bowl of these in the centre of the table, and at each corner lay on the
cloth as a doily a spread eagle cut from gilt paper, the pattern for
which can be taken from a revenue flag or a ten dollar gold piece. Make
the distance from tip to tip of the wings about twelve inches, and from
the head to the tail seven inches. Place upon the eagles dishes of
olives, nuts, and pink candies.
From the chandelier to the corners of the table have sound money
festoons, which are made by cutting out of gilt paper a number of disks
the size of a twenty-five cent piece. Paste these together in pairs,
first laying between them a long thread which connects them through the
middle and forms a chain.
For favors have cards of water-color paper painted around the edges with
a festoon of pink ribbon, in which, at intervals, are knotted scrolls
and documentary envelopes upon which are printed some of the principles
of the Republican party, such as "The Monroe doctrine reaffirmed,"
"Reduction of war taxes," "Allegiance to the gold standard," etc. At the
top of each card write the name of the person whom each guest is to
represent.
In the centre of the card will be the menu, which is as follows:
Post Office Soup
The Army
The Navy Small Shot
Agricultural Salad
Cabinet Pudding
Ices Philippine Cakes
Coffee
A clear soup, with noodles for letters, fills the requirements of the
Post Office. The second course is creamed sweetbreads served in small
paper boxes, which stand upon large pilot crackers, or, in army
language, "hard tack." A sheet of paper folded double, like an army
tent, rests upon the crackers, covering the box; wooden toothpicks stuck
through the sides of the tent into the paper box will prevent the former
from slipping out of place, and can easily be removed after serving. On
the outside of the tents paint in large, clear letters U. S. A. The
crackers are to be eaten with the sweetbreads.
The navy is represented by having the chicken croquettes formed in the
shape of a ship, flat, and having one end pointed, the other somewhat
rounding. From a druggist get two or three straws, such as are used for
soda water, cut them into short lengths, and just before serving, stand
two or three in each croquette to represent smokestacks. If these straws
cannot be obtained, toothpick masts with paper sails will be quite as
effective. The croquettes should be served with green peas--small
shot--and scalloped potatoes.
Agricultural or vegetable salad, served in beets, makes a most
attractive looking dish. Beets of medium and uniform size are first
boiled until tender, then peeled and placed on the ice. When cold cut
off a slice at the bottom, so they will stand firm, scoop out the
insides, leaving only thin walls. For the filling use peas and apples,
celery and beets, cut into small pieces, and mixed well with mayonnaise;
fill the beets, serving them on lettuce leaves. The cabinet pudding is
that which is to be found in any cook book, baked in individual forms,
and served with foamy sauce.
The ices are in the form of horseshoes for good luck, and with them are
the Philippine cakes. These are small cakes having in the centre of each
a tiny black china doll, two of which can be purchased for a cent at any
toy shop. These are put in after the cake is baked and before icing,
leaving them just far enough out to show the arms.
The "coffee which makes the politician wise," may be served at the table
or after returning to the parlor.
INDEPENDENCE DAY NECESSITIES
1. A powerful submarine weapon of offense.
2. A destroying element, and an accompaniment to an
oyster-stew.
3. An ancient civilization, and a feeble means of light.
4. A woman's toilet necessity, and part of a wagon.
5. A color, and the means of warmth.
6. The chief implement of warfare.
7. A two-wheeled vehicle, and the peak of a house.
8. Where Nature's wealth is stored.
9. A kind of stone used in paving.
10. Bardolph's companion in King Henry IV.
11. One kind of headgear.
12. What a wise mother does not do to her baby.
13. A carnation with u instead of i.
14. A musical organization, and a long lapse of time.
15. An Irishman's name, a disorderly uprising, and an
intellectual fad.
The answers are held by the hostess, of course, and are only divulged
after all the guesses are in. They are as follows:
ANSWERS
1. Torpedoes.
2. Fire-crackers.
3. Roman candles.
4. Pinwheels.
5. Red fire.
6. Guns.
7. Cart-ridge.
8. Mines.
9. Flag.
10. Pistol.
11. Caps.
12. Rock it (Rocket).
13. Pink P(u)nk.
14. Band-ages.
15. Pat-riot-ism.
INDEPENDENCE DAY MENU
Soup a la Americaine (Potato)
Colonial Pot Roast
Baked Tomatoes Stewed Corn
Butter Beans
Columbia Salad, with Star-shaped Wafers
Virginia Corn Bread
Independence Pudding, Hard Sauce
Washington Pie Election Cake
Nuts Fruit
Coffee
INDIAN DINNER PARTY
Invitations may be printed or written on birch bark or paper imitations
of same, or on paper cut into the shape of tomahawks, tepees, etc., and
may be hand-painted if desired. Decorations should be Indian blankets
(as portières, couch covers, and mantel draperies), Indian rugs,
baskets, tomahawks, bows and arrows, war clubs, chromos, colored
photographs, clay or papier-mâché Indian heads, plaques and busts, etc.,
any of which would make suitable favors. A miniature wigwam made of
blankets in an out-of-the-way corner, adds effectiveness. Footman and
maids may be dressed in Indian costumes made of burlap with bright
colored trimmings and fringes; or the guests may be invited _en
costume_.
For table decoration a skin should be placed over table cloth through
the centre of the table and upon it an Indian basket filled with any red
or yellow common flowers, such as marigolds or nasturtiums (red and
yellow), or better still with wild flowers, red or yellow.
The menu cards and name cards, of stiff ecru paper, have Indian
decorations in brilliant red, green and orange; the candles are also
striped in the same vivid colors and the candle holders are made of corn
husks. The canoe, designed for the entree, which is the chicken, is made
of heavy brown paper.
MENU FOR INDIAN DINNER
Squaw Soup
(Bouillon)
Wigwam Croquettes
(Fish)
Chicken a la Canoe
Saddle of Mutton
Choctaw Peas Apache Gravy
Arrowhead Potatoes
Calumet Squabs
Pappoose Rolls Wickiup Salad
(Romain)
Prune Sioux
(Feather Cream)
Hiawatha Cakes Indian Punch
Grasshopper Cheese Tomahawk Coffee
INDOOR LAWN PARTY
Our social committee, of which I was then chairman, wanted very much to
have a lawn party; but the season for such things was quite over, as the
evenings were too cool. However, a bright idea occurred to one of our
number, and we decided to have an indoor lawn party.
The Saturday afternoon before it was to take place, four of the
committee took a team, went out into the woods, and secured a lot of
pine boughs, autumn leaves, etc., and Monday evening, which was the
evening before it occurred, we increased our force of workers, and went
to the vestry to turn it, as far as possible, into an outdoor scene. We
trimmed the chandeliers, posts, and every available spot with boughs,
strung Japanese lanterns all across the room, made a beautiful bower in
one corner for the orchestra, for which we had three pieces, a piano, a
violin, and a cornet. In the opposite corner of the room we had a canvas
tent where fortunes were told at five cents each (by palmistry) by one
of our young lady gypsies. Hammocks were swung from the large stone
posts, and a standing double swing was placed on one side of the room,
where the younger people enjoyed themselves hugely.
Small tables were put into odd corners of the room, where ice cream and
cake were served by ten young ladies in pretty summer costumes. Lemonade
was served from an old well, which was a large square box or packing
case, covered with canvas, painted to represent a stone wall. To this we
attached a well-sweep made from a branch of a tree, tied on a large new
tin pail, and served the lemonade in small glasses at two cents a glass.
During the evening we had a male quartette gather around the well and
sing "The Old Oaken Bucket," and other selections. The orchestra played
the whole evening with very short intermissions. On one side of the room
was arranged an artistic corner where peanuts were sold at the usual
price of five cents a bag.
INITIAL CHARACTERISTICS
1. Popular Bishop Phillips Brooks
2. Fought Every Wine Frances E. Willard
3. Serio-Comic Samuel Clemens
4. Fearless Navigator Fridtjof Nansen
5. Won England's Greatness W. E. Gladstone
6. Little Misses' Admiration Louisa M. Alcott
7. Military Suitor Miles Standish
8. Rollicking Bard Robert Burns
9. United States General U. S. Grant
10. Moral Light Martin Luther
11. Eulogizes Antipodes Edwin Arnold
12. Tamed Ambient Electricity Thomas A. Edison
13. A Cunning Delineator A. Conan Doyle
14. Handles Christians Hall Caine
15. Rabid Iconoclast Robert Ingersoll
16. Histrionic Interpreter Henry Irving
17. Serpentine Belle Sara Bernhardt
18. Equality Benefits Edward Bellamy
19. Just Mother's Boy James M. Barrie
20. Frames Many Chronicles F. Marion Crawford
21. Lord High Celestial Li Hung Chang
22. Original, Witty, Humorous Oliver Wendell Holmes
23. Nipped Bourbonism Napoleon Bonaparte
24. Surgeon, Writer, Metrician S. Weir Mitchell
25. Intelligent Zealot Israel Zangwill
26. Collected Delectable Writings C. D. Warner
27. Curiosity Depicter Charles Dickens
28. Cuba's Benefactor Clara Barton
29. Eminently Zealous Emile Zola
30. Character Revealed Charles Reade
31. Caused Revolutionary Discussion Charles R. Darwin
32. Joyous Lark Jenny Lind
33. Fearless Nurse Florence Nightingale
34. Conspicuous Senator Charles Sumner
35. Ever Frolicsome Eugene Field
36. Suffrage Brings Advantages Susan B. Anthony
37. Pens Lyrical Dialect Paul Laurence Dunbar
38. Always Loyal Abraham Lincoln
39. Great Deed George Dewey
40. Won Recent Surrender W. R. Shafter
JACK-O'-LANTERN PARTY
The little guests at this particular party were invited from three
o'clock until seven, and when they arrived they found the rooms were
darkened. The lamps had yellow shades, and as such an occasion would not
be complete without pumpkin Jack-o'-lanterns, there were
"Pumpkins large and pumpkins small,
Pumpkins short and pumpkins tall,
Pumpkins yellow and pumpkins green,
Pumpkins dull and those with sheen."
They hung in every nook and corner. Even the jardinières filled with
flowers were made of them. Wood was crackling and blazing in the large
fireplace, as if anxious to do its part to make every one happy, and
hanging from the chandelier was a branch of evergreen, with nuts
suspended in such a fashion that they readily fell to the floor when
given a slight shake. Before this was done, however, each child was
given a paper bag to hold the nuts, which tumbled in all directions.
Then a huge pasteboard pumpkin covered with yellow crinkled paper was
brought in. I do not know what else it was made of; I only know that it
looked like a real pumpkin. Bright-colored ribbons hung over the sides,
and when the small boys and girls took turns in pulling them, out came
all sorts of comical little toys and pretty knickknacks.
Before supper was announced the children were given French snappers in
fringed paper, in which they found either a gay cap or apron. After
putting them on they marched around the parlors, out into the hall and
into the dining-room, while the mother of the little girl who had
planned this delightful Hallowe'en party played a marching tune for
them.
The greatest surprise of all awaited them in the dining-room, for the
walls were covered with large branches of evergreens, making it seem
like "real woods"; not a chair was in the room; the little ones were
invited to seat themselves on soft cushions placed on the floor, in true
picnic style, and they had the jolliest time eating their picnic supper
from the yellowest of yellow gourds, which had been hollowed out, lined
with Japanese napkins, and filled with just the things children like
best. On top of each one was an apple--or at least they thought it was,
until taking it in their hands, when it proved to be a bonbon box
filled with delicious nut candy. Then there were dainty sandwiches, pop
corn balls and salad in orange baskets. But better than these were the
gingerbread animals; these were so natural looking that the little ones
knew right away which animals were represented.
After supper they played games until seven, when they went home, laden
with their bags of nuts and toys and souvenir lanterns.
JAPANESE CARD PARTY
Invitations may be written as the natives write--up and down, instead of
across, on rice paper or paper napkins; or little Japanese dolls may be
sent, each clasping a note of invitation.
For decorations, use Japanese draperies, cushions, bead curtains, rugs,
baskets, swords, scrolls, umbrellas, vases, fans, lanterns, screens,
bamboo tables and chairs, Japanese fern balls, with tiny Japanese flags
and fans stuck in here and there, red, or red and white Japanese lilies,
ferns combined with red and yellow ribbons, etc.; or the walls of the
rooms may be entirely covered with branches of trees profusely decorated
with cherry blossoms made of pink paper, representing the beautiful
gardens of Tokio. Burning Japanese incense will add to the
effectiveness. The playing cards used should be lacquered designs in red
and yellow--Starlight, Sunlight, Storm, Japanese Lady (Congress brand),
and Japanese Garden, Japanese Scenery, and Sunset (Lenox brand). For the
signals a Japanese gong should be used in place of a bell. The favors
may be Japanese fans, toys and novelties. For keeping score, Japanese
paper fans may be had in pairs (for finding partners), and punched with
a conductor's punch for games won. Or Japanese dolls may be used,
punching their paper kimonos. For prizes, select Japanese incense
burners, vases, cloisonné, tablewares, white metal and bronze
novelties, lacquer goods, handsome fans, or embroidered kimonos.
The refreshments may be served from a buffet--the guests seated Japanese
fashion on floor cushions--and may include rice cakes; tea punch; tea as
a beverage; "Japanese" salad, made of all kinds of vegetables, served in
inverted Japanese umbrellas; cherry sherbet; Japanese nuts, etc.
JAPANESE SOCIABLE
The invitations to a Japanese sociable should be written as the natives
write, up and down, instead of across, and have a cherry blossom or a
Japanese lady in water-colors in one corner of each.
The guests should be informed beforehand that each one is to tell
something or read something about Japan, any little item of interest
that may have been heard or read, a pretty poem or a little story. The
hostess and whoever assists her in receiving should wear kimonos and
have tiny fans in their hair.
Seats in a Japanese corner may easily be arranged of boxes with
portières thrown over them. Numerous cushions may be piled on these
improvised couches and on the floor. A Japanese parasol may be hung in
the corner, tilting forward to form a canopy, and the walls be hung with
bead curtains. The odor from burning joss sticks will contribute to the
realness of the affair. Japanese lanterns should hang about the room.
After the stories have been told tiny bits of paper and pencils may be
passed and each one present should write down the name of the one who
did best according to her opinion. A Japanese cup and saucer are
presented to the one who receives the most votes.
A pretty decorative idea for a Japanese sociable is to cover entirely
the walls of the room with branches of trees, with cherry blossoms made
of pink paper--their color in Japan--scattered profusely over them, the
scene representing the beautiful gardens of Tokio. If musicians are to
be present they may be screened by a lattice covered with gold paper,
and vines intertwined, while tiny incandescent lights shine through.
Souvenirs may be distributed from a jinrikisha covered with the cherry
blossoms.
The dining-room may be readily transformed into Oriental style with very
little trouble. In place of the usual tea-table have several
tabourettes, each holding a teapot, cups and saucers, lemon and sugar
wafers, and Japanese napkins. A cushion made of matting should be placed
on the floor before each tabourette. Those who serve should be in
Japanese costume. Paper cherry blossoms, fastened to tree branches, and
lanterns would make effective decorations.
If it is desired to have a more elaborate menu, it may be served on
Japanese plates, and should consist of sandwiches folded in Japanese
napkins, vegetable salad, and rice in some form. For dessert serve
sherbet, calling it "cherry blossom ice," and with it have wafers. Tea
and Japanese nuts may be served last to complete the Japanese idea.
LITERARY CONTEST
Have small tables numbered and arranged to seat four or six persons.
Select for each table a judge, who will distribute the cards and blanks.
These judges hold the keys to the contests, so that they may be able to
mark the players correctly.
Give each player a card attached to a piece of baby ribbon that may be
fastened in the buttonhole. Upon these cards the number of points gained
may be written, punched with a ticket punch, or marked with fancy wafers
of different colors. The cards must be numbered to correspond with the
tables, and as many number one cards provided as there are players at
table number one, and so on.
When the players are seated at the tables which correspond in number
with the number upon their cards, let the judges distribute blank paper
and pencils, also copies of the questions comprised in the several
contests, among the players at their respective tables.
A different contest must be prepared for each one of the tables.
When everything is ready the hostess of the evening should tap a bell
for "silence," and announce that ten minutes will be given for each
contest; that at the first tap of the bell all must begin to write their
answers out, numbering them according to the numbers on the questions;
at the second tap the judges are to collect the answers at their
respective tables and mark on each player's card the number of points
made. The system of marking is as follows: Each player is given as many
marks as he has answered questions correctly, and the totals are summed
up at the end of the game.
During the progress of the game there must be no talking nor any
questions asked. At the third tap of the bell the players at table
number one go to table number two, and so on, those at the last table
moving up to table number one. This progression continues until all the
players have had their opportunity to answer all the questions in the
contests. At each change blank paper is distributed, and a bell rung as
in the first instance. When the round has been completed the points are
counted and the prizes awarded. A popular book makes an excellent first
prize; a box of candy in the shape of a book, a second; and a "Primer,"
a third.
The following are the various contests:
CONTEST NO. 1
The charming heroine, my friends,
Was known as ---- ("Alice of Old Vincennes").
She lived when Indians were a power,
And not ---- ("When Knighthood was in Flower").
And in those past times, quaint and olden,
She fell in love with ---- ("Eben Holden").
Then, while her friends began to marvel
A rival came, named ---- ("Richard Carvel").
Each rival his keen sword did draw,
And heeded not ---- ("The Reign of Law").
They slew each other, alas! and then
She married a man named ---- ("Crittenden").
The merry bells rang loud in the steeple
And loudly cheered ---- ("The Voice of the People").
The two rode away on a double bike
And lived in ---- ("Stringtown on the Pike").
They did not gossip with each neighbor,
But each one did ---- ("The Portion of Labor").
CONTEST NO. 2
_Write out the following quotations correctly:_
1. Beauty is always a thing of joy.
2. Let us therefore get up and go to work.
3. The man who steals my pocketbook gets very little.
4. Every one who knows you, loves you.
5. Do pretty and you'll be pretty.
6. God keeps the shorn lamb from the wind.
KEY
1. A thing of beauty is a joy forever.
2. Let us then be up and doing.
3. Who steals my purse steals trash.
4. None knew thee but to love thee.
5. Handsome is that handsome does.
6. God tempers the wind to the shorn lamb.
CONTEST NO. 3
_Heroes and heroines--in what books do they figure?_
KEY
1. John Ridd. "Lorna Doone."
2. Agnes Wakefield. "David Copperfield."
3. Pomona. "Rudder Grange."
4. Dorothea Brooke. "Middlemarch."
5. Dorothy Manners. "Richard Carvel."
6. Glory Quayle. "The Christian."
CONTEST NO. 4
_Fill blank spaces with titles of popular novels_
In the little village of S---- o-- t-- P----, F---- f-- t---- M----
C----, lived the H----. P---- S----. With him resided his lovely ward,
J---- M----. She was A---- O----F---- G----, and knew little of T----
W----, W---- W----. She had, however, A P---- o---- B---- E---- and
G---- E----. Among her admirers were R---- C----, J---- H----, and
T---- L---- M----.
KEY
In the little village of "Stringtown on the Pike," "Far from the Madding
Crowd," lived the "Hon. Peter Sterling." With him resided his lovely
ward, "Janice Meredith." She was "An Old-Fashioned Girl," and knew
little of "The Wide, Wide World." She had, however, "A Pair of Blue
Eyes" and "Great Expectations." Among her admirers were "Richard
Carvel," "John Halifax," and "The Little Minister."
CONTEST NO. 5
_Synonyms for names of literary men_
KEY
1. Severe. Sterne.
2. Strong. Hardy.
3. Sombre. Black.
4. Jeweler. Goldsmith.
5. Crossing-place. Ford.
6. Rapid. Swift.
CONTEST NO. 6
_The answers to these questions are the names of authors_
KEY
1. When we leave here we go to our what? Holmes.
2. What dies only with life? Hope.
3. What does a maiden's heart crave? Lover.
4. What does an angry person often raise? Caine.
5. What should all literary people do? Reade.
6. If a young man would win what should he do? Sue.
CONTEST NO. 7
_Give the name of--_
KEY
The most cheerful author. Samuel Smiles.
The noisiest author. Howells.
The tallest author. Longfellow.
The most flowery author. Hawthorne.
The holiest author. Pope.
The happiest author. Gay.
The most amusing author. Thomas Tickell.
The most fiery author. Burns.
The most talkative author. Chatterton.
The most distressed author. Akenside.
Again, the hostess may prepare a certain number of blank cards, with the
heading on each one "Who and What?" On a second lot of cards she can
have pasted the pictures of some noted writers--Thackeray, Dickens,
Scott, Dumas, Balzac, Tolstoi, Browning, George Eliot, Carlyle,
Longfellow, Cooper, Emerson, Bryant, Holmes. The pictures of more recent
writers will answer her purpose just as well. These pictures can be
obtained from illustrated catalogues of books. Of these cards there
should be as many as there are guests if the company be a small one, or
as many cards as the hostess may desire; a dozen is a very good number.
Supply each guest with one of the blank cards and a pencil and then
start into circulation the cards on which are pasted the pictures of the
authors. Let the guests pass the cards from one to another, and write
down, according to the number on the picture-card, and opposite the
corresponding number on their own, the name of each author and some book
he has written. This will be found a more difficult task than one
imagines, and numerous guesses will doubtless go wide of the mark. The
one whose card is filled out correctly, or the nearest to it, may be
presented with a copy of some late popular book, and a toy book might be
used as a booby prize.
LITERARY EVENING
In the note of invitation each one should be requested to wear something
suggestive of a book title.
Upon arrival, each guest should be furnished with a card bearing the
names of the entire company. When one fancies he has discovered a title,
he should say nothing about it, but write the title opposite the name of
the impersonator. When as much time has been given to this part of the
program as has been thought desirable, the hostess calls the company to
order and reads aloud a correct list of names and titles, and each
corrects his card accordingly; or, still better, let the cards be
exchanged, so that each must correct that of his neighbor, which will
relieve the victor of the necessity of announcing his own success.