is sent out of the room, and during his absence the others decide upon a
well-known proverb which he must, by asking questions, guess on his
return. The answers to the questions must each contain one word of the
proverb. For instance, suppose the players fix on the proverb "It's
never too late to mend," the question asked, and answers given, will
perhaps be similar to the following;--
Questioner (to first player).--"Is the proverb one that you would
guess easily?"
Answer.--"As I'm not in your place =it's= impossible for me to say."
Questioner (to second player).--"Am I mistaken, or did I see you at
the theatre last night?"
Answer.--"I =never= go to theatres, so you must have made a
mistake."
Questioner (to second player).--"Do you consider this game amusing,
or the reverse?"
Answer.--"At the present moment it's really =too= amusing for me to
keep my countenance."
Questioner (to fourth player).--"How was it I didn't see you at
dinner, Mr. Francis?"
Answer.--"I was detained at the office, so arrived =late=."
Questioner (to fifth player).--"Were you skating this afternoon,
Miss Philips?"
Answer.--"No, I meant =to= have gone, but felt too tired after last
night's festivities."
Questioner (to sixth player).--"You're looking terribly bored, Miss
Jones, would you rather take my place?"
Answer.--"I would willingly; but my doing so wouldn't =mend=
matters."
If the interrogator cannot discover the proverb after the first round of
questions and answers, he must go round again, and again. The player
whose answer reveals to him the proverb, must go outside in his place.
The following proverbs are all excellent for this game:--
"A new broom sweeps clean."
"A stitch in time saves nine."
"Make hay while the sun shines."
"Waste not, want not."
"Never put off till to-morrow what you can do to-day."
"Fine feathers make fine birds."
"Marry in haste, repent in leisure."
"The empty vessel makes the greatest sound."
"Make the best of a bad bargain."
"Out of sight, out of mind."
"Safe bind, safe find."
"Half a loaf is better than no bread."
"A rolling stone gathers no moss."
"One good turn deserves another."
"Look before you leap."
"Faint heart never won fair lady."
"A friend in need, is a friend indeed."
"A bad workman quarrels with his tools."
"A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush."
"A cat may look at a king."
"Aching teeth are ill tenants."
"A creaking door hangs long on the hinges."
"A drowning man will catch at a straw."
"After dinner sit a while, after supper walk a mile."
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Each player is furnished with a pencil and two slips of paper. On the
first slip a question must be written. The papers are then collected and
put into a bag or basket.
Then the players write an answer on their second slip. These are put
into a different bag, and the two bags are then well shaken and handed
round to the company.
Everyone draws a question and an answer, and must then read the two out
to the company.
The result is sometimes very comical; for instance:--
Question: "Do you like roses?"
Answer: "Yes, with mustard."
Question: "Where are you going to this summer?"
Answer: "I am very much afraid of them."
Question: "Do you like beef?"
Answer: "Yes, without thorns."
Question: "Do you like spiders?"
Answer: "To Switzerland."
RUTH AND JACOB
One player is blindfolded, the rest dance in a circle around him till he
points at one of them. This person then enters the ring, and when the
blind man calls out, "Ruth," answers, "Jacob," and moves about within
the circle so as to avoid being caught by the blind man and continues to
answer, "Jacob," as often as the blind man calls out, "Ruth." This
continues until "Ruth" is caught. "Jacob" must then guess who it is he
has caught; if he guesses correctly, "Ruth" takes his place, and the
game goes on; if he guesses wrongly, he continues to be "Jacob."
RHYMES
A number of slips of paper are passed among the players and each one is
asked to write upon one of the papers, two words which will rhyme. These
papers are collected and in turn read aloud, the players then writing
short stanzas employing the rhyming words. It is amusing to note in what
very different ways the same set of words is treated by the various
players. The usual forfeits may be claimed if the players fail to write
the rhyme in a given time.
SKETCHES
Each player is asked to draw a haphazard line on a piece of paper. The
line may be anything he wishes and does not need to suggest or resemble
any object. The papers are collected and again distributed. Any player
getting his own drawing may exchange with any one he wishes. Each player
must draw the picture of some object, using in its composition, the
original haphazard line.
TRAVELER'S ALPHABET
The players sit in a row and the first begins by saying, "I am going on
a journey to Athens," or any place beginning with A. The one sitting
next asks, "What will you do there?" The verbs, adjectives, and nouns
used in the reply must all begin with A; as "Amuse Ailing Authors with
Anecdotes." If the player answers correctly, it is the next player's
turn; he says perhaps: "I am going to Bradford." "What to do there?" "To
Bring Back Bread and Butter." A third says: "I am going to
Constantinople." "What to do there?" "To Carry Contented Cats." Any one
who makes a mistake must pay a forfeit.
THOUGHT READING
This is a very good game, which always causes considerable amusement,
and if skilfully carried out will very successfully mystify the whole
company.
It is necessary that the player who is to take the part of
thought-reading should have a confederate, and the game is then played
as follows.
The thought-reader, having arranged that the confederate should write a
certain word, commences by asking four members of the company to write
each a word upon a piece of paper, fold it up in such a manner that it
cannot be seen, and then to pass it on to him. The confederate, of
course, volunteers to make one of the four and writes the word
previously agreed upon, which is, we will suppose, "Hastings."
The thought-reader places the slips of paper between his fingers, taking
care to put the paper of his confederate between the third and little
finger; he then takes the folded paper from between his thumb and first
finger and rubs it, folded as it is, over his forehead, at each rub
mentioning a letter, as H. rub, A. rub, S.T.I.N.G.S., after which he
calls out that some lady or gentleman has written "Hastings." "I did,"
replies the confederate.
The thought-reader then opens the paper, looks at it, and slips it into
his pocket; he has, however, looked at one of the other papers.
Consequently he is now in a position to spell another word, which he
proceeds to do in the same manner, and thus the game goes on until all
the papers have been read.
THE LITTLE DUTCH BAND
The players sit or stand around the room in a circle. The leader assigns
to each some imaginary musical instrument--horn, fife, drum, trombone,
violin, harp, flute, banjo, etc. Some well known, but lively air is
given out and the band begins to play, each player imitating as nearly
as possible the instrument he has been assigned. All goes well until the
leader suddenly drops his instrument and begins playing on that of
another of the band. At this the player to whom that particular
instrument has been given must change his attitude and imitate the
instrument the leader has dropped. Again the playing goes on until the
leader drops this instrument and takes up that of another player, and
this player takes up the leader's instrument. Close watch must be kept
of the leader that the players may detect the instant he takes up a new
instrument. The player failing to change immediately must pay a forfeit.
Much fun may be had from this game. It may be carried on with a little
practice without any perceptible break in the music and with a few
talented players it is even harmonious.
"WHAT'S MY THOUGHT LIKE?"
The players sit in a circle and one of them asks the others: "What's my
thought like?" One player may say: "A monkey"; the second: "A candle";
the third: "A pin"; and so on. When all the company have compared the
thought to some object, the first player tells them the thought--perhaps
it is "the Cat"--and then asks each, in turn, why it is like the object
he compared it to.
"Why is my cat like a monkey?" is asked. The other player might answer:
"Because it is full of tricks." "Why is my cat like a candle?" "Because
its eyes glow like a candle in the dark." "Why is my cat like a pin?"
"Because its claws scratch like a pin."
Any one who is unable to explain why the thought resembles the object he
mentioned must pay a forfeit.
=FORFEITS=
In going through this book of games the reader will find that the
players for various reasons are penalized or required to pay a forfeit.
When a player is so fined he must immediately surrender some pocketpiece
or personal belonging as a pawn or security which may later be redeemed
when "Blind Justice" passes the real sentence.
The players usually select some ready witted person to assume the part
of Justice, another acts as Crier or Collector. Justice is blindfolded
and the Crier holds the article over his head saying: "Heavy, heavy
hangs over thy head." Justice asks: "Fine or Superfine?" If it be an
article belonging to a gentleman the Crier answers "Fine;" if it belongs
to a lady he answers, "Superfine," and asks, "What shall the owner do to
redeem his (or her) property?" and Blind Justice renders the sentence.
If the proper person has been chosen for Justice a great deal of fun may
be caused by the impromptu imposition of ridiculous penalties.
Or the persons making up the party may in turn take the part of Justice,
each imposing a penalty. Some of the most familiar penalties are:
Put one hand where the other cannot touch it--Grasp the elbow.
Take the Journey to Rome.--The culprit is required to go to each person
and say that he or she is going on a journey to Rome and ask whether
they have anything to send to the Pope. The players load him up with
various articles, the more cumbersome the better, which he must carry
until every person has been visited. Then he must walk out of the room
and back, distributing the articles to their proper places.
Spell Constantinople.--When the offender begins to spell and reaches
C-o-n-s-t-a-n-t-i-, the players cry "no" (the next letters in the word
being n-o). Each time the culprit gets to C-o-n-s-t-a-n-t-i-, the
players cry "no," and unless he knows the trick he will begin the
spelling again and again.
Kiss Your own Shadow.--If the culprit is not familiar with this forfeit
he will kiss his own shadow on the wall, but realizes how foolish he was
when he sees some other victim place himself between the light and a
lady and kiss his shadow which then falls on the lady.
Sit Upon the Fire.--This forfeit will puzzle the culprit, but may be
easily accomplished by writing the word "fire" on a slip of paper and
sitting upon it.
Ask a Question Which cannot be Answered in the Negative.--"What do the
letters y-e-s spell?"
Kiss a Book Inside and Outside Without Opening the Book.--This
apparently impossible feat may be accomplished by kissing the book
inside the room and then carrying it outside of the room and kissing it
there.
Take a Person up Stairs and Bring him Down on a Feather.--This is
another apparently impossible feat but of course there is "down on a
feather."
Act Living Statue.--The victim must stand upon a chair and is posed by
the players in succession according to their various ideas of Grecian
statuary, giving the victim various articles to hold in his hand such as
pokers, shovels, etc.
Leave the Room with two Legs and Come Back with Six.--This sentence can
be fulfilled by going out of the room and carrying a chair into the room
when you come back.
Perform the Egotist.--The culprit is required to drink his own health
and make some flowery speech concerning himself. If his speech is not
egotistic enough the players may again and again demand a more
flattering one.
Place three Chairs in a Row, Take off Your Shoes and Jump Over them.--It
is very funny to hear the culprit plead that he could not possibly jump
over the three chairs when the sentence means to jump over his
shoes--"take off your shoes and jump over them."
The Three Salutes.--The victim is required to "Kneel to the prettiest;
bow to the wittiest and kiss the one he loves the best." The easiest way
to pay this forfeit is to kneel to the plainest, bow to the dullest and
kiss the one for whom he cares the least.
Kiss the Lady you Love the best without letting any one know.--This is
performed by the condemned kissing several ladies, or perhaps every lady
in the room.
Imitate a Donkey.--The culprit must bray like one.
Play the Shoemaker.--The culprit must take off his shoe and pretend to
drive pegs into it.
Shake a Coin off the Head.--This may be made productive of much
amusement. The leader, having wetted a coin, presses it firmly for
several seconds against the forehead of the victim. When he withdraws
his thumb he secretly brings away the coin, but the victim invariably
believes that he can still feel it sticking to his forehead, and his
head-shaking and facial contortions to get rid of his imaginary burden
are ludicrous. It is understood at the time the sentence is pronounced
that he must shake the coin off and must not touch it with his hands.
The Three Questions.--The victim is required to leave the room. Three
questions are agreed upon in his absence, and he is requested to say
"yes" or "no" to each as they are asked him, not knowing, of course,
what the questions are, the result is usually embarrassing, he finds he
has made some ignominious admission, has declined something he would be
very glad to have or accepted something he would much rather do without.
Go to Market.--The culprit is ordered to go to market with some one of
the opposite sex. They stand about eight feet apart, facing each other,
and the culprit asks his companion if she likes apples (or any article
he may choose), if the answer is "yes," she takes a step forward, if
"no" a step backward. If something is liked very much or disliked very
much a long step is taken. Then she asks him a question which is
answered by stepping forward or backward and so on until they meet when
a kiss is usually claimed and taken.
Place a Straw or Small Article on the Ground in Such a Manner that No
one Present can Jump Over It.--This is done by placing the article
against the wall.
Bite an Inch Off the Poker.--A poker is held about an inch from the
face, making a bite--of course, the person does not bite the poker but
"an inch off the poker."
Blow a Candle Out Blindfold.--The person paying the forfeit is shown the
exact position of the candle and then blindfolded, and having been
turned about once or twice is requested to blow it out. The cautious
manner in which the person will go and endeavor to blow out the clock on
the mantle piece or an old gentleman's bald head, while the candle is
serenely burning a few feet away must be seen to be appreciated.
The German Band.--This is a joint forfeit for three or four persons,
each of whom is assigned some imaginary instrument and required to
impersonate a performer in a German band, imitating not only the action
of the players but the sound of the instrument as well.
GAMES FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS
=NEW YEAR'S DAY=
Resolved:--To do my best to-day--
Tomorrow is far away.
New Year's day calling and receiving--the custom of our Grandmother's
time--is in vogue again.
If it is desirable to announce that one wishes to receive callers on
that day, the visiting card of the party or parties receiving with the
words--"At Home January the first, 19--, from -- to -- P. M.," and the
address written upon it, may be sent to one's friends.
Or upon the back of a visiting card may be written, "Let me (or us) wish
you a Happy New Year on January the first. At Home from -- to -- P. M.
Address ----------------."
Simple refreshments should be served, hot tea, coffee or chocolate with
sweet or salted wafers--fruit punch with sweet wafers--bouillon in cups
with salted crackers.
Two, three or all of these beverages with assorted wafers, etc., could
be served from the dining room table, giving an opportunity to cater to
the individual taste of one's guests.
Have a center piece of three large white tissue paper bells tied
together with white ribbon. Place them on their side with long ribbon
streamers coming from underneath each one and in the center of the
three place another white bell, open side up, holding an infant doll to
represent the new year. Intertwine a few sprays of asparagus fern or
smilax.
It is not wise to serve intoxicants to New Year's callers thus adding a
drop to the bucket that will overflow eventually with regret and
remorse.
New Year's Day Party Invitations may be in hour glass form cut from
heavy white paper, or bell shape.
Decorations of evergreen festoons and wreaths are appropriate, also the
tissue paper bells and festoons and holly and mistletoe.
A pretty center piece for the table is a large pile of snow balls made
of cotton and sprinkled with diamond dust, each one containing a small
favor and having a ribbon attached which runs to each plate and at a
given time the guests may each pull a ribbon and receive a prize.
Refreshments may be ice cream in the form of snow balls, small cakes
with the abbreviated names of the months frosted on, assorted fancy
cakes and bon-bons.
The following games are suggested.
GOOD RESOLUTIONS
Each person is given a paper and pencil and requested to write at the
top of the page the word "Resolved," followed by expressions of
amendment that he or she is conscious of needing. One such attempt at
self examination resulted in the following resolves:
"I will be as honest as the times will permit."
"I will be good to all."
"I will tell no more lies."
"My best self shall rule."
"I will try to love everybody."
These are read aloud and the authorship guessed. All the correct guesses
at the authorship are counted, for the prize of a china mug with "For a
Good Girl" or "For a Good Boy" in letters upon it.
TESTING FATES
Upon the floor are twelve candles in a row, all alight and each of a
different color. Each candle stands for a month in the year. The white
one for January, blue for February, pale green for March, bright green
for April, violet for May, light pink for June, dark pink for July,
yellow for August, lilac for September, crimson for October, orange for
November, scarlet for December. Each child in turn is invited to jump
over the candles, and if the feat be accomplished without extinguishing
a single candle, prosperity and happiness are in store through all the
months of the coming year; but if one is put out, ill-luck threatens in
the month whose shining is thus eclipsed; while to knock one over,
predicts dire calamity.
SPIN THE PLATE
The players seat themselves in a circle except one who gives all a name
pertaining to the calendar and chooses a name for himself. If there are
twelve or less players, each take the name of a month. If more than a
dozen play name them January first, January second, etc.
The player standing in the center of the circle, with a tin plate,
places it upon its edge and spins it, at the same time calling out the
name of a month or day of the month which has been given to one of the
players.
The person named must jump up and catch the plate before it stops
spinning or he must pay a forfeit. It is then his turn to spin the plate
and call some one else into the center.
A NEW YEAR'S EVE ENTERTAINMENT
Look through your old newspapers and magazines and cut out all the
pictures of the famous men and women of the century you find--everybody,
from Decatur to Li Hung Chang, from Daniel Boone to Kruger, from Queen
Hortense to Helen Gould, from Coxey to Kipling. Clip the names off, and
make frames for them of pasteboard and gilt paper.
Write the invitations on the backs of your cards: "You are invited to
attend the opening of the Nineteenth Century Portrait Gallery, on New
Year's Eve,"--fixing the hours to suit yourself.
Then clear your drawing-room of all its furniture and pictures, covering
the walls with the pictures you have framed. In the middle of the floor
make a pedestal of two store boxes covered with a sheet, and on it stand
a girl dressed as the goddess of Fame--draped in a sheet, her hair
knotted in Grecian style, her bare arms hanging straight down, with a
laurel wreath in one hand, and in the other a little package neatly
tied. Light the room with four heavily shaded piano lamps, one in each
corner.
Outside the drawn portieres seat another girl dressed as Time, with
white hair and beard and hour-glass and scythe. And on the floor before
her put a basket woven of evergreens, and filled with little tablets,
each marked with all the numbers that are stuck in the corners of the
pictures. Four little girls of different sizes as the Seasons--Spring
with a wreath of artificial jonquils, Summer with roses, Autumn with
chrysanthemums, Winter with holly--stand on the stairs to receive.
As the guests arrive they are led up to Time, who bids them enter his
temple of Fame, and write down on the tablets he gives them, the names
of those they recognize.
They enter and begin their inspection of the pictures, putting down such
as they know--or think they know; and incidentally making many mistakes.
And when they have finished the round of the room, they sign their
tablets, drop them into Time's basket, and are led away by a Season to
the supper room.
When all the guests have made the tour of inspection, and the prize has
been adjudged, the winner is escorted back to the "gallery" by the whole
company, to receive from the hands of the Goddess the laurel wreath and
its little golden duplicate that the package contains.
SUGGESTIONS FOR NEW YEAR PARTIES
A novel way of selecting partners for a New Year's party is to paint
upon water color paper such objects as may illustrate the different
months of the year. A candle for January, to represent Twelfth Night, or
"The Feast of Candles." February, a heart for St. Valentine. March, the
shamrock, as complimentary to St. Patrick. For April, an umbrella, the
sign of rain. May, the month for moving, is represented by a sign upon
which are the words, "House to Let." June, of course, is the month of
roses, while a fire-cracker is always symbolical of July. A fan for the
hot month of August, and a pile of school books for the first days of
September. Hallow-e'en, the gala day of October, has a Jack-o'lantern,
while the year closes with a turkey for Thanksgiving and a stocking for
Christmas.
Cut these out and fasten a loop of ribbon to each one, except the
fire-cracker, where a bit of cord will answer both for the fuse and the
loop by which to hang it. These are for the ladies, while the men will
receive plain cards upon each one of which is written a month of the
year. If there be more than twenty-four guests there are many other
available days, as Arbor Day, represented by a tree; a hatchet for
Washington's Birthday; a flag for Flag Day; a saw, trowel or spade for
Labor Day, and a ballot box for Election Day. If it be necessary to use
these extra days the plain cards must be numbered to designate the
different days of the same month. For instance, the card that
corresponds with St. Valentine's Day will be February No. 1, while the
bearer of February No. 2 will be the partner for the holder of the
Washington's birthday illustration.
The same idea may be carried out for dinner favors, painting the various
objects on cards about four by six inches in size, and pasting on one
corner a small calendar. When the guests arrive they will be given the
plain slips upon which are written the months of the year, and must then
find at the table the calendars that correspond with their cards.
=LINCOLN'S BIRTHDAY=
At dinners, parties and entertainments given on February 12th, the
anniversary of the birth of our immortal Lincoln, one aim of the host or
hostess should be to imbue the affair with the spirit of patriotism; so
use the good old red, white and blue for the color scheme in decorating.
Busts and pictures of Lincoln, national emblems, such as the flag,
shield, American Eagle, etc., and military accouterments would make
appropriate decorations.