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 Upstairs 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 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-shakings 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
personate a performer in a German band, imitating not only the action
of the players but the sound of the instrument as well.