.
In this game one of the players enters the room, armed with a poker,
with which he taps on the floor. “Where do you come from?” inquires one
of the company. “Alas! from poor Buff, who is full of grief.” “And what
did he say to you?” “He spoke thus,” is the reply--
“Buff said ‘Baff,’
And gave me this staff,
And bade me not laugh
Till I came to his house again.”
Having thus spoken, the messenger leaves the room. While he has been
delivering his speech, the company, however, endeavour to make him
laugh, by asking him any absurd questions that may present themselves to
their imagination. If they do not succeed in this, the emissary of the
great Buff delivers himself of a more lengthy address:--
“Buff says ‘Baff’ to all his men,
And I say ‘Baff’ to you again;
But he neither laughs nor smiles
In spite of all your cunning wiles,
But keeps his face with a very good grace,
And carries his staff to the very next place.”
CONCERT.
A noisier game than this could scarcely be desired by the most
boisterous of our young friends. The players having selected a
“conductor,” seat themselves round him in a circle. The conductor now
assigns to each a musical instrument, and shows how it is to be played.
When all are provided with their imaginary instruments, the conductor
orders them to tune, and by so doing, he gives each musician a capital
opportunity for making all sorts of discordant noises. When the
different instruments have been tuned, the conductor waves an unseen
_bâton_, and commences humming a lively air, in which he is accompanied
by the whole of his band, each player endeavouring to imitate with his
hands the different movements made in performing on a real instrument.
Every now and then the conductor pretends to play on a certain
instrument, and the player to whom it belongs must instantly alter his
movements for those of the conductor, and continue to wield the _bâton_
until the chief player abandons his instrument. Should a player omit to
take the conductor’s office at the proper time, he must pay a forfeit.
The fun of this game greatly depends upon the humour of the conductor,
and the adroitness with which he relinquishes his _bâton_ and takes up
the instruments of the other players.
CONSEQUENCES.
The first player writes an _adjective_ on the upper part of a slip of
paper, and then folds the slip so that the written word cannot be seen
by the next player, who writes the _name of a gentleman_, real or
imaginary, on the paper, which he passes to another after having folded
it over again. The third player writes an _adjective_; the fourth, _a
lady’s name_; the fifth, the _name of a place_; the sixth, _what the
gentleman said to the lady_; the seventh, the _lady’s reply_; the
eighth, the _consequences_; and the ninth, _what the world said about
the whole affair_. One of the players now unfolds the slip and reads
what has been written by the different persons engaged in the game,
adding a few words to unite the disjointed members of the little
narrative. As a specimen of the ludicrous result which arises from each
player’s ignorance of what has been written by his companions, we give
the following pathetic tale, in which the words and phrases printed in
italics represent those written on the slip of paper:--“The
_ill-favoured Peter Wilkins_ met the _adorable Jenny Jones_ in _the
silver mine of Potosi_. He said to her, ‘_Will you love me then as
now?_’ and she replied, ‘_When did I refuse you anything?_’ The
consequences were, _he drowned himself in the water-butt and she married
the baker_, and the world said, ‘_Served them right!_’” When there are
only three or four players, the slip of paper is to be passed round from
one to another until it is filled up. When the players are numerous,
three or four slips may be commenced simultaneously by different
persons.
CROSS QUESTIONS AND CROOKED ANSWERS.
This game will be best described by a short dialogue.
_Harry._--I am going to put a question in a whisper to Tom, who is
seated on my right hand, to which he will reply in the same tone. _He_
will then put a question to _his_ next neighbour, and receive his
answer. When the tour of the circle is made, I shall commence by stating
aloud the question put to me by my left-hand neighbour, answering it by
the reply received in answer to my own from Tom. He will then do the
same, giving my question and his next neighbour’s reply.--(Whispers to
Tom.) Of what use are the bellows?
_Tom._--To blow up the fire.--(To Charles) Of what use is a fire-engine?
_Charles._--To put out a fire.--(To John) Of what use is a plough?
_John._--To plough up the ground.--(To James) Of what use is a cap?
_James._--To cover the head.--(To Edward) Of what use is a shoe?
_Edward._--To protect your foot.--(To William) Of what use is a black
pin?
_William._--To fasten your collar with.--(To Harry) Of what use is a
barometer?
_Harry._--To tell the weather.--(Aloud) William has just asked me the
use of a barometer? Tom replies, “To blow up the fire!”
_Tom._--Harry has asked me the use of the bellows; and Charles replies,
“To put out the fire!”
_Charles._--Tom wishes to know the use of the fire-engine, and John
tells him, “To plough up the ground,” &c.
Any mistake is punished by a forfeit.
DUMB MOTIONS.
The players form sides, and decide who shall be _masters_ and who _men_.
The principal aim of the _men_ is to keep working as long as possible,
and to prevent the _masters_ taking their places. The men consult
secretly among themselves, and decide upon some trade or profession, the
practice of which may be certain movements of the arms, hands, or legs.
They now range themselves opposite the masters, and the foreman tells
them the first and last letters of the trade they are about to exercise;
as for example, C--r for carpenter, D--t for druggist, B--h for
blacksmith, and so on. The men now set to work and express in dumb
motions the various labours belonging to the craft they have chosen. Let
us suppose that they have selected the trade of blacksmith: one of the
players will appear to be blowing the forge bellows, another will seem
to be filing something in a vice, while others will be violently
exerting themselves by wielding imaginary sledge-hammers round an unseen
anvil. If any of the men speak at their work, or make use of
inappropriate gestures, the whole side is out. The masters are allowed
one guess each, and if none of them can hit upon the right trade, the
men tell them their occupation, and then fix upon another. If the
masters can guess the name of the trade, the men are out and become
masters. The men need not continue their labours until all the masters
have guessed, but may stop working, and demand their wages, after having
plied their craft for a reasonable time. When the name of a trade
consists of two words, the men must tell the first and last letter of
each word, as C--h B--r, for coach builder.
FAMILY COACH.
The chief player in this amusing game must possess the faculty of
inventing a long story, as well as a tolerably good memory. This player
gives to each of the others the name of some person or thing to be
mentioned in the story he is about to relate. For example, he may call
one “the coachman,” another “the whip,” another “the inn,” another the
“old gentleman,” another the “footman,” another “the luggage,” and so
on, until he has named all the persons engaged in the game. The
story-teller now takes his stand in the centre of the room, and
commences his narrative; in the course of which he takes care to mention
all the names given to the players. When the name of a player is
mentioned, he must immediately rise from his seat, turn round, and sit
down again, or else pay a forfeit for his inattention; and whenever “the
family coach” is named, _all_ the players must rise simultaneously. In
the following example of a story, the names given to the different
players are printed in italics: “An _old gentleman_, dreading an attack
of the gout, resolved to pay a visit to the hot wells of Bath; he
therefore summoned his _coachman_, and ordered him to prepare THE FAMILY
COACH (all the players rise, turn round, and sit down again). The
_coachman_, not liking the prospect of so long a journey, tried to
persuade the _old gentleman_ that THE FAMILY COACH was out of repair,
that the _leader_ was almost blind, and that he (the _coachman_) could
not drive without a new _whip_. The _old gentleman_ stormed and swore
upon hearing these paltry excuses, and ordered the _coachman_ out of the
room, while the _little dog_ sprang from under his master’s chair and
flew at the calves of the offender, who was forced to make a precipitate
exit. Early the next morning, THE FAMILY COACH belonging to the _old
gentleman_ stopped at an _inn_ on the Bath road, much to the surprise of
the _landlord_, who had never seen such a lumbering conveyance before.
THE FAMILY COACH contained the _old gentleman_, the _old lady_ (his
wife), and the _little dog_ that had made such a furious attack on the
poor _coachman’s_ legs. The _landlord_ called the _landlady_, who came
bustling out of the _inn_ to welcome the _old gentleman_ and _old lady_.
The _footman_ jumped down from behind THE FAMILY COACH, and helped the
_old gentleman_ and the _old lady_ to alight, while the _boots_ and
_chambermaid_ belonging to the _inn_ busied themselves with the
_luggage_. The _little dog_ trotted after the _old lady_, but just as it
was going into the _inn_, the _coachman_ gave it a cut with his _whip_.
The _little dog_ howled, upon which the _old gentleman_ turned round,
and seeing the _coachman_ with his _whip_ raised, he seized him by the
throat. The _footman_ came to the assistance of his friend the
_coachman_, and the _ostler_ belonging to the _inn_ took the side of the
_old gentleman_. The _landlord_, _landlady_, _chambermaid_, _boots_,
_cook_, _stable-boy_, _barmaid_, and all the other inmates of the _inn_,
rushed into the road to see what was the matter, and their cries, joined
to the yells of the _little dog_ and the screams of the _old lady_, so
frightened the _leader_, the _white horse_, and the _brown mare_, that
they ran away with THE FAMILY COACH.” Of course this tale might have
been continued to any length, but the specimen we have given will be
sufficient to give the story-teller some idea of what is expected from
him to keep up the fun of the game.
FROG IN THE MIDDLE.
This is a highly amusing, though very simple game. One player seated on
the ground is surrounded by his comrades, who pull and buffet him till
he can catch one of them, when the person so caught takes his place, and
is buffeted in like manner. As the players sport round the Frog, they
usually cry, “Frog in the middle--can’t catch me!” but they frequently
find that this is vain boasting, as Froggy does catch them now and then.
THE FOUR ELEMENTS.
The party being seated in a circle, the player who has been chosen to
commence the game takes a knotted handkerchief, and throws it suddenly
into another’s lap, calling out at the same time either “Earth!”
“Water!” “Air!” or “Fire!” If “Earth” be called out, the player into
whose lap the handkerchief has fallen must name some _quadruped_ before
the other can count ten; if “Water!” he must name a _fish_; if “Air!” a
_bird_; and if “Fire!” he must remain silent. Should the player name a
wrong animal, or speak when he ought to be silent, he must pay a forfeit
and take a turn at throwing the handkerchief; but should he perform his
task properly, he must throw the handkerchief back to the first player.
Those who have never joined in this simple game can have no idea of the
absurd errors into which the different players fall when summoned
unawares to name a particular kind of animal.
HAND.
The game of Hand is of great antiquity, and is common to almost every
nation, whether savage or civilized. In many of the rural districts of
England this universal pastime is known by the name of “Coddem.” To play
at Hand, sides must be formed, and the players of each side must seat
themselves at a table opposite their antagonists. Chance decides which
of the sides shall first hide the _piece_; which may be any small object
that can be easily held in the closed hand of one of the players. One of
the fortunate players now exhibits the piece to his opponents; having
done which, he cries out, “Hands down!” at which signal he and his
comrades put their hands out of sight, and in the language of the game,
commence “working the piece,” which operation is performed by shifting
the piece from hand to hand, so as to deceive the opposite players as to
its whereabouts. When the piece has been properly worked, the chief
player calls out, “Hands up,” and he and all his comrades simultaneously
place their closed fists on the table. The top player on the opposite
side has now to fix upon the hand in which the piece is concealed. There
are two ways of guessing, either of which he may adopt; the first is to
point at once to the hand supposed to contain the piece, and cry out,
“Hand!” The second mode of guessing is to point to those hands which
appear to be empty, saying with each guess, “Take that hand away!” and
when most of the hands have been removed from the table, to fix upon the
most likely-looking one among those that remain. If the guesser can find
the piece without making a mistake, he claims it for his party, and is
entitled to guess again when the opposite side regains it; but if he
makes a mistake, either by ordering the hand that holds the piece to be
removed, or by “handing” an empty fist, his antagonists retain the
piece, and having concealed it, the second player attempts to discover
its whereabouts. From our description, the reader will probably regard
Hand as a mere frivolous game of chance; but we can assure him that
chance has little to do with the discovery of the piece. A good Hand
player watches the faces of his opponents while their hands are engaged
in working the piece under the table; he scrutinises the different
hands, and does not allow himself to be misled by any of the cunning
devices which the hiders employ to throw him off the right scent; again,
when he has the piece in his possession, he takes care not to let a
tightly-clenched fist, a guilty smile, or an anxious expression, betray
the fact to his wary antagonist.
HOT BOILED BEANS.
In this game, one of the players is sent out of the room, while the
others hide a handkerchief or any small article that can be easily
secreted. When the article has been concealed, the door is opened, and
the seeker is invited to enter in these words: “Hot boiled beans and
butter; walk in and find your supper.” The seeker now sets to work to
look for the hidden article. When he approaches the place of
concealment, his playmates must give him notice of it, by telling him
that he is “rather warm,” “very hot,” or, if he gets very near it, that
he “burns.” When he wanders away from the object of his search, he is
told that he is “cold;” and if he persists in his mistaken course, he is
informed that he “freezes.” Should the seeker succeed in finding the
hidden article, another player goes out of the room in his stead.
HOT COCKLES.
One player with his eyes bandaged lays his head on a chair, or in
another player’s lap, while the others strike him on his back with their
open hands. In this unenviable position he remains until he can guess
who strikes him, when the striker takes his place. The poet Gay
describes this pastime in the following lines:--
“As at Hot Cockles once I laid me down,
And felt the weighty hand of many a clown,
Buxoma gave a gentle tap, and I
Quick rose, and read soft mischief in her eye.”
HOW? WHERE? AND WHEN?
One of the players is sent out of the room, while the others fix upon a
subject, which may be anything to which the three questions, “How do you
like it?” “Where do you like it?” and “When do you like it?” will apply.
When the subject has been decided upon, the out-player is summoned. He
now puts the first question to the nearest player, who returns him a
puzzling answer; he then passes to the next, and repeats the same
question; then to the next, and so on, until he has made the round of
the room. If none of the answers enable him to guess the subject, he
tries each player with the second question, and if the answers to this
leave him still in the dark, he solicits a reply from each to the third
and last question. Should the player fail to guess the subject after
asking the three questions, he pays a forfeit and takes another turn
outside; but should he succeed in guessing it during his rounds, the
player last questioned must pay a forfeit, and go out of the room in his
place. The in-players should always endeavour to hit upon some word that
has two or three meanings for a subject, as such a word renders the
answers extremely confusing. For instance, if _Jack_ be the subject
decided on, one of the players may say, in answer to the first query,
that he likes it “fried,” referring to fish called the Jack; in answer
to the second, that he likes it “before the kitchen fire,” referring now
to a roasting-jack; and in answer to the third, that he likes it when he
is “dressing,” now regarding the subject as a boot-jack.
HUNT THE SLIPPER.
This old-fashioned pastime is so generally known that it is scarcely
necessary to describe it; however, as it forms one of the merriest
indoor sports for the long winter evenings, it would be absurd to omit
it in this work. Several boys seat themselves in a circle on the ground,
and another, taking his place inside the ring, gives a slipper to one of
them, by whom it is immediately and secretly handed to one of his
neighbours; it is now passed round from one sitter to another, with as
much dexterity as possible, so as to completely perplex the “hunter” (or
player standing in the middle) in his endeavours to “chase the slipper
by its sound,” and who must continue his search until successful. The
player in whose possession it is found must in his turn “hunt the
slipper,” whilst the former hunter joins the sitters.
HUNT THE RING.
A game almost similar to the former. A piece of tape, on which a ring is
fastened, is held by the players as they stand in a circle, with one in
the middle. The ring is passed from hand to hand, and the hunter’s
business is to find out in whose hand the ring is.
HUNT THE WHISTLE.
A boy who has never seen the game played is elected hunter; the others
seat themselves on the ground, as in Hunt the Slipper. The hunter,
having been shown the whistle, kneels in the centre of the circle, and
lays his head in the lap of one of the players until the whistle is
concealed. While he is in this posture, the whistle is to be secretly
attached to the back part of his jacket or coat, by means of a piece of
string and a bent pin. One of the players now blows the whistle and
drops it, and the hunter, being released, is told to find it; but this
is no easy task, as he carries the object of his search about his own
person. As the hunter kneels in the centre of the group, the different
players blow through the whistle and drop it, as the opportunities
occur. The puzzled hunter is sometimes fairly tired out before he
discovers the trick that is played upon him. We need scarcely say that
the whistle should be very small and light.
MAGIC MUSIC.
This is a very similar game to Hot Boiled Beans. One player having been
sent out of the room, the others arrange some simple task for him to
perform on his return. When this has been done, he is summoned by the
magic music, which is played by one of his comrades, either by tapping a
tea-tray with a key, or by rattling the poker and tongs together. The
boy who has been sent out of the room must perform his appointed task
under the guidance of the musician, who so regulates his performance on
the rude instruments that the music gets loud and noisy when the puzzled
player does what he ought not to do, and grows soft and quiet when he
does anything towards the performance of his task. To render this game
more intelligible, we will suppose the task to be the removal of a
certain chair from one room to another. The player having entered the
room is saluted by the magic music, the unmeaning clatter of which only
confuses him at first. He walks towards the side of the room where the
chair is stationed, and as he approaches it the clatter grows fainter;
this informs him that he is in the right path. He touches the table, but
removes his hand at the sound of the music, which suddenly gets terribly
noisy. He touches the chair; the music ceases. He now knows that he is
expected to do something with this particular chair, so he very
naturally sits down upon it; but he jumps up directly he hears the
“clatter, clatter, clatter” of the music. He lifts the chair, and as he
does so the music grows soft again. He now turns the chair upside down;
carries it into the middle of the room; places it on the sofa; but all
to no purpose, as he cannot stop the continual clatter of the magic
music. At last he carries the chair into the adjoining room; the music
ceases, and his troublesome task is accomplished. In this noisy but
amusing game the players go out of the room, and have tasks set them in
turns. The musician generally retains his office throughout the game.
POST.
This exciting game may be played by an unlimited number, and is
particularly adapted for a large party. One of the players, called “the
postman,” has his eyes bandaged as in Blind Man’s Buff; another
volunteers to fill the office of “postmaster-general,” and all the rest
seat themselves round the room. At the commencement of the game the
postmaster assigns to each player the name of a town, and, if the
players are numerous, he writes the names given to them on a slip of
paper, in case his memory should fail him. These preliminaries having
been arranged, the blind postman is placed in the centre of the room,
and the postmaster-general retires to some snug corner, whence he can
overlook the other players. When this important functionary calls out
the names of two towns,--thus, “London to Halifax,”--the players who
bear these names must immediately change seats, and as they run from one
side of the room to another, the postman tries to capture them. If the
postman can succeed in catching one of the players, or if he can manage
to sit down on an empty chair, the player that is caught, or excluded
from his place, becomes postman. The postmaster-general is not changed
throughout the game unless he gets tired of his office. When a player
remains seated after his name has been called he must pay a forfeit, or
if the game is played without forfeits he must go to the bottom of the
class, which is represented by a particular chair, and to make room for
him all the players who were formerly below him shift their places.
PROVERBS.
One player leaves the room, and while he is absent the rest fix upon
some proverb. The words are then distributed among them, and each
player, in reply to a question asked by the guesser, has to introduce
his particular word. When all the words have been introduced, the
guesser has to guess the name of the proverb, and another player takes
his place. If, however, he cannot make it out, he has to leave the room
again.
LIST OF PROVERBS.
A false friend is worse than a bitter enemy.
A penny saved is a penny gained.
A man is known by the company he keeps.
A bad workman quarrels with his tools.
All is not gold that glitters.
A friend in need is a friend indeed.
A good name is better than wealth.
A good word costs nothing.
A little rain lays much dust.
A little spark makes a great flame.
A bird in hand is worth two in a bush.
Better late than never.
Barking dogs seldom bite.
Cut your coat according to your cloth.
Empty vessels make the most sound.
Example is better than precept.
Evil beginnings have bad endings.
Friends are plenty when the purse is full.
Good ware makes quick markets.
Great cry and little wool.
Gather thistles, expect prickles.
Half a loaf is better than no bread.
Hear twice before you speak once.
In a calm sea every man is a pilot.
Idle folks have the least leisure.
It’s an ill wind that blows nobody good.
If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing well.
It’s a sad heart that never rejoices
Least said is soonest mended.
Let them laugh that win.
Look before you leap.
Long looked for comes at last.
Make hay while the sun shines.
Many a slip between the cup and the lip.
Make the best of a bad bargain.
Marry in haste, repent at leisure.
Of two evils choose the least.
One good turn deserves another.
Opportunity makes the thief.
Out of sight out of mind.
Penny wise and pound foolish.
Prevention is better than cure.
Pride will have a fall.
Short reckonings make long friends.
Strike while the iron’s hot.
Still waters run deep.
Safe bind, safe find.
The best part of valour is discretion.
Waste not, want not.
Where there’s a will there’s always a way.
Wilful waste makes woful want.
PUSS IN THE CORNER.
Four players take their stations in the four corners of a room, and a
fifth, called “Puss,” places himself in the middle of it; the players in
the corners then change places by running to the opposite ends, and Puss
must endeavour to get into one of the vacant places before the opposite
player is able to reach it; if he can do so, the player left out becomes
Puss.
RED-CAP AND BLACK-CAP.
The players sit round in a circle, each taking a colour. Thus one is
red-cap, another black-cap, and so on. One of them, who takes the place
of master, and has no colour, taking up a cap says: “Hullo, here’s a
false stitch. Who made it, blue-cap?” Blue-cap then answers, “Who, sir?
I, sir?” “Yes, you, sir!” “Not I, sir.” “Who then, sir?” “Yellow-cap,
sir.” Yellow-cap then starts up and says, “Who, sir? I, sir?” and goes
through the dialogues, giving another colour. The player who neglects to
start up when his colour is mentioned, or who does not repeat the
question correctly, pays a forfeit.
SHADOW BUFF.
Shadow Buff differs very materially from Blind Man’s Buff, but it is
equally amusing. A large piece of white linen should be fastened neatly
up at one end of room, so that it hangs quite smooth; Buff (not blinded)
seats himself on a low stool with his face to the linen, and a table, on
which is a lighted candle, should be placed about four or five feet
behind him, and the rest of the lights in the room extinguished. Buffy’s
playfellows next pass in succession, between the candle and him,
distorting their features in as grotesque a manner as possible--hopping,
limping, and performing various odd antics, so as to make their
_shadows_ very unlike their usual looks. Buffy must then try to guess to
whom the shadows belong, and if he guesses correctly, the player whose
shadow he recognises takes his place. Buff is allowed only one guess for
each person, and must not turn his head either to the right or left to
see who passes.
SLATE GAMES.
_Birds, Beasts, and Fishes._--“Now, Tom,” said Harry, “get your slate
and pencil, and I’ll show you such a jolly game. Well now, look here, I
have put down h × × × a. Now that stands for a beast’s name, the first
and last letters of which are _h_ and _a_, with three letters between,
represented by the crosses.”
“Let’s see,” replied Tom, scratching his head, “I know--Hare.”
“You muff! There are only four letters in ‘hare,’ and five in my word.
Try again--mind you have only three guesses; so look out.”
Tom wondered again for a minute, and then suddenly blurted out, “I
know--Horse.”
“Wrong again,” replied Harry; “the last letter of Horse is _e_ and not
_a_. Now be careful, Tom, for this is your last turn.”
Again Tom scratched his head, bit his fingers, and after meditating for
at least two minutes and a half, shouted out in a moment of
inspiration--“Hyena!”
As he was right, it now became his turn to put down a name. So he wrote
on the slate s × × × × × w, at the same time telling Harry it was a
bird; for according to the rules of this game you must say whether this
name represents a beast, a fish, a bird, an insect, or a reptile.
Harry in a minute shouted “Sparrow!” and so the game went on; and such a
capital game did Tom and Harry have, that they sent this account of it
to us in the hope that we would make it known to the world in “Every
Boy’s Book.”
_French and English._--On the slate should be drawn a plan somewhat like
the following. The dots represent soldiers, one side being termed French
and the other English. Each player is provided with a sharply pointed
pencil, and the game is played as follows:--English, keeping the point
of his pencil on a spot denoted by a cannon, draws it quickly across the
slate in the direction of the other army. The pencil naturally leaves a
line to mark his track, and if this mark passes through any of the men
belonging to the other side, they are considered dead. The game is over
as soon as all the men on one side are dead. Each player has a certain
space on the slate allotted to him, and he may dispose his men in
whatever part of it he pleases. The track of the pencil must be straight
or curved; any shot in which there is an angle does not count. In p. 38
we give a battle-field where the strife is ended. In this the English
side has killed all the opposite side in eight shots, while the French
in eight have only been able to kill nine men.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
_Noughts and Crosses._--This is a capital game, and one which every
school-boy truly enjoys. A figure is drawn as follows, and the object of
the one player is to draw three crosses in a line before the other can
draw three noughts. Thus A begins by drawing a + in the centre division;
B follows with a nought in the top right-hand corner. A then draws a +
in the bottom right-hand corner, because by this means he gets two
crosses in a line, and spoils one of B’s chances. B in a hurry instantly
places a 0 in the top left-hand corner, and A follows by placing his +
between the two 0’s. B then, seeing that in the centre line A already
has two crosses, places a 0 in the third vacant space of the line; while
A, as a last resource, plants his + in the second space of the left-hand
line. Then when B puts a 0 in the centre space at the left-hand, A
places a + in the bottom left-hand corner, and the game is drawn, the
plan standing as above.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
TRADES.
Every player, except one who holds the office of reader, selects a trade
or profession, which he must retain throughout the game. When all have
chosen their trades, the reader opens a book at random, and reads a
passage from it aloud; but when he comes to any common noun, he looks at
one of the tradesmen, who must instantly name some article that he is
supposed to have for sale, or some implement connected with the exercise
of his craft. By this substitution of one noun for another, the most
pathetic passage is converted into an indescribable jumble of
absurdities. In the following burlesqued extract from an Eastern tale,
the words in italics are supposed to be supplied by the different
tradesmen, in place of the nouns omitted by the reader:--
“One offered the prince a _bucket_ of the most precious _mutton chops_
of Golconda; another a curious piece of a _Wellington boot_, made by a
European artist; another a piece of the richest _plum-pudding_ from the
looms of China; another _a gridiron_, said to be a sovereign remedy
against all poisons and infectious diseases; another a choice piece of
the most fragrant _Turkey rhubarb_, in _a warming-pan_, inlaid with
_acid drops_; another _a coffin_ full of genuine _treacle_; another _a
rocking-horse_ of the purest breed of Arabia; and another _a Flanders
brick_ of exquisite beauty. The whole court of the palace was overspread
with _gingerbread-nuts_; and long rows of slaves were continually
passing loaded with _corn-plasters_, _tenpenny-nails_, _bees’-wax_, and
other articles of high price.”
TRUSSED FOWLS.
Two boys having seated themselves on the floor, are _trussed_ by their
playmates; that is to say, each boy has his wrists tied together with a
handkerchief, and his legs secured just above the ancles with another;
his arms are then passed over his knees, and a broomstick is pushed over
one arm, under both knees, and out again over the other arm. The
“trussed fowls” are now carried into the centre of room and placed
opposite each other, with their toes just touching. The fun now begins;
as each fowl endeavours, with the aid of his toes, to turn his
antagonist over on his back or side, and the one who can succeed in
doing this wins the game. It frequently happens that both players turn
over together, to the great amusement of the spectators. On board ship
these comical encounters frequently take place between the boys, who are
trussed by their elder shipmates.
THE TWO HATS.
This game, although only two persons are engaged in it at a time,
furnishes much amusement, from the contradictory nature of its words and
actions. The rules relative to it are as follow:--If three mistakes are
made by the person who responds to the inquiries of the player who
brings the hats round, and whom for distinction’s sake we will call the
questioner, he must pay three forfeits, and is out of the game; when the
questioner desires the respondent to be seated, the latter must stand
up; when he begs him to put his hat on, he must take it off; when he
requests him to stand, he must sit; and in every point, the respondent
must take special care to do always the very reverse of what the
questioner wishes him. The questioner may sit down, stand up, put his
hat on, or take it off, without desiring the respondent to do so, or
giving him the least intimation of his intention; the latter must,
therefore, be always on his guard, so as to act in a contrary way in an
instant, else he incurs a forfeit. These rules being settled, the game
is simply this: one player places a hat on his head, takes another in
his hand, and gives it to one of the company; he then begins conversing
with him, endeavouring both by words and actions to puzzle him as much
as he can, so as to cause him to pay a forfeit. We will give a slight
specimen of a dialogue, describing the accompanying movements of the
hats, in which A is the questioner, B the respondent:
A. (_taking his hat off._) A very beautiful evening, sir.
B. (_putting his hat on._) Yes, indeed, a most lovely one.
A. (_putting his hat on, and sitting down_, B. _instantly taking his off
and getting up_.) Pray be seated, sir; I really cannot think of sitting
while you stand (_gets up, and_ B. _sits down_). Have you been out of
town this year? (_takes off his hat._)
B. (_putting his on._) I have not yet, but I think I shall, before (A.
_sits down_, B. _gets up_) the beauty of the season has entirely passed
away, venture a few miles out of town.
A. (_putting his hat on._) I beg ten thousand pardons, you are standing
while I am sitting; pardon me, your hat is on--you must pay a forfeit.
It generally happens, that before the dialogue has been carried thus far
the respondent has incurred three forfeits, and is, of course, out; the
questioner then goes in succession to the others, and the same scene is
repeated by each: the conversation, it is almost needless to add, should
be varied as much as possible, and the more nonsensical it is the
better.
WHAT IS MY THOUGHT LIKE?
The leader of the game commences it by asking each of his companions in
turn, “What is my thought like?” to which they reply at hazard, by
mentioning anything that first comes into their thoughts, of course
avoiding naming the same thing twice over, as that incurs the penalty of
a forfeit. The leader carefully notes down all the answers he receives,
and then revealing his thought, desires to know what the thing thought
of resembles in what it has been compared to.
_John._--Charles, what is my thought like?
_Charles._--A young girl.
_John._--James?
_James._--A queen.
_John._--Now, Harry?
_Harry._--A lion.
_John._--Tom?
_Tom._--Beauty.
_John._--You, William?
_William._--An oak-tree.
_John._--Alfred, it is your turn.
_Alfred._--A beautiful woman.
_John._--Andrew?
_Andrew._--Hope.
_John._--Arthur?
_Arthur._--A hedgehog.
_John._--Ben?
_Ben._--A rose.
_John._--And you, Cecil?