,,it ,,is ,,to ,,laugh ,,edna ,,geister ,,it ,,is ,,to ,,laugh ,a ,book of ,games and ,stunts ,,by ,,edna ,,geister ,,advisor ,,and ,,director ,,of ,,recreation ,author of 8,ice-,breakers10 8,the ,ice-,breaker ,herself10 etc4 ,illustration ,,the ,,womans ,,press #fjj ,,lexington ,,avenue ,,new ,,york ,,city ,,copyright1 #aibb1 ,,by ,,george ,h4 ,,doran ,,company ,,printed ,,in ,,the ,,united ,,states ,,of ,,america ,,foreword ,amos ,r4 ,wells said1 8,recreation is re-creation1 or a re-fashioning of the soul in the image of ,god wherein it was created40 ,real recreation is just that4 ,all through the war every effort was made to fill the leisure time of soldiers and sailors with recreation rather than dissipation1 the kind of recreation that made leisure time an asset rather than a liability4 ,since the war1 with the great impetus it gave the movement1 recreation work in churches1 in communities1 in schools1 and in almost every kind of social service work1 has been put on the same constructive basis1 and it is being looked upon not merely as a side issue or as 8entertainment10 but rather is respected as one of the most vital forces for a re-fashioning of souls in the image of ,god wherein they were created4 8,it ,is to ,laugh0 was written for the purpose of answering requests of re-creators everywhere1 who are in constant need of new material in their recreative work4 ,the games and stunts described do 8entertain10 but behind the inevitable resultant hearty1 healthy laughter is the re-creation that gives one a new lease on life1 that makes one sure that life is good to live1 and that helps one to live life joyfully and abundantly4 ,if 8,it ,is to ,laugh0 may help in accomplishing this1 it will have served its purpose4 ,many of the ideas for these games are not original but have come from co-workers in the ,y4,w4,c4,a41 from members of training classes at the ,university of ,chicago1 and from delegates to recreational conferences all over the country1 and ,i wish in this way to express my sincere appreciation of their coperation1 and to thank them for their invaluable assistance in promoting the gospel of re-creation4 ,,edna ,,geister4 ,,contents ,,chapter ,,page ,i ,,mixers #aa ,,ii ,,group ,,games #ca ,,games ,,for ,,small ,,groups #ca ,,games ,,for ,,large ,,groups #dg ,,games ,,for ,,either ,,large ,,or ,,small ,,groups #ec ,,iii ,,races #fc ,,iv ,,trick ,,games #gg ,v ,,picnics6 #aje ,,races #aje ,,picnic ,,games #aad ,,tag ,,games #abb ,,vi ,,partners1 ,,refreshments ,,and ,,dinner ,,table ,,amusement #abg ,,to ,,find ,,partners #abg ,,refreshments #aca ,,dinner ,,table ,,amusement #ace ,,index #aci ,,it ,,is ,,to ,,laugh ,,it ,,is ,,to ,,laugh ,,chapter ,i4 ,,mixers4 ,the time set for the party is #h o'clock1 but by #h3ae there are about twenty arrivals instead of the one hundred expected1 and they are standing about stiff and formal1 politely ready to do anything the program committee asks1 so that they may go home feeling virtuous in having done their duty1 but dangerously near the attitude of mind that will tempt them1 the next time a party is announced1 to follow ,rebecca's example of 8letting duty go to smash60--all this unless something happens1 and that1 right away6 ,at one time we might have met this situation by putting on a simple little game to keep those twenty guests there until the rest of the crowd came1 but it was hardly necessary to make that mistake twice to realize the futility of those tactics4 ,any game is a flat failure that does not call forth a real social spirit and a real play spirit1 but that spirit does not just happen4 ,it must be definitely worked for and created through socializing games1 while just 8fill-ins till the crowd comes0 can utterly ruin the prospects for creating that spirit that makes recreation1 re-creation4 ,for example1 8,the ,gathering of the ,nuts0 invariably brings down the house when it is given its right place in an evening's program1 but presented at the first of the evening when guests are straggling in1 one by one1 and there is as yet no relaxation and group spirit1 it would inevitably be a dismal failure4 ,therefore1 instead of putting on some casual stunt just to keep guests from leaving1 or just to fill in time till the other guests arrive1 we have found it far more advisable to have informal group singing around the piano for the first ten or fifteen minutes1 and then begin the evening proper1 even if there are only some twenty or thirty guests present1 with a game that is very definitely a mixer1 the one purpose of which is not so much to entertain as to 8socialize10 in almost every case the mixer being some big general movement in which there is a lot of fun and nonsense just like there is in the games that follow later1 but with this important difference--that every person present is in this first event in some game that pries him loose from the corner he chose on arrival as his abiding place for the evening2 a game that gives him an incentive other than a sense of duty for shaking hands vigorously with his fellow guests2 a game that makes him feel this party as his own personal responsibility2 in short1 a game which shows him that he alone counts as nothing1 but that he1 together with every other guest present1 counts for everything4 8,spots0 is a splendid example of a mixer that will so thoroughly mix up a group of guests that they never will succeed in getting sorted out again into their original classifications3 ,spots4 ,the leader has chosen seven or eight places in the room as the 8spots10 and has a list of them at hand4 ,all of them have been carefully chosen1 and she alone knows where they are4 ,guests are standing about informally when the announcement is made that in about two minutes a whistle will be blown1 at which time the couple standing on a certain spot will receive a handsome reward4 ,at the same time however1 anyone seen standing alone will be fined4 ,a partner is essential to winning a prize or to make one immune to a fine4 ,even if a person is standing on the lucky spot at the time the whistle blows1 if he is alone he must pay the fine1 one cent4 ,to promote a general moving around1 and to add to the spirit of the game1 lively march music is played all the time the guests are supposed to be moving1 although no definite line of march is encouraged4 ,two additional rules insure the success of 8,spots40 ,after the first spot has been found and the prize awarded1 the game goes on and another spot in some other part of the room is the lucky one4 ,but no person can have the same partner he had while the first spot was being sought4 ,the same fine of one cent is imposed on any two people who seem to think they have an option on each other4 ,the same thing is true of location4 ,anyone found standing in the same place he occupied during the first round1 is fined1 with much publicity4 ,the game goes on until the seven or eight spots have been located and the 8handsome rewards0 given out4 ,all the spots have been chosen with the purpose in mind to get guests absolutely relaxed1 thoroughly mixed and free from any stiff formality4 ,that is why a definite line of march would be fatal4 ,instead1 let the first spot be behind the piano2 the next on the platform2 the next leaning up against a pillar1 etc41 etc4 ,to sum up1 the rules are as follows3 #a4 ,everyone must have a partner4 #b4 ,partners must be changed for every round4 #c4 ,no one is allowed to stand in the same place for two successive rounds4 ,four or five so-called 8policemen0 assist the leader in detecting violators of these rules and much publicity is given the fining of the offenders4 ,the success of the game depends entirely on the ability of the leader to make her guests feel the great desirability of finding one of those elusive lucky spots4 ,no one knows where they are4 ,all they know is that it behooves them to move1 to get a partner1 to keep moving1 and to keep on getting partners6 ,shake ,hands6 ,now shake hands1 everybody1 whether you know each other or not4 ,let's be sociable4 ,shake hands6 ,you have heard that before8 ,and immediately you started in to shake hands with friend and foe and foreigner8 ,hardly4 ,no real incentive is offered there for shaking hands with people you have never seen before or people you see every day of your life1 no incentive other than a sense of duty1 and a sense of duty is not what one would call particularly successful in promoting the real spirit of sociability which makes a social evening1 or the lack of which1 breaks it4 ,it does seem so inane to ask people to shake hands with each other1 and yet1 if a leader can once get a group to laugh heartily as a group1 if she can give them a sufficiently interesting incentive for grasping the hand of a neighbor with real vim and enthusiasm even if it is for the purpose of saving themselves from dire penalties6--they are won and one for the rest of the evening6 ,but just telling guests to be sociable and to shake hands will not do it4 ,it is necessary to create a setting and furnish an incentive1 and instead of playing on the guest's sense of duty1 to play on their sense of humor4 ,they are invited to shake hands with each other1 but are warned that the only handshake allowed is a vigorous side-to-side swing1 and are further cautioned that it is fully as great a crime to be seen using the ordinary handshake as it is to be caught not shaking hands at all2 that several 8policemen0 in the crowd will see to it that these laws are enforced2 and finally1 that any violator of these laws will certainly repent at leisure and in public4 ,some ten policemen are chosen1 their number of course depending on the size of the group4 ,at a signal the handshaking begins4 ,the policemen are more than vigilant in discharging their duties1 and several culprits who were caught standing about 8just looking on01 and some of the ladies who shook hands in a manner not vigorous enough to suit the policemen1 are escorted to the platform1 there to sit in the public eye till the leader's whistle stops the frantic1 vigorous handshaking1 which should be given about five minutes time4 ,the next game of the evening might well be a hoax1 with these culprits used as the victims4 ,southpaws4 ,this is very much like 8,shake ,hands0 in its object and in its rulings4 ,the difference lies in the kind of handshaking permitted4 ,the rule is that the left hand only is to be used in shaking hands4 ,at irregular intervals a whistle is blown and anyone caught not actually shaking the left hand of some other guest at that particular moment is punished in the same way in which culprits in the game 8,shake ,hands60 are taken care of4 ,of course there are policemen1 whose one object in life is to catch someone napping1 or a bit negligent in the evidence he gives of a very active and left-handed spirit of sociability6 ,my ,virtues6 8,mrs4 ,kalen1 let me present ,mr4 ,black40 8,mrs4 ,frummly1 have you met ,mr4 ,stewart80 and so on1 world without end6 ,this1 at a large gathering1 the one object of which is to get members of a community to really know each other6 ,and at that1 if it were possible for the hosts to see that every guest was introduced to every other guest1 would even that do a great deal toward helping members of a community to know each other1 other than to have spoken one another's names8 ,put a human and socializing element in those introductions1 and they will know more about each other than just names1 and what's more1 they'll like each other6 ,the men form one line and the women another1 all of them facing the front of the room4 ,when the music starts the men march down one side of the room to the back1 and the women down the other4 ,they meet and take partners as they come in the line of march1 coming up the center of the room with their partners4 ,when they reach the front1 all couples march to the right1 forming a large double circle around the room4 ,the leader then makes an announcement to the effect that in order to make sure that everyone knows all the virtues of his fellow guests1 splendid opportunities will be given for the flaunting of those virtues4 ,partners face each other1 shake hands1 introduce themselves1 and then1 with hands on hips1 begin telling all the nice things they know about themselves1 real or imaginary4 ,the only difficulty is that they have to do it at the same time1 which makes it hard occasionally for one's partner to hear about all the lovely qualities one possesses or aspires to possess6 ,they are given just a minute for this when another whistle is blown which is a signal for the men only to walk forward until a second whistle stops them4 ,the woman nearest them is their next partner4 ,they shake hands with these new partners1 and one's virtues again become the topic of importance4 ,this continues for not more than five minutes4 ,that will be enough6 ,is it necessary to say that next day1 when ,mrs4 ,kalen meets ,mr4 ,black at the bank1 that she doesn't wonder1 8,have ,i ever met that man before80 ,rather1 it is1 8,why1 good morning1 ,mr4 ,black6 ,are you still the perfect man you thought yourself last night80 ,prohibited ,words4 ,we have used over and over again the game in which certain words are prohibited1 but we used it as a game that had a definite time limit4 ,it has proved far more effective to put a ban on those words for the entire evening4 ,perhaps these words are 8,yes0 and 8,no10 or 8,you0 and 8,i40 ,all through the evening those words are forbidden4 ,anyone heard using them pays a fine to the one who caught him making that social error4 ,at each offense a fine of one candy or one bean or one of whatever thing is used as the means of exchange1 is exacted from the one who made the error4 ,this means of exchange may depend on the season4 ,on ,valentine ,day it might be little candy hearts in small bags2 at ,easter1 little candy eggs2 or at ,christmas1 tiny bright red candies4 ,however1 just plain beans may be used1 a small bag being provided in which to carry them4 ,perhaps you think that if candy is used1 your guests may eat their means of exchange before the evening is half over4 ,warn them against it4 ,then1 at the end of the evening1 just before the last game1 ask for a count of their 8money10 and as it happens1 8,to him that hath shall be given40 ,the richest one is given additional riches in the shape of a box of candy1 with the assurance that he need not open it till he gets home6 ,the ten who made the most lapses and consequently have the least money1 and those who ate most of their money1 are obliged to give up any they still hold and to sit on the platform as the infant class while their brighter and less greedy brothers and sisters march past them1 munching their candy6 ,it is easy enough to remember not to say 8,yes0 or 8,no0 to anyone1 when that is the particular game of the moment1 but to have to remember not to use those words through all the nonsense of the evening is a slightly different matter4 ,another very good phase of this game as a mixer is that it gives a real incentive for people to talk to each other1 even if they have never seen one another before--all for the sake of a bean6 ,gossip4 ,a circle is formed1 with from three to six people in the center1 their number to be determined by the size of the circle4 ,guests are warned that it is the object of these people in the center to get out of it1 and that the only way they can do it is to get someone else in1 in their place2 that their method of doing this is very effective1 and that it behooves every last one of them to learn the name and occupation of his neighbor on either side1 together with one juicy bit of gossip concerning him4 ,at a signal from the leader1 each one of the people in the center turns around1 snaps his fingers at some person who did not expect it1 and asks this victim to instantly give all the required information about both of his neighbors4 ,if he fails1 into the center he goes1 changing places with the person who caught him napping4 ,the neighbor is supposed to offer the juicy bit of gossip himself1 but sometimes his imagination fails him1 or his egotism overcomes him1 and it is up to the victim pointed at to use his own imagination4 ,therefore it is not unusual to have the following information shouted out by an excited victim who fears a place in the center3 8,my right-hand neighbor's name is ,the ,minister2 his occupation is ministering and he has been in jail four times60 ,all the others in the center have been asking for information at the same time and after a minute or two the leader calls out1 8,change your neighbors60 and everyone is to find a new set of neighbors for himself4 ,a great deal of publicity and a place in the center is promised anyone who does not get into a new neighborhood6 ,this game is played not more than five minutes1 for with such an incentive all guests will know each other intimately long before five minutes are over6 ,it ,pays to ,advertise4 ,as each guest comes in the door he is given a slip of paper on which is written a number4 ,when all the guests have arrived the leader asks all 8tens0 to congregate at the piano1 while 8threes0 get together in one corner1 8fives0 in another1 etc41 etc4 ,as the different groups assemble the leader goes rapidly from one group to another1 and reading from her list1 assigns each group some advertisement which they are to dramatize4 ,a few impromptu properties such as a shrunken sweater1 candles1 newspapers1 and crackers1 are available4 ,after the four or five minutes allowed for preparation1 each group in turn dramatizes the advertisement assigned it1 and must continue action until the audience guesses correctly what advertisement is being represented4 ,to avoid the situation which often develops when such a contest is on1 an announcement is made to the effect that there is to be no guessing until the actors have completed their stunt4 ,then if there is no correct guess1 the dramatization must begin again and continue until it is made so realistic that the audience guesses what it is in self-defense1 or else gives up in dismay6 ,the following suggestions may be helpful3 #a4 ,ivory ,soap4 8,it ,floats40 ,members of the group go flitting about the stage as though they were walking on air1 waving their arms and in general acting in ethereal fashion4 #b4 ,eversharp4 ,riddles which have been prepared beforehand are put to a class by the teacher4 ,the class having been thoroughly drilled in the answers1 respond with a snap and a brilliancy that amazes the audience6 #c4 ,uneeda ,biscuit4 ,let them pantomime exhaustion1 plainly showing by their actions that they are starved4 ,a doctor rushes in1 makes them stick out their tongues1 7which they do with artistic effect71 sing up the scale1 blow up their cheeks1 holding them that way indefinitely1 close one eye1 etc4 ,in short1 he carefully diagnoses the case1 after which he swells up with pride at having found what the trouble was4 ,he dashes to his bag1 takes out a box of crackers1 and makes each patient eat one1 whereupon they all hop around1 exhibiting marvelous life and enthusiasm1 apparently cured for life4 #d4 ,blue ,jay ,corn ,plaster4 ,the men of the group take the part of the blue jays1 blue because of aching corns which they indicate by a mournful expression and painful hobbling around4 ,the 8jay0 element is taken care of by tousled hair and disheveled clothing4 ,they give evidence of considerable pain1 which evidence grows louder and louder until the women of the group come dashing in as nurses1 with handkerchiefs or pieces of white cloth bound about their heads4 ,they inquire in pantomime about the cause of such evident trouble and having learned it1 bind up the entire foot of the patient1 thereby making life again worth living for the 8,blue ,jays40 #e4 ,whistle4 ,it speaks for itself4 #f4 ,bon ,ami4 ,the men come running in with smudges on their faces1 followed in great haste by the ladies1 who are very evidently trying to catch them4 ,finally they succeed and holding their victims firmly by the shoulders1 with handkerchiefs as instruments of torture they pantomime a vigorous face-scrubbing1 polishing the face as they would a window4 ,when they have finished1 they view the results with much satisfaction1 while their victims pantomime the discomfort they undoubtedly feel4 #g4 ,pears' ,soap4 ,all the members of a group are 8paired0 off and either wander about in pairs or busily wash each others' faces1 always in pairs4 #h4 ,colgate's ,toothpaste4 8,lies flat on the brush40 ,a man appears1 throws a hairbrush on the floor and lies down 8flat upon it40 #i4 ,wool ,soap4 ,a large lady whose arms are sticking through the sleeves of a white sweater many sizes too small for her1 looks tragically at the result of her not having used ,wool ,soap1 while the rest of the group go into spasms of mirth at the picture she presents4 #aj4 ,fiske ,tires4 8,time to ,retire40 ,all the members of this group file stumblingly across the stage1 each one carrying a candle and yawning1 and looking so irresistibly sleepy that everyone in the audience yawns just to look at them6 ,with some groups it will not be necessary to provide advertisements1 and it will be sufficient to announce that each group is to think of its own and that a prize will be given to the most original stunt1 but with the average group it is very helpful to have either a list of advertisements at hand1 together with properties1 or to be sure that in each group there is someone who can be depended upon to take the initiative for that group in putting on a really effective stunt4 ,i speak from experience6 ,limited ,conversation4 ,perhaps you are responsible for the 8socializing0 of a very large group1 most of the guests being strangers to each other1 and you wish to break the ice and to get guests into the spirit that makes for easy and truly social conversation4 ,to announce certain topics of conversation and ask that everyone talk on just those topics with one's neighbors in such a group as has just been described1 often has an effect that is more tongue-tieing than socializing in its effect1 and a human kink must be put into the plan to make it really effective in getting your guests into the relaxed and jovial spirit that does wonders with a group1 however large or 8strange40 ,a list of topics for conversation is made out as usual1 but a ruling is added that makes conversation on these topics far more difficult and therefore far more interesting than just plain conversation which is very evidently for the purpose of 8mixing up0 a strange group4 ,that ruling might be that every statement must be the very opposite of what one really thinks about the question of the moment4 ,for example1 the question may be1 8,do you believe in ,woman ,suffrage80 ,according to the ruling1 no matter how thoroughly a man despises the thought of ,woman ,suffrage1 he is obliged to vehemently defend it1 and no matter how ardent a suffragette his immediate neighbor may be1 she is to scorn it with every breath4 ,after a minute or two the next topic is announced4 ,it might be 8,what do you like best80 and everyone is to pick upon the thing he most dislikes and eulogize it to the best of his ability4 ,that same ruling applies to all the six or seven topics announced1 and to say the least1 startling statements are the result1 to say nothing of the hilarity that is inevitable over a conversation with the ,baptist minister's wife who vows that picking potato bugs is her favorite pastime6 ,this group is a large one1 so no effort is made to pair guests off with partners but topics are announced1 together with the ruling that one's immediate neighbors are one's partners1 and that guards will patrol the room to see that no one talks on any subject but the one announced1 to see that everyone is talking1 and that the limitation imposed is very strictly observed4 ,to make sure that they talk to more than one person the guests are asked to change their immediate neighborhoods between topics4 ,the breaking of any of these rules calls for a forfeit4 ,if one is entertaining a small group in a home1 a progressive system of partners is arranged1 by which guests progress from one partner to another4 ,each one is given a card on which a number is written1 ladies holding even numbers and men1 odd4 ,on the men's cards in addition1 is written their conversation program1 namely1 the numbers of the partners they are to have for the different topics of conversation1 and it is their business to hunt up each new partner as the signal for the change is given4 ,for example1 ,mr4 ,hunt is ,no4 #e4 ,his program reads3 #f1 #h1 #b1 #ab1 #d1 #aj4 ,that means that for the first topic his partner is to be ,no4 #f and that when the game starts he is to hunt her up and talk earnestly with her on the first topic4 ,a bell is rung after about two minutes and he must hunt up ,no4 #h and talk with her about the second topic1 and so he progresses from one partner to another until he has talked with his last partner on the last topic4 ,another limitation which may be applied to conversation is that all statements must contain one's own initials4 ,the question may be1 8,what is your favorite sport80 ,mr4 ,graham's initials are ,s4 ,m4 ,g4 so his favorite sport is obliged to be1 8,selling moldy groceries60 ,still another limitation maybe that all remarks be untruths4 ,a further limitation1 and a painful one1 but one which is particularly good for a small crowd1 is that all statements must be made in rhyme1 no matter how inevitably abominable the rhyming may be6 ,topics may include any possible subject1 from current events to modes of dress4 ,the following list is typical3 #a4 ,what is your favorite sport8 #b4 ,do you believe in ,protective ,tariff8 #c4 ,will bobbed hair stay with us8 #d4 ,who is your favorite poet8 #e4 ,what is your occupation8 #f4 ,what do you like best to eat8 #g4 ,what would you like to be8 ,a period of two or three minutes is given for each conversation4 ,the whole affair should last not longer than from fifteen to twenty minutes4 ,you will find that that will be plenty long enough6 ,imagine a period not longer than that for a conversation on the above topics1 carried on in rhyme6 ,the following are the answers given by the principal of the ,high ,school at a church party in a ,middle ,west town3 #a4 8,to ride a big fat elephant has always been my favorite stunt40 #b4 8,i'd hate to have you think ,i'm rude1 but what is it1 a breakfast food80 #c4 8,i really don't profess to know1 but ,i hope to goodness it will go40 #d4 8,walt ,mason is my favorite poet1 he's got the goods and he can show it40 #e4 8,i am a banker brave and bold2 ,i grab the cash and keep it cold40 #f4 8,most everything's what ,i like best2 to get enough1 there lies the test40 #g4 8,i'd like to be a billionaire and make the whole world stand and stare40 ,holidays4 ,the question as to their birthmonths is asked of the guests1 and they are grouped together accordingly1 the ,januarys over behind the piano1 the ,junes at the rear entrance1 etc41 etc4 ,each group is then asked to dramatize a holiday of the month it represents4 ,no properties have been made available as this is to be distinctly an impromptu affair4 ,they are all given about ten minutes for preparation1 and then they are called on1 one by one1 to do their stunts4 ,they are not called by name however1 but by 8location40 ,for example1 the first group called on might be the one in the bay window1 and the next1 the one in the dining room4 ,when each group has finished its stunt1 and only then1 the audience is to guess what holiday they represent1 and if the guesses are incorrect1 the stunt must be repeated4 ,the following list of holidays has been found to work to good advantage4 #a4 ,january--,new ,year4 #b4 ,february--,washington's birthday4 #c4 ,march--,st4 ,patrick's ,day4 #d4 ,april--,april ,fool's ,day4 #e4 ,may--,may ,day4 #f4 ,june--,anybody's ,wedding4 #g4 ,july--,july ,fourth4 #h4 ,august--,mr4 ,ribbon ,clerk's ,vacation4 #i4 ,september--,labor ,day4 #aj4 ,october--,hallowe'en4 #aa4 ,november--,thanksgiving4 #ab4 ,december--,christmas4 ,bag ,handshake4 ,each guest is given a paper bag which is to be put on his right hand4 ,he is to shake hands with everyone in sight1 the bag being an indicator of how zealous he has been in his efforts6 ,as soon as it is worn out he may rest in peace1 but not until then4 ,the ,little ,theater4 ,the plan of 8,holidays0 is used over and over with different 8motives40 ,one of them is musical4 ,the words of a song like 8,yankee ,doodle0 are written out on separate slips which are numbered alike4 ,they might all be numbered4 8#a40 ,the second song might be 8,dixie10 and its words are similarly written out on slips and numbered 8#b40 ,each guest is given a number and is asked to find all others who have the same number4 ,when everyone has found his or her group they are to have just a very few minutes in which to practice their song4 ,when the time is up the leader calls out each group in turn and asks them to sing their song1 at the same time putting enough dramatic action into their performance to really get the motive of the song across6 ,the group which the judges agree on as best gets a bag of peanuts4 ,dressing ,up4 ,there is nothing like 8dressing up0 to make a crowd relax and laugh4 ,therefore1 with a large group of guests1 most of them strangers to one another1 use caps and bells for as successful a mixer as you could desire4 ,fancy paper caps can be bought very inexpensively when bought in quantity1 and the same is true of tiny bells4 ,each guest is provided with a little bell which has a string attached by which to hang it around his neck1 and also one of these foolish paper caps4 ,they are all asked to put on both bells and caps and to keep them on all evening4 ,a crowd of guests thusly adorned looks foolish enough to furnish entertainment for a long1 long time6 ,circle ,handshake4 ,it is good psychology to have a genuine mixer at the end of the evening as well as at the beginning4 ,after the last game1 the guests form a circle4 ,the leader asks the one standing nearest the door to shake hands with his right-hand neighbor1 and then to continue shaking hands all the way around the circle1 telling each one 8,good-night0 until he has gone completely around1 after which he drops out of the circle4 ,at the same time however1 all the others are beginning to do the same thing4 ,he had no sooner finished shaking hands with his right-hand neighbor and gone on to the next one and then on to the next1 than this same right-hand neighbor began doing the same thing1 shaking the hand of his neighbor to the right1 and so on around the circle4 ,each one does the same thing1 that is1 after ,no4 #b has passed ,no4 #c1 ,no4 #c starts immediately to shake hands around the circle1 and as soon as he passes ,no4 #d1 ,no4 #d does the same thing4 ,in this way it is inevitable that everyone shakes hands with everyone else and bids them all 8,good-night40 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,group ,,games4 ,games for ,small ,groups4 ,altruism4 ,each one is asked to write out a stunt that any ordinary person could do4 ,these stunts are collected1 mixed up and then passed around1 although nothing has been said about this having been planned6 ,each person is then requested to do the stunt written out on the slip of paper given him1 whether he can or not6 ,cruelty4 ,in this game each one is asked to write out a stunt that he would hate to have to do himself4 ,when these stunts are all written out1 an announcement is made to the effect that1 in turn1 they will all please perform the stunts they so kindly thought of4 ,noise4 ,each guest is asked to choose the part of some very well-known barnyard animal4 ,the leader is to read a story she has written which is all about barnyard animals and which makes frequent mention of all of them4 ,as she mentions each different animal1 the noise it makes is to be imitated by the one who chose that particular animal4 ,but whenever she speaks of the donkey everyone in the room is to imitate the donkey to the best of his ability and at the top of his lungs6 ,the ,toyshop4 ,the entire group is supposed to have been on a shopping expedition on which toys only were purchased4 ,they are not to tell what they bought but when called on1 each one is to imitate the sound and action of her toy1 and is to continue doing so until the name of the toy is guessed4 ,smile6 ,guests are either sitting or standing in two lines facing each other4 ,the hostess1 who holds a boy's cap in her hand1 tells one side that the inside of the cap is the signal for them to act1 and the other side that the top of the cap is their signal4 ,she stands between the rows and throws the cap up into the air4 ,if it lands on the floor bottom side up1 the side which has the inside of the cap for a signal must immediately go into roars of laughter1 or they may giggle1 simper1 tee-hee1 or show mirth in any way in their efforts to make the other side smile even the least little bit4 ,anyone who does smile at all goes over to the side of the enemy in disgrace4 ,the hostess acts as timekeeper and after a few seconds she throws the cap into the air again1 and if it lands right side up the other group becomes hilarious and puts forth every effort to gain new members4 ,after about three minutes of this1 the hostess announces that each side will have one more turn 7she manages to throw the cap so that will happen71 that a count will be taken at the end of that time1 and that the side which gained the most new members gets almost all of the refreshments1 and the other side almost none of them6 ,and ,i4 ,choose three people who are quickwitted4 ,the first of the three goes around the circle quietly giving everyone a name2 the second1 an action2 and the last one a place4 ,when each guest has been told a name1 an action1 and a place1 the hostess begins the fairy tale by making a sentence of the three things told her1 adding however 8and ,i0 to the name given her4 ,for example1 she has been given the following4 8,grandmother10 8,cracking the whip10 8,baptist ,church40 ,her sentence would be 8,grandmother and ,i were cracking the whip in the ,baptist ,church60 ,the one to her right then takes up the tale4 ,her assignment was3 8,hired man10 8,getting a permanent wave10 8,in the shade of the old apple tree40 ,her sentence is1 8,the hired man and ,i were getting a permanent wave in the shade of the old apple tree40 ,so it continues around the circle1 and a weirder set of experiences never occurred6 ,impromptu ,artists4 ,pass around pencils and paper4 ,assign a 8model0 to each artist1 in every case having model and artist across from each other if possible4 ,this arrangement makes every guest both an artist and a model4 ,at a signal they begin their artistry and are given three minutes in which to draw portraits of the models assigned4 ,all artists must put their names on their pictures1 but models' names are omitted4 ,the pictures are collected at the end of three minutes1 are shuffled and again passed around4 ,each guest must decide who he thinks was the model for the picture he holds4 ,he writes that person's name on the picture and when all have done that1 the pictures are given to the suspected models4 ,violence has been committed with less cause6 ,occasionally someone picks a wrong model6 ,that is why1 at a signal from the hostess each one in turn turns over his picture and reads aloud the name of the artist as well as the name written on the portrait1 and the artist is compelled to tell who his model was1 regardless of what the picture looks like4 ,that is a good time to break up the party6 ,excuse ,me6 ,a question is put to the group as a whole3 8,why weren't you at the meeting last night80 ,in two minutes each one is to be ready to give his excuse1 and the only requirement is that the excuse is to be put in terms of one's own initials1 and to be preceded by 8,because ,i was----0 ,for example1 one guest's initials are 8,c4 ,f4 ,b40 ,when asked why she wasn't at the meeting last night she glibly replied1 8,because ,i was curling ,father's beard60 ,invitations4 ,guests are standing about informally4 ,the topic of conversation is1 8,why ,i want you to come to call60 ,each girl is asked to choose a man whom she will invite to call on her4 ,sue ,lawson chooses ,ned ,parsons1 and she is to urge him to accept her invitation to call but she will have to give him a mighty good reason for wanting him4 ,he is to accept and is to tell her why he is so glad to come4 ,in both cases one's partner's initials are of importance1 for the reason one gives is to be based on them4 ,miss ,lawson tells ,mr4 ,parsons that he just must come to call because he 8needs protection10 and he tells her that he will be glad to because she is 8so lovely60 ,three minutes are given for invitations and their acceptances at the end of which time the leader starts calling for a report4 8,ted ,frazer1 who invited you to call80 8,gertrude ,field4 ,she said she wanted me to call because ,i was #8turrible funny1'0 whereupon the leader calls upon ,gertrude ,field to ask why ,mr4 ,frazer wanted to accept her invitation4 ,she replies1 8,to get a #8good feed'60 ,elastic ,spelling4 ,let the host start spelling a word by giving the first letter4 ,for example1 he may have in mind the word 8kitchen40 ,he says 8,k10 and the one to his left who is to give the next letter is thinking of 8kill0 so he says 8,i10 while the next one who is thinking of 8kimono0 says 8,m10 each one trying not to give a letter that will complete a word4 ,the penalty for completing a word is to become a third of a goat4 ,at the second offence the penalty is to become two-thirds of a goat1 and at the third1 a whole goat4 ,a whole goat is compelled to 8,baa1 baa0 at his turn instead of giving a letter4 ,there are always more 8,baa-ers0 than one would anticipate1 for even though you had in mind the word 8kidnap10 when at your turn you added the letter 8d0 to 8k--i--10 k--i--d spells kid1 at least in the ,english language1 so you go on record as part of a goat4 ,there is always somebody who will take a chance and give 8any old letter10 just so he won't finish a word4 ,each player has the privilege of challenging three separate times4 ,when challenged1 a player is obliged to tell the word he had in mind1 which sometimes he had not6 ,a player cannot be challenged after the next player has given his letter4 ,it is not only the ,english language that is stretched in this indoor pastime4 ,minds and imaginations stretch to the bursting point in a way that gives one a new respect for one's capacity for laughter4 ,twentieth ,century ,blind ,man's ,buff4 ,instead of just one being blindfolded1 all but one are blinded1 and it is the business of the game to catch this lucky one4 ,he is not as lucky as it might appear1 however4 ,he has a little bell hanging around his neck on a cord1 and to say the least1 it advertises his whereabouts4 ,he cannot leave the room1 must keep moving1 and cannot silence the bell in any way4 ,at that1 in the average room he can elude his pursuers for a few minutes at least1 if he is nimble at all1 for you know how utterly helpless one is when blindfolded 7and how very graceful674 ,as soon as the bell man is caught he is blindfolded and the one who caught him is 8it40 ,the game is a hilarious success for about four or five minutes1 but do not let it run on any longer than that or people will be getting uncomfortable and taking off their blindfolders and 8,just watching this time1 thank you60 ,are you wondering how in the world you could ever get enough large size handkerchiefs to blindfold a whole party8 ,don't wonder4 ,instead1 make blindfolders out of strips of gauze long enough to go around one's head4 ,just about where the eyes would come put pads of absorbent cotton1 using adhesive tape to hold them in place4 ,these blindfolders are very inexpensive and far more hygienic than the usual handkerchief1 and it isn't half as easy to peek through them either6 ,employment ,bureau4 ,guests are divided into two equal groups lined up against opposite walls of the room4 ,one side is designated as the first to ask for employment4 ,they go into secret session to decide on some trade4 ,when ready1 they advance to the middle of the room where the other group is standing in a line waiting for them4 ,the first group says1 8,we want a job40 ,the others ask1 8,what can you do80 ,then the first group begins to act out its trade in pantomime4 ,for example1 they have decided to be veterinarians4 ,some act as horses and cows while the others act as the doctors who examine their teeth1 their tongues1 look at their heels1 make them run1 etc41 etc4 ,as soon as their opponents call out 8,veterinarians60 they break and run for their side of the room4 ,any of them who are tagged before they reach the wall go to the ranks of the enemy4 ,the other side then has its turn1 and after about ten minutes of this1 announce that the next act will be the last1 and that a count will be taken to see which side lost and which won the most members4 ,the winners get a double share of refreshments6 ,automobile4 ,all of the guests but one are given chairs1 and they are seated informally about the room4 ,the one who has no chair is the assembler4 ,to every other player is given the name of some part of an automobile1 a list of which names has been prepared beforehand to avoid the uninteresting delay that is inevitable when a hostess has to stop to think of names to assign people4 ,for example1 there are the radiator1 the clutch1 the steering wheel1 gears1 speedometer1 tonneau1 brakes1 all the different parts of an automobile which are easy enough to think of when one is at leisure and can sit down with pencil and paper and work out such a list1 but a slightly different proposition when one is before a group of guests who are waiting4 ,that list is given to the assembler and he begins his story of a trip to the country one ,sunday1 a trip which was a series of mishaps4 ,he tells how he prepared for the trip1 bringing in the names of the various parts1 and as he calls out the various parts they 8assemble0 in a line directly in back of him1 with hands on the shoulders of the one in front of them4 ,the story goes on1 all about the accidents and hard luck of the day1 how he stripped his gears1 etc41 etc41 until all of the parts are assembled in line behind the assembler1 when the automobile starts running around the room1 at first slowly1 but getting faster and faster until all of a sudden the leader stops abruptly1 calls out 8,honk6 honk60--at which time it is the immediate business of life to break ranks and get a chair4 ,there is a mad scramble for chairs1 successful for all but one4 ,this unfortunate is the assembler for the next time4 ,everyone is given a different part and the game goes on as before4 ,at the end every effort is made to make this assembler1 who was too slow to get a chair the first time1 just as unsuccessful this time4 ,at any rate1 the one who doesn't get a chair is the assembler for the next and last run1 and if it has been possible to keep some person from getting a chair two successive times he is obliged to pay the corner forfeit1 which compels him to cry in one corner1 laugh in the next1 dance in the next1 and sing ,home ,sweet ,home in the last4 ,be ,definite6 ,the hostess calls out the following words and expressions1 assigning one to every guest in turn1 and immediately each one must give his definition of the word or expression given him4 ,the fun in this venture 7and the fun may be endless67 lies in the word given out4 ,for example1 8,goatee40 ,everybody knows what a goatee is1 but mighty few can give an intelligent definition of it4 ,almost invariably the answer will be 8,oh1 you know4 ,something that--something that--well1 you know--0 and then will come the downward stroking of the chin6 ,but no pantomiming is allowed1 although you have said nothing about it4 ,anyone who pantomimes is punished by being given an extra word1 the second1 much harder than the first4 ,the following may be included3 #a4 ,goatee4 #b4 ,a feeble effort4 #c4 ,a puff of wind4 #d4 ,a good impression4 #e4 ,an accordion4 #f4 ,a spiral staircase4 #g4 ,a deep sigh4 #h4 ,a mere whim4 ,help6 ,get a piece of cardboard about the size of the back of a tablet4 ,tell the one at your right that he is to take that cardboard exactly as you give it to him and in exactly the same place1 and that he will then give it to his neighbor in the same way4 ,put the short side between your nose and lip1 holding it there until your neighbor takes it from you1 not with his hands1 but between his nose and lip4 ,even the handsomest person in the room is a caricature when he screws down his nose and stretches up his lip in his efforts to hold the cardboard there until his pugnosed neighbor can overcome his unholy laughter long enough to get his features in the right shape to take it4 ,it is a good plan to start three or four cards at different places in the circle4 ,human ,adjectives4 ,divide the group into two equal sides4 ,a leader is chosen for each group4 ,each side is to decide upon some noun that has just as many letters in it as the team has members4 ,every member is assigned a letter4 ,he is to decide on some adjective beginning with that letter1 and he will 8act out0 that adjective for the edification of the members of the other team who are acting as audience for the time being4 ,it is the business of the audience to guess what adjective is being dramatized4 ,as soon as they hit upon the right adjective1 they take its first letter as the first letter in the noun the team is dramatizing4 ,then the next human adjective takes his turn and so on until all the letters of the noun have been dramatized4 ,as an illustration1 a team takes the noun 8stone40 ,there are five members in the group and five letters in the word4 ,the first actor has 8s0 for his letter4 ,he chooses 8silly0 for his adjective1 and he acts as silly as he possibly can and continues to do so until someone in the audience calls out the correct guess1 8,you're acting silly60 ,the audience has the first letter to the word1 8s40 ,next comes 8t40 ,the adjective chosen was 8tired40 ,then 8o0--ornery2 next 8n0--noisy2 and last 8e0--empty4 ,taking the first letters of these adjectives in turn1 the audience has the word 8stone40 ,then the opposing team acts out adjectives describing the first letters of its noun1 and so they take turn about1 and if real snap and enthusiasm are put into the acting out of the adjectives this can be the game of the evening as far as genuine and sideach-y fun is concerned4 ,can't you just see the minister of the ,baptist ,church acting 8ornery10 pushing people about1 twitching ,beacon ,jones' nose1 pulling ,susie's hair and in general1 making himself an unmitigated nuisance and showing up a truly ornery disposition8 ,it is surprising always to find how many people enjoy acting ornery1 and noisy1 and silly1 and all the other forbidden adjectives6 ,parlor ,slapjack4 ,guests are standing in a circle1 hands outstretched behind them4 ,the one who is 8,it0 walks around the outside of the circle1 suddenly slaps an outstretched hand and1 without stopping an instant1 continues to walk around the circle in the direction he was going4 ,the one whose hand was slapped immediately starts walking in the opposite direction1 the objective for both walkers being the place that was just vacated4 ,it belongs to the one who reaches it first1 while the other becomes 8,it40 ,they are to walk only4 ,no running is allowed4 ,but--certain rites must be performed before either one may take the place in the circle4 8,it0 and the one whose hand was slapped are bound to meet on their way round the circle4 ,when they do1 8,it0 does whatever he wishes in the way of a stunt1 and the other must imitate exactly before they may continue their race for the empty place4 ,the following stunts are very good because of their esthetic value3 #a4 ,make a deep bow4 #b4 ,shake hands4 #c4 ,sing up the scale4 #d4 ,make an awful face4 #e4 ,hop the rest of the way with one foot4 #f4 ,run with hands waving in a flying motion4 ,boast6 ,all guests are seated and are roughly divided into two groups4 ,a representative is chosen from each side4 ,each one is to proclaim the merits of the members of his group4 ,the only drawback is that they are to do it at the same time4 ,impartial judges are chosen1 and they are to base their judgment on delivery1 continuity of thought1 and last1 but most important1 on truth6 ,the speakers face the audience1 and at a signal1 start to speak at the same time1 each one trying his best to drown out the other4 ,it goes without saying that it is a comparatively simple matter to speak intelligently and logically1 and at the same time to speak as loudly as you can1 especially when a rival is doing all these things at the same time4 ,a ,mixup4 ,two slips of paper are given each one1 together with the request that a perfectly good question be written on one1 and a perfectly good answer to it on the other4 ,all questions and answers are gathered1 the questions in one box and the answers in another4 ,they are thoroughly mixed and then passed around1 each one taking both a question and an answer4 ,they are called on in turn to read their slips1 and some of them are slips to be sure6 ,at one party one of the men drew1 8,what did you do last ,saturday80 and the answer was1 8,a permanent wave1 a henna rinse1 and a facial60 ,flattery4 ,each guest writes his initials on the top of a piece of paper4 ,these papers are collected1 mixed up1 and then passed around again4 ,players are to use the initials on their slips in writing out the most unctuous words of flattery they can think of about the owner of the initials1 every word they use1 however1 having to start with the initials on the paper4 ,the results are startling6 ,the papers are again collected and at refreshment time are passed out to their rightful owners to be read aloud4 ,amateur ,vaudeville4 ,the names of very well-known popular songs are written out on separate slips of paper4 ,one of these slips is pinned on each guest as he comes in4 ,instead of greeting each other as usual1 they are to shake hands with everyone and without saying a word in greeting1 are to sing the song with which they are labelled4 ,anyone who is caught talking instead of singing his song is required to sing it alone before the group4 ,may the leader have mercy on her guests and not keep up this gentle game of greeting for more than four or five minutes6 ,progressive ,nonsense4 ,tables are arranged as for any progressive game1 the winning two advancing to the next table4 ,guests are in couples1 two couples to a table4 ,at table ,no4 #a the ladies are to compete in doing a sum in arithmetic1 while the men's contest centers around three buttons which are to be sewed on a piece of cloth4 ,at table ,no4 #b the ladies darn a sock with their left hands1 while the men compete in paring one large potato apiece4 ,at table ,no4 #c the men write out a recipe for mince pie1 while the ladies write a fifty-word essay on politics1 which they must read aloud to the judges4 ,at table ,no4 #d the ladies tie their partners ties1 the hostess acting as judge1 while the men darn socks4 ,further competitions may center about the following events3 ,for the ,ladies4 #a4 ,write a four-line limerick4 #b4 ,write out your version of baseball and read it aloud4 #c4 ,drive ten nails in a board4 ,for the ,men4 #a4 ,make a complete menu4 #b4 ,embroider a very simple design on a doily4 #c4 ,trim a hat and wear it the rest of the evening4 ,almost any of these events may serve as separate contests1 rather than as events in a progressive game4 ,trades4 ,each one chooses a trade for himself1 the action of which he is to pantomime when the person who has been sent out of the room is called back in4 ,this person is to guess what trades are being represented1 and the first one whose trade she guesses correctly is the one to go out the next time4 ,at the entrance of this one1 who has been outside the room1 all begin pantomiming their trades at the same time4 ,no one is to tell anyone else what trade he has chosen so that the same trade can be used over and over until it is guessed4 ,transitions4 ,a very good quiet game for small groups is one in which transitions between words are made4 ,for example1 let the word 8ship0 be the starting word4 ,from ship we wish to evolve the word 8boat10 changing only one letter at a time4 ,the transition might be as follows3 ,ship1 shop1 shot1 soot1 boot1 boat4 ,other very simple ones are the transitions between man and boy1 boot and shoe1 bed and cot1 hog and pig1 fun and joy1 dry and wet4 ,initials4 ,each guest is given a sheet of paper and a pencil4 ,he is to answer the questions written out on the paper1 using only such words in his answers as begin with his initials4 ,after about five minutes the papers are collected1 mixed up and passed around again1 and each one in turn is to read the paper he holds4 ,the questions run as follows3 #a4 ,what is your name8 #b4 ,your occupation8 #c4 ,your favorite pastime8 #d4 ,your favorite food8 #e4 ,your favorite color8 #f4 ,the thing you most abhor8 #g4 ,your best feature8 #h4 ,your one pride8 #i4 ,your one embarrassment8 #aj4 ,what do you long to be8 ,typical answers are3 #a4 ,charles ,berner4 #b4 ,combing beaches4 #c4 ,caddying blithely4 #d4 ,corn bisque4 #e4 ,corn blue4 #f4 ,cootie bites4 #g4 ,cute bones4 #h4 ,cunning baby4 #i4 ,cracked bridge4 #aj4 ,colossal boob4 ,stunts4 ,the group is divided into two sides4 ,both sides take a few minutes to see what resources they have in the way of stunts4 ,they then throw up a coin to see which side is to perform first4 ,the side which wins1 that is1 does not have to perform until the other side has given its stunt1 starts to count slowly1 8#a1 #b1 #c1 #d1 #e10 and so on up to ten4 ,if some member of the other side has not started to give a stunt by the time they count to ten1 one point is gained by the counting side4 ,if someone has started to perform however1 they are to stop counting the minute the stunt begins4 ,then their turn to put on a stunt comes1 and the other side starts to count to ten4 ,if they fail to have a stunt ready before 8ten10 they lose a point to the other side4 ,there is always an intermission of one minute after a stunt has been completed1 to give the opposite side that long to get a stunt ready4 ,the stunts may include any possible kind of entertainment1 from doing an esthetic dance to 8speaking a piece0 or a funny story4 ,after ten minutes of this1 the side that has the most points gets the most refreshments4 ,games for ,large ,groups4 ,the ,changeable ,grand ,march4 ,there is nothing more valuable than the ,grand ,march for a group of guests who don't know each other and who have very little in common 7as yet674 ,just the ordinary ,grand ,march will not do at all4 ,it must be a grand ,grand ,march1 one which will thaw out every particle of ice1 one which will cause the kind of laughter that creates that wonderful feeling of fellowship and friendliness4 ,with that feeling once created you have nothing to fear for the success of your evening4 ,guests are lined up in two lines1 men in one1 ladies in the other4 ,there is something so blessedly impersonal about the ,grand ,march in which no one1 however bashful and embarrassed1 is an individual but rather just a part of a long line1 that you can almost invariably get every person present to 8step into line40 ,don't make the mistake then of asking them to take partners4 ,rather1 have the men march to the right and girls to the left1 meet at the back of the room and come marching up the middle of the room with partners4 ,that saves endless embarrassment and confusion4 ,the fun is on6 ,ladies take their partner's arm1 and the leading couple starts the line of march around the room4 ,they are to start it with a walk1 but suddenly the whistle will blow1 and without stopping1 they are to change their method of locomotion to the one called out by the leader4 ,for example1 they are walking along quietly and peacefully when the leader's whistle blows and she calls out 8,hippity-hop10 and they all hippity-hop4 ,next comes the order1 8,fly like birds60 and away they all go1 waving their arms like birds flying1 and running on tiptoe4 ,then reverse and walk2 walk forward on tiptoes4 ,other directions may include orders to walk with eyes shut2 reverse and limp every other step2 walk and clap hands2 stoop every other step2 toe out2 on heels2 on one foot2 get a new partner any place2 walk and sing any song that no one else is singing2 toe in2 walk backwards taking large steps2 forward and hum2 whirl arms in circles2 swim2 keep feet together and hop like a toad2 flap arms to the side and crow like a rooster2 bend forward and swing heads from side to side2 clap hands1 first over head1 and then behind back2 whistle whether you can or not1 and so on1 changing the directions quickly and unexpectedly and in a good-natured way demanding immediate and accurate response4 ,you'll never get it4 ,it is not wise to continue this for longer than three or four minutes1 or to give more than eight or nine changes4 ,your group will agree with you that that will be quite enough6 ,the ,treasure ,hunt ,grand ,march4 ,hide peanuts or small favors or covered candies in every conceivable spot4 ,guests are lined up with partners as if for a ,grand ,march4 ,the line of march is around the room without coming up the middle4 ,when the music begins leaders start marching4 ,suddenly the director's whistle sounds as the signal that the hunt is on4 ,they break ranks and scramble to find the hidden peanuts4 ,two whistles sound sharply1 the signal to discontinue the search at once1 find your partner and get into the line of march1 which is straggly and uneven at best1 but it makes no difference as long as everyone is in it and no one is hunting peanuts4 ,the music and marching continue until another single whistle proclaims an open season for peanuts1 the last one4 ,at the double whistle they continue their marching as before except that the leaders bring the line down the center1 and all halt while the director finds out who didn't get any peanuts and who got the most4 ,the winner is called out1 stationed in front of the line1 and they are all obliged to pass by him and give him all their peanuts4 ,they do this with weeping and wailing until they hear your announcement at the end that as a punishment for his greediness he in turn is to give up all his peanuts to the unfortunates who didn't get any6 ,the ,harmonious ,hunt4 ,are you looking for the kind of game that leaves guests exhausted with that comfortable exhaustion that comes from helpless laughter8 ,divide your group into teams1 each team having a captain and an individual team call4 ,calls may be braying like a donkey2 mooing like a cow2 cock-a-doodle-doo-ing2 whistling2 cat-calling2 meowing2 barking2 quacking2 baa-ing2 gobble-gobbling2 or imitating sounds of instruments like the drum1 rubba-dubb-dubb2 the piccolo1 tweedle-deedle-dee2 the trombone1 boom-boom-boom2 the triangle1 knick-knock-knock2 the mandolin1 plank-plank-plank2 the cymbal1 zum-zum-zum2 the accordion1 yea-yea-yea1 in each case pantomiming the action as well as imitating the sound4 ,the action for the accordion inflicts real punishment on its imitators4 ,arms are bent upward and elbows are thrust out sideways and drawn in rapidly4 ,this is particularly good for stout people4 ,each team is assigned one of these calls and must use only that way of calling to the team captain4 ,peanuts or candy or favors are hidden in every conceivable spot4 ,when the signal is given the hunt is on4 ,no one1 however1 except a captain1 is allowed to touch a peanut4 ,that is the reason for the call4 ,as soon as a person finds a peanut he stands beside it and sends out an ,s4 ,o4 ,s4 for his captain1 using his team call as the signal for help4 ,the captain answers each call by running to the spot and picking up the peanut4 ,after a definite length of time the closing signal is given and the hunt is over4 ,each captain counts his find1 and the losing teams must give up all their peanuts to be divided equally among the winners in spite of inevitable protests4 ,this game may be used for either indoor or out-of-door parties4 ,the ,inverted ,spell-,down4 ,the formation for this game is two lines facing1 partners side by side1 twenty-six in each line4 ,two sets of alphabet letters1 one set red and the other black1 are given out1 one to each line4 ,in playing this with a small group where there are not enough guests to have twenty-six in each line1 two or even three letters may be given to one person1 those holding 8unpopular0 consonants like ,x4 ,y4 ,z4 ,q41 etc41 being given the extra letters4 ,the leader calls out words1 necessarily easy ones1 and those from each group holding the letters making up that word must run to the appointed place and form the word1 each one holding his letter high and facing the judges4 ,the only rule to be observed in the spelling is that each word be spelled backwards4 ,for example1 kitty is not spelt k-i-t-t-y1 but y-t-t-i-k6 ,if a letter is used twice in a word the one holding that letter must go first to one place and then to the other4 ,for example1 in excel1 e takes his place before x and then runs over to the place between c and l4 ,in case of a double letter the letter is simply jiggled back and forth4 ,the place to stand in spelling a word should be chosen with the audience in mind4 ,if the two lines are standing lengthwise in the room those forming a word should be at one end of the room and the judges and any audience at the other4 ,in that way everyone can see4 ,those holding red letters when forming their words stand close to the red side1 while those holding black letters stand close to the black4 ,in this way one avoids having one color standing in front of the other4 ,the judges decide which side forms the word first and the score is kept and announced before each new word4 ,the time limit is left to the leader who tries within a reasonable time to run up a tie score1 when1 of course1 interest is at its highest point4 ,then the announcement that the next point is the deciding one naturally creates a real tension which is hardly relieved when the leader calls out something like ,mississippi or ,pennsylvania for the last word6 ,street and ,alley4 ,use a march to get your guests into lines1 eight abreast1 with enough room between the lines for passing4 ,lines must be straight4 ,at a whistle from the leader each one is to make a quick quarter turn to the right1 immediately joining hands with his new neighbors4 ,another whistle means another quarter turn to the right again joining hands with neighbors at once4 ,each whistle calls for a turn to the right and a joining of hands with one's new neighbors4 ,it is a good plan to let them practice the response to the whistle before the game itself begins4 ,when ready to begin1 the lines face the front of the room4 ,a policeman and a thief are chosen1 a man for the policeman and a woman for the thief4 ,the thief is given a very short start1 and at a signal the policeman starts after her1 chasing her in and out of the passageways or 8streets0 made by the lines of guests4 ,suddenly the whistle blows4 ,everyone takes a quick turn to the right1 and new passageways or 8alleys0 are formed1 with the policeman still doing his best to catch the elusive thief4 ,neither policeman or thief is allowed to break through a line or dodge under it4 ,the leader watches the chase very closely and blows his whistle at very short intervals1 changing streets to alleys and alleys to streets1 in some cases to help the thief escape and in others to help the policeman catch her4 ,a good part of the fun of the game depends on the leader's blowing her whistle at critical moments4 ,when a thief is caught1 the leader1 who had already in her mind chosen a new policeman and thief1 names these victims and they change places with the first policeman and thief4 ,men almost always run faster than women1 so it is a good plan to choose stout policemen and lively thieves4 ,games for ,either ,large or ,small ,groups4 ,musical ,ruth and ,jacob4 ,this is particularly for a group of guests who could in no sense be called musical4 ,the guests are standing in a circle with a man and a girl in the center4 ,if the group is large1 have them crowd in to make the circle space smaller so that it will not make ,jacob's work too difficult4 ,the game is played like the old-fashioned 8,ruth and ,jacob10 both of them being blindfolded1 it being the task of ,jacob to catch ,ruth4 ,instead of calling 8,ruth10 however1 ,jacob sings up the scale1 whether he can or not1 and ,ruth answers by singing down the scale1 both of them using 8,loo0 instead of do-re-mi4 ,the game is infinitely more ridiculous if neither one can sing1 and if the leader has created the right atmosphere1 even though a man protests1 8,i just can't sing10 he will usually finish up by making a noble effort to do it anyhow6 ,when ,jacob catches ,ruth1 the leader1 who has in the meantime been looking over the circle1 immediately announces the next two victims and almost invariably public opinion will be with her to such an extent that they step forth1 willy-nilly4 ,mimic4 ,if there are more than fifteen or twenty guests1 choose about six men and six girls to form the circle4 ,even 8,mimic0 becomes monotonous in a large circle4 ,those forming the circle are seated1 men beside their partners1 the leader taking the part of one of the girls4 ,she begins the action by doing something to the man at her right who in turn must mimic her action exactly to the girl to his right1 and so the action goes all around the circle till it comes back to the leader who starts a new one4 ,this may continue for about four or five rounds1 and can be made the best game of the evening if the leader has planned sufficiently diabolical actions4 ,for example1 her first might be to do a funny step in front of him1 at the time tra-la-la-la-ing in a high key4 ,her right-hand neighbor must imitate her to the very best of his ability4 ,her next action might be to sing up the scale to the highest note she can reach2 next1 she might cry as realistically as possible2 and then laugh as musically as she can6 ,shun the ,circle4 ,guests form a large circle1 the men on the right side of their partners1 all of them faced for marching4 ,four or more circles about four feet in diameter have been roughly drawn in chalk on the floor4 ,the distance between them depends on the size of the circle formed by the group4 ,when the music starts1 everyone begins to march around in circle formation with the one rule that everyone must walk straight across each of the small circles described on the floor4 ,suddenly the leader's whistle blows1 the music stops1 all movement halts1 and anyone caught in any of the small circles is discarded4 ,if the leader has a watchful eye she can blow the whistle at a bad time and make it mighty uncomfortable for some couple1 just poised1 to take the first step into one of the circles1 or another couple just on the outer edge of the danger zone4 ,the precarious balancing in either case is choice6 ,this continues at the leader's discretion4 ,almost never is it advisable to carry it through till the last couple is caught4 ,friendliness4 ,men are in one line1 girls in another4 ,it is the object of the girls to be so friendly that the men1 who are perfect glooms1 cannot help smiling4 ,the girls may laugh or giggle or smirk or make faces in their efforts to break the gloom that seems to be holding the men4 ,any man who forgets his manliness to the extent of smiling1 even the least little bit1 goes over to the side of the ladies4 ,at the end of the three-minute time limit1 all the men whose gloom has not been broken and who confidently wait for the prize they think forthcoming1 are fined ten cents for being killjoys4 ,another friendly effort is the revised version of the popular song 8,smiles40 ,at first it is sung correctly1 but the next time the word 8smile0 is omitted1 and in its place1 each singer smiles his sweetest possible smile at his neighbor4 ,it is painful6 ,a ,chinese ,spell-,down4 ,the idea is like that of a regular spelling-match with two sides competing1 except that words must be spelled backwards4 ,the time given each person to reverse his spelling and think the word backwards is decidedly limited1 according to the leader1 who makes a pretense of timing each one4 ,instead of discarding those whose tongues and brains could not reverse1 a score is kept of each error1 and the score announced as each new word is given out4 ,this will create a healthy competition1 and if the leader will hint that the winning side will be favored at refreshment time such a hint usually acts as a powerful mental stimulant4 ,the time limit is left to the leader who tries within a reasonable time to run up a tie score1 when1 of course1 interest is at its highest point4 ,then the announcement that the next point is the deciding one naturally creates a real tension which is hardly relieved when the leader announces the word 8,hippopotamus60 ,dodge6 ,all guests are in a circle4 ,count off by twos4 ,all ,no4 #a's go into the center of the circle4 ,three or more beanbags are passed out to ,no4 #b's who form the circle4 ,at a signal they start to toss the bags at the ones who are in the center1 no one being allowed to leave his place to get a better aim4 ,it is the big business of life for those in the center to avoid the beanbags tossed at them1 for anyone who is hit must get out of the center and take his former place in the circle4 ,if a beanbag is caught it does not count as a hit4 ,when all ,no4 #a's have been hit1 ,no4 #b's go into the center and take their turn acting as targets1 while ,no4 #a's aim at them with the beanbags4 ,when they have all been driven out of the circle1 the last ,no4 #a and the last ,no4 #b to be hit by a beanbag go into the center and become targets4 ,the one who stays in the longest without getting hit gets a prize1 a bean4 ,extry6 ,ask your guests to line up in two lines1 men in one and girls in the other1 to march down opposite sides of the room to the back1 meet their partners there and come marching up the center4 ,as they pass the leader and her assistant1 each one is handed a newspaper and a small strip of pins1 after which they are to march to the back of the room4 ,when everyone has been supplied with newspapers and pins the leader announces that partners will help each other make costumes out of the papers1 and that the only requirement is that all costumes must definitely represent some character of history1 or fiction1 or popular interest1 or be patterned after the mode of dress in some country4 ,sounds impossible8 ,you will find that there will be at least fifteen ,hawaiians1 eight ,santa ,clauses1 nine babies1 five ,mary ,pickfords with newspapery curly hair1 seven ,topsys and eleven ,charlie ,chaplins6 ,several pairs of scissors are available1 and the hats from the cloakroom may be used4 ,a period of twenty minutes is given for dress-making1 which means working at top speed4 ,at the end of that time there is a ,grand ,march past the judges1 and after everyone has passed the reviewing stand1 the line is halted at the back of the room4 ,then the first couple is announced by the leader1 8,punch and ,judy10 and they walk slowly up the room past the judges4 ,the second couple is then announced1 as is each couple1 with not too great an interval between couples so that monotony may be avoided4 ,prizes are given the most hideous1 the most beautiful1 the best made and the poorest made costumes1 judges being careful to choose the costume made by some well-known1 good-natured person for this last prize4 ,the prizes1 which are presented with much ceremony1 range from a paper of pins to a week-old newspaper4 ,the ,hunting ,ground4 ,if tables the size of an ordinary kitchen table are procurable1 and are placed end to end1 they make an admirable hunting ground4 ,however1 chairs can be used if they are arranged so that they cover about the same space that the tables would1 the seats turned in4 ,a man and a girl are placed at diagonally opposite corners of this territory1 both are blindfolded1 and at a signal must begin to go around this unknown country1 their only guide being the table on which they must keep their hands4 ,it is the business of the man to catch the girl1 whose aim in life1 however1 is to frustrate his plans4 ,as both are holding on to the edges of the tables1 feeling their way around it1 and both are moving as quietly as possible in order to hear any movement of the other1 it is inevitable that the girl in her stealthy efforts to evade her pursuer will eventually walk straight into his groping hands6 ,when she is caught another man and a girl are chosen1 with perhaps one more couple to follow them4 ,if the audience is given strict orders to keep absolutely quiet and to refrain from all laughter1 it makes for a ridiculous situation6 ,laughter6 ,does it seem stupid to exact forfeits of people who were unfortunate in a game that demanded skill or speed or ingenuity8 ,that all depends on the forfeit4 ,four or five men1 who are the left-overs in a game which provides the chance to get a partner1 can be made to pay a forfeit that is a real one6 ,these left-overs are lined up in a row facing all the other guests4 ,they are told that they are to be given a chance to vindicate themselves in a try-out of a particular talent4 ,the first test is as to the musical quality of each one's laugh4 ,each in turn laughs for the audience in as musical a tone as he can muster up4 ,the audience votes for the best4 ,next1 each in turn must laugh as long as he can without taking a breath4 ,the next test is for shrillness2 the next for the heartiest laugh1 and the last for the most contagious laugh6 ,the ,quizz4 ,some five or six people are chosen for the class which is to be quizzed4 ,the teacher has her back to the guests1 and her class faces them4 ,she has prepared a list of questions which she puts to different members of her class1 pointing to one of them at a time4 ,all other guests are to act as judges1 and as a question is answered they call out either 8,right0 or 8,wrong40 ,the faction that shouts the loudest gets a verdict4 ,a scorekeeper keeps a bogus score of points made by each member of the class1 and at the end the prize is given to the one who made the poorest showing1 although all through the quizz much ado is made about how close the score is between different members of the class4 ,the questions in the quizz can be on any subject under the sun1 and the more impossible the better1 for every member of the class must give some answer to the question put to him4 8,i don't know0 is not allowed under any circumstances4 ,the following set of questions is typical3 #a4 ,where do we get kerosene8 #b4 ,who is the best looking man 7or woman7 present8 #c4 ,what man in this room is a model husband8 #d4 ,who wrote ,gray's ,elegy8 ,hear6 ,hear6 ,this may be used as a penalty1 but it is always wise to choose your victim with care4 ,this victim is asked to stand before the other guests and then told to make a speech on some subject in which you are sure both he and the audience are very much interested4 ,but--he is to take the opposition4 ,for example1 if he is a staunch ,republican and most of the guests are ,republican in sympathy ask him to say the harshest things he can think of about the ,republican party4 ,or if he happens to be the ,baptist minister1 ask him to denounce the church2 or if he is a man who is constantly boring his friends with tales of the wondrous deeds of his children1 ask him to speak on 8,the ,despair of ,my ,life1 ,my ,children40 ,the speaker is to pause after each statement1 and everyone present must applaud loudly and call out 8,hear6 hear60 ,anyone who neglects this little ceremony is in danger4 ,the leader acts as monitor and announces that anyone whose applause is found to be unsatisfactory is liable to be the next one to be asked to make a speech4 ,here again the leader uses her judgment and cuts off the speaker just at the right time1 calling for anyone she chooses as the next speaker1 disregarding his assurance that he clapped hard6 ,with some groups it is mighty successful to use more personal subjects4 ,for example1 at a ,methodist church party a man might be asked to speak on 8,why the ,baptist women are so much better looking than our ,methodist women10 and the unfortunate ,methodist ladies who would like to tar and feather him must clap their hands loudly and call out 8,hear6 hear60 ,in spite of their wrath1 most of them remember to applaud1 but ,miss ,brownleigh in the front row is laughing so hard1 and is so busy shaking her fist at the speaker that she forgets all about her obligations and up on the platform she goes as the next speaker6 ,scramble4 ,ask everyone to bring his chair nearer to the center1 to make a circle4 ,remove four or five chairs1 the number depending on the size of the group1 asking their previous tenants to come to the center of the circle4 ,when the march time music begins1 everyone must get up and start marching around to the right1 those who are without chairs joining the line of march1 no one touching a chair till the leader's whistle blows and the music stops4 ,then it is up to everyone to get a chair or go into the middle of the circle4 ,this is continued for four or five rounds4 ,then the leader asks them to hippity-hop instead of march1 at the leader's whistle scrambling for a chair as usual4 ,after three or four rounds of hippity-hopping they are to walk backwards instead1 and for the last few rounds1 they are to hop on one foot1 and woe be unto those who are left in the middle at the end6 ,warn them of this1 promising dire punishment1 just before the last round1 and you will have the funniest situation of the evening4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,races4 ,while big group games1 which take in everyone1 are splendid in promoting sociability and group spirit1 nevertheless it is unwise to keep guests going at too strenuous a pace4 ,the first result is a dropping out of participants and the next a growing lack of interest1 which finally develops into an irritability that plays havoc with any spirit of play4 ,on the other hand1 it is almost as bad to ask guests to 8just sit0 and rest1 thereby letting all the interest a leader has awakened die an early and natural death4 ,instead1 it has proved very effective to have races1 contests1 stunts and trick games at this time1 events that will keep up interest1 but which will need only a few participants4 ,the following chapter on 8,races0 was written for that purpose1 to provide those very necessary fill-ins4 ,kiddy ,kar ,race4 ,the course should be about thirty feet in length4 ,the biggest men present are chosen for drivers1 and there are two drivers for each team4 ,the ,kiddy ,kars are lined up at the starting point1 with driver ,no4 #a sitting on the car1 all set to go4 ,at the whistle they are off1 the cars propelled in the usual and only possible fashion6 ,they travel to the goal about thirty feet away and return1 immediately turning over their cars to the other member of the team1 driver ,no4 #b1 who starts off without waiting for any signal1 to run the same course4 ,the one who is first to return to the starting place wins the race for his team4 ,the possibilities of a ,kiddy ,kar made for a five-year-old1 but propelled by a forty-five-year-old are almost unbelievable4 ,the ,reducer4 ,eight men are chosen to run this race1 four in each line1 one behind the other4 ,the first one in each line has a barrel hoop bound about with cloth so that no ragged edges are left to penetrate the reducee4 ,at a signal from the leader the first man of each line runs up to the goal line1 which is across the middle of the room1 puts the hoop above his head and quickly draws it down over his shoulders to the floor1 steps out of it1 picks it up1 runs back and gives it to the next runner1 he himself going to the end of the line4 ,the second runner does the same thing and so does the third1 and then the fourth runner who first gets through the hoop and back to his place wins the race for his team4 ,no matter how stout the men of a group are1 it always seems possible for them to get through their hoops4 ,at innumerable social events ,i have looked for a fat guest to get jammed in his hoop1 but as yet ,i have been disappointed4 ,hippity-,hop ,potato ,race4 ,there are four couples in this effort1 for effort it is4 ,they form two teams1 two couples in each team1 one couple standing behind the other4 ,both the man and the lady of the first couple in each team are given a teaspoon with a large potato in it4 ,at a signal from the leader these two first couples hurry down the room to the goal line1 and return to give the spoons and the potatoes to the second couples of their teams4 ,there are two regulations1 however1 which make it not so easy as it might appear4 ,every lady takes her partner's arm and keeps it through the entire race4 ,under no condition is she to let go4 ,if a contestant should drop his potato1 his partner must still keep his arm while he stoops to pick it up4 ,the other regulation is that instead of running or walking to the goal they are to hop on one foot all the way4 ,partnership ,relay4 ,six or eight couples are placed in groups of two couples each1 one couple standing behind the other1 the entire group about twenty feet from a goal line4 ,the girls take their partners' arms and retain possession throughout each event despite the inevitable protest at lagging4 ,at a signal1 each first couple walks to the goal line1 carrying out directions given before each event of the relay2 then hurries back and touches off the second couple4 ,events might be as follows3 #a4 ,each man carries a glass full of water4 ,at the goal he hands it to the girl who must drink it all before they can rush back to the starting point4 #b4 ,together they clap hands and sing ,yankee ,doodle as they walk to the goal and back4 #c4 ,each man has a cracker4 ,at the goal he gives it to his partner1 who must eat it1 and is not allowed to start back until she can whistle4 #d4 ,at the goal line the man sings up the scale and waits for the girl to sing down the scale before they can go back4 #e4 ,while they are hurrying to the goal line the leader may blow her whistle at any time1 which is the signal for them to turn completely around once1 and then continue their course4 ,because their arms are locked and because they always have different ideas about the right way to turn1 complications arise6 ,balloons4 ,choose four teams1 with two on each team4 ,each couple is given a toy balloon1 the kind that is blown up by the leader beforehand1 with a rubber band attached to keep the air in4 ,at a signal from the leader partners link arms and1 with their free hands1 start batting the balloons down the length of the room and return1 using the open hand in batting4 ,no matter what happens to the balloon they are to keep their arms linked4 ,a balloon is so very dependable in its actions that it is a simple matter for two people of different minds to make it take a straight and narrow path6 ,stepping ,stones4 ,two couples compete against each other4 ,the man of each couple is given two folded newspapers1 one for each hand4 ,at the signal for starting he quickly puts one of the papers down and the lady steps on it with her right foot4 ,he then puts down the other paper a little distance ahead1 and she steps on it with her left foot4 ,he puts the first paper as far forward as he thinks she can step1 and she puts her right foot on it4 ,then the left1 the right1 etc41 etc41 the object being to reach the goal1 some thirty feet away1 before the other couple can reach it1 the only rule being that the lady must walk on newspapers only1 which her partner places for her4 ,said partners are always too ambitious in setting out the papers1 and it takes considerable stepping to bridge the gaps4 ,helpless ,eating4 ,each contestant is given a large cracker4 ,she is to place it in her mouth1 put her hands behind her1 and at a signal1 start to eat the cracker with no help from her hands4 ,the one who whistles first after eating her cracker gets a good big prize4 ,air6 ,contestants are lined up facing the crowd4 ,if they can whistle it is infinitely funnier to use the whistling contest4 ,if they cannot whistle let them sing a high note4 ,in either case1 at a signal1 they start to whistle or sing1 and the one who can hold her note the longest without taking another breath gets a toy balloon as a prize4 ,lemon6 ,contestants are provided with a lemon and a lead pencil4 ,they are to roll the lemon with the lead pencil at least fifty feet and return4 ,the one who gets his lemon back first gets the lemon4 ,nose ,power4 ,a piece of wrapping paper about two yards long is placed before each contestant4 ,a penny is placed on one end of it4 ,each contestant kneels down before his penny1 and at a signal starts to push the penny down the paper1 using1 not his hands1 but his nose as the motive power4 ,the one who first gets his penny down the length of the paper gets all the pennies1 and our sympathy4 ,the ,variety ,store4 ,guests line up in two equal lines1 men in one1 women in another1 all of them facing the center4 ,on a little table at the head of each line there is a choice collection of objects which are awkward to handle1 the objects on the two tables being exactly alike of course4 ,the leader is standing at one of the tables1 with an assistant at the other4 ,when the lines are ready these two leaders begin passing objects down the line4 ,as they reach the end of the line they are put on the floor4 ,when all of them have been passed the lines quickly turn around and face the other way1 and begin passing the things back again1 to see which line can first get all of them back on the table4 ,the fun in this race lies in the nature of the objects chosen4 ,the following list has been used to good 7or evil7 advantage3 #a4 ,old-fashioned flatiron4 #b4 ,tin pail4 #c4 ,curling iron4 #d4 ,coffee pot4 #e4 ,fan4 #f4 ,rubber ball4 #g4 ,toy engine4 #h4 ,big potato4 #i4 ,egg4 #aj4 ,hair receiver4 ,the ,elusive ,goal4 ,there are two men and one girl to each team1 the men being the horses and the girl their driver4 ,the horses stand side by side1 their 8inside0 hands joined4 ,the driver stands behind them1 and their 8outside0 hands are held by her as reins4 ,it is emphasized that no matter what happens they are to keep each other's hands4 ,all the teams are lined up at the starting line1 with the horses facing the goal4 ,all contestants are then blindfolded1 horses and drivers alike4 ,they are all turned completely around three times1 and at a signal they start running to the goal1 fifty feet away4 ,they need not return to the starting point4 ,it would be quite useless to ask them to do so4 ,try to realize the difficulties of three people bound together1 all of them blindfolded1 all of them hurrying1 and all of them having different ideas as to the place to which to hurry4 ,capable ,women4 ,each man contestant is asked to choose the most capable looking lady present4 ,the ladies chosen line up at one end of an open space and the men at the other4 ,at a signal the men are asked to take off their neckties1 run over to their partners1 hand them the ties1 and ask them to put them back on again just as they were1 with no assistance from the men themselves4 ,as soon as the ties are on the men rush back to the starting point1 and the one who arrives first with the best tied tie gets one ice-cream cone1 which he must share with his capable partner4 ,second ,childhood4 ,the two contestants are seated in chairs facing each other1 all the others in a circle around them4 ,each contestant has a baby's bottle1 half full of milk4 ,the necessary apparatus caps the bottle4 ,one 8apparatus10 however1 has a large hole punched in it4 ,at a signal they start in to drink the milk in approved fashion1 to see which of the two can first empty his bottle4 ,the one who has the tampered-with apparatus will probably be successful1 and will certainly express great surprise at the ease which he revives a lost art4 ,the ,lamplighter4 ,two gallon jars1 two candles1 and any number of matches are necessary4 ,the two contestants represent opposite factions in the group4 ,each one is given a jar1 the candle and several matches1 is told to sit on the jar with the right heel on the ground and the left heel resting on the right toe4 ,he is to hold the candle in one hand1 a match in the other1 and is to light the candle without changing the position of the feet4 ,before you scoff at them for being so slow1 try it yourself4 ,feathers4 ,contestants are lined up at the starting line1 each one provided with a plate on which there has been placed a handful of feathers kept in place by a saucer4 ,at a signal they take the saucer off the feathers and start walking as fast as they dare the length of the course1 some fifty feet1 and return4 ,anyone who loses a feather must stop to pick it up and put it back on the plate4 ,a draughty hall is always a favorable setting for the feather race4 ,even on calm days1 however1 it is not an unheard of thing for someone on the sidelines1 who is near a plate of feathers1 to exhale rather strenuously4 ,whoops6 ,each contestant is provided with a large hoop and a small stick4 ,the goal is pointed out to them1 the goal being a chair about fifty feet away from the starting point4 ,they are to roll their hoops up to and around the chair and back4 ,stout ladies should be used for contestants4 ,eating under ,difficulties4 ,two apples are placed on newspapers at opposite sides of a chair4 ,the two contestants get down on their knees1 put their hands behind them1 and at a signal start eating the apples without any help from their hands to see which can first eat the entire apple4 ,it really can be done6 ,the ,circus4 ,again use four teams with two contestants on a team4 ,there are several events in this race1 so a score is kept of each event4 ,events are as follows3 #a4 ,walk to goal and return1 walking like mamma and papa going to the circus4 #b4 ,hippity-hop like the clown4 #c4 ,be the contortionist1 hopping like a frog1 both feet together4 #d4 ,step high like a circus horse4 #e4 ,trot like the ponies4 #f4 ,lumber along with head down1 swinging it like an elephant's trunk4 #g4 ,hop on one foot like a stork4 #h4 ,flap wings and crew like the rooster which got in by mistake4 ,the two members of each team go through each event as partners1 arms linked whenever possible4 ,far ,far ,away6 ,four courses are laid out by means of white strings which are placed on the floor the full length of the course4 ,each of the four contestants is given a pair of opera glasses4 ,at a signal he puts the large end to his eyes and starts down the course4 ,if you think it a simple matter1 try it4 ,the ,count4 ,contestants are lined up facing the other guests1 and are told to take a long breath and hold it4 ,at a signal they are to start to count aloud1 all of them starting at the same time1 and not to stop until they simply cannot count another count without taking another breath4 ,the one who proves that she has the greatest lung capacity gets a toy whistle4 ,fruit ,bearers4 ,on the goal line1 which should be the full length of the room from the starting line1 are laid as many oranges as there are contestants4 ,at the signal1 each contestant1 supplied with a common brass pin1 runs to the goal line1 spears an orange with her pin and runs back to the goal line1 all of which looks very simple in print6 ,try spearing a heavy orange with a pin1 without any help from your free hand6 ,eggshell ,race4 ,the contents of eggs are blown out1 and each contestant is given an eggshell and a fan4 ,it is his business to fan the eggshell to the goal and back to the starting point1 and do it in less time than anyone else can do it4 ,cut ,it4 ,long lengths of heavy wrapping paper are procured1 and one length is stretched out before each team of cutters1 there being four on a team4 ,the first one of each team is given a pair of scissors4 ,at the signal all those holding scissors start to cut down the length of the paper1 being careful not to cut too wide a strip1 as each cutter should have a fourth of the width of the piece of paper4 ,when they get to the other end and have cut their strip they run back and give their scissors to ,no4 #b of their team4 ,no4 #b repeats their performance as do ,no4 #c and ,no4 #d4 ,of course1 the object is to see which ,no4 #d can first cut his way down the length of the paper4 ,it makes a very much better game if the lengths of paper are stretched out for the cutters1 for the paper cuts much faster and wild mistakes are far more probable4 ,the ,blindfolded ,race4 ,there is nothing more exciting in this race than the mere fact that all runners are blindfolded4 ,they get set on the starting line1 are shown the goal1 blindfolded1 turned around three times1 and then told to 8,go40 ,where they go is another matter6 ,the ,ball ,game4 ,each contestant is given a rubber ball and a common pin4 ,he is to roll the ball to the goal and return1 the pin and nothing else being the motive power4 ,the ,rainy ,day4 ,two little women and two big men make a team1 and there can be four or five teams4 ,the first lady of each team is supplied with an umbrella1 and if you have been careful to get one that sticks a bit in going up--well6 ,the lady is to carry the umbrella4 ,at a signal she and her partner start walking to the other end of the room1 where the lady opens the umbrella1 takes the man's arm1 and1 keeping the umbrella over his head all the way1 leads him back to the goal line1 where she closes the umbrella and gives it to the lady of the other couple making up the team4 ,this lady and her partner go through the same performance1 and the couple which first returns to the goal line and gets its stubborn umbrella closed1 wins the race for its team4 ,the ,torches4 ,each contestant is given a lighted candle4 ,he is to put this in his mouth1 and when the signal for starting is given1 is to run as fast as he dares to the goal and return4 ,if his candle goes out1 however1 he must return to the starting point to have it relighted4 ,contestants in this race do look so queerish6 ,the relay plan may be used to good effect4 ,beans4 ,beans are worth their weight in gold when one considers their fun-making capacity4 ,there are several ways of carrying beans in a race4 ,one of the most hazardous of these is to have contestants carry them between a pair of match sticks4 ,knitting needles are even more hazardous4 ,knives1 too1 are hardly the easiest thing in the world on which to carry several beans1 especially when one is in a tearing hurry4 ,still another way is to carry as many beans as possible on the back of the left hand4 ,whatever the means of carrying the beans from one place to another1 in each case there should be three on a team1 each team supplied with a pan of beans1 all the pans containing the same number1 this number varying with the utensil used4 ,when match sticks or knitting needles are used1 there should be no more than five or six beans to a pan1 but there may be thirty or forty when the hand or knives are used4 ,across the room from each team is an empty pan4 ,at the signal for starting1 the first one of each team starts carrying as many beans as he can manage across the room to the empty pan4 ,he drops them into the pan and hurries back for more4 ,when he has carried the last bean across the room1 he runs back to give his knitting needle or knife or whatever it may be to the second one of his team1 and this contestant is to run over to the full pan and start bringing the beans back to the empty pan in the same fashion in which they went across the room the first time4 ,when he in turn has carried them all over he gives his implement to the third and last member of the team who is to finish the race by carrying all the beans back across the room once more4 ,the team that first succeeds in getting all its beans across the room three times wins the race and all the beans4 ,heavy1 ,heavy ,hangs ,over ,thy ,head4 ,contestants are lined up against the rear wall in couples with two couples to each team1 one couple standing in front of the other4 ,both members of the first couple of each team are given beanbags which they place on their heads4 ,at a signal from the leader1 all these first couples with beanbags on their heads run to the other end of the room and back and give their beanbags to the second couples of their teams1 whereupon these second couples put the beanbags on their heads and run the same course4 ,the couple first reaching home wins the race4 ,it sounds easy4 ,there is one technicality however that adds to the troubles of the runners4 ,partners must run with arms linked1 and if a beanbag falls1 they must stoop for it with arms still linked4 ,that is so easy when one of the stoopers has a beanbag on his head6 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,trick ,,games4 ,plato said1 8,one can discover more about a person in an hour's play with him than is possible in a year's conversation with him40 ,we found out the real truth of that in our war work with soldiers and sailors1 and we are continuing to see its truth in our recreation work in communities all over this country4 ,it is a real revelation to a church to see how splendid an example of good sportsmanship the minister sets when he is absolutely duped in a trick game that sent the others into gales of good-natured laughter1 with him1 not at him1 and yet comes through it laughing as heartily as anyone1 and sincerely glad for the huge enjoyment the game created6 ,trick games are invaluable not only for developing the finest kind of sportsmanship in victims and onlookers alike1 however1 but they are invaluable too as 8fillers-in0 for awkward pauses in an evening's program4 ,that is their forte1 to bridge over awkward pauses1 to keep interest high1 to call forth hearty laughter and best of all1 to create the finest kind of spirit in a social gathering4 ,wrong6 ,tell your guests that there are three words in the ,english language which are particularly difficult to spell1 and that a person who can spell them correctly can spell almost any word4 ,ask some individual to spell the word 8receive40 ,he spells it correctly and you compliment him and then ask him to spell 8believe40 ,he does spell it right1 but you shake your head and laughingly say1 8,wrong06 ,say nothing more than that but repeat it several times at his insisting that he spelled 8believe0 correctly4 ,usually the next step is1 8,well let's start over again because ,i know ,i spelled those words correctly60 ,if the request is not forthcoming1 make the suggestion yourself and start all over with 8receive10 and after 8believe0 again shake your head and look shocked beyond words at the ignorance evidenced1 and say 8,wrong60 ,if you are not fatally injured by this time1 suggest again that you start from the beginning1 and again after 8believe0 say 8,wrong10 with a shocked look4 ,eventually your victim will arrive and spell 8,w-r-o-n-g60 ,palmistry4 ,this is always done by some very attractive girl4 ,she will guarantee to read the palm of any man present1 and leave it to the crowd if all she reads in his palm is not in accordance with what they know of him4 ,some well-known and popular man is chosen as the subject1 and with the rest of the guests silent so that everything she says may be heard1 she begins reading his palm4 ,her conversation may run as follows3 8,now this is your head line1 and it shows that you have a great many possibilities which you are not developing4 ,your heart line over here is woefully cracked4 ,i'm not going into detail there6 ,your life line is firm and unbroken and it shows almost no ill health1 but it does show an early and painful death because this line right here 7pointing to any other line7 shows that you are an awful flirt and let young ladies hold your hand right out in public60 ,of ,what ,are ,matches ,made8 ,this is best for a small group4 ,arrange four squares of matches on a table or a book4 ,ask your guests to take away four matches1 and rearrange three1 thus writing out the name of the thing of which matches are made4 ,invariably they will try to spell 8,wood0 and they have a real task ahead of them4 ,what matches are really made of is 8love10 which is very easy to spell in the required way6 ,crystal ,gazing4 ,choose a guest who is fairly dignified but ready to appreciate a joke even though the joke be on him4 ,tell him that to read his thoughts is really a simple matter if he will look into quiet waters and do just what you tell him to do4 ,be perfectly serious in all that you say1 for if you act as though it is going to be something funny1 you scare off the bravest guest ever entertained4 ,take two glasses of water1 full to the brim4 ,you take a sip out of one and ask him to take one from the other4 ,then slowly move the glasses around in a circular motion two or three times4 ,ask your victim to kneel and to place both hands on the floor with fingers spread out to enable him to hold the glasses securely without spilling any water4 ,put a glass on each hand1 very emphatically stating that for either you or him to spill even one drop of water is against the spirit of the proceeding4 ,make a real point of this1 for subjects are always scared to death that you are going to throw water on them1 and ,i can't say that ,i'd appreciate that little bit of humor myself4 ,after the glasses are safely placed on his hands your conversation should run something like this3 8,wait till that water quiets down and then look very intently into the glass on your right hand1 the one out of which you drank4 ,then make a wish1 a real one1 not about something silly like the weather1 but a wish that could come true before the end of the year4 ,don't tell us what your wish is but tell us when you have made it1 and almost at once ,i can tell you what your wish was and whether it will come true or not40 ,that is the correct time for you to go to another and healthier part of the room4 8,well1 ,i've made my wish10 comes almost at once4 ,your reply is an indifferent1 8,oh that's all right4 ,that doesn't make any difference60 and you pay no more attention to his protests until the other guests have had their fill of the hilarious laughter that is inevitable at his ridiculous plight1 whereupon you tell him that he is wishing you would take the water off his hands1 and that his wish will come true6 ,paralysis4 ,this can be the funniest thing imaginable4 ,choose someone who is not liable to look very deeply into the hidden meaning of your explanations4 ,tell him that if he will do exactly as you ask1 you can hypnotize him so that it will be physically impossible for him to get up alone4 ,let me give you a skull and crossbones warning to put your emphasis on 8alone10 and not on 8up40 ,you and your victim are seated facing each other1 but make a great point of the fact that you don't have to touch him to hypnotize him4 ,ask him to look straight into your eyes and try to get into the spirit of the thing4 ,he is to do everything you do and in the same way4 ,that always seems to make victims feel that if you can do it without bodily injury1 they too stand a good chance of coming out of it alive6 ,the process of hypnotism is on4 ,make the most ridiculous motions you can think of1 accompanied by the most ridiculous noises1 all the time looking intently at your subject4 ,for example1 sing up the scale 7a process which many of us would make a ridiculous noise67 at the same time twiddling your fingers on top of your head as though the fingers were paper ribbons fluttering in the breezes4 ,your subject imitates you4 ,rub your hands together as though they were cymbals1 while you buzz like a bee4 ,the victim cymbalizes and buzzes4 ,five or six of these hypnotizing motions1 conscientiously imitated1 generally have the effect of paralyzing the audience with no further effort on your part1 while the victim begins to 8feel queer already60 ,just about then you give one last intent look1 one last hypnotizing motion1 and tell him in a sepulchral tone that now it will be absolutely impossible for him to get up alone4 ,he experiments1 putting out first one foot and then the other1 and finally stands up triumphantly and crows1 8,well ,i guess you didn't hypnotize me6 ,i stood up alone60 8,oh no you didn't10 comes the answer1 8,i got up with you4 ,you didn't get up alone60 ,owa ,tagoo ,siam6 ,tell your guests that the ,siamese national slogan is very intricate and that only really intelligent people can learn it1 but that you have a way of teaching it so that even the simplest person can grasp it immediately4 ,ask them to repeat what you say4 8,owa60 with emphasis on the o2 8,tagoo60 with emphasis on the goo2 8,siam60 ,then ask them to repeat1 running all three words together4 ,they will have to do it over and over with much help and encouragement from you before they appreciate the full meaning of your scornful 8,well ,i should say you are60 ,finally they arrive4 ,each one is exclaiming 8,oh what a goose ,i am60 ,abbreviations4 ,ask some dignified man to put the tip of his forefinger under his chin4 ,while he holds it there ask him to tell the assembled multitude the abbreviation for quart4 ,he will look the part when he says 8,q-t10 which you'll all agree sounds like 8,cutie40 ,later on get some other guest to point his forefinger at his head and show how well educated he is by immediately giving the abbreviation for mountain 8,m-t40 certainly sounds like 8empty0 though it would hardly be right for any of the other guests to thus describe the victim's head6 ,under the ,table4 ,let the host make a wager with one of his men guests that he cannot get under the dining table or some small sidetable and stay there while his host knocks three times on the table4 8,why that would take just a second6 ,surely ,i can60 ,he gets under the table and his host knocks once and twice and then knocks no more but proceeds to lead his guests out of the room1 leaving his betting friend either to pay up1 or wait indefinitely under the table for the third knock6 ,impossible6 8,would you like to see something that has never been seen before and that will never be seen again80 8,impossible60 ,whereupon you pick up an ,english walnut or any kind of nut1 crack it1 take out the kernel and ask if it has ever been seen before2 then eat it and ask if it will ever be seen again6 ,the ,lost ,sheep4 ,this is to follow some vocal selection that gained enough applause to justify an encore4 ,immediately following the announcement that the next number is to be a little ballad entitled 8,the ,lost ,sheep10 the accompanist begins an elaborate accompaniment with an introduction that is unusually long4 ,at the correct moment she crashes out a loud chord and signals to the singer to begin4 ,the singer takes a deep breath1 holds it as long as she can1 and then gives forth one heart-rending 8,baa601 the song of the lost sheep4 ,the ,gathering of the ,nuts4 ,it is announced that an impromptu farce will be staged1 with guests taking the various parts4 ,as the different guests are assigned parts they are in turn called to the stage and told where and how to stand4 ,if a large group is present1 from fifteen to twenty actors are used2 if a small group1 all of them may take part4 ,a list of the various rles has been made out1 and the announcer begins calling out characters with the name of the guest who is to take each part4 ,the following cast is used to good advantage3 #a4 ,two footlights1 who sit at the front of the stage1 upright when the footlights are on1 but with faces to floor when off4 #b4 ,curtain4 ,a large man who stands at the middle back4 ,when curtain goes up1 arms are outstretched4 #c4 ,scenery4 ,two girls who stand in right and left corners at the back of the stage with fingertips on top of their heads4 #d4 ,the ,table4 ,two short men who1 facing each other1 bend over till the tops of their heads come together forming an ideal tabletop4 #e4 ,the ,davenport4 ,two men who kneel facing each other with hands joined as near the floor as possible4 #f4 ,the ,lamp4 ,a tall girl with a very fixed radiant smile4 #g4 ,the ,clock4 ,a girl who moves her head from side to side1 saying automatically1 8,tick1 tock1 tick1 tock60 #h4 ,exits4 ,two people standing at each door with joined hands held high to form a passageway4 #i4 ,the ,heroine4 ,a tall stout girl who stares dreamily at one of the light fixtures4 #aj4 ,her ,mother1 who stares adoringly at her4 #aa4 ,her ,father4 ,a picture of righteous wrath4 #ab4 ,the ,hero4 ,a small meek man on his knees at the feet of the heroine4 #ac4 ,the ,villain4 ,arms crossed1 sneer1 air of defiance4 ,much showing teeth and twirling of mustache4 ,after they are all in their right places with instructions as to how to look and act1 footlights go on1 curtain goes up1 and the announcer breaks in hurriedly1 8,oh6 ,i forgot to tell you the name of this play6 ,it is #8,the ,gathering of the ,nuts6'01 whereupon she makes a hasty exit6 ,the ,band4 ,guests are told that the object of the game is for each one to pantomime the action of the instrument assigned him1 in such a realistic way that the others cannot help but guess what it is4 ,each performer is to continue his pantomiming until the audience makes the correct guess4 ,the hostess then asks the first performer to step into another room with her so that she can tell him what his instrument is1 and help him with the action of it4 ,she assigns him something easy like a cornet1 telling him at the same time however that his part is really a blind to keep the group from getting suspicious about any hoax4 ,he goes back into the room1 pantomimes the action of a cornet1 and immediately the audience guesses 8,cornet10 and probably thinks 8,oh what a stupid game60 ,the hostess carefully picks her next performer1 takes him into the next room1 and tells him his part4 ,he is to play the accordion1 and1 according to rule1 is to keep it up until the audience makes a correct guess as to his instrument4 ,in the meantime1 the man who played the cornet is carrying out the instructions given him by his hostess1 and is telling the group that the next man will play an accordion1 but that they are all to profess great ignorance and to guess everything under the sun but an accordion--a piano1 a piccolo1 drum1 flute1 violin1 trombone1 anything but an accordion4 ,inevitably the impatient question will come from the performer1 8,well6 ,what is it that ,i'm playing80 and the group will sweetly answer1 8,the part of the goat60 ,whistle6 ,the group is told that a whistle will be blown behind the back of whoever is chosen to go into the center1 and that he1 because of a magic coat he has put on1 has clairvoyant power and can immediately turn around and tell who did it4 ,if he should by some mishap make an error1 he may try again and he can without question guess who did it the second time4 ,mr4 ,victim goes into the center and the magic coat is put across his shoulders4 ,great care must be used however so that he cannot possibly see that the whistle1 which is a very light one1 is hanging on a short cord pinned securely on the back of the coat just between the shoulders4 ,the sleeves are tied in front and the coat is bunched across his back so that plenty of thickness is arranged for in order that he may not feel the whistle as he turns around rapidly4 ,other guests crowd in on him very closely so that the whistle can be reached easily and can be blown by any one of the onlookers without the victim's feeling the tug4 ,when the leader says that all is ready1 someone back of him blows an earsplitting blast on the whistle4 ,immediately everyone puts his hands behind him4 ,mr4 ,victim turns around at once and accuses the guiltiest looking one of holding the whistle4 ,the guilty looking party holds up his hands and shows that he has no whistle and vows that he did not pass it to anyone else4 ,only one guess as to who did it is allowed in each case and the one accused is to hold up his hands at once1 to prove his innocence or guilt4 ,sooner or later the unfortunate in the center discovers who has been holding the whistle all the time1 and that is the strategic time for everyone to go into the other room6 ,the ,prison ,guard4 ,for a small group only4 ,make a square representing a prison on a piece of paper1 not joining the lines at the corners however4 ,let 8,p0 represent a prisoner in the center of the square4 ,at three of the corners let 8,g0 represent guards4 ,the story is that the prisoner escaped in spite of the guards1 that there was a guard at this1 and this1 and this gate1 pointing with your pencil to the three gates at which are stationed guards4 ,ask how in the world he could have escaped4 ,invariably someone answers1 8,why he could have gone through this gate10 and puts the tip of his finger on the unguarded gate4 ,your pencil is resting carelessly on the paper4 ,at the crucial moment you hold it poised and when the answer comes and the finger points to the unguarded gate1 your pencil comes into action with a swift rap across the knuckles as you exclaim in surprise1 8,oh no6 ,i am guarding that gate60 ,magic ,writing4 ,the magic writer sends his confederate out of the room while the group decides on some short active verb4 ,on his return the magician will write out this word in magic writing1 whereupon the confederate will immediately go through the action of the verb decided upon4 ,that verb may be 8dance40 ,when the confederate comes into the room the magician must be careful to say nothing that is not connected with his magic writing1 or he will confuse his confederate4 ,the first thing he says is1 8,don't get excited40 ,he then makes a great many fantastic motions on the floor with an umbrella1 suddenly tapping hard1 just once4 ,then he remarks1 8,now be careful10 and after a very short pause1 8,come on and try it10 and finishes with more flourishes of the umbrella and two distinct taps4 ,immediately the confederate1 without saying a word1 starts to dance4 ,it is a simple matter--when one knows how4 ,the flourishes and the fantastic motions mean nothing1 but all conversation and the taps mean a great deal4 ,the first letter of each sentence gives the necessary consonant1 and the taps give the vowels4 ,for example1 the first letter of the first sentence was 8d40 ,next came one tap1 the first vowel 8a10 then1 8n10 then 8c10 and then two taps for 8e0 the second vowel1 and there you have 8d-a-n-c-e40 ,the vowels come in their usual order of course1 a1 e1 i1 o1 u1 with one tap for a1 two taps for e1 three taps for i1 etc41 etc4 ,discourage any other than short verbs4 ,imagine living through 8palpitate60 ,hee ,haw6 ,the group is told that at a signal1 each one is to imitate the call of the animal assigned him1 to see which one can do it the most realistically and still be heard above the others4 ,assistants go about1 supposedly assigning the names of animals1 but in reality whispering to everyone to make no sound at all4 ,only one person is told to really imitate the call of an animal4 ,that is a victim who is to represent a donkey4 ,when the signal comes1 he 8,hee ,haw's60 at the top of his lungs1 blithely unconscious of the fact that he is alone in his efforts4 ,that state of bliss does not last long6 ,willie4 ,the leader holds her left hand in front of her1 fingers spread out4 ,with her right forefinger she traces her way along the inside of the fingers of her left hand4 ,to illustrate1 she starts at the tip of the thumb1 comes down1 and up to the tip of the forefinger1 down it and up the second finger1 and so on through all the fingers4 ,she then starts at the thumb and does the same thing again4 ,from the very first she has been saying1 8,willie1 ,willie1 ,willie1 ,willie1 little ,willie1 ,willie1 ,willie60 in the most pitiful tone she can muster up1 and in rhythm with her finger movements4 ,she then quietly folds her hands and says 8,now you do it40 ,it looks so simple that it isn't even funny until two or three people try it and make utter failures of it4 ,because she scowled when she did it1 they scowl1 thinking that that is the trick2 because she used a pitiful tone1 they use one2 and they imitate her finger movements exactly1 while she criticizes them for not getting the little finger just right4 ,finally someone arrives4 ,it is the quiet folding of the hands at the end that is all-important4 ,wonderful ,vision4 ,the leader may claim that it is a perfectly simple matter for him to see through any amount of covering over his eyes4 ,to test his vision1 he chooses five or six testers if the group is large1 but if there are not more than ten present they may all be included4 ,they form a circle around his chair1 first covering up his eyes so that he cannot possibly see4 ,he then asks them to start moving slowly around him1 each one doing something that no one else is doing4 ,one may hop on one foot1 another clap his hands1 another do facial gymnastics1 fly1 walk backwards1 anything that no one else is doing1 but each one must go through some action or the thought wave is broken and the wonderful vision impaired4 ,one person is designated to suddenly stop all action after a minute or two of moving around1 by clapping his hands and calling out1 8,now6 ,exactly what is each one of us doing80 and the leader promises on his word of honor that in spite of the heavy covering over his eyes he can without a moment's hesitation tell what every last person in the moving circle was doing at that identical moment4 ,the circle begins moving slowly around1 each one in it going through some definite movement1 and each one wondering1 probably1 how in the world the blindfolded leader will be able to tell that the ,methodist minister is wiggling his ears1 and that ,mrs4 ,newly ,rich is doing an esthetic dance4 ,suddenly a halt is called by the one chosen to do it4 ,he claps his hands briskly and says1 8,now tell us what we were doing at the moment ,i clapped my hands40 ,the leader throws off the covering1 looks intently at the group and then says with great satisfaction1 8,each one of you was making a goose of himself60 ,the ,elastic ,ring4 ,a guest with a large head is chosen as the one on whom to experiment4 ,the hostess holds up a lady's ring and assures her guests that if she1 while facing this guest1 holds the ring in just the right position she can easily poke her guest's head right through it without hurting him in the least4 ,it sounds incredible but her friend of the large head stands obediently before her1 she twists and turns the ring to get just the right position1 finally succeeds1 and giving a sigh of satisfaction1 proceeds to poke his head through the ring by putting her finger through the ring and poking his head6 ,rabbit4 ,the leader shows great enthusiasm in asking her guests if they know that 8awfully funny new game #8,rabbit4'0 ,if a small group1 all may join in2 if a large one1 only a select few have the privilege4 ,they form a circle1 kneel on the right knee1 each one putting the first finger of the right hand on the floor4 ,when they are all set the leader asks again as if to make sure1 8,really don't you know how to play #8,rabbit'80 and again they assure her that they do not4 8,neither do ,i10 she remarks regretfully4 ,rubber6 ,the leader has a rubber band at the base of the first two fingers of her left hand which is closed4 ,she opens the hand suddenly and throws the rubber in such a way that it jumps clear across to the base of the third and fourth fingers of the same hand4 ,impossible8 ,not a bit1 but only clever people can do it1 or at least so the guests are told4 ,the rubber band is put at the base of the first two fingers4 ,all four fingers are then folded over and the rubber is stretched a bit so that it may cover all four tips4 ,when the fingers are stretched out straight it is inevitable that the rubber band jump to the base of the third and fourth fingers4 ,the ,unbreakable ,match4 ,a man's handkerchief is opened up and waved about to show how free it is from any trickery4 ,a match is put in the exact center of the handkerchief which is then carefully folded up4 ,complete silence is asked for in order that all may hear the leader break the match4 ,they listen carefully and admit that they hear the distinct crack of the match as it is broken4 ,the leader shakes out the handkerchief and the match is shown1 unbroken4 ,she repeats the performance1 and each time all will admit that they heard her break the match4 ,there are always many theories advanced as to how she does it--by cracking her finger-nails together1 etc41 etc41 and there is always somebody who wants to see the handkerchief4 ,instead of showing it1 however1 she shakes it freely and tells them that that ought to satisfy anybody4 ,just between us1 there is a match pushed far into the hem at all four corners4 ,each time she is supposed to be cracking the match in the center of the handkerchief1 she is very careful to crack one of the corner matches instead6 ,leterfly4 ,leterfly and ,salaam are quite evidently not for exactly formal dress affairs6 ,leterfly is especially good for ,poverty ,parties and the like1 and is best adapted to a small group4 ,guests are told that one by one they will be introduced to the ,fly ,family4 ,the leader chooses four assistants1 and the rest of the guests are taken aside some place where they cannot see the presentations4 ,the assistants are lined up like a receiving line as the ,fly ,family1 and as the guests come in1 one at a time1 they are presented to each member of the family4 ,the first one is the butterfly1 next the firefly1 then the dragonfly1 and lastly leterfly1 who does what her name implies and lets fly about ten drops of cold water from a thimble which she has held concealed at her side4 ,salaam4 ,his ,majesty1 the ,king of ,timbuktu1 is seated on his throne at one end of the room with a page close at hand4 ,four or five people have been asked to leave the room and to come in one at a time as called1 in order to be presented to ,his ,majesty4 ,the first one is called in1 brought before the king1 told to bow deeply before him three times1 each time saying1 8,i pledge allegiance to my king40 ,he is told too1 that the deeper his bow1 the greater his favor with the king4 ,he bows once1 then again1 and then a third time4 ,his allegiance gets a bit chilled however during the third bow1 for the page has provided the king with a small piece of ice1 which is gently but firmly applied to the back of the neck during the third bow4 ,hypnotism4 ,much care is evidenced in the selecting of a subject for hypnotism4 ,it is hardly necessary to say that a confederate is in the group4 ,the hypnotist goes about touching different people's temples to see whether they are the right kind for hypnotism4 ,he finally discovers a good subject1 his confederate of course4 ,the subject is sent out of the room while the group decides on something they want him to do when hypnotized4 ,perhaps they want him to sing4 ,he is seated on a chair facing the audience and the hypnotist begins to rub his forehead slowly4 ,the movements are slow and well defined1 that is1 the fingers are lifted after each move across the forehead4 ,the subject soon loses consciousness and as the movements continue1 seems to get more and more under the spell of the hypnotist4 ,finally with a shaking of his fingers the hypnotist stops and there is absolute silence for just a moment1 in order to keep the subject under the spell4 ,suddenly he begins singing in a high squeaky voice1 8,wait till the ,sun ,shines ,nellie60 ,if the subject has any relatives present they will almost surely beg that he be taken out of his trance4 ,the obliging hypnotist presses his fingers twice into the temples of the subject who shudders1 sighs1 and wakes up wondering what it is all about6 ,frankly1 it is not easy to do unless both subject and hypnotist are very alert and wideawake4 ,if they are1 however1 it is a comparatively simple process to hypnotize a confederate into doing anything the audience wants him to do4 ,we assume that they want him to sing4 ,the hypnotist begins rubbing his forehead and carefully rubs nineteen times1 for 8s10 the first letter in sing1 is the nineteenth letter of the alphabet4 ,he carefully lifts his fingers at the end of each movement4 ,after the nineteenth rub he presses hard into both temples to show that the letter is completed4 ,waiting just a second1 he begins again and rubs nine times for 8i10 the ninth letter of the alphabet1 pressing the temples at the end4 ,the next time he rubs fourteen times for 8n10 and the last time only seven times for 8g10 at the end of which he shakes his fingers vigorously as a signal that the word is completed4 ,it will make it more interesting for all concerned if the hypnotist asks the audience to choose verbs of three or four letters4 ,his explanation is that simple action is very easy to get over even to a new subject1 while long and complicated action takes practice4 ,the real reason is that it is fairly easy for a subject to get the words 8cry10 or 8dance0 or 8sleep0 or 8jump10 while 8hippity-hop0 would be almost impossible and too long drawn out to be interesting4 ,if a hypnotist can get a confederate who will get thoroughly into the spirit of the thing and sigh1 shudder1 go into a trance1 or act completely exhausted1 while the hypnotist himself makes a serious thing out of it1 a group can be completely deceived as to the genuineness of the performance4 ,eny4 ,this is particularly good for a table game or in any situation where there is no room for moving around4 ,announce that there is a word in the ,english language that ends in 8eny10 pronounced like 8any40 ,it is necessary to put just one letter at the beginning to make it a very common and much used word4 ,suggest that they begin with 8a0 putting every letter of the alphabet in turn before 8eny0 till the proper letter is found4 ,the usual process is this3 8,a-eny1 b-eny1 c-eny1 d-eny1 f-eny1 g-eny1 h-eny10 and so on through the entire alphabet until an impatient 8,why there isn't a single letter that will do it10 calls forth your positive assurance that there is a letter that will do it4 ,if they simply cannot get it1 ask them to change the accent4 ,finally they will arrive4 8,d-eny0 is a perfectly good word4 8,t40 ,guests are sitting about informally when the hostess turns to her right-hand neighbor1 ,mrs4 ,brown1 and says1 8,i simply can't abide #8t' but ,i like onions4 ,what do you like1 ,mrs4 ,brown80 and ,mrs4 ,brown1 who knows the game1 answers1 8,i don't like #8t' but ,i like cabbage10 and turns to the next one who is in the dark as to what they are talking about1 and asks her what she likes4 ,she replies1 8,well1 ,i don't like tea but ,i love soda water10 but laughter greets her and she is told that she certainly cannot join their secret organization4 ,her right-hand neighbor then tells what she likes1 and so it goes around the circle1 all the uninitiated trying valiantly to get in on this secret understanding that seems to be so funny4 ,before it has gone around the circle once1 however1 someone gets it4 ,she is not allowed to tell1 but when her turn comes in the second round she gives evidence as to whether she is right or not4 ,she might say perhaps1 8,i don't like #8t' but ,i do like pickles60 and she is declared an initiated member4 ,it is very simple4 ,if you wish to belong to the 8,anti-,t0 band your taste must run to food that has no 8t0 in it1 like pickles1 soup1 etc41 etc4 but not like potatoes1 turnips or ketchup6 ,self ,praise4 ,the hostess makes a remark to the effect that 8,this group is mighty good-looking10 accompanying the remark with a very prim1 set smile1 and then asks the one at her right to repeat it exactly as she gave it4 ,the neighbor gives what she considers an exact duplication of the remark and the smile1 but she is told that she isn't even warm1 so the next one tries it and so it goes around the circle1 with some of them utter failures and others very successful4 ,this continues until most of them have arrived4 ,many of them put the greatest emphasis on the smile1 thinking that that is the important factor1 which of course is just exactly what you wanted them to think1 for half the fun of the game is caused by the utterly hopeless smiles that are forthcoming4 ,the successful ones however have noticed that each time before you made a remark you cleared your throat4 ,easy1 isn't it1 when you know how8 ,no ,fair6 ,two of the men are blindfolded and are asked to sit in the middle of the circle on the floor1 facing each other with knees touching4 ,each one is given a swatter1 made of newspapers folded together4 ,at a signal1 the smaller one of the two is told to call out to the other 8,where are you80 and the big one is to answer 8,right here10 and then without moving his knees he may dodge in any way he can to avoid the sweep of the swatter that his opponent aims in the direction of the 8,right here40 ,he may be successful in his dodging1 but then again1 he may not1 and he gets a 8swat0 that calls for revenge1 so he takes his turn1 and calls out1 8,where are you801 and the small one answers1 8,right here0 and immediately dodges as best he can the avenging swatter that is swatting in his direction4 ,they take turns at this for a few moments and then the small one1 to whom the leader has whispered a few words when he was blindfolding him1 slips down the blindfolder and gets in several good dodges and several good swats before his opponent gets suspicious that all is not well6 ,mr4 ,bumps4 ,the leader invites her guests to watch very closely the ceremony she will go through in honor of her friend ,mr4 ,bumps1 and tells them that an opportunity will be given to imitate the ceremony4 ,she sits at a table with a glass of water before her and with all simplicity begins her ceremony4 ,holding the glass between the thumb and forefinger of her right hand she takes a sip of water and says1 8,i drink to ,mr4 ,bumps10 puts the glass down1 taps on top of the table with her right forefinger1 does the same with her left forefinger1 repeats the finger tapping performance under the edge of the table1 taps the floor with her right foot1 then her left foot1 and finally1 bows her head once4 ,the second part of the ceremony is exactly like the first except that everything is done twice and the glass is held between the thumb and two fingers instead of just one finger4 ,two drinks are taken2 the toast1 8,i drink to ,mr4 ,bumps twice10 is given2 the right forefinger and the left forefinger tap twice on top of the table and twice under the edge of the table2 the right foot and then the left foot tap on the floor2 and the head is bowed twice4 ,the third and last part of the ceremony too is just like the first1 except that everything is done three times1 and the glass is held between the thumb and three fingers1 and the toast is1 8,i drink to ,mr4 ,bumps for the third and last time40 ,a cordial invitation to do likewise is then issued4 ,while the explanation as given here may sound rather complicated1 the performance really looks extremely simple1 and in the average group there will be several who are sure they can do it4 ,i have never yet seen a person do it absolutely correctly with the first effort1 and it usually takes several efforts to master this apparently very simple procedure4 ,every applicant is given just one chance in the first round and at his first mistake he is supplanted by a new applicant4 ,when they have all been given a chance 7and incidentally all have failed7 they are all urged to try again and each successive time it becomes easier but only one mistake is allowed in each trial4 ,you may look skeptical at the statement that real head-work is essential4 ,my only answer is1 8,try it60 ,i ,hypnotize ,you6 ,if the group is large1 some five or six guests are asked to sit in a circle in front of the audience4 ,if there are not more than ten guests present1 let them all form a circle1 seated1 with a person who will make a good victim next to the leader4 ,a good victim is not always only a good sport4 ,he is inevitably that1 but in addition1 a leader who chooses her subjects wisely will choose one who will not readily see the hoax4 ,in this case the victim is entirely unconscious of the important part he is to play4 ,the leader tells the group that certain very simple movements of the hands across the forehead of a subject can hypnotize that subject in almost no time1 and without actually hypnotizing her subject she will demonstrate on her neighbor1 so that they may all see the principle of the thing and practice on their neighbors before the real hypnotizing begins4 ,subjects in each case should be right-hand neighbors4 ,assuring her right-hand neighbor in all seriousness that she is only going through the motions of hypnotizing1 without really accomplishing anything1 she begins demonstrating on him4 ,her hands are lying folded in her lap4 ,her first request is very important1 but she is very casual as she asks her victim to close his eyes1 as she wishes to make certain movements over the closed eyes4 ,as soon as his eyes are closed she makes several soft1 gentle movements directly around and over his eyes1 making much of the point that she is only demonstrating and not actually hypnotizing4 ,when she has done the thing to her own satisfaction1 she folds her hands again and tells him to open his eyes1 while he1 together with the rest of the group1 is to practice these movements preparatory to some actual hypnotizing4 ,mr4 ,victim cannot understand the very unreasonable mirth of the other members of the circle1 who have all they can do to keep upright as they make a pretense of practicing on each other4 ,he finally gets suspicious however1 and goes to a mirror4 ,what he sees there leaves no doubt in his mind as to what they were finding so extremely funny6 ,the leader's hands1 which were folded so innocently in her lap1 had previously been generously coated with lampblack1 all of which had transferred itself to his face6 ,magic ,photography4 ,this is for a small group of guests who know each other fairly well4 ,the photographer boasts that he can take an impression of a person's face on the back of a spoon1 and make it so real that another person who has been out of the room can almost immediately tell whose picture was taken4 ,in the face of the scoffing1 he sends someone 7of course his confederate7 out of the room1 and sets about taking the picture of one of the guests on the back of a spoon4 ,he rubs the spoon over the entire face1 pressing into the depressions at either side of the nose and being sure to get the mold of the chin4 ,he then calls in the one who was out of the room1 shows him the spoon and asks1 8,what beauty is it80 ,at once comes the answer1 8,winona ,beal10 and he is right4 ,he goes out again and when he has been called in the second time1 the photographer says1 showing him the spoon1 8,go ahead60 and the answer is1 8,it is ,gertrude ,addams10 and again he is right4 ,the solution is this3 ,the first two words of the photographer's statement have as their first letters the initials of the one photographed4 8,what beauty is it80 gave the initials 8,w0 and 8,b0 and 8,go ahead0 gave 8,g0 and 8,a40 ,in games of this kind1 instead of endeavoring to find out the trick used1 there is the inevitable someone who says1 8,let me go out40 ,it has proved wise to let one of these inevitables go out of the room1 telling him when he comes back that you are not sure that he will be quick enough to get the resemblance on the spoon1 thereby putting the burden of proof on him4 ,sure enough1 he fails1 and almost always your group will ask that the one who was first sent out of the room be sent again1 for no trick that does not work is interesting4 ,it is another matter when someone thinks he has discovered your trick4 ,instead of telling the group what he thinks it is1 you ask him to leave the room in place of your confederate and when he gets back and tells correctly whose picture is on the spoon1 it is much to the delight of the crowd4 ,as each one of them discovers the trick and is allowed to try out his discovery1 one by one they guess it1 and nothing puts a crowd into a better humor than to have guessed a trick which looked hard6 ,the ,pain4 ,there may in this very large world still be one or even two people who have not heard of the way to hypnotize a person so that he will inevitably feel a pain 7pane74 ,the hypnotist makes several passes before the eyes of the subject1 stares at him fixedly1 presses his hands on the temple of the subject1 leads him to a window1 raps his hand very lightly on the glass1 holds his fingers there1 and then inquires solicitously1 and yet triumphantly1 8,you feel a pane now1 don't you80 ,the subject1 who feels absolutely no discomfort or pain1 says so freely1 but he is corrected by the hypnotist who assures him that he certainly is feeling pane6 ,teapot4 ,this game centers about words that have two meanings like 8can40 ,it is used to best advantage with a small informal group4 ,the leader starts it by saying 8,i teapot teapot peaches when ,i teapot get them10 and the neighbor to her right is to take up the conversation if she can think of the word in the place of which teapot was used4 ,she guesses correctly so she says1 8,most teapots are made of tin1 but ,i teapot show you a teapot made of glass40 ,her right-hand neighbor has not the slightest inkling of what word they are thinking about1 so she is obliged to pass1 and so it goes around the circle1 anyone who passes being obliged to pay a forfeit4 ,when each one has had a turn and it comes back to the leader she tells what word she had in mind1 8can40 ,then she starts another one1 this one perhaps1 8see10 and as before1 she omits the word 8see0 and uses 8teapot0 instead4 ,for example1 8,i did teapot the teapot when a fearful storm was up1 and ,i am sure that ,i shall never again teapot such a raging teapot40 ,sometimes the leader will call upon someone else to start a new word1 and in each case1 anyone who is unable to 8catch on0 pays a forfeit4 ,magic ,numbers4 ,children love easy trick games which they may try out on each other4 ,one of the easiest and simplest of these is one in which someone1 a confederate of course1 is sent out of the room while the others decide on some number under ten4 ,perhaps they decide on six4 ,the outsider is called in and the leader remarks to him1 8,fire ,away10 and immediately he says1 8,you decided on six40 ,the next time when they chose four for their number1 the leader said to his confederate1 8,do you think you can get it from looking at me80 and of course the confederate said1 8,easily4 ,it is four40 ,the first letter of any remark the leader makes tells the confederate what number has been decided upon4 ,in 8,fire away10 the first letter was 8f10 which is the sixth letter of the alphabet4 ,therefore1 six was the number chosen4 ,in 8,do you think0 etc41 etc41 8d10 the fourth letter of the alphabet1 gives the number four4 ,red1 ,white and ,blue4 ,this is one of the most irritating and fascinating puzzles ever put to an informal group4 ,while the confederate is out of the room the leader asks the guests to decide on any object in the room4 ,the confederate is called in and after naming several wrong articles in the room1 asking each time if that is the one chosen1 the leader names the right one and instantly the answer is made1 8,that is the thing you chose40 ,immediately someone says1 8,oh1 it is just like #8,black ,magic' except that you name a red object just before the right one40 ,the leader smiles and answers1 8,all right4 ,just watch this next time10 and next time the right object certainly was not preceded by an object that was red1 nor was it the next time4 ,as it happened1 however1 when the leader pointed out wrong objects and finally the right one the next time1 the right one was preceded by something red and every last guest noticed it and spoke of it1 but they could not say that the trick was that the right object was always preceded by something red1 for that was not true4 ,the system used is indeed very much like 8,black ,magic0 in which the object decided upon is always preceded by an object that is black1 but in this case the right object is preceded by objects that are red1 white and blue1 in turn4 ,the first time it follows a red object1 next a white one1 and then a blue one4 ,then the series begins all over again1 first a red object to precede it1 then a white one1 and then a blue one and so on till finally some bright mind recognizes the familiar combination6 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,picnics6 ,this chapter is headed 8,picnics0 but a great many of the events included may be used to good advantage in the gymnasium1 as well as out-of-doors4 ,races4 ,the ,horse ,races4 ,it certainly is fun to play baseball on horseback1 but it is a great deal funnier to race on horseback1 unless--your horse falls down6 ,each runner sits on a horse1 and at a signal from the starter the horses start running for the goal1 some fifty feet away4 ,all the runner has to do is to 8sit tight0 and1 if possible1 keep his horse from going down flat1 for it surely is not the horse who gets the worst of that possible episode6 ,they must return to the starting point1 and if the relay plan is used1 touch off the next horse and his rider1 who must run the same course4 ,the ,baby ,carriage ,contest4 ,if possible get two or three obsolete baby carriages1 each carriage to be manned by a boy and a man4 ,the boy is the rider of course1 but if it is possible to find a man small enough to ride in the carriage without totally demolishing it1 substitute this small man for the boy1 for nothing looks funnier than a grown up man scrunched down into a baby carriage1 with his feet dangling overboard6 ,the race is just like any other race1 to a goal and return1 except that it is harder to look at without hurting one's self6 ,the ,rollers4 8,whoops0 under 8,races0 may be used at a picnic for a woman's race4 ,another race1 run on the same principle1 uses automobile tires as the thing to be rolled by hand1 men1 of course1 being contestants4 ,hardboiled eggs too1 make wonderful 8rollers10 and should be rolled to the goal and return by means of lead pencils or hairpins4 ,the ,sack ,race4 ,just the plain old-fashioned sack race1 in which contestants have both legs in a sack and must run to the goal and return1 thus impeded4 ,excitement is added if the relay plan is used1 whereby each runner must1 on returning to the starting point1 take off his sack and give it to the other runner of his team6 ,when one is in a hurry that is a very easy thing to do6 ,the ,new ,era4 ,men only are allowed to enter as contestants1 and each is given a lady's skirt which he must put on and wear throughout the race4 ,men are so graceful anyhow6 ,the ,sticks4 ,runners are given sawed-off broomsticks which they are to put under their bent knees4 ,they are to keep them there while they race1 inch by inch1 to the goal and back4 ,the course should be a short one4 ,the ,squatters ,race4 ,runners bend knees1 squat on heels1 and with hands on hips1 go to the goal and return at a whirlwind pace--maybe6 ,what is more1 nothing is said to them about the way they will undoubtedly feel the next morning6 ,one should be merciful and make this course1 too1 a short one4 ,bang6 ,each contestant is given five common paper bags4 ,at the signal for starting they are to blow up these bags one by one1 exploding each one as it is filled with air4 ,the one who first blows up and explodes all his bags gets a toy balloon4 ,the ,water ,bearers4 ,each runner is given a glass which is full to the brim of water4 ,all he has to do is to hop on one foot to the goal and return1 carrying the water all the way6 ,the prize offered for this race should be a generous one6 ,the ,greased ,pole and ,pig4 ,a picnic would hardly be a picnic unless a greased pole is counted 8among those present40 ,the pole is just exactly what it sounds like1 a greased pole1 and at the top of it is a tiny flag which must be captured and brought down by the victorious climber who gets a very real prize4 ,he deserves it6 ,a cousin game to that which entails climbing a greased pole1 is one which offers any and everyone the privilege of catching a greased pig4 ,if no fence is available a barrier is made with strips of canvas1 strong strips and high strips6 ,the pig1 which has been made as slippery as any pig can be made1 is turned loose in this inclosure and the chase is on4 ,the one who catches the pig keeps him--and welcome6 ,it might be fitting to suggest that contestants in either event be offered the temporary use of overalls6 ,the ,picnic ,blues4 ,anxious mothers have been justified in worrying when they saw ,johnny and ,henry gobbling down pie in wholesale and extremely hurried fashion1 in a blueberry pie-eating contest4 ,they know what will happen that night at #c a4m46 ,it is not the blueberries that give her anxious moments either6 ,neither is it the contest4 ,it is the heavenly blue smeared all over the countenance of ,johnny and ,henry1 in every place a blueberry can find a foothold6 ,that blue will be just as heavenly and smear just as well when its source is a thick blue sauce made of blueberries1 and it is put into pie tins for the same contest4 ,the ,subway4 ,boys are lined up in columns1 six or seven in each column1 with feet spread apart4 ,at a signal from the leader1 the last one of each column gets down on his hands and knees and crawls through the natural 8subway0 to the front4 ,as soon as he gets there he stands up in front of the column and calls 8,all set60 whereupon the last one of the column hurries through the subway1 doing the same thing when he reaches the front4 ,when the one who was originally the first of the column finally gets his turn and crawls through to his original place the race is over1 and of course1 all honor and glory and a prize to the team that can first get its original leader back to his place6 ,two in ,one ,race4 ,boys are arranged in couples4 ,the two forming each couple stand back to back with arms interlocked4 ,one of them stands facing the goal4 ,when all of the couples are so arranged1 a signal is given and they start running to the goal1 about twenty-five feet away1 and return4 ,two fat boys linked together and racing in this way make a sight worth going miles to see6 ,leap ,frog4 ,the boys are divided into two teams1 each team forming a circle1 everyone down on all fours4 ,at a signal1 a designated leader in each circle starts leapfrogging his way around the circle4 ,when he has leaped ever the last one he gets down again on all fours and slaps the one in front of him who starts to leapfrog around the circle4 ,when he has gone all the way around1 he too squats down1 slaps the one in front of him and he starts his little journey4 ,the circle whose last leapfrogger first reaches his former place gets the prize4 ,the ,human ,wheelbarrow4 ,there are two on a team in this ,wheelbarrow ,race but there is no wheelbarrow4 ,one member of the team is a boy and the other a man4 ,the boy is the wheelbarrow1 and the man the driver4 ,the boy gets down on his hands and knees1 the driver takes hold of his feet1 and when the signal to start comes1 lifts the feet off the ground so that the boy is walking on his hands alone4 ,the course1 about twenty-five feet in length1 should be on a grassy plot4 ,let a driver's sense of humor get the best of him1 as it usually does1 and the wheelbarrow goes flat on his face6 ,the ,penalty4 ,the usual three-legged race is put on with only two teams competing4 ,just before they start to run1 tell them that the losers will be made to get down on all fours1 the winners placed on their backs and that they will be forced to carry the victors the full length of the course1 with all 8accidental0 tipping positively forbidden6 ,housewives' ,race4 ,a large space is cleared with the onlookers forming a very close circle around it4 ,contestants are all women of not less than twenty-five years of age4 ,a chicken is turned loose in this open space and the woman who catches it may have it4 ,none of the onlookers may help her beyond seeing to it that the chicken does not get outside the circle4 ,you and ,i know that the chicken's freedom is not in such very grave danger6 ,obstacle ,race4 ,the course is not longer than fifty yards1 and a line of obstacles is set out for each one of the three teams1 two men or boys in each team4 ,runners ,no4 #a start the race4 ,they are to3 #a4 ,go through a barrel4 #b4 ,sing up the scale4 #c4 ,turn two somersaults4 #d4 ,take off their shoes and put them on again4 #e4 ,climb a designated tree4 ,they then hurry back to touch off ,no4 #b of their team1 who must go through the same performance4 ,there is one rule that is strictly enforced4 ,that is that the singing must be done clearly and distinctly and as musically as possible6 ,lobster ,race4 ,any number of men or boys may enter as contestants4 ,at a given signal runners turn around1 get down on all fours on the starting line1 and speed to the goal and return1 going backwards and on all fours all the way4 ,it is remarkable1 the great similarity to lobsters out for a stroll6 ,hippity-hop4 ,girls are pitted against the men4 ,the girls stand in one line and the men in another1 the first one in each line being about fifteen feet away from a tree directly in front of that line4 ,at a signal the first girl and the first man start hippity-hopping1 each one up to and around his tree and back to his line1 touching the hand of the next runner who immediately starts to hippity-hop over the same course1 while those who ran first go to the end of the line4 ,when the second runner gets back1 he touches the hand of the third one1 and he too hippity-hops to the tree and back1 each one going at once to the end of the line when he has finished4 ,this goes on till everyone has hopped and members of the team whose last runner first touches the first runner's hand win the game and a dish of ice cream4 ,i have never yet seen a group of girls who couldn't out-hippity-hop any group of men6 ,the ,bottle ,race4 ,six empty bottles are necessary for this race1 milk bottles1 ,coca-,cola bottles1 almost any kind will do1 but it is preferable to have bottles that tip easily4 ,contestants are divided into two lines4 ,a rope has been laid on the ground about twenty feet in front of these lines and six bottles have been placed there1 three for each line4 ,at a signal1 the first one of each team runs up to the rope1 picks up his three bottles which are lying on the ground1 places them upright and runs back to touch the hands of the next runner1 who starts at once for the goal1 knocks the three bottles down1 and hurries back to touch off the next runner4 ,he in turn stands the bottles up again1 while the next runner knocks them down1 and so on4 ,if a bottle falls down the runner must go back to stand it up again before he can touch the the next runner4 ,each runner1 when he has finished and has touched off the next runner1 goes to the end of the line4 ,the side whose last runner first touches the first runner's hand wins the race4 ,masculine ,vanity ,race4 ,contestants run the length of the course1 about fifty feet1 take off their caps1 shoes1 coats1 and ties1 put them on the ground1 run to the starting point1 back to their clothes1 put them on1 and then race back to the starting line4 ,the one who arrives first1 fully clothed1 gets a little vanity mirror as a reward6 ,cradle ,roll4 ,it is always possible to get certain wholesome hard candies wrapped in bright colored papers1 preferably red4 ,all ,cradle ,rollers are gathered into a small open space and it is left to their mothers to tell them that real1 honest-to-goodness candy will be tossed up in the air and that they are to scramble for it1 and that the one who gets the most will get a big red balloon6 ,it is perfectly all right for mothers to accompany the scramblers as long as the children themselves pick up the candy4 ,kindergartners4 ,at a signal each youthful contestant is to run over to the balloon man to get a balloon4 ,as each one is given his balloon he begins blowing it up and the one who blows the biggest balloon in the shortest time gets a bag of peanuts4 ,you know what happens to fat ,jimmy ,pond6 ,he blows like a north wind1 determined that his balloon shall be the largest4 ,it is--for one second1 and then it pops6 ,niagara ,falls4 ,two in each team1 one of them provided with a glass of water1 the glass full to the brim1 and balanced on his head4 ,at a signal from the leader1 ,no4 #a of each team1 with the water on his head1 walks as rapidly as he dares to the goal1 about fifteen feet away1 and returns to give the glass to ,no4 #b of his team who does the same thing1 trying of course to be the first one to return to the starting point4 ,his glass however must still be at least half full of water if he hopes to win the prize4 ,some water spills4 ,we hope for that6 ,but no one is allowed to spill more than half of it without going back for a fresh supply4 ,anyone who drops a glass and spills all his water1 goes back to the starting point1 is loaned a towel1 given another glassful of water1 and is started out again on his perilous journey6 ,wheelbarrow ,race4 ,four on each team1 two drivers and two passengers4 ,wheelbarrows are all set at the starting point with passengers ,no4 #a sitting in them and drivers ,no4 #a all ready to go4 ,at the signal they are off to the goal and return1 the drivers dumping their passengers without ceremony1 and turning their wheelbarrows over to drivers ,no4 #b1 who hustle their passengers into the wheelbarrows and repeat the performance4 ,it is always surprising to note how many men have forgotten how to propel a wheelbarrow1 and even more surprising to see how few people can ride in one easily and comfortably6 ,,note4--,many of the events under 8,races0 may be used as ,picnic ,races4 ,picnic ,games4 ,couple ,baseball4 ,there are eighteen on a team1 nine men and nine boys4 ,the diamond is very small1 not more than eighteen feet across1 and preferably very grassy4 ,the game is played exactly like ,indoor ,baseball except that every player is riding a 8horse40 ,the boys are the riders and the men the horses4 ,horses are down on all fours with riders astride their backs4 ,the pitcher1 who is perched on his horse1 begins pitching and the boy up to bat1 who is sitting with difficulty on a fat horse1 makes a hit out toward center field4 ,immediately his horse starts for first base1 while center field on his horse goes on a mad chase after the ball4 ,no player is allowed to leave his horse voluntarily4 ,there are times1 however1 when it is involuntary4 ,for some unknown reason1 horses hurrying from one base to another or chasing a ball1 find humor in the situation and a prone position for both rider and horse is the inevitable result6 ,out6 ,this game must be played within an inclosure4 ,if no rope is available1 certain trees may be pointed out as forming the boundary line and anyone going outside the boundaries is out4 ,the game is a great deal of fun when the players number from twenty to forty1 and four or five balls are used4 ,the balls should be either very soft ,indoor baseballs which have been considerably battered1 or the larger ,playground ball4 ,the leader tosses these balls into the center1 which is the signal for the game to begin4 ,those nearest the balls pick them up and throw them at someone4 ,if the people at whom the balls are thrown catch them1 all is well1 but if they do not1 and are hit by the ball1 they are out1 and must go outside the boundaries4 ,the game continues in this way until all but one have been hit4 ,you can be sure he has had to be pretty agile6 ,sad experience will prompt any leader to issue the warning that no one is allowed to aim above the shoulder1 and in any case1 no swift balls are allowed4 ,it makes for real humor when ,mr4 ,black sees ,miss ,carnes aiming a ball at him and he either dodges or catches it1 and is crowing in triumph1 when along comes a well aimed ball from the rear and hits him smack between the shoulders1 and he is out6 ,duck on the ,rock4 ,each of the players1 of whom there are from twelve to fifteen1 provides himself with a small rock4 ,players stand in a line about twenty feet back of the duck1 the rock belonging to 8,it40 ,this duck is placed on a large flat stone4 ,when they are all ready1 the signal to throw is given4 ,they take turns throwing at the duck1 each one trying to knock it off4 ,no one succeeds however4 ,this means that they must take a stand near their own rocks1 and whenever they see the opportunity1 snatch up their rocks and run home1 home being the line from which they threw4 ,if 8,it0 is able to tag someone who has his rock in his hand1 that person becomes the new 8,it0 and his rock becomes the duck4 ,immediately they begin throwing at the duck again1 and while the first four fail to knock it off and are obliged to stand next to their rocks until they see a chance to run home1 the fifth thrower is successful in knocking off the duck1 and all those waiting to run home snatch up their rocks and run1 for 8,it0 cannot tag anyone while the duck is off the rock1 and they may all go home in safety4 ,as soon as he gets his duck back on again1 however1 he may tag anyone who is touching his rock1 or running home with it in his hand4 ,one rule of this game invariably brings about the funniest and most awkward situations6 ,if a person once touches his rock1 thinking he sees a chance to run home1 and 8,it0 turns around unexpectedly1 thereby making the safe run home a doubtful thing1 the player is not allowed to drop his rock but must pick it up and run for all he is worth1 even though his chances of getting past 8,it0 are as nothing6 ,triple ,dodge ,ball4 ,for a group of men and boys at a picnic1 there is no game any livelier or more exciting than ,triple ,dodge ,ball4 ,it is played just like the more familiar 8,dodge ,ball0 except that three balls instead of one are used4 ,a large circle is made1 players numbering from twenty to sixty4 ,they count off by twos1 numbering 8#a10 8#b10 8#a10 8#b10 all around the circle4 ,all the #a's go into the center while the #b's make a rather large circle around them4 ,three soft basketballs are distributed among the #b's and at a signal from the leader they start to throw the balls at those in the center1 no one being allowed to aim higher than the knees4 ,anyone who is hit must leave the center and join the circle made by the #b's4 ,when all of the #a's have been hit they change places with the #b's1 the #b's going into the center and the #a's making the circle4 ,when all of the #b's have been hit1 the last #a and the last #b to leave the circle are called back into the center to decide which of the two sides is the more agile in dodging the ball4 ,a very large circle is made to give them plenty of room4 ,of course all of the #a's will make every effort to hit the ,no4 #b who is in the center and the #b's will hardly be remiss when it comes to aiming at the ,no4 #a who is dodging them6 ,one rule must be enforced4 ,no player is allowed to leave his place in the circle to throw the ball4 ,it is such a temptation to take just a few steps inside the circle to get a better aim6 ,family ,hide and ,go ,seek4 ,a limited area must be defined on the picnic ground4 ,the one who is hiding cannot go outside that area4 ,only one of a group goes out to hide4 ,after giving him some three or four minutes in which to hide1 the rest of the group go after him4 ,they must go out singly1 not even two people being allowed to hunt together4 ,the reason for this is soon apparent4 ,as soon as a hunter finds the one who is hiding1 instead of setting up an alarm1 he hides with him4 ,the next one does the same1 and so on1 until they have all found the one who was hiding4 ,the last one to find him is given the title 8,booby60 ,the one who first found the hider is the one who will go out to hide the next time4 ,backward ,tug of ,war4 ,the only difference between this and the ordinary tug of war is that all pullers must face away from the center1 the two opposing teams having their backs to each other6 ,you can imagine what that does to the losing side that starts to slip6 ,two ,deep4 ,this is played just like the old-fashioned 8,three ,deep0 except that it is only two deep4 ,guests stand in a single circle1 with 8,it0 and the one who is being chased on the outside4 ,the one who is chased runs around the circle and suddenly cuts inside and stands in front of some other player with his back to him4 ,this player is the runner then and he must fly to get away from 8,it10 who is close on his heels4 ,when he too gets inside and stands with his back to some other player he is safe1 but the one in front of whom he stands is the next runner4 ,if he gets caught he becomes 8,it0 and the former 8,it0 gets to safety by standing in front of some unfortunate friend of his4 ,follow the ,leader4 ,anyone who wishes may join the line of march and drop out at any time it is getting too difficult for him1 but no one is allowed to rejoin a line after once having dropped out to rest4 ,the leader does the usual stunts of 8,follow the ,leader40 ,these stunts may include3 #a4 ,a short dog-trot4 #b4 ,a hippity-hop4 #c4 ,walking on all fours4 #d4 ,walking backwards4 #e4 ,running on tiptoes4 #f4 ,climbing a designated tree4 #g4 ,going through a barrel4 #h4 ,hopping on one foot4 #i4 ,jumping a creek4 #aj4 ,turning a somersault4 ,one-,legged ,pom ,pom ,pull ,away4 ,this is played just like the old 8,pom ,pom ,pull ,away0 except that all players and 8,it0 are compelled to hop on one foot4 ,players line up on the 8home0 line1 with 8,it0 facing them in an open space some thirty feet in width4 ,at the signal all players must leave home and hop on one foot to the opposite side of the open space4 8,it0 chases them1 he too being allowed only one foot4 ,anyone he tags while in the open space must come to the center with him and help him catch the others4 ,the ,rooster ,fight4 ,the group is divided into two even sides1 each person having an opponent assigned him4 ,at the signal each one starts 8fighting0 his opponent in the following way3 ,the right hand is put on the hip1 and hopping on the right foot1 the rooster tries to bump his enemy in such a way that he is compelled to put down his left foot to keep his balance4 ,if he does do that he is out of the game4 ,when the issue has been decided between all opponents1 all the winners are called out1 and they are again paired off with opponents4 ,this is repeated until there are only two left to compete for the bumper championship4 ,the one who wins gets a toy rooster4 ,the ,target4 ,some thirty to forty men players form two long lines facing each other not more than five feet apart4 ,the one who by the process of 8counting out0 is chosen to be the first target1 is to walk through these lines while the players punish him in various ways6 ,of course no one is allowed to touch his head or to really strike hard1 but many very successful 8taps0 are possible6 ,however1 it is not as one-sided as it might appear4 ,if the target is successful in being able to turn around quickly enough to actually see someone hit him1 that someone immediately becomes the new target1 and he too must walk up and down the line with head bent until he is able to catch someone in the very act of hitting him4 ,poison ,ball4 ,small circles are formed with not more than fifteen players to a circle1 one of the players being in the center4 ,someone in each circle is given an ,indoor baseball and at the starting signal throws it across the circle to another player4 ,if the one in the center catches the ball while it is going through the air the one who threw it becomes 8,it10 and takes the place in the center4 ,moreover1 if 8,it0 can touch the ball while it is still in some player's hand1 that player becomes 8,it40 ,the one object of the game is to get the ball out of one's hands before 8,it0 can touch it4 ,picnic ,stagecoach4 ,a grassy plot is essential for this boys' game4 ,it is played very much like 8,stagecoach10 in that each player1 all of them seated on chairs1 is given a part to represent4 ,one may be a wheel1 another the brake1 another the door1 etc41 etc4 ,the leader1 who is on all fours1 tells the story of an eventful ride on the stagecoach and as he calls out the name of the different parts they line up behind him on all fours4 ,finally all parts are assembled and the stagecoach moves off on its journey around the grassy plot4 ,suddenly an awful accident occurs and with an awful 8,bang60 the whole thing falls apart1 and all parts must hurry back to their chairs still on all fours4 ,it must be remembered that the leader was on all fours at the beginning of the game and had no chair4 ,therefore there will be someone who will be left without a chair4 ,that person is the next story teller and tells the tale of what happened to the stagecoach1 all the players having in the meanwhile changed parts with each other4 ,tag ,games4 ,sing ,tag4 ,this is one of the funniest tag games that ever left a person breathless from laughing4 8,it0 is chasing some great big fellow and this big fellow cannot run another step1 so to save himself from being caught he starts to sing at the top of his lungs and--he is safe6 ,the minute 8,it0 starts to go away1 he may stop singing but that is the only way any player can be safe1 to loudly sing some song no other player is singing6 ,cripple ,tag4 8,it0 must clasp his hands behind him and tag with his shoulder only4 ,three in ,one4 ,three players are 8,it0 and must run with arms linked4 ,to catch anyone they must encircle him4 ,the one whom they catch hooks on to the right end of their line and the one on the left end is no longer 8,it0 but goes free4 ,the next one who is caught does the same thing1 links arms with the right end of the 8,it0 line and the one on the left end is free4 ,that will make your 8,its0 change constantly4 ,if you think it an easy matter to get away from three 8,its0 just try it6 ,ouch6 8,it0 runs around trying to tag someone in some spot that is remote from a runner's hand4 ,he finally tags ,jimmy right between the shoulders4 ,jimmy becomes 8,it0 and must run around with his left hand on the place on which he was tagged1 between the shoulders4 ,but ,jim gets his revenge because in just about no time he tags ,harry on the heel and ,harry has to be 8,it0 with his hand on his heel4 8,it0 must always keep his left hand on the place he was tagged4 ,if there are any fat guests present tag them on the toe1 and watch them run around with their hands on their toes6 ,ankle ,tag4 ,a limited space is advisable with not more than thirty men or boys as contestants4 ,let trees make a boundary line4 ,no one is allowed to go outside that line4 8,it0 is chasing ,mr4 ,jones1 who1 wishing to save himself1 looks for the nearest ankle as a safety spot4 ,it belongs to ,billy ,sprowls4 ,mr4 ,jones clutches that ankle1 thereby making both himself and ,billy safe4 ,jack ,knight has ,billy's other ankle and he too is safe4 8,it0 looks for another victim who perhaps makes a noble effort to get an ankle but just as he is about to lay hold on it1 the owner of the ankle flees1 leaving him in the clutches of the enemy4 ,if he is tagged he becomes 8,it40 ,a whistle is blown every time a new 8,it0 is installed1 to avoid confusion4 ,perhaps 8,it0 thinks that some people are playing safe too long at a stretch1 so he may call out 8,fruit basket60 and everyone must change his position4 ,the rules are very simple4 ,they are as follows3 #a4 ,anyone grasping an ankle is safe4 ,so is the owner of the ankle4 ,any number of people may grasp the same ankle4 #b4 ,anyone not touching an ankle who is tagged1 is 8,it40 #c4 ,a whistle is blown every time a new 8,it0 is put in4 #d4 ,a call of 8,fruit basket60 makes it necessary for everyone to change his position4 ,one of the funniest phases of the game is the inevitable situation in which ,mr4 ,jaeck1 fat and forty and funny1 makes a flying leap for an ankle1 only to have the ankle pass on6 ,you know where it leaves that ,mr4 ,jaeck6 ,tail ,tag4 ,all players are arranged in columns1 four in each column1 the one in front with arms stretched out1 while the others have their hands on the shoulders of the one in front of them4 ,at a signal the last one in each group steps out to the front and faces his column4 ,he is 8,it10 and it is his business to catch the tail1 the last one of the column4 ,the column1 however1 does everything possible to prevent his tagging the tail4 ,the one in front with his arms stretched out widely1 leads the defense and the rest of the team just hangs on blindly4 ,the leader must keep his arms stiff while 8,it0 tries every possible means of dodging around those arms in his effort to tag the tail4 ,if he succeeds1 the tail becomes 8,it10 while the former 8,it0 goes to the head of the line1 and the chase to tag the new tail is on4 ,in their frantic protection of their tail1 someone of a column may fall down4 ,tell them all beforehand that that offense is forgivable only if they will jump up at once1 whether they can or not6 ,backward ,tag4 ,ralph is 8,it0 and is chasing ,bob4 ,bob wants to save himself so he jumps behind ,fred and stands with his back against ,fred's back1 which makes both ,bob and ,fred safe4 ,ralph immediately goes out to catch ,billy1 but ,billy too1 flies to find a neighbor with whom he can stand back to back1 for anyone who stands with his back against that of another player is safe4 ,but finally ,ralph catches ,don before he can get to another boy's back and ,don is 8,it40 ,it is true that as long as a boy stands back to back with another boy1 they are both safe1 but if 8,it0 thinks they are playing safe too much he just calls out 8,fruit ,basket0 and every boy has to move away from his safety spot and run to find another4 ,all ,fours4 8,it0 is chasing ,walter1 and ,walter cannot run another step so he flops down on all fours and he is safe4 ,no runner who is on all fours can be tagged but to see to it that he is not so comfortable that he will stay there for the rest of the game1 he is not allowed to sit down as he always wants to1 but must stay on all fours as long as he wants to play safe4 ,kamerad6 ,to be safe1 a boy lies down on his back with arms and legs stretched up in the air4 ,you can be sure that he will not stay there very long1 so your game will be a lively one6 ,forehead ,tag4 ,to be safe from being tagged1 a boy must have his forehead on the ground4 ,there is never any trouble in ,forehead ,tag of boys playing safe too long6 ,horse ,tag4 ,three boys make a horse1 the head1 the body1 and the tail4 ,the player who is being chased by 8,it0 hooks on to the tail of a horse and calls out loudly 8,gallop60 whereupon the head1 who really is no longer the head1 becomes the runner and must get away before 8,it0 catches him4 ,if he is caught he becomes 8,it0 and the former 8,it0 runs to safety by hooking on a horse's tail4 ,sometimes the head doesn't hear the call 8,gallop0 when a runner hooks on to his tail1 but he is not excused1 for it is up to each head to watch his tail and avoid a runner who wants to hook on if possible4 ,this makes the game far more exciting1 for all the horses are dodging the runner who is dodging 8,it0 and wants to catch on to a tail and be safe6 ,hop ,tag4 ,all players and 8,it0 must use only one foot in moving around4 ,when they are standing still and resting they may have both feet on the ground1 but as soon as they start to move they must use only one foot4 ,circle ,tag4 ,players form a large circle with enough room between each runner so that no one of them can be touched by the one behind him4 ,at the starting signal they begin a slow dog-trot which at a call from the leader develops into a run4 ,finally they are given the word 8,go0 which means that each one may run as fast as he can1 and if possible tag the one in front of him1 which puts him out of the race4 ,the circle gets smaller and smaller until finally there are only two runners chasing each other in a circle4 ,it looks exactly like a dog chasing his own tail6 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,partners1 ,,refreshments1 ,,and ,,dinner ,,table ,,amusement ,to ,find ,partners4 ,millinery4 ,all the men line up for marching4 ,the line of march leads through the ladies' cloakroom1 where each man is to take the hat nearest him1 put it on1 and continue in the march which leads back to the main room4 ,there the men parade up and down the room until each hat and its 8occupant0 is claimed by some lady4 ,string ,partners4 7,small ,group47 ,a large paper heart is suspended in a doorway4 ,a hole has been pierced in it1 large enough to hold half as many strings as there are people present4 ,these strings have been put through the hole just as evenly as possible4 ,when the time for choosing partners has arrived1 every man takes hold of a string on one side and every girl takes one on the other4 ,at the signal from the leader they pull down1 tearing the heart and straightening out their strings without letting go1 to find out who has the other end4 ,that 8other end0 is of course one's partner4 ,taking a ,chance6 ,the men are blindfolded while the girls all line up in a row4 ,the men are led up one by one to the row of girls and are asked to go down the row1 shaking hands with each girl in turn until they come to the girl they want for a partner4 ,they are warned that they cannot go to the end of the row and then come back for another chance1 but that if they have not chosen by the time they come to the last girl1 this last one will be their partner4 ,girls are not allowed to indicate in any way who they are4 ,any girl who does is put at the end of the line4 ,proposals4 7,small ,group47 ,two widths of wrapping paper are pasted together so that they form a curtain4 ,the ladies stand behind this with their left hands stuck through the paper4 ,all means of identification1 such as rings1 have been removed4 ,the men have been provided with ten cent store rings1 no two alike1 and as they pass down the line1 reviewing the hands1 they put the ring on the finger of the lady of their choice4 ,when all the ladies have been presented with rings1 the curtain is dropped and the men claim their rings and their partners4 ,professions4 7,small ,group47 ,the men have been given cards on which are written the professions each one of them is to pantomime4 ,the ladies have been given cards on which corresponding professions are named1 and as soon as each lady recognizes the profession being pantomimed as the one corresponding with hers1 she claims her partner4 ,sometimes1 however1 she makes a mistake4 ,she thinks a man is pantomiming the dentist's profession1 whereas in reality he is a piano tuner6 ,the following professions may be used to good dramatic advantage3 #a4 ,piano tuner4 #b4 ,dentist4 #c4 ,surgeon4 #d4 ,teacher4 #e4 ,hairdresser4 #f4 ,vocal ,teacher4 #g4 ,artist4 #h4 ,judge4 #i4 ,riding ,master4 #aj4 ,actor4 ,rhyming ,partners4 ,familiar rhymes are cut in two1 one side being placed on a plate for the men and the other side on a plate for the ladies4 ,the two plates are passed to the men and ladies respectively1 and it is the business of each man to find the lady who has the other half of his rhyme4 ,when they have all found their partners1 before they can have any refreshments1 if this is refreshment time1 each couple in turn must stand before the others and glibly recite the nursery rhyme found on their cards4 ,superlatives4 7,small ,group47 ,in this case it is the girls who must find partners4 ,they are given cards on which are written brief1 two-word descriptions of the men who will act as their partners4 ,the descriptions may be similar to those following3 #a4 ,biggest foot4 #b4 ,nicest looking4 #c4 ,smallest hand4 #d4 8,shiningest0 eyes4 #e4 ,curliest hair4 #f4 ,broadest shoulders4 #g4 ,sweetest disposition4 #h4 ,best dancer4 #i4 ,most extravagant4 #aj4 ,pearliest teeth4 ,the girls are given their cards1 are asked to say nothing about what is on them but to silently look at the men for two full minutes and then to quietly go and claim their partners4 ,in case of any dispute1 the leader settles the argument4 ,after all the men have been claimed each girl must give her reason1 based on the description on her card1 for choosing the partner she did4 ,the ,hunt4 ,this may make a real game for a group of guests if the place in which they are being entertained is large enough to afford a great many hiding places4 ,each guest is given a card and he is to follow directions explicitly1 for each card will direct him to another card1 and so forth1 the goal being one's partner4 ,all cards have been carefully worked out beforehand1 to be sure there are no slip-ups1 or duplications4 ,we might follow ,miss ,gail as she follows directions on her cards4 ,her first card reads1 8,go look on the third shelf of the music cabinet40 ,there she finds another card which bids her go up to the front bedroom and look under the red pin-cushion4 ,the card there asks her to look under the gas stove in the kitchen for further instructions4 ,next she is to look under the foreleg of the wash machine in the laundry1 and there she finds a card which tells her that she will find her partner in the living room on the couch4 ,he1 in the meantime1 has had just as varied a journey1 and his last instructions were to look on the couch in the living room for a charming partner4 ,when the weather permits1 it adds a great deal to put part of these different trips out-of-doors4 ,the ,matrimonial ,bureau4 7,small ,group47 ,early in the evening every guest is given a piece of paper and a pencil1 and is asked to write out his or her ideal of a perfect husband or wife4 ,names are signed on the backs of these descriptions1 and the papers are collected4 ,later in the evening1 just before refreshments1 the papers written up by the ladies are given out to the men1 and vice versa4 ,then some man designated by the hostess reads aloud the description handed him and says in addition1 8,marion ,davis wrote this4 ,this is her idea of a perfect husband2 which of us is he80 and by popular vote the men pick out the perfect partner for ,marion ,davis4 ,she has her turn too1 however4 ,she reads the idea given her1 announces who wrote it1 and then asks the ladies to help her find the perfect partner for this deluded man4 ,they do so joyfully6 ,thus it goes around the entire group4 ,each one reads his description1 tells who wrote it1 and the group picks out the ideal partner for each one4 ,some of them have difficulty in recognizing themselves4 ,,note4--,unless otherwise designated1 all these events may be used for either large or small groups4 ,refreshments4 ,refreshments should be served when the evening is just about two-thirds over4 ,every social committee wants guests to go home feeling that the evening has been a tremendous success from start to finish4 ,the committee takes a chance as to their going home with that feeling when refreshments are the last thing on the program4 ,some of them finish before others1 and finally a group decides that it is time to go home and they start out4 ,others follow them1 and eventually they all drift out1 but with a more or less vague and indefinite feeling of being let down at the end of a mighty fine evening4 ,it has proved to be far more effective to carry the fun right through refreshment time1 then have a few more games1 finally closing your evening with a game that brings in everyone1 the kind of game that makes one have a new respect for one's capacity for laughing4 ,let that game end in 8,good-,night ,ladies10 and your guests go home refreshed and relaxed and absolutely convinced that they never had a better time in their lives4 ,however1 there is a pause sometimes1 during refreshments1 which1 instead of promoting sociability1 promotes a letting down of interest4 ,it comes when some of them have finished and others have just begun their refreshments4 ,that is a splendid time to put on informal singing4 ,it isn't at all necessary to get people out of their seats to sit in straight rows in front of the piano4 ,those who have finished may come up to the piano4 ,popular songs and old songs are always very effective1 and a few foolish ones never fail to make the slower eaters hurry up and join the crowd4 ,for example1 let them sing 8,smiles40 ,then ask them to sing it omitting the word 8smile40 ,in its place they are to smile sweetly at their neighbors4 ,it is so easy to smile sweetly when one is convulsed with laughter6 ,another good impromptu song is 8,john ,brown's ,baby ,had a ,cold ,upon ,its ,chest40 ,it is sung to the tune of 8,john ,brown's ,body40 ,the first line is repeated twice4 ,the fourth line is1 8,and they rubbed it with camphorated oil40 ,at first it is sung in perfectly proper fashion1 but the second time the word 8baby0 is omitted and an imaginary baby is rocked4 ,the third verse omits both 8baby0 and 8cold10 a sneeze taking the place of the cold4 ,in the next verse the same two words are omitted1 and in addition 8chest0 is left out and pantomimed by a hearty slap on one's chest4 ,next omit 8rubbed10 rubbing one's chest instead1 and lastly omit 8camphorated oil10 pinching one's nose as decidedly indicative of one's feelings toward the oil4 ,if the song is not allowed to drag1 the last verse usually leaves your guests helpless1 for although there is almost no singing left to be done1 the violent pantomiming is enough to reduce them all to tears6 ,if a program of entertainment features has been planned this same 8in-between0 time has proved to be a far better time for it than the first half hour which is usually given it4 ,if the program is made up of several numbers1 ask the men to get up and change partners between numbers4 ,a five cent fine is imposed on any man sitting with the same partner for two successive numbers4 ,stunts1 too1 always fit in well at this time1 both impromptu stunts and three or four which have needed a little preparation4 ,after the refreshment hour is over it is always a good plan to get all guests on their feet in some big group game1 not alone for the digestive value of such an action1 but for the social value as well4 ,the following stunts are typical of the kind of stunt which is particularly good for that 8in-between time0 directly after refreshments4 ,head-,work4 ,a quartette is announced1 made up of people who really can sing1 and whose success is laid at the door of the director who has devised a new and highly successful method of getting the best out of one's voice4 ,he stands back of the quartette1 which is seated facing the audience4 ,when they are ready he starts the music by pushing down the head of the one who sings first1 and thereafter keeps on the jump1 pushing down the heads of the music-makers4 ,when all four sing together he has a lively time1 but by using both his elbows and his hands he manages to push down all four heads at once4 ,usually they are heartily applauded1 both for their nonsense and for their really good music4 ,even if they are not1 however1 they bow and respond with an encore4 ,this time something goes wrong with the mechanism1 and though they sing something old and familiar like ,home ,sweet ,home1 when a head is pushed down for a certain necessary note1 a certain other note comes forth instead1 and what is worse1 a note gets loose1 and doesn't wait for the push on the head that insures harmony4 ,it all ends in one final blare of awful discord1 and the master drives them out in despair4 ,the ,pygmy ,choir4 ,another stunt that is both delightful to listen to and highly interesting to watch is that of the pygmy choir4 ,when the curtain of the stage is drawn a large sheet of paper is seen1 with eight heads shown through holes cut in the paper1 and eight pairs of long legs charcoaled on the paper below the dresses1 and eight artistic charcoaled hats on the paper above the heads4 ,the holes must be large enough to plainly show the faces of the singers1 who are men4 ,the effect is grotesque1 to say the least--eight masculine faces attached to eight frivolous little bodies dressed in crpe paper4 ,there is nothing frivolous about their music1 however1 until just at the last of the encore1 when one man loses his dress1 which had not been pasted on1 but which he held on by means of a pin4 ,his distress1 which is loud and lamenting1 breaks up the choir4 ,bedlam4 ,one person comes out and sings a well-known song in ,english4 ,it is heartily applauded1 but instead of an encore someone else comes out and sings the same song in ,french2 then it is sung in ,spanish2 in ,swedish2 ,italian2 ,dutch2 and ,norwegian4 ,finally1 all of them come out and sing the song together1 each in his own language1 and each trying to outdo the other in being heard4 ,it is always appreciated by an audience1 this melody6 ,a ,chinese ,reading4 ,some well-known local person is announced as about to give a reading1 with no hint in the announcement of any foolishness4 ,the reading is extraordinary1 only in that it is given backwards6 ,it really is not difficult to memorize a piece backwards1 if one will write it out that way before attempting to memorize it4 ,the difficult part comes in listening to it6 ,,note4--,for further stunts see ,helen ,ferris' 8,producing ,amateur ,entertainments40 ,dutton ,co41 ,n4 ,y4 ,dinner ,table ,amusement4 ,there are so many hostesses at dinner parties1 to whom the preparation of the dinner and its serving are not the awful bugbear4 ,that honor goes rather to the painful silences that spoil the best dinner ever served4 ,there is only one thing more painful4 ,that is a very evident attempt to make conversation1 and to force a social atmosphere4 ,the following 8,dinner ,table ,amusement0 has been given every conceivable test as to real ice-breaking capability4 ,it has been found1 too1 that much of it can be used to just as good advantage at church and school and club and community suppers1 as at smaller affairs in the home4 ,where there are several tables or very long tables it is a good plan to have one person at every table or every section of a long table1 who is responsible for putting on the various stunts4 ,all of these stunts are included in other chapters of this book4 ,the following are examples3 #a4 ,crystal gazing4 ,this trick is infallible4 ,it has never yet failed to gain the most helpless laughter of the evening4 ,instead of having the victim kneel1 however1 when this is done at the table1 ask him to put his hands on the table1 with fingers spread out wide4 ,a good time to bring this in is just after dessert has been served1 particularly if that dessert is tempting4 ,your victim is utterly helpless1 and it is not an unheard of thing for another guest to calmly eat the delicious apple pie that stands idle4 ,another good time to do it is just after dinner is over1 and the other guests depart1 leaving ,mr4 ,unfortunate to sit alone for a moment to reflect on his sins4 #b4 ,virtues4 ,this may be put on between courses1 but partners are not changed4 #c4 ,mimic4 ,vocal gymnastics are possible1 but because guests are seated1 no 8funny steps0 are used4 ,the following may be used just as they are3 #a4 ,paralysis4 #ac4 ,prison guard4 #b4 ,help6 #ad4 ,hee haw6 #c4 ,be ,definite4 #ae4 ,impossible4 #d4 ,prohibited ,words4 #af4 ,palmistry4 #e4 ,dressing up4 #ag4 ,mr4 ,bumps4 #f4 ,hear6 hear6 #ah4 ,wrong4 #g4 ,abbreviations4 #ai4 ,self praise4 #h4 ,and ,i4 #bj4 8,t40 #i4 ,elastic ,spelling4 #ba4 ,eny4 #aj4 ,owa ,tagoo ,siam4 #bb4 ,unbreakable match4 #aa4 ,under the table4 #bc4 ,rubber6 #ab4 ,willie4 #bd4 ,elastic ring4 ,conversation4 ,after the ice has been broken one feels safe in guiding the conversation along certain lines between partners1 confident that conversation will not seem forced4 ,the following topics are not conducive to forced conversation3 #a4 ,my most thrilling adventure4 #b4 ,the most fun ,i ever had4 #c4 ,the 8scaredest0 ,i've ever been4 #d4 ,the biggest fish story ,i know4 #e4 ,the oldest joke ,i know4 ,,index ,a ,abbreviations1 #hb ,air1 #fg ,all ,fours1 #abe ,altruism1 #ca ,amateur ,vaudeville1 #dc ,and ,i1 #cc ,ankle ,tag1 #abc ,automobile1 #cg ,b ,babycarriage ,contest1 ,the1 #aje ,backward ,tag1 #abd ,backward ,tug of ,war1 #aah ,bag ,handshake1 #bg ,ball ,game1 ,the1 #gc ,balloons1 #ff ,band1 ,the1 #he ,bang61 #ajg ,beans1 #gd ,be ,definite1 #ci ,bedlam1 #ace ,blindfolded ,race1 ,the1 #gc ,boast61 #db ,bottle ,race1 ,the1 #aab ,c ,capable ,women1 #fi ,changeable ,grand ,march1 ,the1 #dg ,chinese ,reading1 ,a1 #ace ,chinese ,spell-,down1 ,a1 #ef ,circle ,handshake1 #bh ,circle ,tag1 #abf ,circus1 ,the1 #ga ,conversation1 #acg ,count1 ,the1 #gb ,couple ,baseball1 #aad ,cradle ,roll1 #aac ,cripple ,tag1 #abb ,cruelty1 #ca ,crystal ,gazing1 #gi ,cut ,it1 #gc ,d ,dodge1 #ef ,dressing ,up1 #bh ,duck on the ,rock1 #aaf ,e ,eating ,under ,difficulties1 #ga ,eggshell ,race1 #gb ,elastic ,ring1 ,the1 #ij ,elastic ,spelling1 #ce ,elusive ,goal1 ,the1 #fi ,employment ,bureau1 #cg ,eny1 #ie ,excuse ,me61 #cd ,extry61 #eg ,f ,family ,hide and ,go ,seek1 #aah ,far1 ,far ,away1 #gb ,feathers1 #gj ,flattery1 #dc ,follow the ,leader1 #aai ,forehead ,tag1 #abe ,friendliness1 #ee ,fruit ,bearers1 #gb ,g ,gathering of the ,nuts1 ,the1 #hc ,gossip1 #ai ,greased ,pole and ,pig1 ,the1 #ajg ,h ,harmonious ,hunt1 ,the1 #di ,head-,work1 #acc ,hear6 ,hear61 #fj ,hee ,haw61 #hh ,help61 #ci ,helpless ,eating1 #fg ,heavy1 ,heavy ,hangs ,over ,thy ,head1 #ge ,hippity-,hop1 #aaa ,hippity-,hop ,potato ,race1 #fd ,holidays1 #bf ,hop ,tag1 #abf ,horse ,races1 ,the1 #aje ,horse ,tag1 #abe ,housewives ,race1 #aaj ,human ,adjectives1 #dj ,human ,wheelbarrow1 ,the1 #aji ,hunt1 ,the1 #acj ,hunting ,ground1 ,the1 #eh ,hypnotism1 #ic ,i ,i ,hypnotise ,you61 #ii ,impossible1 #hc ,impromptu ,artists1 #cc ,initials1 #de ,inverted ,spell-,down1 ,the1 #ea ,invitations1 #cd ,it ,pays to ,advertise1 #bj ,k ,kamerad1 #abe ,kiddy ,kar ,race1 #fc ,kindergartners1 #aac ,l ,lamplighter1 ,the1 #gj ,laughter61 #ei ,leap ,frog1 #aji ,lemon61 #fg ,leterfly1 #ib ,little ,theater1 ,the1 #bg ,limited ,conversation1 #bc ,lobster ,race1 #aaa ,lost ,sheep1 ,the1 #hc ,m ,magic ,numbers1 #ajc ,magic ,photography1 #ajj ,magic ,writing1 #hg ,masculine ,vanity ,race1 #aab ,matrimonial ,bureau1 ,the1 #acj ,millinery1 #abg ,mimic1 #ed ,mixup1 ,a1 #dc ,mr4 ,bumps1 #ig ,musical ,ruth and ,jacob1 #ec ,my ,virtues61 #af ,n ,new ,era1 ,the1 #ajf ,niagara ,falls1 #aac ,no ,fair61 #ig ,noise1 #ca ,nose ,power1 #fg ,o ,obstacle ,race1 #aaj ,of ,what ,are ,matches ,made81 #gi ,one-,legged ,pom ,pom ,pull ,away1 #aai ,ouch61 #abb ,out61 #aae ,owa ,tagoo ,siam61 #ha ,p ,pain1 ,the1 #ajb ,palmistry1 #gh ,paralysis1 #hj ,parlor ,slapjack1 #da ,partnership ,relay1 #fe ,penalty1 ,the1 #aaj ,picnic ,blues1 ,the1 #ajh ,picnic ,stagecoach1 #aba ,poison ,ball1 #abj ,prison ,guard1 ,the1 #hg ,professions1 #abh ,progressive ,nonsense1 #dd ,prohibited ,words1 #ag ,proposals1 #abh ,pygmy ,choir1 ,the1 #acd ,q ,quizz1 ,the1 #ei ,r ,rabbit1 #ia ,rainy ,day1 ,the1 #gc ,red1 ,white and ,blue1 #ajc ,reducer1 ,the1 #fd ,rhyming ,partners1 #abi ,rollers1 ,the1 #ajf ,rooster ,fight1 ,the1 #abj ,rubber1 #ia ,s ,sack ,race1 ,the1 #ajf ,salaam1 #ic ,scramble1 #fa ,second ,childhood1 #fi ,self ,praise1 #if ,shake ,hands61 #ad ,shun the ,circle1 #ed ,sing ,tag1 #abb ,smile1 #cb ,southpaws1 #ae ,spots1 #ab ,squatters' ,race1 ,the1 #ajg ,stepping ,stones1 #ff ,sticks1 ,the1 #ajf ,street and ,alley1 #eb ,string ,partners1 #abg ,stunts1 #df ,subway1 ,the1 #ajh ,superlatives1 #abi ,t 8,t01 #ie ,tail ,tag1 #abd ,taking a ,chance61 #abg ,target1 ,the1 #abj ,teapot1 #ajb ,three in ,one1 #abb ,torches1 ,the1 #gd ,toyshop1 ,the1 #cb ,trades1 #de ,transitions1 #de ,treasure ,hunt ,grand ,march1 ,the1 #di ,triple ,dodge ,ball1 #aag ,twentieth ,century ,blind ,man's ,bluff1 #cf ,two ,deep1 #aai ,two in ,one ,race1 #aji ,u ,unbreakable ,match1 ,the1 #ia ,under the ,table1 #hb ,v ,variety ,store1 ,the1 #fh ,w ,water ,bearers1 ,the1 #ajg ,wheelbarrow ,race1 #aad ,whistle1 #hf ,whoops61 #ga ,willie61 #hi ,wonderful ,vision1 #hi ,wrong61 #gg ,,transcriber',s ,,notes3 ,italicized text is surrounded by underscores3 italics4 ,obvious typographical errors have been corrected4 ,inconsistencies in hyphenation have been standardized4