Entertainments for Home, Church and School.

by Frederica Seeger.

INTRODUCTION.

Games are meant to amuse, but in addition to amusing, a good game, played in the right spirit, may have great educational value.

Now, this is distinctly a book of _games and amus.e.m.e.nts_.

There are games for indoors, scores of them, while there are other scores that can be enjoyed only in the open.

When young folks, and older folks, too, for that matter, meet for a pleasant evening, it is rather depressing to have them sit solemnly on stiff chairs in the company room and stare helplessly at one another, like folks awaiting a funeral service.

Now, if there is present, and there usually is, a bright girl, who knows the games in this book, and she starts in to "get the ball a-rolling," all will soon be enjoying themselves better than if they were watching a three-ring circus. And then the volleys of wholesome laughter that will roll out--why, they will be better for the digestion than all the medicines of all the doctors.

It will be noticed that some of the outdoor games, and others devised for indoors, require some apparatus, like tennis and croquet, or back-gammon boards and magic lanterns, but the majority need only the company, and--let it be added--the disposition to have a good time.

Within the covers of "Entertainments for Home, Church, and School,"

you will find condensed and clearly set forth the best of a library of books on amus.e.m.e.nts.

ENTERTAINMENTS FOR HOME, CHURCH AND SCHOOL

CHAPTER I

HOUSEHOLD GAMES AND AMUs.e.m.e.nTS

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 p.r.o.nouncing 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 amus.e.m.e.nt 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 compet.i.tion, 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 ill.u.s.trative 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 fict.i.tious. 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 ident.i.ty, 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 a.s.signed 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 p.r.o.nunciation having to pay forfeit.

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