Games for Everybody Part 18

The papers are then arranged on a table for inspection and a prize is awarded for the best ill.u.s.tration.

BIOGRAPHY.

Provide the players with pencil and paper. The leader then announces that a biography is to be written, and the first thing to write is the name of some person in the room; the paper is folded over so the name cannot be seen and pa.s.sed to the player at his left, who writes a date which is the birth date, and the name of some town; the paper is folded again and pa.s.sed to the left and this time a sentence of ten words is written about early childhood--from one to ten years. Next, a sentence of same length telling of events between twenty and forty years; next, between forty and fifty years; date of death next, last, remark about this life. When all has been written, the folded papers are pa.s.sed to the left again and each player reads his paper aloud.

The more ridiculous the sentences, the better the biography, and as no one knows what is under the folded parts, sometimes the date of death will be earlier than that of birth, or there will be a vast difference in time.

Example--Name, John Smith. Born, July 4, 1449, Boston. From 1 to 10 years, mischievous child, quarrelled with everybody, expelled from school, stole eggs.

From 20 to 40, stayed home, did dressmaking, became sickly, remained an old maid.

From 40 to 50, became a wealthy widower, left with three children to raise. Died January 1, 1860. Most remarkable man that ever lived in his little town.

ORCHESTRA.

Any number can play this game, the more the merrier. Each player is told to play some imaginary instrument. The leader with an imaginary baton, begins by humming some lively, familiar tune. The players follow with motions suitable to their instruments and sing the tune the leader is humming.

When the leader pretends to play some instrument, the player who has that imaginary instrument, must pretend he is leader and beat time with the baton, but as soon as the real leader changes the instrument or beats time again the player must continue with his own instrument.

The leader must be quick to change from one instrument to another and the players must be quick to follow him, for if they don't, they have to leave the orchestra until the piece is over.

WHO IS MY NEXT-DOOR NEIGHBOR?

Half of the company are blindfolded. They are led to a row of chairs arranged in the middle of the room, each sitting so there is a vacant chair behind him.

The other half, who are not blindfolded, very quietly take the vacant chairs and sit perfectly still.

The leader then announces that those not blindfolded are to sing when he gives the signal, and the blindfolded ones, who are to remain still, must listen attentively to their right hand neighbor and guess who he is.

Some familiar tunes must be chosen and the singers can disguise their voices if they choose. The leader begins by playing the tune on the piano and when he says "Sing," the victim singers begin while the blind victims listen.

One verse of the song will be enough for this medley and those whose voices have been recognized, exchange places with the blindfolded ones, while the others remain in the same place until the listener has guessed who he is. The game then goes on as before.

FIRE.

Choose two leaders from among the players. Each leader chooses his side. The sides sit opposite each other, the leader of one throws a ball to any one in the opposite side. As he does he says either, "Earth," "Air," "Water," or "Fire," and counts ten.

The person who caught the ball must answer before he finishes counting ten. If "earth" was called he must name some quadruped found therein; if "water," some fish must be named, or "air," the name of some bird; but if "fire" was called he must remain perfectly still.

If the players give a wrong answer or speak when they should be silent they are out, and the leader must throw the ball to some one else, but if the players answer correctly, it is their turn to throw the ball to someone in the opposite side, and the game goes on as before. The side whose players stand up the longest, wins the game.

THE MONTHS.

The leader need be the only one who understands this game. He asks, "What month are you going away in?" One player might answer "September." He then asks, "What will you wear?" "What will you take with you?" and "What will you do?" All the answers must be given with the initial letter of the month chosen. For instance, the answers to the above questions may be: 1st, "Silk stockings," 2d, "Sardine sandwiches," 3d, "See the sights."

The answers will probably be mixed as the players do not know the trick. Each one who misses pays a forfeit, and the leader questions the next player. When one or two do catch on, the more ridiculous they make their answers, the funnier the game.

BELL BUFF.

In this game all the players except one are blindfolded. This one is called the guide and has a small bell which he rings during the game.

All the blind men are led to one end of the room by the guide. He then takes his position a little distance from them and rings the bell, which is the signal for the game to begin.

The blind men grope around wildly for their guide who rings the bell all the time, but must move in different places, so as to escape the blind men who are hunting him. The blind men are only guided by the sound of the bell, and the guide must be very quick to change his positions or he will be caught by his pursuers.

The first blind man who catches the guide, exchanges places with him, and the game goes on as before.

POSTMAN.

The players sit in a circle; one is chosen for "postman," is blindfolded, and another is chosen for Postmaster.

The Postmaster gives each player the name of some city or town, and stands outside the ring so he can give orders.

The "postman" stands inside the circle and when the Postmaster says, "I have sent a letter from New York to San Francisco," the players having these names must exchange places, and he must try to capture one. If he succeeds he takes that one's place, the one caught then becoming "postman."

The Postmaster must exchange names very rapidly, and if a player should remain seated when his city is called, he has to be "postman."

If the Postmaster says, "general delivery," all exchange places, and the "postman" tries to secure a vacant place.

SPOONEY FUN.

All the players sit in a circle. One is chosen to be out. He is blindfolded and given a spoon (a large one) with which he is to feel. He stands in the middle of the circle, then is turned around three times and told to guess who the first person, which he touches with the spoon, is.

He advances cautiously until he touches someone. Then with the back of the spoon he feels the person all over. The players must keep perfectly quiet, disguising themselves if they see fit, as the collars and cuffs of the men will be felt very easily with the spoon.