Entertainments for Home, Church and School

GOING SHOPPING-HIT OR MISS-GAME OF RHYMES-MOST IMPROBABLE STORY- ANIMATED ART-GUESSING CHARACTERS-TONGUE TWISTERS

GOING SHOPPING

A lively game of "talk and touch." The company is seated in a circle, and one who understands the game commences by saying to his neighbor at the right:

"I have been shopping."

"What did you buy?" is the required response.

"A dress," "a book," "some flowers," "a pencil"-whatever the first speaker wishes, provided always that he can, in pronouncing the word, touch the object mentioned. Then the second player addresses his neighbor in similar manner, and so on around the circle until the secret of the game is discovered by all.

Whoever mentions an object without touching it, or names one that has already been given, pays a forfeit.

LIGHTING THE CANDLE

This feat is a very amusing one, and is performed as follows: Two persons kneel on the ground, facing each other. Each holds in his left hand a candle in a candlestick, at the same time grasping his right foot in his right hand. This position compels him to balance himself on his left knee. One of the candles is lighted; the other is not. The holders are required to light the unlighted candle from the lighted one. The conditions are simple enough, but one would hardly believe how often the performers will roll over on the floor before they succeed in lighting the candle. It will be found desirable to spread a newspaper on the floor between the combatants. Many spots of candle-grease will thus be intercepted, and the peace of mind of the lady of the house proportionately spared.

HIT OR MISS

Great amusement is excited by this game when played in the presence of a company of guests. Spread a sheet upon the floor and place two chairs upon it. Seat two of the party in the chairs within reach of each other and blindfold them. Give each a saucer of cracker or bread crumbs and a spoon, then request them to feed each other. The frantic efforts of each victim to reach his fellow sufferer's mouth is truly absurd-the crumbs finding lodgment in the hair, ears and neck much oftener than the mouth. Sometimes bibs are fastened around the necks of the victims for protection.

CROSS QUESTIONS

The company is divided into two equal parts and blank cards and pencils are distributed. One side writes questions on any subject desired, while the other prepares in like manner a set of haphazard answers. The question cards are then collected and distributed to the players on the other side, while their answer are divided among the questioners. The leader holding a question then reads it aloud, the first player on the other side reading the answer he holds. Some of the answers are highly amusing.

THE GAME OF RHYMES

A variation of the former game. The game is begun by a young lady or gentleman speaking a single line, to which the next nearest on the left must respond with another line to rhyme with the first. The next player gives a new line, of the same length, and the fourth supplies a rhyme in turn, and so on. The game is provocative of any amount of fun and nonsense. A sample may be given:

1st Player.-I think I see a brindle cow. 2d Player.-It's nothing but your dad's bow-wow. 3rd. Player.-He is chasing our black Tommy cat. 4th Player.-Poor puss had best get out of that, etc.

Any amount of nonsense may be indulged in a game of this sort, within proper limits. Clever players can easily give the game a most interesting turn and provoke rhymes that are original and witty. Thus, a subject once started, every phase of it may be touched upon before the round closes.

THE MOST IMPROBABLE STORY

The players are seated in a circle and are provided with pencils and paper. It is then announced that this is a competition, and that the one who writes the most improbable story in fifteen minutes wins a prize. The allotted time being up, the papers are collected and re-distributed so that each players receives another player's story. The stories are then read aloud and a committee decides which is the most improbable story. A prize is usually given the writer of this.

ANIMATED ART

A picture is selected showing a group of individuals and portraying some historical incident or event illustrative of the affairs of every-day life. The performers make up, each one to represent some character in the picture. Out of their number some one is chosen to act as stage manager and he poses the figures. Two rooms with folding-doors, or one room divided by a curtain, are required for this representation. A reflection, or footlight, will enhance the beauty of the picture.

GUESSING CHARACTERS

One of the party leaves the room, while the others decide upon some character, real or fictitious. The absentee is then recalled, and each in turn asks him a question referring to the character he has been elected to represent. When he guesses his identity, the player whose question has thrown the most light upon the subject has to go from the room.

For example: A goes from the room, and the company decides that he shall represent King Henry VIII. When he enters, No. 1 asks: "Which one of your wives did you love best?" No. 2 says: "Do you approve of a man marrying his deceased brother's wife?" No. 3 adds: "Were you very sorry your brother died?" etc., while A, after guessing various names, is led by some question to guess correctly, and the fortunate questioner is consequently sent from the room to have a new character assigned him in turn.

WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR?

One-half the company is blindfolded; these are then seated in such a way that each has a vacant chair at his right hand. The other half of the players gather in the middle of the room. This is done silently. The unblindfolded players will each one take one of the empty seats next to those who are blindfolded. When requested to speak or sing they must do so. It is permissible to disguise the voice. The blindfolded neighbor must guess who is speaking or singing. The bandages are not taken off until the wearer has guessed correctly the name of the person at his right. When he guesses correctly, the one whose name was guessed is blindfolded and takes the guesser's place.

The leader gives a signal, and the players who are unblindfolded walk softly to a vacant chair. The leader then plays a familiar air on an instrument, and says, "sing!" All must sing until he suddenly stops playing. The guessing goes on as before until the leader decides to stop it.

TONGUE-TWISTERS-ANY NUMBER OF PLAYERS

The amusing game of tongue-twisters is played thus: The leader gives out a sentence (one of the following), and each repeats it in turn, any player who gets tangled up in the pronunciation having to pay forfeit.

A haddock! a haddock! a black-spotted haddock, a black spot on the black back of the black-spotted haddock.

She sells sea shells.

She stood at the door of Mr. Smith's fish-sauce shop, welcoming him in.

The sea ceaseth and it sufficeth us.

Six thick thistle sticks.

The flesh of freshly fried flying fish.

A growing gleam glowing green. I saw Esau kissing Kate, the fact we all three saw, I saw Esau, he saw me, and she saw I saw Esau.

Swan swam over the sea; swim, swan, swim; Swan swam back again; well swum, Swan.

You snuff ship snuff, I snuff box snuff.

The bleak breeze blighted the bright broom blossoms.

High roller, low roller, rower.

Oliver Oglethorp ogled an owl and oyster. Did Oliver Oglethorp ogle an owl and oyster? If Oliver Oglethorp ogled an owl and oyster, where are the owl and oyster Oliver Oglethorp ogled?

Hobbs meets Snobbs and Nobbs; Hobbs bobs to Snobbs and Nobbs; Hobbs nobs with Snobbs and robs Nobbs' fob. "That is," says Nobbs, "the worse for Hobbs' jobs," and Snobbs sobs.

Susan shines shoes and socks; socks and shoes shine Susan. She ceaseth shining shoes and socks, for shoes and socks shocks Susan.

Robert Royley rolled a round roll round; a round roll Robert Rowley rolled round. Where rolled the round roll Robert Rowley rolled round?

Strict, strong Stephen Stringer snared slickly six sickly, silky snakes.

The Leith police dismisseth us.

She sun shines upon shop signs.

BUTTON, BUTTON

The players sit around the room in a circle. The leader then holds a button between his hands, with the palms pressed together, so as to hide it. He goes around the circle, passing his hand between those of the players. As he does this, he says: "Hold fast to what I give you." He is careful not to let the players see into whose hands he passed the button. The circuit having been made, the leader says to the first player: "Button, button, who has the button?" The one questioned must answer, naming some one whom he thinks has it. So it continues until all have had a turn at answering the same question. Then the leader says: "Button, button, rise!" The button holder must do this.

FRENCH RHYMES

Each member of the company writes upon a slip of paper two words that rhyme. These are collected by one player and read aloud, and as they are read everybody writes them down upon new papers. Five or ten minutes being allowed, each player must write a poem introducing all the rhyming words in their original pairs. At the expiration of the given time the lines are read aloud. Suppose the words given are "man and than," "drops and copse," "went and intent," etc., these are easily framed into something like this:

Once on a time a brooklet drops, With splash and clash, through a shady copse; One day there chanced to pass a man, Who, deeming water better than Cider, down by the brooklet went, To dip some up was his intent.

Of course, the result is nonsense, but it is pleasant nonsense, and may be kept up indefinitely, to the entertainment of the participants.

CONSEQUENCES

The players are each provided with a slip of paper and a pencil. Each must write the name of some gentleman (who is known to the party), turn down the end of the paper on which the name is written, and pass the paper to the next neighbor. All must then write the name of some lady (also known), then change the papers again and write "where they met," "what he said," "what she said," "what the world said," and "the consequences," always passing the papers on. When all are written, each player must then read his paper.

Mr. Jones . . . . . . . . . And Miss Smith . . . . . . . . . Met on a roof . . . . . . . . . He said, "I trust you are not afraid." She said, "Not while you are here." World said, "It's a match." Consequences, "He sailed for Africa next morning," etc.

ANT AND CRICKET

One of the company being appointed to represent the Cricket, seats himself in the midst of the other players, who are the Ants, and writes upon a piece of paper the name of a certain grain, whatever kind he pleases. He then addresses the first Ant: "My dear neighbor, I am very hungry, and I have come to you for aid. What will you give me!" "A grain of rice, a kernel of corn, a worm," etc., replies the Ant, as he sees fit. The Cricket asks each in turn, and if one of them announces as his gift the word already written upon the paper, the Cricket declares himself satisfied and changes places with the Ant.

A SPOONFUL OF FUN

This is a German game. One of the players goes into the middle of a ring formed by the other players. He is blindfolded and has a large, wooden spoon for a wand. The players join hands and dance about him. There may be music, if it be so desired. When the signal is given to stop, all must stand still. The blindfolded one touches one of the players with his hand and tries to guess his identity. If he guesses correctly, that player must take his place. Stooping, kneeling, or tiptoeing may be resorted to, to conceal the identity of the players.

WHAT IS MY THOUGHT LIKE?

Though this is a very old game, it is well worth the playing. The leader asks each player in turn, "What is my thought like?" The one questioned gives any answer he desires. Each player is asked in turn and a list is kept of the replies. Finally the leader tells what his thought was, and asks each player in what way it resembles the thing he, or she, likened it to.

BIOGRAPHY

Each player receives a pencil and paper and takes a seat as one of the circle of players. The left-hand neighbor is the subject for his right-hand neighbor's biographical sketch. Any absurd happening will do, the more ridiculous the biography, the better. The wittiest one calls for a prize.

NICKNAMES OF CITIES

Certain cities have been nick-named, as Chicago, the Windy City; Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love, etc. The hostess requests her guests to wear something suggestive of the nickname of the city represented. Each guest writes on a piece of paper what cities he supposes the other guests are representing. A half hour is allowed, when a prize is awarded the one who has given the largest number of guesses correctly.

HOW, WHEN AND WHERE

One member of the company, leaving the room, a word admitting of more than one interpretation is chosen by the others. On his return, he asks each in succession, "How do you like it?" The player questioned being required to give an appropriate answer. He then inquires in similar manner, "When do you like it," and if the answer to that question still gives him no clue, proceeds to ask, "Where do you like it?"

When he at last discovers the word, the person whose answer has furnished him with the most information, must in turn leave the room and become the questioner.

We will suppose the word chosen to be "rain," which can also be taken as "reign" or "rein." The question, "How do you like it?" receives the answers, "tight," "heavy," "short," "warm," etc.

The question, "When do you like it?", "in summer," "when I am driving," "in the nineteenth century," etc.

"Where do you like it?", "in the United States," "on a horse," "in the sky," etc.

MY GRANDFATHER'S TRUNK-ANY NUMBER OF PLAYERS

A great game for young folks of a winter evening. The company being seated in a circle, somebody begins by saying, for instance:

No. 1. "I pack my grandfather's trunk with a pair of spectacles."

No. 2. "I pack my grandfather's trunk with a pair of spectacles and a silk hat." No. 3. "I pack my grandfather's trunk with a pair of spectacles, a silk hat and a dime novel." And so on, each person repeating all the articles already mentioned, besides adding a new one.

If any one fails to repeat the list correctly, he drops out of the game, which is continued until the contents of the trunk are unanimously declared too numerous to remember.

LOCATION

Location is geographical in character. Two captains are chosen. They choose sides until the party is equally divided. One captain begins the game by calling the name of a city. He then counts thirty. Before he has finished counting, his opposite opponent must tell where the city is located. If his answer be correct, he in turn names a place, and the second player in the opposite row must locate it before he counts thirty. Should any player fail to answer before thirty is counted, or answer incorrectly, he or she must drop out. When there is only one player left on either side, that one gets the prize.

PREDICAMENTS

Predicaments are thought out. The more ridiculous they are the better. They are written on sheets of paper. Each person has to write his idea of the best way out of a predicament. Then the papers are collected and read. Prizes are given if the hostess so desires.

PROGRESSIVE PUZZLES

Provide as many small, square cards as there are guests; also several pairs of scissors. The party seats itself in a circle. The cards and scissors are given out. Then each player cuts his card twice across, so as to make four pieces. The straight cuts must intersect each other. After the first cut, the pieces must be held together until the second cut has been made.

A player mixes his pieces and passes them to his right-hand neighbor. When the leader gives the signal, all the players put together the four pieces they have. The one who first succeeds calls out "ready." Then all stop and pass the cards on again. The successful player is given a mark on a tally card. The game goes on until a half hour has passed. The person receiving the most marks is entitled to a prize, or may become the leader, as preferred.

MIRTH

The leader for this game must have a contagious laugh. He throws a handkerchief into the air; when he does this, all must laugh heartily, until the handkerchief lies upon the ground, then the laughing must stop immediately. The player laughing after the handkerchief touches the ground is "out." This also happens to the one laughing too soon. The one left alone at last is the winner, and may become leader.

CRAMBO

Each player in the party is given two slips of paper and a pencil. On one slip he writes a question. This may be serious or absurd, as he wishes. On another paper he writes a word, this being a noun-either proper or common. The questions being mixed are distributed-the words likewise. The players write verses answering the questions and containing the words received.

AUCTION

Needed: Twenty, or more, packages, wrapped in paper.

Auction may be made a very merry game. It depends upon the auctioneer, however, to make the sales interesting; any articles may be chosen, though dolls, Teddy bears, etc., are suggested. The articles are catalogued. They are paid for with the beans given to the players with the catalogues.

BEAST, BIRD OR FISH

The players sit round in a circle, and one player, who is "it," points to some one, and says either "beast," "bird," or "fish." He then counts ten as quickly as possible. The person pointed to must name some "beast," "bird," or "fish" (whichever he was asked), before ten is reached. If he fails he must give a forfeit.

THE ROTATION OF THE GLOBE

When you next chance to eat an egg for breakfast, do not fail to try the following experiment. It is one which always succeeds, and is productive of much amusement to the company.

Moisten slightly with water the rim of your plate, and in the center paint with the yolk of the egg a sun with golden rays. By the aid of this simple apparatus, you will be in a position to illustrate, so clearly that a child can comprehend it, the double movement of the earth, which revolves simultaneously round the sun and on its own axis.

All that you have to do is to place the empty half-shell of your egg on the rim of the plate, and keeping this latter duly sloped, by a slight movement of the wrist as may be needful, you will see the eggshell begin to revolve rapidly on its own axis, at the same time traveling round the plate. It is hardly necessary to remark that the egg-shell will not travel uphill, and the plate must therefore be gradually shifted round, as well as sloped, so that the shell may always have an inch or two of descending plane before it.

The slight cohesion caused by the water which moistens the plate counteracts the centrifugal force and so prevents the eggshell falling off the edge of the plate.

ADVICE

Pencil and paper having been given the players, each writes a piece of advice and folds his paper. He passes it to his neighbor, who before opening it, tells whether he thinks the advice good or bad. If he guesses correctly, he scores a point. The game goes on this way, each at the table taking a turn, when new advices are written and passed along. This is done as many times as the hostess desires. The one getting the most points is winner.

WORDS

Each player receives a pencil and paper. He is then told to make as many words as he can from a given word of fifteen letters, or more. It is surprising how many words can be thus made. The winner is the one fashioning the greatest number of words. A book is given him as a prize.

FLAGS OF ALL NATIONS

You can learn the colors of the flags of all nations by referring to a large dictionary, or to a book on flags. The flags are drawn with colored crayons, or painted in water colors, on a large water-color card, or a sheet of water-color paper. Large cards with numbers down the sides are given to each player, with a pencil. The card of flags is then hung where all can see it, and half an hour is allowed for all to guess the countries to which the flags belong. The answers are written on the individual cards, and the papers are signed with the names of the players.

A prize is given to the player who has the greatest number of correct answers.

ANOTHER GAME OF WORDS

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, wink, 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.

GRAMMATICAL GAME

This is played by each person drawing, say, twenty letters haphazard, and trying to form them into a phrase or 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.

MENAGERIE

This is a very funny game if the ringmaster keeps up a running fire of witty remarks. He stands in the circle of animals-otherwise guests-and, whip in hand, shows off his animals, and their tricks, singly, and in groups. The lion roars, as well as performs; the dog barks, and performs the tricks he is told to show off; the canary warbles its song; the bee buzzes; the donkey brays, balks and kicks, etc. At the end of the performance there is a grand circus parade, with music.

PRINCE OF INDIA

The players are numbered from one upward.

The leader stands in front of them and says: "The Prince of India has lost his pearl. Did you find it, number seven?" Upon this, number 7 replies, jumping to his feet quickly:

"I, sir, I?"

The leader replies, "Yes, you, sir!"

Number 7 says: "Not I, sir!"

Leader: "Who then, sir, if not you?"

Number 7: "Number 4, sir."

Number 4 jumps up, and says: "What, sir? I, I?"

Leader: "Yes, sir; you, you."

Number 4: "Not I, not I, sir."'

Leader: "Who then, sir?"

Number 4: "Number 2, sir."'

Then number 2 jumps to his feet.

This goes on until the leader reaches the last one in the circle. If he can repeat again "The Prince of India has lost his pearl," before this one can jump to his feet, they exchange places.

EXCHANGE

A blindfolded player stands in the center; the others are seated about him in a circle. Each one is numbered. The blindfolded player calls out two numbers, whereupon the players bearing those numbers exchange places, the blindfolded player trying meanwhile either to catch one of the players or to secure one of the chairs. Any player so caught must yield his chair to the catcher. No player may go outside of the circle formed by the chairs.

HUNT THE RING

All the players stand in a circle holding a long cord, which forms an endless band upon which a ring has been slipped before it was joined at the ends. This ring is passed rapidly from one player to another-always on the cord and concealed by the hand-while somebody in the center endeavors to seize the hands of the person who holds it, who, when actually caught, takes his place within the circle.

If the circle is very large, two rings may be slipped upon the cord, and two players placed in the center together.

A small key may be used instead of a ring, while still another variation is to have the concealed object a small whistle with a ring attached. When this is adopted, an amusing phase of the game is to secretly attach a string to the whistle and fasten this to the back of the player in the center by means of a bent pin at the other end of the string. Then while feigning to pass the whistle from hand to hand, it is occasionally seized and blown upon by some one in the ring, toward whom the victim is at that moment turning his back, causing that individual to be greatly puzzled.

SHADOW BLUFF

A sheet being stretched across one end of the room, one of the players being seated upon a low stool facing it, and with his eyes fixed upon it. The only light in the room must be a lamp placed upon a table in the center of the room. Between this lamp and the person on the stool, the players pass in succession, their shadows being thrown upon the sheet in strong relief. The victim of the moment endeavors to identify the other players by their respective shadows, and if he succeeds the detected party must take his place.

It is allowable to make detection as difficult as possible by means of any available disguise that does not conceal the whole person, any grimacing, contortion of form, etc.

GUESSING EYES AND NOSES

A sheet is fastened up between two doors. Holes are cut in it, and some of the party go behind the sheet and stand with their eyes at the holes, while the others must guess to whom the eyes belong. Failing to guess correctly, they must give a forfeit.

THE TAILLESS DONKEY

An amusing game, at which any size party may play and enjoy it for hours. Cut a large figure of a donkey, minus a tail, from dark paper or cloth, and pin it upon a sheet stretched tightly across a door-way. Each player is given a piece of paper, which would fit the donkey for a tail, if applied. On each tail is written the name of the person holding it. When all is ready, the players are blindfolded in turn-placed facing the donkey a few steps back in the room-then turned around rapidly two or three times, and told to advance with the tail held at arm's length, and with a pin previously inserted in the end, attach it to the figure of the donkey wherever they first touch it. When the whole curtain is adorned with tails-(not to mention all the furniture, family portraits, etc., in the vicinity)-and there are no more to pin on, the person who has succeeded in fastening the appendage the nearest to its natural dwelling place, receives a prize, and the player who has given the most eccentric position to the tail entrusted to his care, receives the "booby" prize, generally some gift of a nature to cause a good-humored laugh.

THROWING THE HANDKERCHIEF

A very old and still quite popular game. The company being seated around the room in a circle, some one stationed in the center throws an unfolded handkerchief to one of the seated players. Whoever receives it must instantly throw it to some one else, and so on, while the person in the center endeavors to catch the handkerchief in its passage from one player to another. If he catches it, as it touches somebody, that person must take his place in the center. If it is caught in the air, the player whose hands it last left enters the circle.

The handkerchief must not be knotted or twisted, but thrown loosely.