this party to make it a success. When it was held at the home of the
writer, the house was all torn up ready to move out the next day, so the
floors were bare, the curtains were all down and everything looked very
much poverty stricken. All the good furniture was moved out of the
rooms, and store boxes with long boards across made the seats. Mush and
milk was served in tin cups with tin spoons (borrowed for the party). A
flashlight photograph was taken and every one had a thoroughly good
time.
YEW AIR AST TO A
POVERTY PARTTY!
that us fokes of thee Trinity C. E. air a-goin tu hav at the
hous whare Mr. Linscott livs with his wife. It is on Alanson
Strete. If yer cante finde it go to No. 36.
_MONDAY NITE,
MARTCH THEE TWENTY ATE_
RULS AND REGELASHUNS.
Chap. One. Evry womman who kums must ware a kaliko dres and
apern, ore somethin ekally apropriate.
Chap. Tew. All men must ware there ole close and flannill
shurts. Biled shurts and stanup dickys air prohibbitted
onles there ole and rinkled.
_These Ruls Will Bee Inforced to thee Leter._
ONE--A kompetunt core uf mannagers and ades will be in
attendance.
TEW--The hull sasiety wil interduce strangirs and luk after
bashfil fellers.
THREE--There is a-goin to bee lots of phun fore every boddy.
FORE--Phun wil begin tu commance at haf pas seven.
FIVE--Tu git into thee house yew wil have tew pay tu (2)
cents.
SIX--Tu git anny thing tu ete yew will haf tu pay thre (3)
cents.
SEVEN--Yew beter bring lots uv pennies tu pay phines with.
_Kum Irly and Git a Gude Sete._
POVERTY SOCIABLE
YOU ARE ASKED TO THE PARLORS OF GEN. & MRS. SILAS T. JONES
_Wednesday Evening, April Twelfth._
"Come in your rags, come in your tags," but not in velvet
gowns, or you will be fined the usual some, 25 sents. Read
the program and all kum.
REWLS AND REGERLASHUNS
First. Every womin what kums must ware a Poverty dres and
apern, er somethin ekelly erpropriate, an leave her poodle
dorg to hum.
Second. Know gent with biled shirt and dood koller will be
aloud to kum onless he pays a fine of 5 sents.
Third. A kompitent komitty will intruduse strangers an look
after bashful fellers.
VITTLES
Koffy, 5 sents Ginger Kake, 5 sents
KUM AT KANDLE LIGHTIN AN STAY TIL BEDTIME
NO OBSTREPROUS ER BAD BOYS PERMITTED
PRESIDENTIAL COUPLETS
1. Who first at Washington did pledge
The nation's weal to guard and hedge?
2. Which President, most grave and wary,
Was called "Old Public Functionary"?
3. Whose phaeton, made from ship of state,
Conveyed him to inaugural fête?
4. What President, renowned for spleen,
Joined the Continentals when fourteen?
5. Who in his New York home did take
The oath which doth a President make?
6. Who to his inaugural hied
His good and faithful horse astride?
7. When death first made vacant a President's chair,
What Vice-President succeeded there?
8. Who to his inaugural came disguised,
For fear of mischief ill-advised?
9. Who was wounded in Trenton town
When Washington put the Hessians down?
10. Who President again became
Just four year after resigning the name?
11. What President served but thirty days
Ere death dissolved his term of praise?
12. What President, son of a President,
Was known as "The Old Man Eloquent"?
13. Because March fourth on Sunday came,
Who, for one day, deferred their claim?
14. Who, when his oath of office he took,
Was known as "The Wizard of Kinderhook"?
15. Who, after his inaugural vow,
Turned round to kiss his mother's brow?
16. The initials of what President's name
Stand for a phrase which made his fame?
17. Who in the Quaker City neat
Their oaths of office did repeat?
18. Which Chief Magistrate was styled
"The American Fabius" of the wild?
19. "Novanglus" was the pen-name signed
By what President of cultured mind?
20. Who only as President and Commander-in-Chief
Has stood on the battle-field planning relief?
1. Thomas Jefferson. 2. James Buchanan. 3. Martin Van Buren. 4. Andrew
Jackson. 5. Chester A. Arthur. 6. Thomas Jefferson. 7. John Tyler. 8.
Abraham Lincoln. 9. James Monroe. 10. Grover Cleveland, 11. William
Henry Harrison. 12. John Quincy Adams. 13. James Monroe, Rutherford B.
Hayes, Zachary Taylor. 14. Martin Van Buren. 15. James A. Garfield. 16.
U. S. (Unconditional Surrender) Grant. 17. John Adams, George
Washington. 18. George Washington. 19. John Adams. 20. Abraham Lincoln.
PRESIDENTIAL QUESTIONS
What President had a son who became President?
John Adams.
What President died with the now famous words:
"This is the last of earth. I am content"? John Q.
Adams.
Who was the fifteenth President of the United States?
Buchanan.
What Vice-President became President by the death of
Taylor? Fillmore.
By the death of Garfield? Arthur.
What President fought the last battle of the War of
1812? Jackson.
During the administration of what President did the
Louisiana purchase and Burr's treason occur? Jefferson's.
Under what President was the War of 1812 begun?
Madison.
What President outlined a famous foreign policy?
Monroe.
What two Presidents died the same day? Adams and
Jefferson.
What three Presidents were assassinated? Lincoln,
Garfield, and McKinley.
What Presidents served as generals in the Mexican war?
Taylor and Pierce.
During what administration did the annexation of Texas
and the Mexican war take place? Polk's.
PRESIDENTS' NICKNAMES
Let the nicknames of our Presidents form the subject of a guessing
contest. These should be written one at a time upon a blackboard and
numbered. One minute is allowed in which to guess and write down the
name of the Executive to whom the title was applied. The list of
nicknames is as follows:
Rail-splitter of the West? (Lincoln)
Hero of New Orleans? (Jackson)
Old Man Eloquent? (J. Q. Adams)
Canal Boy? (Garfield)
Northern Man with Southern Principles? (Buchanan)
Tippecanoe? (W. H. Harrison)
Honest Abe? (Lincoln)
Rough and Ready? (Taylor)
Let the best list of answers be awarded a prize.
PUSSY WILLOW PARTY
Especially appropriate ideas for an evening's entertainment to be given
the last of March or the first of April are suggested by the pussy
willow. The invitations sent out to the invited friends can be written
on cards brown-tinted like the bark of the trees, and can be very
artistically decorated with the furry blooms, or with paintings of them.
Trim the parlor with pussy willows by filling vases, pitchers, and
bowls. Place the catkins about the room and suspend branches of them
from gas jets and about the windows. The hostess can adorn herself very
prettily with these blooms by making wreaths for the neck and hair, and
by pinning branches of them on the skirt in some design.
For entertainment, pin against the wall at one end of the room a sheet
upon which is sketched a large pussy willow stalk. Distribute paper
catkins among the guests, who, blindfolded, try in turn, to pin them on
the stalk. This affords a great deal of amusement. Those who succeed in
pinning their catkins upon the stalk receive prizes, given according to
the success of the contestants. These prizes are in the shape of favors
appropriately fashioned from the fluffy little pussies. For further
amusement, have cards distributed on which each person is asked to write
favorite quotations or original rhymes beginning with each letter
contained in the compound word "pussy-willow." These are read in turn,
and many gems are brought fresh to each one's mind. One could also
introduce a pussy willow hunt, as another pastime. For the dining-room
decoration use more pussy willows. A pussy willow centrepiece would
carry out the idea nicely, and add to the attractiveness of the table.
Brown and silvery green are suggestive colors for further decorations,
and may be used on the menu cards, making them simple but appropriate
souvenirs.
RED, WHITE AND BLUE LUNCHEON
The entire color scheme of this Fourth of July luncheon must be worked
out in the national colors; as far as possible the doilies used should
be designed in star-shaped patterns, with a border in wash silks of
interwoven red carnations and blue corn-flowers. Suspended directly over
the centre of the table, a huge liberty bell should be hung, composed of
red and white carnations and blue corn-flowers. Depending therefrom
should be ropes of red, white and blue ribbon, terminating at the four
corners of the table. The luncheon to be served should be as far as
possible in the prevailing colors, the ices might be in firecracker
form, and the starry banner should appear wherever it can be introduced.
Draperies and pictures indicative of the occasion should be placed in
conspicuous places, and do not forget a goodly supply of pyrotechnics
to conclude the day. Such a luncheon will certainly commend itself to
all, and most particularly to the younger element.
Write the following verses on cards and pass around among the guests
after they have left the table. Have each verse read aloud previous to
the performance:
1. Though puzzles do our minds distress,
We'd like two good ones now to guess.
2. We'd like to hear you tell to-day,
Some funny things that children say.
3. Describe some woman in the town,
Her nose and hair, her dress and gown;
But do not give us her address,
Nor tell her name, and we will guess.
4. We'd like a story full of fun;
You're gifted, Lyman, tell us one
5. Misery likes company, they say;
We'd like to hear you tell to-day
(Don't hesitate, but now begin)
Of the worst scrape you e'er were in.
6. Your talent gives as much delight;
We wish that you would please recite.
7. Your part in this program to help us along
Will give us much pleasure; please sing us a song.
8. If music hath charms, we wish that to-day
You'd prove it, and something quite charming would play.
9. Tell some joke on yourself, your wife, or your friend.
But we hope that you'll have it pleasantly end.
10. Describe some trip you've taken far,
To Mexico, Europe, or Zanzibar.
11. Give a tale of old time when settlers were few,
Of what they had then and what they did do.
12. Describe some famous picture,
Whether dark or fair.
Please tell us all about it,
And the artist rare.
13. Without a bit of gossip sweet,
This program would not be complete.
Be sure that while the seasons roll,
This crowd will _never tell_ a soul.
"RILEY" ENTERTAINMENT
A "Riley" party was recently held by one of our church charity
organizations. It proved a decidedly unique affair and quite a
profitable one also. The decorations of the church parlors consisted
mainly of paper, which was most artistically entwined about pillar, post
and picture. A large picture of James Whitcomb Riley was placed upon the
wall facing the entrance, and over it in pasteboard letters,
"When the frost is on the pumpkin,
And the fodder's in the shock."
Almost all the young people who had gotten up the entertainment were
dressed to represent Riley's characters, and several of the most
important presided over the booths. At one, which was literally covered
with paper flowers, "'Lizabeth Ann, she can cook best things to eat,"
sold cakes and pies. At another Riley's poems and photographs were sold,
and at still another "The raggedy man! He works for pa," knocked down
apples from an improvised apple-tree as fast as he could sell them. And
among the purchasers were "Little Orphant Annie," "Max and Jim," "Pa and
ma and me, all three," and many others.
While all were busy buying and tasting the good things, "the old band"
marched in.
"Somehow--anyway
I want to hear the old band play
Sich tunes as 'John Brown's body,' and
'Sweet Alice,' don't you know?
And 'The camels is a-comin'' and
'John Anderson, my Jo.'"
And the impromptu band played them. Later in the evening some of the
Riley poems were recited.
SELF-PORTRAITS
"Actions speak louder than words." So runs the old saw; nevertheless, a
single phrase has often served to make a man famous, and many well-known
personages are readily remembered through especially striking or
appropriate utterances.
How many readers will be able to credit the following to the proper
sources?
1. "I am the greatest historian that ever lived."
2. "All that I am, or ever hope to be, I owe to my
mother."
3. "I would rather men should ask why my statue
is not set up than why it is."
4. "My infant son rules his mother; his mother
rules me; I rule the Athenians; the Athenians
rule the Greeks; the Greeks rule Europe, and
Europe rules the world."
5. "Though I have the arm of a woman, I have the
heart of a King, and am ready to pour out
my blood."
6. "Here lies one whose name is writ in water."
7. "Where liberty is _not_, there is my country."
8. "Circumstances! I make circumstances!"
9. "As yet a child, not yet a fool to fame, I lisp'd
in numbers, for the numbers came."
10. "The world is my parish."
11. "With my sword by my side and Homer in my
pocket, I hope to carve my way through the
world."
12. "My country is the world: my countrymen are
mankind."
13. "I am called the richest monarch in the Christian
world; the sun in my dominion never
sets."
14. "I am the State."
15. "Life is a jest, and all things show it; I thought
so once, but now I know it."
16. "If I were an American, as I am an Englishman,
while a foreign troop landed in my country,
I never would lay down my arms--never!
never! never!"
17. "I came, I saw, I conquered."
18. "I could lie down like a tired child and weep
away the life of care which I have borne, and
yet must bear."
19. "I awoke one morning and found myself famous."
20. "Tell your master that if there were as many
devils at Worms as tiles on its roofs, I would
enter."
1. Edward Gibbon.
2. Abraham Lincoln.
3. Cato.
4. Themistocles.
5. Queen Elizabeth.
6. John Keats.
7. Thomas Paine.
8. Napoleon Bonaparte.
9. Alexander Pope.
10. Wesley.
11. Napoleon Bonaparte.
12. Wm. Lloyd Garrison.
13. Charles V.
14. Louis XIV.
15. John Gay.
16. Wm. Pitt, Earl of Chatham.
17. Julius Cæsar.
18. Percy B. Shelley.
19. Lord Byron.
20. Martin Luther.
SEVEN DAYS IN ONE
This fair can be planned by any society that wishes to raise money and
is willing to work to earn it.
MONDAY
Have a booth with everything pertaining to wash-day--wash aprons,
clothes-pin aprons, clothes-pin bags, wash-tubs, boilers, wash-boards,
clothes-lines, clothes-pins, soaps, washing-powder, bluing,
clothes-baskets, etc.
TUESDAY
Have everything a housewife wants for ironing day--ironing-boards,
irons, stands, holders, home-made holders, fine starch, bees' wax,
ironing-board slips, polishing irons, etc.
WEDNESDAY
Wednesday's booth should have everything for mending day, such as
needle-books, stocking-bags, buttons, button-bags, pincushions, papers
of pins, needles, thread, darning needles, darning-cotton,
darning-balls, etc.
THURSDAY
Make Thursday the reception day, arranging this booth as a reception
hall, with a good, live committee in attendance. Have a book for the
guests to register their names and addresses (for future use). Serve ice
cream, cake, lemonade and candy. Introduce strangers and appoint a
special committee to look after the backward ones.
FRIDAY
Let this booth be suggestive of sweeping day. Have plenty of dust caps,
dust bags, dusting cloths, brushes, brooms, dust-pans, dusters, large
colored aprons (which sell readily), etc.
SATURDAY
Let this booth be a regular bakery. Have your friends bake various
things for you to sell, and have on sale all such articles as will sell
readily, such as pies, cakes, cookies, doughnuts, bread, baked beans,
etc.
SUNDAY
Have Sunday the crowning day of all. Arrange to have a piano or organ at
this booth, and secure a full choir or quartet to sing the sacred songs;
have solos, duets, instrumental music and an orchestra if possible. Have
sacred readings and make the time spent here an hour of sacred
enjoyment.
If something extra is wanted let the singers dress in old time costumes
and sing the old sacred songs with an organ accompaniment.
SHAMROCK LUNCHEON
AN IDEA FOR ST. PATRICK'S DAY
The invitations were written upon pale green note-paper, with a shamrock
leaf painted in water-color in one corner. The exquisitely blended
shades of this leaf make it an easy and effective decoration. In truth,
we encountered some difficulty in finding a leaf to copy; but a volume
of Moore's poems, incased by a considerate binder in a shamrock-sprinkled
cover, solved the problem!
The event was called a "Shamrock Luncheon," the hours were from two
until six, and the word "whist" explained our intentions.
The score-cards were cut from green cardboard, in the shape of a large
shamrock; and across the back of each was written a line of a humorous
St. Patrick's Day poem, which we had discovered in a newspaper. The
verses will be found complete at the end of this article. It is adapted
to twenty-four guests, but it is easy to insert more lines if more
guests are invited.
Each lady selected her partner for the game by finding the holder of the
line which rhymed with her own. The score-cards were tied with streamers
of narrow white or green ribbon, which served both to attach the cards
to the gown and to indicate partners in "changing tables"--the green
always playing with a white ribbon. (Care must be taken to tie rhyming
cards, one with green and one with white.)
When partners had been found, the entire poem, sufficiently humorous to
break up all formality, was read. As each line was read, the owner of
the card bearing that line took her seat as indicated, until all the
guests were easily and laughingly seated.
The six small luncheon tables were set with green and white china, and
had for centrepieces pots of blossoming shamrock. Any florist will sell
or rent these.
The menu was as follows:
Fruit Salad
Boiled Salmon Caper Sauce
Potato au Gratin
Chicken Salad in Lettuce Nests
Olives Wafers
Pistachio Cream
Fancy Cakes Iced in Pale Green
Coffee Bonbons
This repast, served by three pretty waitresses in white gowns and green
ribbons, was eminently satisfactory. Green and white bonbons are easy to
obtain. Care must be taken, however, not to carry the color scheme too
far into the menu, as green is not an appetizing color in all kinds of
food.
ST. PATRICK'S BIRTHDAY
"'Twas the eighth day of March, so some people say,
St. Patrick at midnight, he first saw the day!
While others contend 'twas the ninth he was born,
An' 'twas all a mistake between midnight and morn.
But mistakes will occur in a hurry and shock,
And some blamed the baby, and some blamed the clock.
So that with all the talk there was, no one could know
If the child was too fast, or the clock was too slow!
"Now the first faction fight in owld Ireland, they say,
Was all on account of St. Patrick's birthday.
Some fought for the eighth, for the ninth more would die;
And who wouldn't see right, why, they blackened his eye.
"At last each faction so positive grew
That each kept a birthday, and Patrick had two!
Until good Father Mulcahy, who showed them their sins,
Said no one could have two birthdays, but twins!
Said he: 'Bhoys, don't be fightin' fur eight or fur nine;
Don't be always dividin', but sometimes combine.
Unite eight and nine--seventeen is the mark.
Let that be his birthday.' 'Amen,' said the clark.
"'If he wasn't a twin, sure his histhory will show
That he's worth at least any two saints that we know.'
Then they all 'tuk a dhrop,' which completed their bliss;
And they keep up the practice from that day to this."
SNOWDRIFT PARTY
An ingenious hostess provided no little amusement for her guests by what
she called her "snowdrift party." This is how it is arranged:
First of all select from a good book of quotations or proverbs twenty
sentences applicable to snow. Write these twenty verses on twenty cards,
one verse to each card, and number them with the numbers from one to
twenty. Now get together a half dozen pasteboard or wooden boxes, and
fill these with flakes of cotton, wool or white paper torn into small
pieces. Hide the quotation cards away in the snow thus formed. Each
guest receives a wooden teaspoon, tied with ribbon, a note-book and
pencil. The boxes are distinguished by letters or numbers painted upon
them, and lots are drawn to determine in which "snowdrift" each guest
shall dig. The digging is, of course, done with the spoons. Each player
digs in the snow, turning it up spoonful by spoonful, until he discovers
a card. When a card is found the quotation upon it must be read and the
name of the author, if recognized, written down. Each author's name
should be placed in the note-book opposite the proper number of the
card, in order to facilitate the work of the person who reads the lists
to decide the prize. The cards, whether the author is known or not, are
always returned to the box and hidden away in the snow. At the end of
fifteen minutes, work ceases and the diggers begin on new drifts. This
changing is done every fifteen minutes, a player digging always in a new
snow bank until the number of boxes is exhausted. When the game reaches
this stage all note-books or tablets are collected by the mistress of
the ceremonies. She compares the answers in the note-books with her own
list, previously prepared. Incorrect guesses are pruned away with a blue
pencil and the correct ones counted. It is, of course, the player who
has most of these last who carries off the trophy. The prize should be
in some way suggestive of the occasion.
SOCK SOCIABLE
This little sock we give to you
Is not for you to wear;
Please multiply your size by two
And place therein with care,
In pennies or in cents,
Just twice the number that you wear,
(We hope it is immense).
So if you wear a number 10
You owe us 20, see?
Which, dropped into our little sock,
Will fill our hearts with glee.
'Tis all we ask; it isn't much,
And hardly any trouble,
But if you only have one foot,
We'll surely charge you double.
Now, if you have a friend quite dear,
You'd like to bring with you,
Or if you know some one who'd come,
We'll gladly give you two.
So don't forget the place and date--
We'll answer when you knock,
And welcome you with open arms,
But DON'T FORGET YOUR SOCK.
This little verse should be sent with every invitation to the sociable,
accompanied by a tiny sock made of silk or lawn. On the night of the
entertainment, these socks with the money that has been placed in them
are brought by the guests and deposited in a large bowl at the door. The
sociable then proceeds in the usual manner. This is an excellent way of
raising money for some charitable object.
SPINNING PARTY
"Will you walk into my parlor?"
On the upper left-hand corner there was a picture of a spider spinning
his web, and a fly struggling to escape from its meshes.
When the guests arrived they saw an old-fashioned spinning wheel in the
centre of the room, with flax near by, all ready for spinning. They were
told that all must try for the prizes that were to be awarded to the
lady and gentleman who spun the best thread, after five minutes' trial.
The mother of the hostess, who had done such work when a girl, stood
near to give instruction, and to time the contestants. Those who have no
knowledge of spinning can have no idea how much fun there is in trying
to make an even thread, more especially when surrounded by interested
young people of no greater experience. As the different threads were
finished they were fastened to a tag bearing the name of the worker and
then pinned to a square of black cloth that had been pinned to the wall
for that purpose. When all had tried, a committee was appointed to help
the hostess decide to whom prizes should be awarded.
While the spinning was going on the guests whose turn at the wheel had
not arrived and those who had already tried were set to following the
threads of what looked like an immense spider web wound around the
rooms. It was composed of black and white threads, the black threads
being intended for gentlemen and the white ones for ladies. They were
instructed that when they found an end of one of these threads they were
to begin winding it into a ball; but that they must do so very gently,
or the whole web would be knotted so badly that it could not be undone.
When they came to a knot it must be untied. These threads were so
ingeniously twisted together and wound around pictures, bric-à brac,
table legs, etc., that it took some time to reach the farther end, and
every one had plenty of opportunity to talk with every one else. A card
was fastened to the farther end of each thread, and all the cards had
been so well concealed from view that some time elapsed before the
guests knew what they were to find.