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Announce to them that by transposing the letters they will spell a word which is in some way connected with the history of George Washington. The person having the correct answers first or the one having the most correct answers in a given time wins a prize. A candy box in the form of a pie full of candied cherries would be appropriate or something in a patriotic line such as a portrait or bust of Washington—a small cannon on a solid base intended for a paper weight—a drum pincushion—a miniature sword paper knife, etc., etc.
A space about four or five feet wide is marked off on the floor by stretching two strings from oneside of the room to the other or with chalk which represents the "Delaware River." Or an imaginary line will answer. Half of the players stand on one side of the space and half on the opposite side.
Each company has a captain who gives each of his soldiers a name that denotes action and can be demonstrated—beginning with the letter "A" such as appealingly, angrily, etc. The second soldier's name begins with "B"—blindly, bashfully, boisterously. The third soldier's name begins with "C"—cautiously, carelessly, curiously, and so on through the alphabet until all are named.
Then the captain of company A announces, "Washington is crossing the Delaware." The captain of the opposite company "B" replies, "How?" The first captain responds "A" whereupon the soldier of his company whose name begins with "A" walks across the space and back "awkwardly," "angrily" or acting whatever name has been given to him (or her.) The opposite side try to guess the name from the actions or manner of the soldier. If the soldier crosses to the opposite side and back before his name is guessed he remains with his own company, but if the soldiers of the opposite side guess his name before he reaches camp he must join their ranks.
Then the captain of company B announces, "Washington is crossing the Delaware." Captain of company A asks, "How?" Captain of company B responds "A" and his soldier "A" crosses over "anxiously," "actively" or whatever the name may be. If he succeeds in reaching camp before his name is guessed he remains there but joins the opposite company if they guess his name before he reaches camp.
Now it is company A's turn to send soldier "B" across with the same preliminaries as before. Then company B sends soldier "B" across the Delaware. Then Company A sends soldier "C" followed by soldier "C" of company B and so on, a soldier from each company alternately until all have had a chance to cross.
The company having the most soldiers is victorious, as they have either crossed successfully or been captured. They may be rewarded by some appropriate trifle such as a tiny flag or paper hatchet, or some of the small brass or metal stick pins representing shields, flags, eagles, colonial hats, rosettes, muskets, drums, etc., etc.
April first would be an occasion for a fancy dress party en masque. Invitations may be written on a large sheet of paper and folded or rolled into a small parcel and tied up in wrapping paper like a package.
Decorate the rooms with paper or artificial flowers and plants. April Fool the guests when time for them to arrive by having the lights as low as possible. The maid or person admitting the guests informs them the hostess is "not at home," but immediately adds "please come in and wait," and they are then directed to lighted rooms where they may remove their wraps.
An invitation to a "Folly Party" may be adorned with a picture of a fools cap and bells or a Jester. One form reads thus:—
On ye night of April first at stroke of eightYe Fooles and Jesters will congregateAt —— St; Prithee come, likewiseBedecked in frivolous garb, Thy face disguiseSo unquestioned you may see"What fools these mortals be."
If there is any question as to which member or members of the family is giving the party, enclose a visiting card or write the name of the host orhostess on the reverse side of invitation or back of envelope.
One may choose from the following menu, foolish food for refreshment.
Turtle Soup—au natural(Soup plates or bouillon cups of water with tiny toy turtle in each one)Radishes(Toy or paper red dishes)Piccalilli(A dish of artificial or natural lilies to pick from)Blue Points(Short pointed ends of blue crayon or lead pencils)Crackers(Tiny fire crackers)FISHBaked Sole(An old sole of a shoe)Fried Perch(A wooden perch—the kind used in bird cages)ROASTSpring Lamb(A toy lamb in place of a jack-in-the-box)Wild Duck(Throw at the guests a large handful of small rubber or paper balls attached to rubber strings, so they will return and hit no one—the guests will "duck" to escape being hit.)ENTREESRabbit en casserole(Hair (hare) in covered dish)DESSERTStrawberry Ice(Strawberry buried in ice)Cake—Devil's Food(Sulphur matches)Black Coffee(Have the colored man step in and cough)Mixed Nuts(Iron nuts such as used on bolts and machinery)Raisins(Yeast cakes)
The hostess should have a bell at her place and ring it before each course, when the butler (or a gentleman who will act as butler for the occasion) will repeat in a loud voice the order of the hostess which, of course, will be simply the name of the food about to be served. Or have at each plate a small card with the menu written on it.
For a centerpiece a dish of artificial fruit or a vase of daffodils (daffy-dills) may be used, placed on a cloth centerpiece, circular and cut in points, a bell on each point. Two colors should be used for the points.
A few dishes of April Fool bon bons may be distributed on the table.
After this foolish feast is ended genuine refreshments should be served. One might reverse the order of serving; begin with the dessert and end with what should have been first.
Many viands may be served "in disguise" and yet be very palatable. For instance creamed chicken, sweet breads, etc., may be encased in mashed potato or boiled rice.
Line tin moulds with the potato or rice, fill the center with the creamed fowl, sweet breads or oysters and heat in pan of hot water. When inverted on serving plate there will be, apparently, a mound of potatoes or rice.
Large baked potato skins may be used to enclose the meat, also grape fruit or orange rinds cut in half and contents removed, then filled with the hot chicken, etc., and the other half replaced, or cover the top with a lettuce leaf or sprigs of water cress or parsley.
Lift one section of a banana skin, remove fruit, fill with any desired salad and replace section of skin. Use a toothpick to keep in place if necessary.
Olives may be served, each covered with the half of an English walnut shell. A corn husk may hold a sandwich, etc., etc.
Fruit cups may be made from apples, oranges, lemons, grape fruit, bananas, etc., and many of the vegetables could be utilized. The large telephone pea pods may contain a small pickle or relish of some kind.
Mangoes or green pepper pods, tomatoes, cantaloupe, cucumbers, etc., may be scooped out and filled with food of a different nature.
Cover the opening in the bottom of small flower pots with stiff paper or fill with paraffin wax. Line the flower pot with stiff white paper to within aninch of the top. Fill with chocolate ice cream or any desired cream, but cover the top with chocolate ice cream or chocolate frosting as dark as possible, sprinkle grated sweet chocolate or bits of chocolate fudge on top. Stick rather a short stemmed carnation, daisy or similar flower in the center and serve.
Small cakes may be served from cabbage heads. Use cabbage having the outside leaves on. Open the outer leaves carefully until there is enough to hide the interior. Cut out the center of the cabbage and fill with small cakes.
All sorts of odd candy boxes filled with candies may be used for favors.
Ordinary refreshments may be served on dishes not ordinarily used for that particular purpose. Use bowls or soup dishes instead of cups—saucers, vegetables dishes, cups, etc., where plates or platters should be used.
The clever hostess will, no doubt, think of many ways wise and otherwise to serve refreshments on such an occasion.
A "King's Jester," painted in water-color, clad in red and yellow, smiling and beckoning, is painted on one side of the white card of invitation. On the reverse side is written, in gold ink, "'Fools make feasts and wise people eat them,' saith the seer. Willyou be one of the many wise ones on All Fools' Day evening to partake of a feast, and make merry betimes?"
On the appointed evening the guests are met at the door and conducted to the parlor by a youth, dressed in a red blouse with full bishop sleeves and long pointed yellow cuffs, and a full-gathered, double skirt, half way to the knees, made in pointed scallops—the scallops of the lower skirt of yellow alternating with the scallops of the upper one of red with a jingling gold bell sewed to each scallop. One stocking is red, and the other yellow, and one foot is thrust into a red sandal, and the other into a yellow one, with a bell on each sharply pointed toe.
Around his waist is a red leather belt; a yellow jester's cap with red leather rim, and with bells on the hood, and a red cape with yellow lining completes his dress. The costume is made of glossy sateen; the sandals of canton flannel.
A half hour before dinner, the "fool" hands each guest pencil and paper and menu card, and they are asked to guess the dinner viands. The menu reads, "Food for the Wise:"
Baked portion of beast Americanized in 1493, by Columbus. (Ham.)Fried jewel-boxes of the sea. (Oysters.)Fried young sons of a fowl first found in Java. (Spring chicken.)Slices of a Chilean tuber that once saved a cross-sea nation from famine. (Chipped potatoes.)Love apples. (Tomatoes.)Salad of a bleached vegetable, akin to the hemlock of Socrates. (Celery salad.)A nineteen-day vegetable. (Radishes.)A Greek herb pudding. (Asparagus.)Fruit that caused a war. (Apples.)Sauce of an old world plant, akin to dock. (Rhubarb.)Slices of bread, and the fruit of the emblem of peace. (Olives sandwiches.)A food with which Canaan was said to flow—eggs and sugar, boiled and frozen. (Custard.)Dear to squirrels. (Nuts.)Sugar plums. (Bon-bons.)Obtained from the hoopskirt and tin can eater. (Cheese.)Sugared dough. (Cake.)A drink (from a berry) introduced in England in 1652 by a Greek. (Coffee.)
The prizes for the best "guessers" are books—Max Pemberton's "Queen of Jesters" for the fortunate girl, and Victor Hugo's "Man Who Laughs" for the lucky man. The booby prizes are wands with "fools' heads" of gingerbread.
The cloth of the dining table is made of sheeting, with a two-inch hem, and with pleasantly jingling bells of yellow and red sewed thickly around the entire edge.
At each end of the table, with each hand catching a red ribbon that runs in waves entirely around thetable, is a King's Jester, painted on the cloth—facsimiles of the living one who served the guests.
For painting the cloth—common tube paints are used—taking for a thinning medium a mixture of three ounces of turpentine, ten drops of pure cider vinegar, six drops of lemon extract, and a little sugar of lead. The figures are drawn with a lead drawing pencil, and care taken in painting them to prevent the paint spreading over the edges of the design. Several days are given the cloth to dry before using.
The tomatoes and apples are yellow and red; the radishes are red; the cakes are small squares, iced yellow and red, and the bon-bons are little clear red and lemon colored fishes—typical of the French "poissons d'Avril," "April fish," as their "April Fool" is called.
Following are a few games, etc., for the amusement of children small and children tall.
Let one of the ladies be blindfolded and seated behind a large screen or curtain or in a tent in an adjoining room which is dimly lighted. A gypsy tent may be improvised with three long sticks tied together at one end, the other ends resting on the floor at equal distances forming a tripod which is covered with a couple of large sheets.
Announce to the guests, "We have secured for your pleasure this evening that remarkable necromancer, Madam Loof-lirpa. (April fool spelled backwards.) The madam is the seventh daughter of the seventh daughter and has the rare and marvelous power of second sight, and while securely blindfolded she will tell you anything that you have done."
"All are welcome to visit this seeress but only one at a time. Mr. —— you may come first if you please," (naming one of the gentlemen present.)
Just before ushering the "fated" one into the presence of Madam Loof-lirpa, inform him that in order to be sure the fortune teller cannot see through the bandages over her eyes, he should make several motions or signs or pose before her for a few seconds and then say to her "Madam, what did I do?"
The Seeress may keep him in suspense a second or two before replying or may say "I am not quite sure. Please do it again," and finally answer, "You made a fool of yourself."
Each victim has the privilege of remaining near enough to see the next one caught.
Place a number of articles such as pillows, books, handkerchiefs, inexpensive bric-a-brac, etc., on the floor. One person acts as leader and walks in a zigzag path around the obstacles, followed by the others. Then one of the party is blindfolded and told by the leader to "follow my foot-steps and ifyou do not break or mar anything you shall have a surprise."
When the "victim" starts on his journey everything is quietly removed from his path and when he has tired of wandering and removes the bandage he is greeted by "April Fool."
Ask the guests to tell the most foolish thing they ever did and give a suitable prize for the most foolish answer.
The players form a circle taking hold of hands and circle around one of the players who is blindfolded and holds a staff or cane. When he raps on the floor with the cane they all stand still. He then points the cane towards some one, saying, "It is to laugh." The person touched by the cane or nearest it places the end of the cane close to his mouth and laughs. If his name is guessed by the player in the center they change places and circle again—if not, they circle until the player in the center succeeds in naming the owner of the laugh.
The guests are invited to inspect your collection of curios and souvenirs which are displayed in numerous paste board boxes, collectively on a large table, or distributed in convenient places about the room on mantels, tables, piano, book shelves, etc.
Each box bears a large placard or label of its contents. "An Ancient Instrument of Punishment," a worn slipper; "An Irish Bat," a brick bat; "The Mummy of the Mound Builders," a stuffed mole; "Bonaparte," two small bones placed apart from each other; "An American Fool's Cap," a sheet of fools-cap paper; "Tainted Money," a penny flattened and mutilated until it is spoiled; "A Longfellow Souvenir," a section of bamboo; "A Pair of Ancient Pincers," two dried crawfish or lobster claws; "A Fool's Paradise," a pair of dice; "Sacred White Rabbit," a white hair.
"A Lobster," a small mirror reflecting each one who peers in;"A Marble Bust from Italy," a broken marble;"A Pair of Pink Hose from London," two tiny toy hoes colored pink;"A Necktie from Mexico," a rope noose;"An Old Fashioned Beaux," a bow of ribbon;"A Diamond Tray," the three spot of diamonds."A Crazy Flower," a daffodil (daffy-dill);Etc., etc.
"A Lobster," a small mirror reflecting each one who peers in;
"A Marble Bust from Italy," a broken marble;
"A Pair of Pink Hose from London," two tiny toy hoes colored pink;
"A Necktie from Mexico," a rope noose;
"An Old Fashioned Beaux," a bow of ribbon;
"A Diamond Tray," the three spot of diamonds.
"A Crazy Flower," a daffodil (daffy-dill);
Etc., etc.
Pitfalls and snares for the unwary are all around.A silver coin is glued to the floor. A handkerchief or bow is fastened to the floor. A vase of flowers have a little snuff or pepper sprinkled on them—those who smell will sneeze. An artificial mouse is attached to a curtain. Slyly pin papers, bearing different inscriptions, on the backs of some of the guests. One may read, "Please tell me my name." All who read it will tell him his name which becomes monotonous. "Please kiss me," "Please hold my hand," "Please kick me gently," "Please borrow my money," "Please make me laugh," "Please call me Fond Heart."
These and many other foolish things will seem funny on All Fool's Day.
Easter Day should be a peaceful, happy day of rejoicing, thanksgiving and praise to the Giver of all good. Easter is symbolic of a new life, and a brighter one. It is springtime, the sun shines brightly, and Nature smiles. She is rejoicing because her dead are coming to life again. The trees, the grass, the flowers all rise up in the glory of a new and beautiful life. Chrysalis and egg are not strong enough to keep back the new life of butterfly and bird which rises skyward to rejoice, each in its own way.
One of the oldest and most characteristic Easter rites and the most widely diffused is the use of paschal (Easter or Passover) eggs. They are usually dyed in various colors and people mutually make presents of them. There can be little doubt that their use at this season was originally symbolical of the revivication of nature, the springing forth of life which in turn is symbolical of the ascension.
In some parts of the country colored eggs are hidden in nests or in corners, and the children have a great deal of pleasure on Easter morning hunting for the eggs which, according to German folk-lore, were brought during the night by the White Rabbit.
Here is an idea for an Easter Luncheon which would be appropriate at this season.
Use a large plateau or mirror for the centerpiece, in the center of which lay an irregular piece of real (or artificial) moss about one-half the diameter of the plateau (to represent an island.) Stick a few sprays of asparagus and maidenhair fern in it and a number of white and yellow spring flowers—the crocus, jonquil, daffodil, daisy and snowdrop. Cut the stems of the flowers in various lengths to give a better effect. Place a few (artificial) little fluffy chickens on the island and several downy ducklings in the surrounding lake (mirror.) Or use a vase of jonquils and daffodils for a center piece.
Place cards may be made by cutting bristol board into egg shape or oval pieces. On a portion of this card spread some mucilage and sprinkle yellow sand over it. Then stand a tiny yellow chick (these are made of wool and can be purchased very cheap) on the sand (using glue) and close behind it glue the small end of an egg shell. Similar cards can be purchased all ready decorated.
Serve a grape fruit cocktail first. Cut the grape fruit in half, take out the fruit in as large pieces as possible, place in a bowl with the juice. Mix with this a small amount of white grapes, halved and the seeds removed, and a portion of pineapple canned or fresh cut in small pieces and some of the juice or syrup from the pineapple. Add a little sugar and angelica wine if desired. Remove the pulp from thegrape fruit, fill each half with the mixture and serve on doylie covered plates.
For a relish use celery, white radishes, small yellow tomato pickles or pickled white grapes.
The meat course consists of creamed chicken, creamed sweetbreads and creamed veal. Carefully cut about one-third of the shell off the top of as many eggs as needed. Remove egg and fill shell with the hot creamed meat, (use three shells for each plate, each having a different filling) and replace top of shell.
Form shoestring potatoes into a nest on a serving plate and place the stuffed eggs in the nest. (Tap the filled egg slightly on the end, indenting but not breaking it and the egg will easily stand on end.)
Or make a nest of mashed potatoes pressing it through a fruit press or potato ricer and place in the center of it meat croquettes, oval shaped and very delicately browned.
Bread sticks or tiny rolls tied with white and yellow ribbon. Mould the butter into the shape of an egg.
Escalloped corn in ramikins.
Salad of California Asparagus tips on bleached lettuce leaf: Place a ring of hard boiled eggs around the stem end of asparagus (slice hard boiled eggs cross-wise, remove the yolk and thrust the ends of asparagus through the white part) serve with French dressing.
If ice cream is to be served on plates, have vanillaand orange flavors packed in a tubular mold, the orange in the center and the vanilla around the outside so that when cut it has the appearance of a slice of hard boiled egg.
If the cream is served in glasses have the two colors moulded in the form of an egg.
Serve lady fingers and egg kisses, or angel food and sunshine cake.
At each place have salted almonds in a yellow egg shell cup. Color the eggs a rich yellow, cut off about one-third of the top and remove egg—use the larger portion of the shell, mash the end a trifle and glue to a small oval paste board.
Bon-bons consist of small jelly eggs, white and yellow in a tiny basket at each place.
The favors are Easter bonnets which the guests are asked to wear. (Procure small doll hats of various styles profusely trimmed with flowers of white and yellow and place a common white hat pin in each one.)
A very pleasant entertainment to be given about Eastertide is one at which the all-engrossing head covering of the season is to be manufactured.
The materials required are simple—two sheets of tissue paper for each guest, numerous pairs of scissors and silver table knives, and pins without limit.
The workroom—preferably one provided with a large table—is decorated with plates of fashionable hats borrowed from a milliner, advertisements of all sorts displaying bonnets, and half a dozen pattern hats previously made by the hostess.
Placards announcing "Fashion's Fancies" or "Hints on Headgear" give substantial advice like the following: "Bald-headed gentlemen are no longer affecting the pompadour style of hat;" "A simple crown is King Edward VII.'s favorite headgear at present;" "None but the very fast set will wear more than fifteen colors in any one bonnet this season."
Each guest is furnished with a roll of two sheets of paper which harmonize in hue, and is told to make a hat or bonnet in fifteen minutes. Really surprising results will begin to appear. Some very lovely creations will be evolved by the tasteful fingers of the wonderful woman who can stretch a dollar; exceedingly funny dunce and soldier caps with nodding tassels of paper fringe will be the products of the big men who can always laugh and give others an occasion for mirth. Hats with brims and without, crownless and with peaked crowns, with streamers and with ties, so small that they challenge the ever-present bow in the hair, and so large as to give cause for another arrest in a New Orleans theater—all the hat family will be there—and so will fun.
Did you ever make one? Lay together twosquares of tissue of different colors (white and blue are pretty), gather it—with pins—in a circle, so as to form a crown, leaving the four corners sticking straight out for the present. Roll back two corners loosely, so as to give a pompadour effect for the front, and plait the others so they stand stiff for high trimming behind. This gives you a foundation. For trimming use aigrettes—long fringe pinned so tightly as to stand stiff and curled on its edges with a table knife—and ostrich plumes—short fringe well curled. Pin on the back a pair of bewitching strings, pat, punch and pull into shape, and you have a fetching bonnet.
That is only one—an easy one. Numberless forms come when one begins to invoke them.
When the time has expired, form couples for a cake walk before the judges and award the prizes. A bunch of Easter lilies, or a clump of hepaticas or pasque flowers growing in a tiny china bowl is appropriate for head prize; a hat-pin or a book of nonsense verse for the foot prize.
The following games are also suggested.
Give each person a certain number of hard boiled eggs. The one who succeeds in cracking the shells of his opponent's by hitting the ends together is the winner.
Place six hard boiled Easter eggs on each side of the room about one foot apart. A large basket is placed at the far end of the room. The players are divided in two sides, each side being chosen one at a time by the leaders. A large wooden or tin spoon is then given to one player on each side, who, at a given signal, dishes up the eggs one at a time with the spoon, placing them in the basket provided. The leader replaces the eggs on the floor and the next player on each side takes the spoon and lifts the eggs from the floor and carries them to the basket and so on until all have had a turn.
A record is kept of the winners and the side having the greater number wins the game. This game may be changed slightly by someone timing the players with a watch, keeping track of the seconds and the one getting all the eggs into the basket in the shortest time receives a prize.
When it is convenient to play this game out of doors or in a very large room place six or more rows of six eggs each on each side of the room or lawn, with a player (provided with a spoon) behind each row. At a given signal all start to pick up the eggs with their spoons, and the one finishing first wins for his side.
A leader is chosen for the "hen" and the remainder of the children are "chickens," except one who is supposed to be a chicken hawk.
They stand in a row behind one another and grasp the skirts or coat-tails of the child ahead and then they march along with the "hen" at the head of the line.
The "hawk" stands from six to sixteen feet away (the distance depends on the size of the players and the space to play in, the larger each are the greater the distance may be) watching the parade for a short time, then begins to flop his wings (moves arms in imitation of flying) and calls out, "How many chicks have you?" The "hen" replies, "four and twenty, shoo! shoo!" The "hawk" shouts, "That's too many. I'll take a few," and then runs after the children trying to touch or "tag" them. The "hen," of course, tries to protect them by getting them under her wing—when the "chicks" stoop they are supposed to be under their mother's wing and cannot be caught. The children must not let go of each other's skirts or coat-tails (except when caught, then the captured one steps out of the line and the line is closed up.) The hen and chickens may run around as much as they like, only they must keep together by holding on to each other's clothes. The game continues until the hawk has caught the hen and chickens—then a different player is chosen for the hawk and the hen.
Hide colored Easter eggs or small candy eggs in various places, in corners, behind curtains, bric a brac, etc., etc. Provide each child with a small basket or paper bag and at a signal they start to hunt for the hidden eggs. Allow a certain length of time for the hunting and reward the one who finds the most eggs with a large candy egg.
Get ten small toy ten-pins or use wooden clothes pins. Stand them upon end about six or eight inches apart in a line across the room. Use five colored eggs for the balls. A player kneels on one knee at a distance of four feet from the ten-pins and rolls the eggs, one after another toward the ten-pins, knocking down as many as he can. Then another player rolls the eggs and so on until all have taken a turn. Count is kept and the person knocking down the most ten-pins is the winner and receives a "Panorama egg" or some other appropriate prize.
May Day was one of the chief festivals of ancient times and also in more modern times. The Romans held the "Floralia" or festivals in honor of Flora, the Goddess of Flowers, from April 28th to the First of May. The Celts and English used to celebrate May Day extensively. But time makes many changes and as the years increase this custom has decreased, so that in some parts of the country the present generation know May first only as moving day instead of a festival of flowers.
If this entertainment is to be out-of-doors a long pole is erected in the center of the lawn; or fastened into a solid base and set in the center of the room if desired for indoor amusement.
Procure a very light weight wheel about twenty inches in diameter. Wind bright colored bunting or ribbon around the wheel and spokes and attach various flowers and blossoms singly and in clusters to the cloth, letting some hang down as vines and festoons. Place the hub over top of May Pole. Insert in the top of hub three pennants of red, white and blue and stalks of flowers. Natural flowersshould be used if possible but paper or artificial ones may be substituted.
Attach from ten to twenty bright colored narrow streamers or ribbons to the May-pole underneath the hub; braid these in and out around the May pole intertwining garlands of flowers for a distance of about twelve inches and fasten streamers securely in place. Supply each child with a basket or bouquet of flowers.
The end of each streamer is given to a girl and boy alternately. The girls hold the ribbon in the left hand and the boys hold the ribbon in the right hand. They spread out into a circle the ribbons or streamers at full length the children standing sideways from the May-pole, the girls facing one direction and the boys facing the opposite direction. The music starts up and the children dance around in a circle. The boys pass on the outside first letting their ribbons pass over the heads of the girls, then the girls pass at the outer edge of the circle letting their ribbons pass over the heads of the boys, and so on until the ribbons are braided around the May-pole, and then they are unwound in the same manner if desired.
A Japanese fete is suitable for a May Day affair, especially for a large affair where house and grounds can be utilized. The hostess who wishes to carryout the Japanese idea correctly will study a book on Japanese customs. She will find it an easy matter to make her grounds attractive on this idea. Cross two long bamboo fishing poles over the gate and hang two fancy lanterns therefrom. Make a path from gate to house by setting up wooden pedestals surmounted by lanterns (this is the approach to the Japanese temples); suspended. Outline the veranda with the lanterns, suspend large ones in doors and windows, and burn red fire in dark corners of the lawn. Have fans passed by small boys in Japanese costume. Have all waiters in the house dressed as Japanese waiters.
In fixing up the house, take into consideration the Japanese love for flowers and that they have several floral feasts. The flowers can be made from paper. Let one room represent the cherry blossoms, the great flower of Japan. Use the pink cherry blossoms everywhere, against the walls, from chandelier and in the hair of the ladies. Serve cherry ice and small cakes decorated with candied cherries, and cherry phosphate or punch in this room. The wisteria is another flower which is cultivated in great quantities in Japan. This room should be in lavender, and if it is impossible to secure the wisteria for a pattern, show Japanese photographs or have Japanese tableaux, a reading from "Madame Butterfly," or "The Japanese Nightingale," and give tiny fans tied with violet ribbon in this room. In August the Japanese have their feast of the lotus and the pondlily can be used in decoration of one room. Have everything here green and white. Use the water-lily and its broad leaves in a frieze around the room and in a wreath about the table. For the table decoration use tiny dwarf plants in odd jardiniers surmounting an "island" made of rocks. Mirrors can be used about the base of this rocky pile and a miniature garden laid out with tiny shells, white pebbles, and the sprigs. The Japanese delight in making these miniature landscape gardens in the smallest possible space; the dwarf trees, but a few inches high, are the wonder of tourists.
In this room serve white sandwiches tied with red ribbons. These may be chicken, Neufchatel cheese, chopped almonds and Brazil nuts, peanuts, lettuce with white mayonnaise. Serve white ice cream, in scarlet tissue cups, and cake. Decorate the squares of white cake with round red candies in imitation of the flag of Japan. The imperial flag is the gold ball on a red field, the national flag a red sun on a white field and the man-of-war flag, a red sun with rays on a white field. Iced tea may be served in this room.
A fancy dress party, each person representing a flower would be a pretty idea for May Day. Dancing, according to history, was the favorite pastime on this occasion and would be very appropriate at the present time.
Pass pencils and slips of paper to the guests with the following written on each paper:—
(A Symbol of purity.)(What has been done with a newspaper.)(A pronoun.)(A product of Japan.)(A braying fellow.)(A state of insanity.)(A rose without a thorn.)(A verdant growth found on old trees.)(A native of Africa.)(Pertaining to the U. S. and a synonym of lovely.)
Tell the guests that the questions represent some kind of a rose or a word whose last syllable has the sound of rose. A suitable prize is given the person who has the correct answers in a limited time.
The "roses" represented are (1) white rose; (2) red rose; (3) heroes; (4) tea rose; (5) jack rose; (6) wild rose; (7) tuberose; (8) moss rose; (9) negroes; (10) American beauty rose.
The children take hold of hands and form a circle; except one who stands in the center of the ring. They circle around singing this little verse
Ring Around a RosyA pocket full of posyThe one who stoops lastWants to be your Beau-sy
When the verse is ended the children in the circle stoop quickly and the last one down must join the child in the center of the ring. The circle of children go around again singing the same ditty. The last child to stoop this time joins the one who went into the circle the previous time and the child who has remained through the two verses steps out and joins the children in the circle.
This is played the same as drop the handkerchief except a flower is used instead of a handkerchief and the verse is a trifle different. The song runs thus—"A tisket a tasket a green and yellow basket. I sent a bouquet to my love and on the way I dropped it, etc., etc."
Fire crackers and fire works seem to have first place in the celebration of our Glorious Fourth, but a few games and amusements of a patriotic nature or connected in some way with the symbols of the day may not come amiss.
The players are seated in a row or circle except the leader who is seated in the center of the group. The leader begins the game by asking the first one "What will you do for your country." The player must reply immediately with a word beginning with the letter "A" such as admire it, adore it, aid it, act for it, etc., etc. If he does not reply promptly he must pay a forfeit or he must pay a forfeit if he uses a word which would show disloyalty to his country such as antagonize it, abhor it, etc. etc.
The same question is put to each player to answer with a word beginning with the letter "A." Then ask the first player again, "What will you do for your country." This time the reply must begin with the letter "B" such as battle, beg, bawl or be brave for it. The next time use the letter "C" and so on through the alphabet.
The children take hold of hands and form a circle, except one who is standard bearer and stands in the center of the circle holding an American flag having a staff about four feet long, which is pointed so it can be easily stuck into the ground. The children all sing,
The Union Forever, Hurrah boys, Hurrah!Down with the traitor, Up with the star;While we rally 'round the flag, boys, rally once again,Shouting the battle cry of Freedom.
When the children sing, "Hurrah boys, Hurrah," they wave their right hands high in the air. As they sing "Down with the traitor" all stoop to the ground. As they sing "Up with the star" all jump up and the child in the center raises the flag and waves it until the last line is sung, when he places the flag in the ground. As the children begin to sing the third line of the verse, "While we rally round the flag, etc.," they join hands and circle around until the verse is finished, when they drop hands and run. While the child in the center counts one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, halt. If the standard bearer sees any child's feet move after he cries "halt," he has the privilege of tagging that child, who is then an ally of the standard bearer and helps tag the other children he seesmoving. If a child can reach the flag and touch it without his movements being seen by the standard bearer or his allies he is free. When all have gained freedom or been caught the game is finished and may be repeated if desired, choosing a different standard bearer.
Hide a lot of small paper torpedoes in various places around the lawn. Give each child a paper bag and at a signal, which is the explosion of a torpedo, they begin to hunt for the hidden torpedoes. The one finding the most is given a small flag which the children salute by firing off their torpedoes.
With water colors or crayons sketch the American flag on white cards omitting the stars. Give each guest a card and forty-six tiny mucilaged stars. Wave a flag as a signal to begin placing the stars on the blue of the flag. Ring a bell at the end of five or six minutes and award a small silk flag or a fire cracker candy box filled with candy to the one having his flag the most complete.
Try the following: What battle of the United States is
A fortified place, to perform and a walking stick?An English coin and the act of directing attention?A royal weight?A teutonic village?Two intoxicants?A feminine proper name and a Roman garment?Inclosures for domestic animals?An English city and a village?What railway porters expect, a consonant and a kind of boat?The village of a female ruler?A male bovine and what people do when it chases them?The residence of "Portia" in the "Merchant of Venice?"A vegetable and a range of hills?An ancient city of Greece?Beautiful forest trees?A number and table utensils?To propel, a forest tree, and a body of land surrounded by water?A judicial officer's village?A dear fortification?A range of hills for burial purposes?
Answers:
1. Battle of Fort Du Quesne. 2. Crown Point. 3. Princeton. 4. Germantown. 5. Brandywine. 6. Saratoga. 7. Cowpens. 8. Yorktown. 9. Tippecanoe. 10. Queenstown. 11. Bull Run. 12. Belmont. 13. Pea Ridge. 14. Corinth. 15. Fair Oaks. 16. Five Forks. 17. Roanoke Island. 18. Chancellorsville. 19. Richmond. 20. Cemetery Ridge.
Drape the red, white and blue bunting from tree to tree and nail to the trees flags of sixteen different countries; the flags to be numbered. Provide each guest with a card containing as many numbers as there are flags. The guests are requested to fill out the cards with the names of countries the flags represent, and are allowed fifteen minutes in which to do this. He who correctly fills his card in the shortest time is given a prize. Flag stickpins, bon-bon boxes representing flags, or some patriotic book would be appropriate.
It is surprising how few are familiar with the flags of different nations.
Hallow-e'en or Hallow-Even is the last night of October, being the eve or vigil of All-Hallow's or All Saint's Day, and no holiday in all the year is so informal or so marked by fun both for grown-ups as well as children as this one. On this night there should be nothing but laughter, fun and mystery. It is the night when Fairies dance, Ghosts, Witches, Devils and mischief-making Elves wander around. It is the night when all sorts of charms and spells are invoked for prying into the future by all young folks and sometimes by folks who are not young.
In getting up a Hallow-e'en Party everything should be made as secret as possible, and each guest bound to secrecy concerning the invitations.
Any of the following forms of invitations might be used.