Chapter VII: Part 7

THE principal performer attires himself in a robe, a paper cap, spectacles, and other appointments necessary to the outfit of the “Wizard of the East.” He is armed with a magic wand, by means of which he is supposed to exercise his mysterious calling, and with which he makes a circle on the ground, muttering at the same time the unearthly words of some potent spell. After communing profoundly for some moments with some imaginary familiar, he appears to have decided, and touches one of his confederates with his wand, ordering him to go to the other end of the room, and there blindfold his eyes. This order executed, and the audience satisfied that the confederate is really blindfolded, the wizard orders him to guess the person on whom his wand shall rest. The wizard then proceeds to touch several persons lightly with the wand, saying at each, “The wand moves,” and at length allows it to rest on the shoulder of _the one who spoke last_ (the key to the trick), exclaiming, “The wand rests.” The confederate will at once name the person touched (who, also being a confederate, has purposely spoken last). The latter takes the place of the person blindfolded, and the wizard goes through with the same form; his confederate exciting them to talk, he again touches the one who spoke last; the confederate names him correctly, and the person touched is blindfolded in turn. Unless he understands the game, he will have only chance to guide him, and will rarely guess correctly. Those who fail, pay a forfeit. Sometimes one of the confederates takes the place of the wizard, and further mystifies the company. This game, though simple, often puzzles a room full.

TO BRING A PERSON DOWN UPON A FEATHER

THIS is a practical pun:—You desire any one to stand on a chair or table, and you tell him that notwithstanding his weight you will bring him down upon a feather. You then leave the room, and procuring a feather you give it to him, and tell him you have performed your promise, that you engaged to bring him down upon a feather, which you have done, for there is the feather, and if he looks he’ll find down upon it.

THE APPARENT IMPOSSIBILITY.

YOU profess yourself able to show any one what he never saw before, what you never saw, and what no one ever saw, and which after you two have seen, no one else ever shall see. After requesting the company to guess this riddle, and they have professed themselves unable to do so, produce a nut, and having cracked it, take out the kernel, and ask them if they have ever seen it before; of course they answer no; you reply, “Neither have I, and I think you will confess that nobody else has ever seen it, and now no one shall see it again;” saying which, you put the kernel into your mouth and eat it.

THE TURNED HEAD.

LET a lady be invested with as many wrappings as possible, but cloak, shawl, scarf, &c., must be put on wrong side before, so as to present the appearance of a “Turned Head.” She should be furnished with a muff, which she must hold behind her as nearly as possible in the usual manner, but her bonnet must be put on the proper way. Thus equipped she must enter the room backwards and pass around it in that manner. This can be used as a forfeit.

STATUARY.

STATUARY, when personated by intelligent ladies and gentlemen, can be made very amusing. Some witty gentleman, well versed in statuary, takes the part of showman. He first selects from the company those he wishes to assist him, being careful to select only such as can best control their countenances. After obtaining a number of sheets, he takes possession of a parlor, shutting the rest of the company out. He then arranges his assistants as statuary around the room as quickly as possible, covering each one, or each group, with a sheet; then throws open the door, and invites the company to a rare exhibition of statuary. After making a grandiloquent speech he uncovers a group, and gives as absurd a description as possible; so on through the whole.

As fun is the chief object, take for example some tall plain gentleman and place him with bow in hand for Cupid. For Diogenes, take a large wash tub and a boy in it, &c. Another diversion is to cover some ladies and gentlemen all but one eye with a sheet; then let the company guess who they are.

HE CAN DO LITTLE WHO CAN’T DO THIS.

ARRANGE yourselves in a circle. The one who knows the game takes a cane in his left hand and pounds upon the floor with it, saying, “He can do little who can’t do this,” and passes the cane with his right hand to his right hand neighbor, who tries to do the same thing, but generally fails. The catch consists in quickly changing the cane from the left to the right hand before you pass it. Every one is then intent on your manner of pounding the cane on the floor. Change hands as carelessly as possible.

BROTHER! I AM BOBBED!

A PERSON who understands the game proposes to another, who is ignorant of it, to be blinded with him and be “bobbed.” After being blindfolded they sit down in two chairs placed back to back. The one who knows the game then removes the bandage from his eyes and ties a knot in his handkerchief. The others join hands and go round them in a circle. The one not blindfolded carelessly hits the other with his handkerchief. The one struck of course, thinks himself hit by some one in the circle, and exclaims, “brother, I am bobbed.” The other says, “who bobbed you?” In answer he mentions the name of some one in the ring. They all call out, “you are wrong,” so he is bobbed till the fun is exhausted, he trying to guess the person who hit him and expecting to change places when he guesses correctly. The other pretends he is hit occasionally and calls out he is bobbed. It requires a good-natured person to take the joke pleasantly.

HOW DO YOU LIKE IT? WHEN DO YOU LIKE IT? AND WHERE WILL YOU PUT IT?

THE difficulty of this game consists in guessing the meaning of two or more nouns, which sound alike but have different meanings, without any other help than the answers given to the above questions. It is played in the following manner. One of the company is sent out of the room and not recalled until her companions have agreed upon two words of similar sound, with which to puzzle her. When she comes in she asks, “How do you like it?” One answers, “very much indeed,” or “I don’t like it early in the morning;” another says, “It is too noisy;” another, “It is too fond of fine clothes,” &c. She then asks, “When do you like it?” One answers, “At all times;” another, “When I feel hungry for my dinner;” another, “I want it when walking alone;” another, “When I want some wood brought for my fire,” &c. Lastly she asks, “Where would you put it?” One says, “I would hang it;” another, “I would shut it up in a church-tower;” another, “I would take it to a ball-room,” &c.

From such answers a witty little girl may guess that belle was the chosen word, (belle, a fashionable lady, and bell, an instrument of sound.) Such as do not guess must pay a forfeit. Many words might be chosen for this game, such as hair, hare; reign, rain; date, a fruit and date a period of time; whip to strike with, and whip to eat; pear, pair; heir, air; ale, ail; mason a brick-layer, mason a member of a secret society; beer, bier; see and sea.

THE BIRD-CATCHER.

ALL who join this game must be seated in a circle, first choosing a bird-catcher, who takes his or her place in the centre. He can give the name of a bird to each person, or each can select one, but each one must represent some bird, and one of the number must personate an owl. The bird-catcher then tells a story, introducing the names of different birds. Every bird when mentioned must immediately make a chirrup, crow, screech or splutter, peculiar to its species. The slightest delay or mistake is punished by a forfeit. Each player, until the owl is mentioned, must rest his hands on his knees; but when the owl is called, each player must instantly clasp his hands behind him. The bird-catcher tries to seize the hand of one of the players before he raises it from his knee; if he succeeds, the person so caught must pay a forfeit or take the bird-catcher’s place, his name and place in the aviary being taken by the late officer. If he fails to entrap any one, he must pay a forfeit, and continue the story until he does, or has paid a certain number of forfeits; another then takes his place, either by lot or choice. The company must keep their hands behind them until some other bird is mentioned, when they must return them promptly. It is well to mention the owl twice in succession, but no one must change the second time; the owl must make his peculiar cry whenever he is mentioned. The following is a list of available birds, with sounds peculiar to them, taken from undoubted authorities:—

The Cock—“Cook a doodle doo.”

The Hen—“Cut, cut, cut, ca da cut.”

The Chicken—“Peep, peep, peep.”

The Turkey—“Gobble, obble obble.”

The Duck—“Quack, quack, quack.”

The Canary—“Pretty Dick.”

The Magpie—“Jack wants his dinner.”

The Sparrow—“Chip, chip.”

The Whippowill—“Whip po will.”

The Parrot—“Pretty Poll; Poll wants cracker.”

The Curlew—“Pe-wit, pe-wit.”

The Crow—“Caw, caw, caw.”

The Goose—“Hiss—s—s.”

The Raven—“Cro-a-ak.”

The Snowbird—“Chick-adee-dee.”

The Owl—“To-wit, to-wit, to-whoo.”

These sounds of course can be varied to suit the idea of the performer. Parrot and magpie can be made to speak as they wish. The raven may be made to say, “Never more,” according to Poe’s poem. But the sounds agreed upon at the beginning must not be changed during the game. Some amusement can be gained by giving appropriate names to different persons. The owl could be given to the most learned in the company. The best singer, the nightingale, could be represented by a few bars of Jenny Lind’s melodies. The magpie could be given to a great talker. When all are ready the bird-catcher might commence in the following manner:—

I went out the other morning with my gun and nets to catch a few birds. I did not intend robbing a farm yard, but on the top of a railing I saw a fine cock; (“Cock a doodle do,”) there was nobody looking and I couldn’t resist it—when up came an enormous turkey. (“Gobble, obble, obble.”) Oh! Oh! said I, a turkey, (“Gobble, obble, obble”)—well a turkey (“Gobble, obble, obble”) is worth more than a little sparrow, (“Chip, chip,”) and there is more to eat on it than on a curlew, (“Pewit, pewit,”) and as I had made up my mind to steal a cock, (“Cock a doodle do,”) why not a goose, (“His, s, s,”) or a turkey. (“Gobble, obble, obble.”) I crept up to him, when all of a sudden a rascally magpie (“Jack wants his dinner”) flew out of a bush, making such an abominable noise that all the birds in the air (general cry without moving the hands) took flight at once. Off went the turkey (“Gobble, obble, obble”) on one side and the cock (“Cock a doodle do”) on the other, scattering a flock of ducks. (“Quack, quack.”) There was not a single bird in sight but the owl. (“To whit! to whit! to whoo.”) All hands up. [A forfeit given either by the unlucky bird-catcher who has not succeeded in catching a hand, or by a bird whose hand he has caught; in either case, he who remains, or becomes bird-catcher, continues.] As I was saying, the owl [dead silence except the sound of the owl, all hands still behind] began making an extraordinary noise, no doubt thinking himself the nightingale, [the nightingale sings a bar from the “Daughter of the Regiment;” all hands down on the knees immediately. Forfeits from those too late, or in too great a hurry to replace them,] and all the birds in the air [general cry] flocked round again to see what the matter could be. Up came the crow, (“Caw, caw,”) the raven, (“Croak,” or “never more,” as agreed on) the wild duck, (“Quack! quack!”) even the farmer’s parrot, (“Pretty Poll,”) in fact, all the birds in the field, [dead silence.] “Oh! ho!” I said, “now I shall put some salt on you,” when to my horror, the beast of an owl—(“To whit, to whit, to whoo!”)—[all hands disappear as before, and the bird-catcher darts forward to catch some one. Whenever the bird-catcher says, “All the birds in the air”—every bird must answer at once.]

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.

ALL take partners and sit opposite each other. Then one person whispers a different question in the ear of each on one side of the room, and another gives an answer to each on the opposite side. The first couple commence. One asks the question whispered to him, his partner gives the answer whispered to her. Each couple take turn in giving the questions and answers. A lady should direct the gentlemen, and a gentleman the ladies. Each side asks the questions alternately, the side that first asked the questions next making the answers.

THE MAGIC WAND.

THE magician, or the person who wields the wonderful wand, has a confederate who retires from the room. In his absence, the company (the magician being present) agree upon some piece of furniture or other article, by which the powers of the wand are to be tested. He is then called in and the magician points to various articles about the room. Whenever he points to any article except the one agreed upon, the confederate is sure to say “that is not it,” and he never fails to designate the right article when the wand is pointed towards it. This proceeding, which at first sight appears mysterious, is easily explained. When the magician points to the article agreed upon by the company he slightly changes the position of the forefinger of the hand in which he holds the wand, or makes some slight gesture previously agreed upon by him and his confederate. The confederate looks intently at every article pointed out and pretends to be thinking deeply, while the company are generally so intent on following his movements that they do not notice the almost imperceptible motions of the magician. If one of the company thinks he has detected the trick, he takes the confederate’s place, and sometimes finds himself mistaken. If the magician is a very mysterious personage he will be apt to magnetize the confederate at the beginning of the game.

The “Black Art” is another form of the same game. The magician next before pointing at the article agreed upon, points towards some object of a black color, and in that way gives the information to his confederate.

THE RHYMING GAME.

WHERE several are passing an evening quietly together, this game may afford much amusement. It is played as follows: Each one of the company writes a single word on a slip of paper; the more unusual and difficult the word is to rhyme with, the more amusement it makes. These slips of paper are placed in a hat, and each one of the company, in turn, draws one, and then writes a couplet, in which the word drawn shall stand at the end of a line, and the word at the end of the other line shall rhyme with it. Of course, each may write as much more as he pleases. Where the company are witty and ready, and have a faculty of making verses easily, the game is a pleasant one. Epigrams on the company present, puns and good-natured hits, add much to the fun in this game.

THE GAME OF TWENTY QUESTIONS.

THIS is one of the best of the games, though but little known. Such men as Canning, Wyndham and Pitt have played it; the latter two, indeed, were especially fond of it; so it does not lack recommendation. The rules of the game and its description are briefly these:

Two persons (usually a lady and gentleman), chosen by the company, privately fix upon an article or subject. Two others are then chosen to discover the subject so agreed upon, and they must do this by asking twenty questions as to its nature and qualities. A fifth person is usually selected as umpire, who is made acquainted with the subject fixed upon, and whose duty it is to see that all the questions are fairly put and answered. The questions are to be put plainly, though in the alternative, if desired, and the answers must be plain and direct. The object of the thoughts must not be an abstract idea, or anything so occult, or scientific, or technical, as to be beyond the reasonable information of the company, but something well known to the present day, or to general history. It may be, for example, any name of renown, ancient or modern, or any well known work or memorial of art, but not a mere event, as a battle, for instance. Of course, the discovery, if made, is to be the fair result of mental inference from the questions and answers, not of signs passing, or juggling of any description.

Mr. Pitt is said to have once succeeded in this game, when the subject was _The stone upon which Walworth, Lord Mayor of London, stood, when he struck down Wat. Tyler, in Richard II.’s time_!

In a game in which Mr. Canning was the questioner, the questions and answers were as follows:—

_First._—Does what you have thought of belong to the animal or vegetable kingdom?

_Answer._—To the vegetable.

_Second._—Is it manufactured, or unmanufactured?

_Answer._—Manufactured.

_Third._—Is it a solid, or a liquid?

_Answer._—A solid.

_Fourth._—Is it a thing entire in itself, or in parts?

_Answer._—Entire.

_Fifth._—Is it for private use, or public?

_Answer._—Public.

_Sixth._—Does it exist in England, or out of it?

_Answer._—In England.

_Seventh._—Is it single, or are there others of the same kind?

_Answer._—Single.

_Eighth._—Is it historical, or only existent at present?

_Answer._—Both.

_Ninth._—For ornament, or use?

_Answer._—Both.

_Tenth._—Has it any connection with the person of the king?

_Answer._—No.

_Eleventh._—Is it carried, or does it support itself?

_Answer._—The former.

_Twelfth._—Does it pass by succession? [Not answered, on account of uncertainty; but, by agreement, the question was counted one in the progress of the game.]

_Thirteenth._—Was it used at the coronation?

_Answer._—Yes.

_Fourteenth._—In the hall or abbey?

_Answer._—Probably, in both; certainly in the abbey.

_Fifteenth._—Does it belong specially to the coronation, or is it used at other times?

_Answer._—It is used at other times.

_Sixteenth._—Is it exclusively of a vegetable nature, or is it not in some parts a compound of a vegetable and a mineral?

_Answer._—Exclusively of a vegetable nature.

_Seventeenth._—What is its shape? [Objected to, as too particular; withdrawn by the questioner and therefore not counted.]

_Seventeenth, repeated._—Is it decorated, or simple? [Objected to, but objection not sustained.]

_Answer._—Simple.

_Eighteenth._—Is it used at the ordinary ceremonial of the House of Commons or House of Lords?

_Answer._—No.

_Nineteenth._—Is it ever used by either House?

_Answer._—No.

_Twentieth._—Is it generally stationary, or movable?

_Answer._—Movable.

Answer, guessed correctly at the end of the twentieth question: “_The wand of the Lord High Steward_.”

GAME OF PHOTOGRAPH.

ONE person is chosen to preside. He must see that each player is provided with pencil and paper with which to write his replies to the questions announced by the president. The questions are put in the order here given, and the answers must be numbered to correspond with the questions.

Questions.

1. What virtue do you most admire?

2. What vice do you most abhor?

3. Who is your favorite prose author?

4. Who is your favorite poet?

5. Who is your favorite poetess?

6. What book do you prefer?

7. What is your favorite amusement?

8. What is your favorite economy?

9. What is your favorite extravagance?

10. What is your favorite color?

11. What is your favorite hour?

12. What is your favorite art?

13. What is your favorite picture?

14. What is your favorite statue?

15. What is your favorite season?

16. What is your favorite flower?

17. What is your favorite aim of life?

18. Who is your favorite hero?

19. Who is your favorite heroine?

20. Which is your favorite summer resort?

21. What is your favorite weakness?

22. What is the sweetest word in the world?

23. What is the saddest word?

24. What is your favorite man’s name?

25. What is your favorite woman’s name?

26. What is your prevailing characteristic?

27. What is your favorite piece of music?

28. What is your favorite occupation?

29. Which do you prefer, wealth or a competency?

30. Which is your favorite animal?

When all the answers have been written, the papers are collected by the President. No one is to see what answers have been written by any other person. After shuffling them together, the President reads them aloud, and each player guesses as to the authorship of each paper. Forfeits are sometimes collected, and the game prolonged in that way. This game cannot be well played except by persons who are well acquainted with each other.

YORK AND LANCASTER, OR THE WAR OF THE ROSES.

THIS game is commenced by the choice of two Commanders, either by lot or by vote. As it is necessary for the success of the game to select the most skillful as the Commanders, each player should carefully consider the merits of all the others before casting his vote. One Commander is called Duke of York, and the other Duke of Lancaster. The Commanders draw lots for the first choice of men, and each Duke selects alternately a man from the players till the whole are drawn.

Each party marks out its fort by drawing semicircular lines; the forts should be in line, twenty paces apart, and each of them sufficiently large to hold easily one of the armies. Twenty paces in front of each fort should be drawn a semicircle larger than the fort, which is called the prison, the prisons and forts thus marking the four corners of a square.

The two Dukes then draw lots to decide which shall commence the game. If the Duke of York wins, he sends out one of his red-rose men, usually a new player, who must run at least beyond the line of the prison before he returns. As soon as he has started the other Duke sends out one of his men to pursue, and, if possible, to touch the red-rose runner before he can regain his own fort. If this is accomplished, the successful runner returns to his fort, while the vanquished party must go to the enemy’s prison, from which he cannot stir until some one from his own side releases him, by touching him in spite of the enemy. This is not an easy task, as in order to reach the enemy’s prison, the player must pass by the enemy’s fort. It is allowable for the prisoner to stretch his hand as far towards his rescuer as possible, but he must keep his body within the bounds; and if several prisoners are taken, it is sufficient for one to remain within the prison, while the rest, by joining hands, make a chain towards the player who is trying to release them. [The Commanders in the commencement of the game must decide if they will allow this latter mode of escape.] When a rescue is thus accomplished, both the prisoner and his rescuer return to their fort, no one being allowed to touch them until they have reached then fort and again started out.

But the game is not restricted to the two originally sent out. As soon as either Duke sees one of his men pressed by an opponent, he sends out a third, who is in his turn pursued by another from the opposing side; each being allowed to touch any who have preceded, but none who have left their fort after him. The war soon becomes exciting; prisoners are made and released, the two Dukes watching the game, and rarely exposing themselves, except in cases of emergency, but directing the whole proceedings. The game is considered won, when one party has succeeded in imprisoning the whole of the other side.

Much depends upon the Commanders, who sometimes, by a bold dash, rescue the most important of their men, and thereby turn the fate of the battle; or when the attention of the opposite side is occupied by some hardly-contested struggle, send out a player who walks quietly up to the prison, and without attracting the notice of the opposing party, lets out a prisoner. No player is permitted to touch more than one person until he has returned to his fort; when he can sally out again, armed with fresh strength, like Antæus of old, who could not be conquered at wrestling because whenever he touched the ground his strength was renewed by his Mother Earth.

POST-OFFICE.

THIS family game is instructive as well as amusing. Each one present writes a poem, anecdote, essay, or a letter to some person either present or absent. The articles written should be concise and must in all cases be original. Any one who chooses to do so can disguise his handwriting. The papers, as they are completed, are carefully folded and directed, and then deposited in a covered box placed on the table.

The post-master must be chosen by the company. He has the right to open all the letters and papers, first announcing to whom each is directed, and reads them aloud. After the reading, the papers are distributed according to the directions written upon them.

Young people who write for the “family portfolio” soon become very much interested in it, and find themselves acquiring a ready use of the pen.

HANDWRITING UPON THE WALL.

CUT the word or words to be shown, out of a thick card or pasteboard; place it before a lighted lamp, and the writing will be distinctly seen upon the wall of the room.

GRACES.

THIS also is an old game, but should be revived, as it is as beneficial as many of the exercises in the gymnasium, and quite as _graceful_. It is of German origin, and can be played in the open air, or in any hall or long room.

To play the game you need four smooth, round sticks nearly three-quarters of a yard long. The stick at one end should be just large enough to be grasped firmly by the hand, and should be tapered gradually to the end. These sticks, or grace wands, may be prettily painted and wound near the large end, where they are held, with fancy ribbons. The hoops are from ten to twelve inches in diameter, made of some light wood, as bamboo, covered with bright colored silks and wound with silver cord or some tinsel chenille.

The game is usually played by only two players, each taking two wands and one hoop, and standing at a distance from each other; the two wands are held in the hands across each other like open scissors. The object is to throw and catch the hoop upon these wands. When trying to catch the hoop the sticks are held like scissors shut, and are opened apart when the hoop is thrown from you. If you can crown your opponent without her catching the hoop, a kiss is the old-established forfeit. The object of the game, as in “Shuttlecock and Battledoor,” is to keep both hoops flying without once touching the floor. Beginners had better first play with only one hoop.

FAMILY NEWSPAPER.

THIS is an excellent pastime for a large family, or several families can unite in it. Choose the most ready writer, and the person of the best judgment among your number, for the editor. He must also be a good penman. Your paper can be a weekly or a monthly journal as you please. Every member of the family must contribute one or more articles for the paper, either serious, laughable, instructive or absurd pieces, and give to the editor in season for him to arrange his paper, and publish it at the appointed time. Such as wish to conceal their authorship must notify the editor, and he is bound in honor not to reveal the name of any writer without his permission. Large sheets can be procured, or two or more small ones can be used together. The paper can then be read aloud to the family, or each can read it separately. The family paper will be found to add another link to the home chain. All the papers thus prepared should be carefully preserved, and in after years they will prove a source of pleasure. Most vividly will they bring by-gone days before you.

A friend of mine lately told me of a newspaper of this description, edited by a nephew only eleven years of age. She said that its perfect regularity and neatness were beautiful to see. He printed the whole with a pen, and it was arranged in proper newspaper form. The leading editorials first, followed by a letter from abroad, anecdotes, terrible accidents, telegraph news, marriages, deaths, advertisements, etc., etc. He was one of a family of nine. Every member of the family wrote for it, even a little girl of six wrote an anecdote about her pet lamb.

Games of Memory.

FRENCH and English exercises of the memory, such as the following, may serve to amuse some leisure hour. The first is entitled the “Grand Panjandrum:”—“She went into the garden to cut a cabbage leaf to make an apple pie; and at the same time a great she-bear coming up the street pops its head into the shop. ‘What! no soap?’ So he died, and she very imprudently married the barber; and there were present the Picininnies, and the Joblillies, and the Gurgulies, and the great Panjandrum himself, with the little round button at top; and they all fell to playing the game of ‘catch as catch can,’ till the gunpowder ran out at the heels of their boots.”

“Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,
A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked;
If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,
Where is the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?”

“When a twister twisting would twist him a twist,
For twisting his twist three twists he will twist;
But if one of his twists untwists from the twist,
The twist untwisting untwists the twist.”

“Didon dina, dit on, du dos d’un dodu dindon.”

“Robert Rowley rolled a round roll round;
A round roll Robert Rowley rolled round;
Where rolled the round roll Robert Rowley rolled round?”

A FRENCHMAN having taken herb tea for a cough, his neighbor asked him, “Ton Thè, t’a t’il otè ta toux?”

“LE JARDIN DE MA TANTE.”

LE vient du jardin de ma tante. O, qu’il est beau le jardin de ma tante! Dans le jardin de ma tante, il y a un arbre. O, qu’il est beau l’arbre du jardin de ma tante! Dans l’arbre du jardin de ma tante, il y a un trou. O, qu’il est beau le trou, de l’arbre du jardin de ma tante! Dans le trou, de l’arbre, du jardin, de ma tante, il y a un nid. O, qu’il est beau le nid, du trou, de l’arbre, du jardin de ma tante! Dans la nid, du trou, de l’arbre, du jardin, de ma tante, il y a un oiseau. O, qu’il est beau l’oiseau du nid, du trou, de l’arbre, du jardin, de ma tante!

L’oiseau du nid, du trou, de l’arbre, du jardin, de ma tante, porte dans son bec un billet, ou ces mots sont écrits:—“Je vous aime,” O, qu’ils sont doux ces mots, “Je vous aime,” qui sont écrits sur le billet porté dans le bec, de l’oiseau, du nid, du trou, de l’arbre, du jardin, de ma tante.

A GOOD FAT HEN.

1. A GOOD fat hen.

2. Two ducks and one good fat hen.

3. Three squalling wild geese, two ducks, and one good fat hen.

4. Four plump partridges, three squalling wild geese, two ducks, and one good fat hen.

5. Five hundred Limerick oysters, four plump partridges, three squalling wild geese, two ducks, and one good fat hen.

6. Six pairs of Don Alphonso’s tweezers, five hundred Limerick oysters, four plump partridges, three squalling wild geese, two ducks, and one good fat hen.

7. Seven hundred Macedonian horsemen drawn up in line of battle, six pairs of Don Alphonso’s tweezers, five hundred Limerick oysters, four plump partridges, three squalling wild geese, two ducks, and one good fat hen.

8. Eight cages of Heliogabulus sparrowkites, seven hundred Macedonian horsemen drawn up in line of battle, six pairs of Don Alphonso’s tweezers, five hundred Limerick oysters, four plump partridges, three squalling wild geese, two ducks, and one good fat hen.

9. Nine sympathetic, epithetic, didactic propositions, eight cages of Heliogabulus sparrowkites, seven hundred Macedonian horsemen drawn up in line of battle, six pairs of Don Alphonso’s tweezers, five hundred Limerick oysters, four plump partridges, three squalling wild geese, two ducks, and one good fat hen.

10. Ten helioscopic, peroscopic, pharmaceutical tubes, nine sympathetic, epithetic, didactic propositions, eight cages of Heliogabulus sparrowkites, seven hundred Macedonian horsemen drawn up in line of battle, six pairs of Don Alphonso’s tweezers, five hundred Limerick oysters, four plump partridges, three squalling wild geese, two ducks, and one good fat hen

11. Eleven flat bottomed fly boats floating from Madagascar to Mount Prunello, ten helioscopic, peroscopic, pharmaceutical tubes, nine sympathetic, epithetic, didactic propositions, eight cages of Heliogabulus sparrowkites, seven hundred Macedonian horsemen drawn up in line of battle, six pairs of Don Alphonso’s tweezers, five hundred Limerick oysters, four plump partridges, three squalling wild geese, two ducks, and one good fat hen.

12. Twelve European dancing masters sent to Egypt to teach the Egyptian mummies to dance and sing, eleven flat bottomed fly boats floating from Madagascar to Mount Prunello, ten helioscopic, peroscopic, pharmaceutical tubes, nine sympathetic, epithetic, didactic propositions, eight cages of Heliogabulus sparrowkites, seven hundred Macedonian horsemen drawn up in line of battle, six pairs of Don Alphonso’s tweezers, five hundred Limerick oysters, four plump partridges, three squalling wild geese, two ducks, and one good fat hen.

Parlor Games.

SQUAILS is a modern English game. The incompleteness of the original rules, and the ridiculous terms employed in the game have prejudiced many sensible people against it. Relieved of these absurdities, the game is an interesting one.

Materials.

The materials for this game consist of sixteen squails, a target, and a gauge. The squails are small discs of wood, about two inches in diameter, eight of light and eight of dark colored wood. The squails are designated by four distinct colors—two light and two dark of each color. The target is of ivory, about one inch in diameter, and loaded so as not to be easily moved or overturned. The gauge is a measure three inches long, made with a convenient handle.

The method of the game is as follows: The company being seated around a dining table, the squails are distributed to them, and the target placed in the center of the table. Now the object of each player is to drive his squails as near the target as possible, by allowing the squail to project over the side of the table about one-fourth its size, and striking it with the palm of the hand.

Vocabulary of Terms.

TARGET.—The movable hub at which the squails are played.

GAUGE.—The measure.

LINE OF DEMARCATION.—An imaginary line round the table, at the distance of the length of the gauge from the edge.

OUT.—A squail struck over the line of demarcation on the opposite side from the player striking it, is “out.”

TO ROUT.—To strike a collection of enemy’s squails so as to scatter them about.

TO BLOCKADE.—To leave one’s squails in such a position as to block up a passage in which the next hostile player could play to advantage.

TO CUT OUT.—To leave one’s squails between the target, a hostile squail lying near it.

Rules.

The game of squails may be played by any number of persons not exceeding eight. If the number of players is even, half will play on one side and half on the other—one side taking the light squails and the other the dark ones. The players of the opposing sides must be seated alternately round the table. If there is an uneven number of players, there are no sides, and all are antagonistic to each other.

A captain is chosen on each side, to whom the players may look for advice, and who shall decide the amount to be scored at each round.

The first play, if there are sides, is determined by the two captains playing one squail each at the target, the one who drives his squail nearest to the target having the first play. If an odd number play, each one plays in a like manner for the lead. The lead being determined, the commencing player places one of his squails about one quarter off the edge of the table, and strikes it with the palm of his hand, aiming at the target which is in the center of the table. The squails slide on the surface of the table.

The players must play one at a time in rotation, with the course of the sun—i. e. from right to left. When all the squails have been played a round is finished, and the nearest squail to the target counts one if within the distance of the gauge. If more than one of the same side are nearer than any of the other color, they all count one each, provided they are within the distance of the length of the gauge—i. e. three inches. A player can strike his squail from any position around the table which he can reach without moving from his chair, or rising from his seat.

If the target is moved by a squail from its place, and does not cross the line of demarcation, it must remain where it stops, unless it is rolling and unsteady; in which case the next player can stand it firmly in the place where he finds it, and all must play at it in its new position till that round is finished. Before commencing a new round the target must be placed back to the center of the table.

At the end of a round, the captain of one side makes his claim for so many “in,” and if the claim is disputed, the gauge is used by the disputing captain to measure the distance from the target to the disputed squails. If the captain of the side who claims one or more squails “in” at the conclusion of the round touches them before they have been allowed by the captain of the opposition, the squail or squails so touched are null, and do not count towards the game. The winner of one round begins the next.

If the target is struck across the line of demarcation, i. e. “out,” it terminates that round; the person who sent it out commences the next round, and one is added to the score of the adversary.

The game can consist of any number agreed upon by the players. Five is a short game, and eleven is a long one.

A squail having been struck so far on the table as not to be touched by the gauge, measuring from the edge of the table, is considered as played, and cannot be taken back. It is then said to have passed the line of demarcation. If a squail passes the line of demarcation twice, i. e. goes across the table, one of the opposing side must cry, “That squail is out,” before the next squail in succession has been played, otherwise, the owner may claim it, and play it again at the conclusion of the round. If more than one squail is “out,” and not cried, they may all be claimed and played at the end of the round in the order in which they were “out.”

PARLOR OR CARPET BOWLS.

THE materials of this game are one white ball, and a number of other balls, designated by four distinct colors. It is played as follows: Place the white ball on the floor near one end of the room with perhaps a row of books behind it, to protect the finish.

Divide the remaining balls equally among the players, or give an equal number of balls to each player. If four play, it is more interesting to form sides, the two players on one side taking the dark balls, and the other two the light ones. Blue and black are considered dark—red and yellow, light. The players, retiring to some part of the room more or less distant from the white ball, now bowl the colored balls, which they hold, at the white one, by turns. Each player bowls one ball at a time, the play passing around the company as many times as there are colored balls for each player. The first bowl goes by turn, as the last bowl is the most valuable. The object of each player is to have the balls that he bowls rest as near as possible to the white one, and also to drive his enemy’s balls away from the white one, or the white one away from them. When all the balls have been bowled, the ball that lies nearest the white one counts 4; the one next nearest, 2; and the third nearest, 1—to the person or side to which they belong. Thus, we will suppose that of the three balls lying nearest to the white ball, the nearest one belongs to the dark side, and the two next nearest belong to the light side. Then the dark side scores 4, and the light side 2 and 1, making 3. But if the _three_ nearest balls had belonged to the dark side, they would have scored 7, and the light side nothing. The game may be 20, or any other number agreed upon by the players before commencing, and the player or side that gains that number first wins the game. Should the game be nearly equal, so that both sides gain 20 in the same hand, then the side that makes the greatest number wins. The white ball must remain wherever it is rolled by the playing of the balls during each hand and placed back on some designated spot at the _commencement_ of each hand. If two balls belonging to opposite parties are equally distant from the white ball, it is a tie, and the two players who bowled those balls must try again, and the one whose ball is nearest will count 4, the other 3.

THE UNION GAME, OR RED, WHITE AND BLUE.

THIS is an excellent parlor game. Any person possessing a croquet board, by taking out the hoops, can use it for the Union game, although a square or round board is better; if square, the board should measure from three and a half to four feet each way; if round, from three and a half to four feet in diameter. The board should be firmly made of well seasoned wood, and covered with cloth or green baize. It should have a rim or fence around the edge, just sufficient to prevent the balls from rolling off the board. It is necessary to have three cubes made of some light wood, about an inch and a half each way; one should be painted red, one white, and one blue, with a star on each face.

Each player should have three balls, painted red, white and blue, and a mallet. The balls and mallets may be the same used in parlor croquet. If this game is played on a board, it is necessary, in order to avoid any disputes, to have a square marked in the centre in which to place the cubes. A croquet board can be adapted to the game by removing the central hoop.

All persons, who prefer not to use a board, can play the game on the floor, by placing the cubes on some central figure of the carpet. By using larger blocks and the croquet balls and mallets, this game can be played on a level spot of ground, in the open air.

How the Game is to be Played.

Place the red cube in the centre of the board, the white diagonally on top of the red, and on top of the white place the blue cube, with its sides square with the red. The person to commence the game is chosen by lot. He places his red ball at the distance of a mallet’s head from the edge of the board, and tries to send his ball against the cubes in the centre; he can roll his three balls in succession, and at the end of his play take back his balls and replace the cubes, if their position has been changed by his play. The player on his left then plays his three balls, and each in turn, until all have played. The same thing is repeated until three rounds have been played.

Rules of the Game.

1. Each player must play from the place he first selects, and at the same distance from the cubes as the other players, or forfeit his play.

2. If a player with his red ball throws down the blue and white cubes and moves the red cube over the square marked, it counts him 20, and he need not play the white or blue ball, but whatever points he wins during the second round with the first two balls counts on the first roll.

3. If a player only throws down the blue and white cubes without moving the red from its square, he counts 15.

4. If a player only knocks off the blue cube, he counts 10.

5. If a player only moves the three cubes, he counts 5.

6. If a player with the first two balls throws down two cubes and moves the under red cube, his play is finished for that round, and when his next turn comes, he can add what he wins with the first ball to the count on his former play.

7. If a player knocks the three cubes down in the three rolls, he counts 20, and if he only knocks down two in three rolls without moving the red, he counts 15; if only the blue cube he counts 10; if he merely moves them all together he counts 5 for the three balls; if he hits them but does not move them he counts nothing.

8. If in rolling the three balls at the cubes he misses them every time, he loses 5 from his score.

One of the company should be provided with pencil and paper and keep an accurate account of each player’s score.

ZOETROPE, OR WHEEL OF LIFE.

THE Zoetrope is a newly invented toy. It presents a series of striking optical delusions, and is constructed in part on the principle of the Phenakestoscope, though altogether different in its arrangement and effect. It can be exhibited on a table in the middle of a room, and a dozen or more can be amused by it at the same time, one of the party keeping it in motion. The exhibitor can give such description of the pictures as they appear as he thinks best. A bright boy or girl can add very much to the interest of the exhibition by witty descriptions. The exhibitor can announce his performance to a family party in a high-flown handbill, charge an admission fee to the room, and carry out the exhibition in the most approved style. The toy is admirably adapted for the entertainment of children.

GRECIAN GAMES.

IN reading an account of the toys, sports and pastimes of the ancient Greeks, one is surprised at their resemblance to our own. They had many games now in common use, and supposed to be of modern invention. A Grecian philosopher named Archytas invented the child’s rattle.

Our children would like to revive the hoops of the ancient Greeks. They surely were more tasteful than ours. I will describe them, and perhaps some enterprising boy will try to imitate, if not surpass them. They were made of bronze, three feet in diameter, very light, and adorned with little spherical bells and movable rings, which jingled musically as the hoops rolled along; the hoop stick was crooked at the point, and called a “plectron.”

Boys! do not be outdone by the young Greeks. Try and invent a hoop with bells of different tones, that will play a melody as it rolls. Some iron hoops have bells, but they are not musical. The Egyptians, too, excelled in toys of all kinds.

JACK-STRAWS.

JACK-STRAWS were played centuries ago, and like many other good old games, have come into fashion anew and with some improvements. The game may be played with straws or fine splinters of wood, four or five inches in length. The straws are gathered in a bunch, not tied, but held firmly together by one end of the bunch, in the hand, a few inches above the table. Held in this manner the bunch will be spread at the bottom, somewhat in the form of a haystack. The player suddenly drops the bunch, and the straws fall in an irregular heap on the table. Each player is provided with a straw or stick, on one end of which a small hook or crooked pin is made fast, and each in turn tries to draw with his hook a single straw from the heap without moving in the slightest degree, any straw except the one he seeks to remove. If he succeeds, he keeps the straw, and proceeds to draw out another or others, but whenever he disturbs any other than the one straw he gives up his turn to his opponent. The one who gains the largest number of straws wins the game.

The jack-straws sold in the toy shops are usually made of wood, and each bunch contains pieces roughly representing kings, queens, bishops, &c. Each of these pieces has a number marked on it, and when one of them is drawn from the heap, it counts for the player as many straws as its number indicates. If the players so agree, each can gather up the straws, as often as his turn comes, and drop them anew.

Games for Little Children.

DANCE, THUMBKIN, DANCE! is a game by which an older person can amuse a number of little children. It is played by holding up the hand and bending thumb and fingers in the following manner. First, put the thumb in motion, singing in a lively tune, “Dance, thumbkin, dance;” then keep the thumb still and move the four fingers, singing, “Dance, ye merry men, every one, for thumbkin he can dance alone.” Then move the forefinger and sing, “Dance, foreman, dance!” Then move all the fingers, singing, “Dance, ye merry men, every one, for foreman he can dance alone.” Then keep the second finger in motion, singing, “Dance, middleman, dance!” Then move all the fingers, singing, “Dance, ye merry men, every one, for middleman he can dance alone.” Then in the same manner repeat the process with the two other fingers, calling the third finger “ring-man,” and the fourth finger “little-man.” When these changes are done rapidly, it entertains even babies.

UNCLE JOHN.

ALL the children who join this game must stand in a circle holding each others’ hands, and as they walk or dance around they sing the following words:

“Uncle John is very sick. What shall we send him?
A piece of pie, a piece of cake, a piece of apple dumpling.
What shall we send it in? In a golden saucer.
Who shall we send it by? By the king’s daughter.
D-o-w-n, down.”

Then all must kneel down as quickly as possible, and rise up at once, the one who is the last to kneel must, when they all rise, whisper to some one a girl’s or boy’s name, and then all join in the circle, the one who knelt last facing outwards. Then they all repeat as follows, making use of the name whispered:

“J—— B—— so they say
Goes a courting night and day,
Sword and pistol by his side,
M—— L—— shall be his bride,
She has sparks, one, two, three,
I can tell you who they be,
Joel, Toel, half a day,
Exel, Toel, turn away.”

All again commence to sing “Uncle John is very sick,” &c., this continues until each one faces outwards in turn or they are weary of it.

MOTHER GOOSE.