GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS FOR THE BLIND
THE WONDERFUL SENSE OF TOUCH
IT cannot fail to strike those of us who are blessed with the use of our
eyes how extremely fortunate it is that our blind friends need not be
debarred from many of our games. Being deprived of their sight, their
sense of touch is developed to such an incredible extent that in the
playing of many games their fingers prove of the same use to them as our
eyes do to us.
Practically all games for the blind can be purchased at very moderate
cost, yet as they can be quite easily made at home the following hints
are offered in the hope that they will prove of use, and help some of
our readers to entertain a friend less fortunate than themselves.
CARDS
An ordinary pack of cards can be very simply adapted to the use of the
blind.
[Illustration: FIG. 1.--Pin pricks showing value and suit of card.]
[Illustration: FIG. 2.--Distinguishing marks for suits and color
respectively.]
By means of a large pin, the designation and value of a card can be
pricked on the back, so that the upraised holes are perceptible to
touch. These values and denominations should be pricked in the corner
where the small designation of the value of a card is always to be
found, as in Fig. 1.
In Figs. 2 and 3 are shown the marks which should be pricked. These are
in the Braille alphabet, now universally understood by the blind, and
read by them with the same ease as we read printing.
[Illustration: FIG. 3.--Values to precede the signs for suits.]
[Illustration: FIG. 4.--Cards prepared for Patience.]
In Whist or Bridge, each person, as he plays his card, states what it
is, King of Hearts, and so on, as this saves feeling the cards after
they have been laid on the table.
A very suitable game, calculated to amuse the player for hours, is
Patience, under all its forms. For this the cards must be prepared
somewhat differently, as in many games the first thing to be
distinguished is the color.
The handiest plan is to mark a B or an R for Black or Red, in Braille
characters immediately before, or underneath the denomination. A glance
at Fig. 4 will serve to show what is meant.
With the cards thus marked, any game of Patience can be played as easily
by a blind person as by an ordinary player.
CHECKERS
An ordinary Checker Board can be adapted for the use of the blind with
very little trouble and no expense.
Cut thirty-two squares of thick cardboard, each square identical in size
with the black squares on the Checker Board. Upon each of the black
spaces one of these pieces of card should be glued, so that when
complete the board is composed of sunk and raised instead of colored
squares.
For the convenience of any ordinary person who may be playing with a
blind opponent, the cardboard squares should be colored black with India
ink.
The checkers usually purchased have a molding on both top and bottom. It
will simplify matters considerably if you can buy a set with one side
only molded. By using the white men with the molding uppermost and the
black men reversed, as in Fig. 5, the difference will be sufficient to
enable the blind person to distinguish by touch.
[Illustration: FIG. 5.--Molded (white) and plain (black) draughts for
the blind.]
The same result can be obtained by glueing discs of cardboard or stiff
paper, upon one side of each man, of one of the sets.
HALMA
The preparation of a Halma board is very similar to that of a checker
board. Having raised the alternate squares with cardboard, the “Homes”
at each corner should be further raised by glueing a piece of cardboard
over all the spaces, and then raising the alternate squares upon this
base, as in Figs. 6 and 6_a_.
[Illustration: FIG. 6.--Section of Halma board showing “Home.”]
In the center of each square a nail should be driven from the back of
the board, with the end cut off and point filed to smoothness. These
nails should project from the face of the board about half an inch. The
ordinary Halma men have a hole on the under side, which enables you to
place them upon the upraised points, where they will be held firmly.
[Illustration: FIG. 6_a_.--Plan of raised corner.]
It will now be necessary to make some alteration in the men, to
distinguish the colors. In Fig. 7 an idea of how this may be done is
given. The Yellow men are left untouched, Black have their heads cut
right off, Red have one half of the head cut away, while the Green have
the head sharpened to a point.
[Illustration: FIG. 7.--Color distinctions for Halma men.]
DOMINOES
Owing to their construction, Dominoes really need no alteration to make
them suitable for the blind, but care should be taken when purchasing
to see that the pips are cut deep into the ivory, so that the player can
tell at a touch how many there are in the piece before him.
CHESS
This is one of the games in which the blind frequently excel, and in
consequence it is a general favorite. The undivided attention they are
able to give, and the natural acuteness which their affliction usually
brings to such a pitch of excellence, serves them in good stead when
playing “the king of games.”
The board should be prepared as in the case of checkers, _with the
exception that points should be made from the back_, in the manner
described in connection with the Halma board.
The different men are, of course, by their construction, easily
distinguishable from one another, but it will assist matters very
materially if a set is used in which the men differ considerably in
shape and size.
In the center of each piece a hole must be bored in the base, large
enough to allow the man to be placed, and removed from one pin to
another with ease. For this reason wooden chess men are preferable.
The question of distinguishing the colors has been solved in various
ways. In some cases the tops of the men of one color have been halved,
as shown in Fig. 8, and this has proved a very satisfactory arrangement.
[Illustration: FIG. 8.--Color distinctions for Chess men.]
Others have used the black men of one set and the white men of another,
but this plan is hardly to be recommended, owing to the similarity
prevailing between all chess men.
The following method seems to be as good as any, and has the advantage
of being easily contrived. Drive a pin firmly into the heads of one set
of men (say the black), and either leave plain, or make a little knob of
sealing-wax around the pinhead. This will render the different colors
perfectly distinguishable to the blind player.
ROUND GAMES
In the majority of round games the blind are able to take an active
part, but this depends very much upon the individual concerned. As a
general rule rough games should be avoided, especially if the space for
playing be limited.
[Illustration: FIG. 9.--The Braille Alphabet.]
Games in which a certain amount of writing is requisite are rarely
suitable, although here again it must be a matter solely dependent upon
the person concerned.
At spelling and guessing games the cleverest seeing player must look to
his or her laurels, for the blind are very quick-witted in such
contests, and frequently have the answer ready while others are still
repeating the question.
As a matter of interest as well as of use, the blind alphabet of the
Braille system is shown in Fig. 9, and by this means letters and notes
can be written, which will be perfectly intelligible to a blind person.
In pricking the characters through a paper, it should be remembered that
the points must be reversed, and the letters begun from right to left,
as the blind person will read from the other side, where the pin-pricked
holes will have raised little points of paper.
INDEX
BLIND, games for, 538
Alphabet, the Braille, 543
Cards, 539
Checkers, 540
Chess, 542
Color distinction for Chess men, 542
Color distinction for Halma men, 541
Dominoes, 541
Halma, 540
Patience cards, preparation of, 540
Bunkum entertainments, 127
Ghost, a home-made, 138
Lectures, Bunkum, 135
Maids of Lee, three old, 133
Thought-reading, 130
Trick shooting, 137
Ventriloquism, fake, 131
CARTOONS and “fake” sketching, 263
Drawing-board for, 263
Easel for, 263
Figured faces, 267
Leading characteristics of, 264
Reversible scenes, 270
Simultaneous drawing of, 266
Smoke pictures, 269
Subjects for, 264
Charades, 76
Scenery and “props” for, 76-82
Children’s party, 477
Ciphers and Cryptograms, 527
Appointment, a musical, 530
Cipher, an early, 528
Cipher, the fractional, 530
Cipher, complicated fractional, 530
Cipher, Government, 531
Cipher, a musical, 530
Cipher, “two letter,” 532
Code, the Nihilist, 529
Letters, “transposed,” 528
Lines, “bounding,” 527
“Sphinx,” the, 531
Writing, secret, 527
Circus, home, 367
Ball-balancing, 376
Barricade and ring entrance for, 367
Barricade, construction of, 368
Cards, trick, 376
Circus horses, how to make, 368
Conjuring entertainment, a mock, 372
Decorations for, 369
Dog, performing, 377
Horses for, 368
Indian sack trick, the, 374
Juggling, trick, 375
Plates for spinning, how to make, 376
Target for trick shooting, 373
Tilting scene, 370
Clairvoyance, 426
Character, keys to, 427
Crystal-gazing, 429
Crystal, use of, 430
Kingdoms, the three, 431
Magnetism, power of, 428
Sense, the sixth, 431
Simple manifestation, 430
Sphere, the mental, 433
Visions, to create, 431
Clog dancing, 244
Clogs suitable for, 244
Double shuffle, the, 247
Single shuffle, the, 246
Slide, the, 248
Standing position for, 245
Variations of double shuffle for, 247
Conjuring, 158
Dissolving coin, the, 163
Magic dye-works, the, 160
“Patter,” 162
Servante, the, 158
Table for, 158
Wand, the magic, 159
Watch and target trick, 165
DISSOLVING views, 396
Apparatus for, 396
Apparatus for lighting, 398
Exhibiting, 399
ELECTRICAL effects, some, 285
Arc lamp, principle of, 289
Battery of cells, how to make, 286
Battery of cells, tray for, 287
Compass test, the, 288
Decomposing water by electricity, 293
Electrical weathercock, an, 290
Electro-plating, 294
Electrotyping, 294
Force, magnetic lines of, 289
Granulating zinc. 287
Primitive electro-motor, a, 291
Spark-producing, 288
Warming water by electricity, 293
Experiments, chemical, 312
Chlorine, with, 313-314
Electric fire, 315
Freezing flask of ammonia to wood, 318
Hydrogen, preparation of, 316
Musical flame, a, 317
Niter paper, 314
Novel fountain, a, 319
Soap bubble, to explode a, 317
Sodium or potassium, with, 315
Water’s affection for ammonia, 318
Experiments, electrical, 272
Discharger, the, 278
Dynamic electricity, 272
Electrophorus, the, 277
Electrostatic motor, an, 282
Faraday’s bell chimes, 284
Frictional machine, for producing electric charges, 283
Gold leaf electroscope, how to make, 276
Leyden jars, how to make, 276
Positive and negative electricity, 280
Special apparatus for, 275
Static electricity, 272
Swinging mannikin, the, 281
Experiments, more, 329
Carbonic acid gas, 338
Coin, a disappearing, 333
Electrified balloons, 335
Electrified paper, 334
Exploding flour, 335
Flying coin, the, 330
Gas-making, 337
Lamp-glass, a cigarette-smoking, 331
Mirror, a novel, 333
Refractory cork, the, 329
Water swinging, 332
Experiments, odd, 320
Glass-cutting, 327
Illusion, an optical, 321
Pyrometer, the, 325
Revolving man, the, 322
Wall, mysterious writing on, 320
Experiments, scientific, 297
Bottle cannon, the, 310
Changing water into wine, 300
Electric fountain, an, 309
Eruption of Vesuvius, the, 301
Floating pins, the, 304
Glass-emptier, a novel, 307
Glass raising, 305
Glass raising, extraordinary, 306
Match trick, a, 298
Peculiar candlestick, a, 302
Swimming paper fish, the, 303
Syphon, 308
Tricolor glass, the, 299
Vacuum, creating a, 305
FIREWORKS, indoor, 400
Designs for, 401
Firework boxers, the, 403
Frame and side wings for, 400
Revolving wheel for, 401
Views, changing, 403
Fortune-telling, 452
Arcana, Major, 461
Arcana, Minor, 462
Cards, by, 452-455
Dice, by, 455
Dominoes, by, 456-457
Futurity, figured, 458
Tarocs, divinations by, 461
GRAPHOLOGY, 465
Character by handwriting, 466-471
Signs of, 466-467
HANDBELL-RINGING, 105
Bell-ringing companies, 106
Flourishing with, 108
Handkerchief manipulation, 169
Bow, the double, 170
Knot, the disappearing, 172
Knot, a flick, 172
Knot, the one-hand, 169
Knot, the wrist, 169
Knots, the instantaneous, 171
Hypnotism, 416
Auto-suggestion, 422
Gaze, the, 416
Hands, motion of, 419
Hypnosis, to induce, 416
Hypnotizer, 422
Hypnotist, 422
Method, the mental, 416
Method, the physiological, 416
Self-hypnosis, 422
Subject awakening, 424
Test, a sure, 417
Timing experiments, 424
“Under-sleep,” 416
ILLUSIONS, ghost, 183
Coffin trick, the, 186
Frauds, mirror, 183
Ghost producing, stage for, 184
Nymph, the sea, 186
Paris, 185
Plan of room for, 188
Reflection, principle of, applied to ghost illusions, 183
Illusions, optical, 519
Black print red, how to make, 526
Color top, the, 525
Dwarf, the man, and the giant, 524
Hills that don’t rise, 522
Pins, the standing, 522
Zollner’s lines, 521
Illusions, stage, 189
Cupboard, the magic, 189
Disappearing princess, the, 199
Floating lady, the, 194
Indian basket trick, the, 197
Mandarin’s head, the 191
Mesmerism, Houdin’s, 195
Queen Mary illusion, the, 193
Reflection, principle of, for stage illusions, 189
Impersonations, 41
Rehearsing, 42
Stage table for, 44
JUGGLING, 225
Double inside fall, the, 228
Double over fountain, the, 231
Double vertical fall, the, 228
Falls from right to left, 227
Horizontal pass, 227
Inside and outside falls, 227
Parallel fall, the, 226
Shower, the, 230
Triple shower, the, 230
Triple over pass, the, 229
Triple pass, the, 229
Vertical fall, 225
MAKE-UP, 26
Adhesia, 29
Crêpe hair, 29
Grease-paints, 26
High lights, 27
Juvenile, 29
Liners, 28
Lining, 26
Lining paint, 27
Lip-rouge, 30
Low lights, 28
Mustache-making, 33
Nose putty, 32
Old age, 31
Removal of, 33
Wig, measuring for, 32
Wig, mid-gray, 31
Wig-paste, 26
Marionettes, 354
Curtains, arrangement for drawing, 356.
Curtain, movable, 356
Figures, home-made, 358
Interior decoration for, 357
Puppets, the working of, 357
Stage, construction of, 355
Stage for, 354
Stage, plan of, 354
Marionettes, living, 363
Black cloth arrangement for, 364
Effects, comical, 365
Stage for, 363
Stage, sectional view of, 364
Minstrelsy, 56
End-men, 56
Interlocutor, 56
Make-up, minstrel’s, 57
Negro minstrel troupe, seating arrangements for, 56
Nigger black, 57
Programmes, 60-61
Songs and gags, 59
Speeches, stump, 59, 65
Wig, end-man’s, 57
Wig, interlocutor and sentimentalist’s, 57
Musical glasses, 101
Harmonica, 101
Musical sketches, 86
Accompaniment, 89
After-dinner stories, 86-87
Burlesque, 91
Dual art, the, 89
Self-accompaniment, 88
Mysteries, black stage, 174
Assistant for, 175
Barrel, the floating, 179
Dimensions of, 177
Head, the floating, 174
Lighting, 178
Vanishing man, the, 181
Mystery, room of, 201
Electric bells for, 207
Ghostly sounds, apparatus for producing, 205
Haunted house, how to make a, 201
Magnet, use of, for mysterious tongue, 209
Mysterious hatstand, the, 206
Plan of, 206
Potato trick, the, 209
PALMISTRY, 437
Characteristics, distinguishing, 437
Hands, 437
Hands, proportion of, 437
Hands, quality of, 437-438
Hands, shape of, 437-438
Hands, texture of, 437
“Mounts” and their signs, 438-439
Palm, principal lines of, 441-443
Phalanges, the, 440
Papergraphy, 220
Parlor games, 475
Apples and nuts, 488
Auction, the, 482
Brothers, the blind, 484
Buff, musical, 481
Cabbages, 478
Coming, the lover’s, 479
Dog, the amiable, 489
Fan fight, the, 480
Gardeners, 476
Hieroglyphics, magic, 481
Jack’s going strong, 486
Lawyer, the, 478
Line, the longest, 481
Name divinations, 486
Panama Canal, 480
Poets’ corner, the, 485
Proverbs, 476
Ring, the missing, 488
Shadows, game of, 476
Telegrams, 479
Tidings, 477
Whistle, the, 483
Wizard photography, 487
Peep-show, 378
Candle stand and roof protector for, 380
Lighting of, 380
Scenes for, 380
Scene-raising apparatus for, 380-381
Stage front for, 379
Peep-show, mechanical, 383
Scene, a double-barreled, 384
Wings, revolving, 385
Phonograph, 97
Programme for, 99
Programme, a Sunday, 100
Records, 97
Songs, humorous, 97
Photo pastimes, 341
Blue print paper, 346
One person in two places, 349
“Photo-chemical,” 344
Photography, meaning of, 341
Photography, spirit, 350
Photos, fireside, 343
Pictures, imitations of crayon, 352
Portrait effects, 352
Printing double, 353
Printing triple, 353
“Stops,” 342
White light, constituents of, 347
Phrenology, 445
Chart, phrenology, 445
Craniology, 445
Side, the humorous, 450
Plate-spinning, 233
Balancing, 236
Plate waltzing, 238
Prepared plates for, 235
Spinning wand for, 233
Table prepared for, 238
Punch and Judy show, 387
Figures, working the, 392
Framework for, 387
Ghost, how to make, 393
Packing up, 389
Puppets, how to make, 390
Scenery for, 389
Stage for, 388
Squeaker, the, 395
Puzzles, 510
Anarchists, the dangerous, 511
Chain, the broken, 513
Checker, the traveling, 510
Diamond cross, the, 513
Donkey, catching, 512
Like to like, 512
Miter, the, 514
Railway problem, 514
Railways, the quarrelsome, 513
Rings, joining the, 510
Rows, the ten, 511
Solutions to, 515-518
QUICK-CHANGE, 34
Cues, 38
Curtain-raiser, 36
Dressers, 37
Entrances and exits, 36, 38
Scenery for, 36
Sketch for, 39
Transformations, one-piece, 39
RECITALS, 116
Attitude for, 116
Gesture, 119
SECOND-SIGHT, mechanical, 211
Codes for, 211-219
Secret Signs, 533
“Cheek,” the, 535
“Eyebrow,” the, 534
Handshake, the, 534
Hat flourish, the, 535
Italian secret society, an, 535
Pass-words, 536
“Patteran,” the, 536
Shadow drawings, 271
Shadow shows, puppet, 256
Plays for, 261
Puppets, how to make, 257
Puppets, manipulation of, 259
Screen for, 256
Stage for, 256
Shadows, figure, 253
Arrangement of screen for, 254
Shadows, hand, 250
Light for, 250
Pictures, how to make, 251
Screen for, 250
Singing, 111
Accompanist, value of, 113
Breathing, 111
Pronunciation, clear, 111
Rehearsing, 114
Songs, modern, 112
Voice production, 111
Suggestions in black, 62
Banjo, 62
Bones, how to play, 62, 63
Jokes, 63
Music for minstrelsy, 66
TABLEAUX, 68
Lighting arrangement for, 71
“Props” for, 74
Staging for, 71
Table-turning, 434
Medium, the, 435
Medium, to discover, 436
Power, magnetic, 435
“Unbeliever,” to discover, 435
Telegraphy, 410
Alphabet, Morse, 415
Framework for, 411
Galvanometer, a, 410
Keyboard, the, 413
Message, transmitting, 414
Needle, magnetized, 412
Pointer, the, 412
Receiver, how to make, 410
Testing, 413
Transmitter, how to make, 410
Telephone, 405
Bar-magnets for, 406
Bar-magnets, testing, 406
Battery with connection, 407
Magnets, cases for, 406
Microphone, 408
Microphone, connection with, 409
Microphone experiment, 409
Mouthpieces, how to make, 406
Receivers, 405-406
Theatricals, 11
Back-cloth for, 21
Fire for stage, 19
Fireplace for, 19
“Flats” for, 14-15
Footlights, the, 13
Gesture for, 23
Graining, 21
Make-up for, 24
Plays for, 22
Potzentausend, play of, 22-24
Prompter for, 23
Proscenium, the, 21
Scenery for, 13-14
Scene-painting, 21
Stage for, 12-13
Stage door, the, 15-18
Stage-manager, 25
Stage porch, the, 18
Stage sideboard, 20
Stage trees for, 14
Stage windows, 15
Wigs for, 22
Tight-rope, the, 240
“Backward spring,” the, 243
“Backward walk,” the, 243
Balancing pole, the, 241
Fixing bars for, 240
“Forward spring,” the, 243
“Forward walk,” the, 242
Trick balancing on, 240
Tricks and puzzles, parlor, 490
Banana, the obliging, 500
Bands, the mysterious, 501
Bite, the magician’s, 506
Bottle, to blow through, 494
Fish, dying, 498
Needle-threading extraordinary, 505
Repeater, the magic, 499
Scissor trick, 494
Smoker’s fancy, 501
String puzzle, 503
Sunshine trick, 507
Tangrams, 490
Will-power test, 499
UNIVERSAL hat, 50
Chapeaugraphy, 50
VAMPING, 92
Vamping chords and relative changes, 93-96
Ventriloquism, 140
Breathing for, 143
Dialogue, ventriloquial, 150
“Distant,” 145, 151
Figures, ventriloquial, 148
Figure manipulation, ventriloquial, 149
“Grunt” voice, 146
Imitations, ventriloquial, 154
“Near,” 144
Speaking with still lips, 144
“Theek” voice, 147
WHISTLING, 123
Solos, 125
THE END
Transcriber’s Notes
The language used in the source document has been retained (including
inconsistent, archaic and unusual spelling, hyphenation and
capitalisation), except as mentioned below. In particular, non-English
words and phrases have not been corrected unless mentioned under
“Changes made”.
The (minor) deviations in spelling in the Index compared to the text
have not been standardised.
Depending on the hard- and software used and their settings, not all
elements may display as intended.
Discrepancies between illustrations and their descriptions (e.g., Fig.
1B in Chapter L) have not been rectified unless listed below. Items
that cannot work as described (e.g. the rotating target in Chapter XX)
have not been corrected or explicitly noted. Possibly offensive
language (e.g. in the minstrel entertainment) and dangerous activities
(as the experiments with hydrogen and chlorine gas) have been included
in this transcription without further explicit warning.
Page 119, the David: as printed in the source document.
Page 184, The space, D, G, is also invisible: possibly an error for
The space, D, C, is also invisible.
Page 216, The code for playing cards ...: the intended meaning of the
suits (clubs and spades) given and the explanation (well and very
well) in the text contradict each other.
Page 295, various combinations of wines and liquids: as printed in the
source document. Possibly an error for wires and liquids.
Page 458: It is not clear why One-blank is not listed.
Changes made
The (single) footnote has been moved to the end of the chapter.
Some minor obvious typographical and punctuation errors and misprints
have been corrected silently.
Page 65: emotional parts of thumping changed to emotional parts or
thumping.
Page 214: closing bracket added after the last two responses by the
professor.
Page 257: The complete illustration consisting of Figs. 10-12 has been
flipped horizontally, as have the individual figures.
Page 295: ‘the coil has been mentioned’ changed to ‘the coin has been
mentioned’.
Page 438: reference to Fig. 2 changed to reference to Fig. 3.
Page 475: CHAPTER LVIX changed to CHAPTER LIX.