"DO you think you could pick out your papa, if you only saw his eyes?"
"Oh, what a question!" Ethel laughs in great amusement. "I guess I
couldn't help knowing my papa, if I only saw one eye!"
Well, now you try it, Ethel, and let all the others try it--this funny
and perplexing game of mummies.
Get the clothes-frame in from the kitchen, cover it nicely with
newspapers, first taking the precaution to see that sheets or
waterproofs conceal all the bottom of it, for of course if you saw your
papa's boots sticking out, Ethel; or you, Fred, saw just an inch of
mamma's blue gown that you think is just the prettiest gown in all the
world, why, then you could guess the eyes that were above the boots or
the gown!
If you have several pairs of eyes to guess at the same time, it is
necessary to paste the newspapers securely together so as to admit back
of them, a row of people. Now then, cut holes in your newspaper just
large enough for a pair of eyes to see through. This is a nice job to
do, as you will find out whoever does it for the first time. You will
be quite surprised to see that your pair of holes look as if one eye
was to be on the further side of the cheek, and, as the children say,
"a mile too big," showing all the shading of eyelashes and brows. You
must expect a shout at your expense as you triumphantly stand up to fit
them to the one who is waiting to have them tried on him. But you will
bear the fun nicely, and join in it, I hope, for let me tell you that
no one who is unable to bear a joke or a bit of nice fun at himself,
ought to play games. Why, the jolliest, loveliest companion in a frolic
is the girl or boy who is sweet-tempered, and is so intent on making
other people happy that he or she has no time to get suspicious in the
mind that "somebody is laughing at him." The member of a family party
who spoiled all the sweet fun of everybody, by resentment in this way
at every bit of amusement started, thinking it pointed at him, was
at last, all patience exhausted, dubbed "Old Porcupine," because his
quills were always out, angrily trying to defend himself from nothing!
Don't you begin the New Year in this way, will you, dear Pansies, but
play your games fairly, and in a kind, loving spirit.
Well, after you have your--not button-holes, but--eye-holes all ready,
and your frame completed, you are all prepared for the company. If you
want a row of people to exhibit their eyes, of course you must have a
row of the holes. Supposing you have only one. The frame is placed in
front of a door opening into another room or a hall, from which the
actors are to come, the audience sitting on chairs on the other side
of the frame. Now a boy or girl who is ready at speaking, and can say
funny little things nicely, must stand before the frame, and introduce
the strange beast or bird, or man or woman, or child, or mummy, just
what the showman chooses to call it, to the assembled company. He must
say, "Ladies and gentlemen, this creature is such a dangerous creature,
that we can show you nothing of it but its eyes, for it might scare
you. Walk up, ladies and gentlemen, and examine it at your leisure, and
tell the name of this 'What is it?'" etc.
The audience after the conclusion of the speech, are allowed to walk
in front of the paper frame, and give two guesses each, to whom the
eyes staring at them through the eye-holes belong. If you make as wrong
guesses as I do, you will distinguish yourselves!
Then after every one has guessed who the mummy is, and all wrongly, the
showman commands it to step out and show itself. Then what shouts!
When all the mummies in the outer room have been exhibited, the
audience can take their places, the former mummies taking the seats as
guessers. If you choose, there can be a change of showmen, and Ben,
who did so nicely and kept everybody laughing, will now, I am sure, be
willing to give his place to cousin Louise, and the game will roll on
fairly. May you have great sport in it.