I said last week that I would try to think of some other pleasant
evening entertainment for the little club which asked the Postmistress
to help them in that way. Here is the game of RHYMING. It may be played
by any number of persons. The leader begins by saying to the company,
"What do I think of which rhymes with ----?" any word of one syllable
which he or she may select. We will suppose the word to be hop. The
question will then be, "What do I think of which rhymes with hop?" The
person next will then inquire, "Is it an upper surface?" and the
questioner will reply, "It is not _top_." "Is it an undignified
movement?" the next may ask, and the answer will be, "It is not _flop_."
"Is it an implement?" somebody else may say, and the reply will be, "It
is not _mop_." And so on, until some fortunate inquirer guesses the word
which is in the leader's mind, which may be fop, lop, stop, or any other
word which rhymes with hop. This game will furnish a circle of bright
young people with fun and good-humored amusement for an hour or two, and
will, besides, give them an exercise in definitions which will help to
increase their vocabulary.
* * * * *
A PREDICAMENT.--The other evening Charlie and I were reading the life of
an eminent English artist, David Cox. At one time he gave lessons in
drawing, and as his pupils' houses were quite distant from each other,
he bought a pony to carry him from place to place. "The pony had
previously belonged to an apothecary, and was accustomed to go round
with the lad who took out medicines to the residences in the
neighborhood. Having been often employed on this business, he knew the
connection well, and did not need to be told where to stop. This
knowledge had not forsaken him when Mr. Cox became his owner, and when
the drawing-master mounted him to go to his teaching, he fancied that he
was taking out medicines still. Accordingly, often during the journey he
pulled up short at somebody's door where he had been used to deliver the
pills and lotions, and his rider had much difficulty in getting him to
proceed. On one occasion Mr. Cox was actually obliged to dismount, hitch
the bridle to a gate, and make a pretense of going up to the house,
before the pony could be persuaded to budge an inch."
* * * * *
The Postmistress wants you to tell her which English poet it was who
wrote the history of a kind of chair. You know chairs have a history,
and a very interesting one too. In which of his works can you find the
passage referred to? What can you tell about himself, and what were the
names of three dear little friends of his who never spoke a word in
their lives?
The Postmistress will print in No. 108 the names of all who send answers
to these questions. She will also publish the best and most complete
answer which she shall receive to these three questions.
* * * * *
K. MCD.--To become an expert in the art of illustration, severe and
thorough study is the essential thing. You must be an excellent
draughtsman, and that no one can become without practice and training.
Learn to discipline the hand and to use the eye. Study anatomy, and try
to show the varying expressions of the human face, as played upon by
passion, sorrow, delight, content, or despair. Endeavor to catch the
salient points in a situation, and make a picture which shall emphasize
and add to the effect of the descriptive narrative. Your natural talent
for sketching will be a great help to you, but nothing will make you
really successful except patient and persevering study of drawing, and
entire forgetfulness of yourself in your work.
* * * * *