Part 6 (2/2)

WONDERMENT

It is necessary that only two of the party should have a knowledge of this game, and then ”wonderment” is sure to be the result.

The two players agree that a certain word shall be regarded as a signal word. As an ill.u.s.tration, imagine this word to be ”and.”

One of the players a.s.serts his belief that he is gifted with second sight, and states that he is able, through a closed door, to name any article touched by any person in sympathy with him, notwithstanding the said person may attempt to mystify him by mentioning a lot of other articles. He then chooses his confederate, as being one with whom he may be in sympathy, and goes outside.

The player in the room then proceeds to call out, perhaps as follows:--Table, Hearthrug, Piano, Footstool and Chair, Lamp, Inkstand.

He then places his hand on the back of a chair and asks: ”What am I touching now?” the answer will, of course, be ”Chair,” because the signal word ”and” came immediately before that article.

If the players are skilful there is no need for the trick to be discovered.

WINK

All the girls sit in a circle, and the boys stand outside, one boy behind each girl's chair. One chair is left vacant, but a boy stands behind it, and by winking at the girls one at a time, tries to get one for his empty chair.

As soon as a girl is winked at, she tries to leave her seat, and take the vacant one, but if the boy behind her touches her before she leaves the seat, she cannot go. Each boy has to keep his eye on the one who is winking and on the girl in his chair, for if he is not watching, she may escape before he has time to touch her, and then it is his turn to do the winking and get a girl for his chair.

If the winking is done quickly it adds to the interest of the game. No boy can keep hold of a girl all the time; he must only touch her when she starts to leave her place, and then if she is beyond arm's length he cannot call her back.

RIDDLES

Few children think they will ever tire of playing games; but all the same, towards the end of a long evening, spent merrily in dancing and playing, the little ones begin to get too weary to play any longer, and it is very difficult to keep them amused.

Then comes the time for riddles! The children may sit quietly around the room, resting after their romps and laughter, and yet be kept thoroughly interested, trying to guess riddles.

It is, however, very difficult to remember a number of good and laughable ones, so we will give a list of some, which will be quite sufficient to puzzle a roomful of little folk for several hours.

Why are weary people like carriage-wheels?--Answer: Because they are tired.

An old woman in a red cloak was pa.s.sing a field in which a goat was feeding. What strange transformation suddenly took place?--Answer: The goat turned to b.u.t.ter (b.u.t.t her), and the woman into a scarlet runner.

Why does a duck go into the water?--Answer: For divers reasons.

Spell ”blind pig” in two letters? P G; a pig without an I.

Which bird can lift the heaviest weights?--The crane.

Why is a wise man like a pin?--He has a head and comes to a point.

Why is a Jew in a fever like a diamond?--Because he is a Jew-ill.

Why may carpenters reasonably believe there is no such thing as stone?--Because they never saw it.

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