children from four or five alphabets, printed on card-board, and then
cut up into, say, half-inch squares, with a single letter on each. A
double supply of vowels will be found an advantage. The most simple
mode of using the alphabets is for one person to pick out the letters
forming some word, _e. g._, “nevertheless,” and then hand them, well
mixed together, to another player, who endeavors to discover what word
they form.
Another game is played as follows.—The players, each of whom is
supplied with paper and pencil, are divided equally into two sides,
and the leader having selected a word, suppose “notwithstanding,”
each party sets to work to see how many different words they can make
of the same letters. (Thus from the word above suggested may be made
“not, with, stand, standing, gin, ton, to, wig, wit, his, twit, tan,
has, had, an, nod, tow, this, sat, that, sit, sin, tin, wing, what,
who, wish, win, wan, won,” and probably a host of others.) A scrutiny
is then taken, all words common to both parties being struck out. The
remainder are then compared, and the victory is adjudged to the one
having the largest number of words.
Sometimes the division into sides is dispensed with, and each player
depends on himself. Another purpose for which the alphabets in question
is used is that of forming _anagrams_, in the composition of which
they are a very great assistance, but this is hardly simple enough
for children. We are inclined to doubt whether the results obtained
in this game bear a fair proportion to the labor involved; though it
is unquestionable that once in a way an anagram is produced that is
curiously appropriate. We may instance the following:
Telegraph, Great help,
Florence Nightingale, Flit on, cheering angel,
Astronomers, Moon starers.
A fourth Spelling Game is played by each person drawing, say twenty
letters hap-hazard, and trying to form them into a sentence, the palm
of merit being awarded to the player who at the same time produces
the most coherent phrase, and also succeeds in using the greatest
proportion of the letters assigned to him.
THE “YOUNG FOLKS’ CONCERT.”
The little players sit or stand round the room in a circle. The leader
assigns to each some musical instrument, as harp, flute, violoncello,
trombone, etc., and also selects one for himself. Some well-known tune
is then given out, say “Yankee Doodle,” and the players all begin to
play accordingly, each doing his best to imitate, both in sound and
action, the instrument which has been assigned to him, the effect being
generally extremely harmonious. The leader commences with his own
instrument, but without any warning suddenly ceases, and begins instead
to perform on the instrument assigned to one or other of the players.
Such player is bound to notice the change, and forthwith to take to
the instrument just abandoned by the leader, incurring a forfeit if he
fails to do so.
MARY’S LITTLE LAMB.
This is a great favorite with the young folks. When everything else has
become tiresome, some one starts the first line of the verse,
Mary had a little lamb,
Fleece as white as snow, etc.
All sing, and on the second verse being reached the last syllable _of
the first line_ is dropped, then the next to the last, the third,
the fourth and so on, until the line is totally omitted. The aim of
the singers is to keep exact time, counting a beat for each omitted
syllable, and any one whose voice breaks in when all should be silent,
pays a forfeit. The same can be done with “John Brown’s Body,”
repeating the first verse and omitting syllable after syllable at the
end of the first line until there is nothing left to sing but the
chorus.
FUNNY OUTLINES.
The artistic faculty of the young folks is in this case brought into
requisition. Slips of paper being distributed, each young player
marks on his slip a crooked line of any shape he or she pleases. The
papers are then exchanged, and each has to draw some sort of figure,
working in as part of the outline the crooked line already drawn by his
neighbor.
The best plan in this game is to allow the line already drawn, if
possible, to suggest some figure, and to work out that idea. It
is of course understood that the works of art to be produced are
only expected to be of the very roughest description. If there is a
difficulty in dealing with the outline as it stands, the player is
entitled to place it on its side, or even upside down, if he prefers it.
Thus a curve may suggest a swan, a square may give a hint of a house, a
wave-line of a snake or an eel, a long sweeping curve may fit in as a
horse’s back, or an irregular outline may afford an idea for a comical
face. The sketches produced with strict regard to the conditions of the
game will be found full of fun and novelty, if not characterized by any
high degree of art.
* * * * *
Transcriber’s Notes:
Obvious punctuation errors repaired.
Page 64, “initals” changed to “initials” (of their initials)
Page 65, for the text version the superscripted “d” was changed to “’d”
(S’d be glad)
Page 67, repeated word “the” removed from text. Original read (If the
the sermon has begun)
Pages 99 and 103, the illustration caption is the section header for
the next problem.
Page 134, “Where” changed to “Were” (Were you very sorry)
Page 170, “villian” changed “villain” (leaves of the villain)
Page 173, “o” changed to “to” (adapted to the cone)
Page 205, “gallaries” changed to “galleries” (and other galleries)
Page 230, “quart” changed to “quarter” (to contain a quarter)
Page 250, “noisest” changed to “noisiest” (O the noisiest of all)
Page 274, “liftle” changed to “little” (noxious little creature)
Page 287, “surrround” changed to “surround” (surrounded by pill-boxes)
End of Project Gutenberg's How to Behave and How to Amuse, by G. H. Sandison