Games for Everybody Part 9

FAMOUS NUMBERS.

Provide the players with pencil and paper. Each one writes a number on his slip. The papers are collected, mixed up, and each player draws one. Each in turn must name something or someone suggested by that number. The one who is unable to name anything must pay a forfeit.

Suppose No. 1 has 4, he will say: "My number is 4; the Declaration of Independence was signed on the Fourth of July." No. 2, "My number is 13; there are thirteen stripes in our flag." No. 3, "My number is 60; there are 60 minutes in an hour."

MAGIC ANSWERS.

One is sent from the room and the others decide upon some object which is to be guessed when the player enters.

The player outside has an accomplice in with the others who asks the question when he returns. It was arranged between them that the object chosen should be named after some four-legged thing.

Suppose a book is chosen by the players. When summoned in, the accomplice asks: "Is it any one in this room?" "No." "Is it a handkerchief?" "No." "Is it a picture?" "No." "Is it a dog?" "No."

"Is it this book?" "Yes."

Another arrangement is to have the correct object mentioned after something which is black, such as shoes, ink, etc.

MODELLING.

Provide each player with a card and a toothpick, also a piece of gum, or paraffine if preferred.

The hostess announces that when she says "Ready," the gum is to be chewed until she tells them to stop, and then each one is to take the gum, place it upon the card, and with the aid of the toothpick, model either an animal or a flower, keeping his selection a secret, as each one can choose what he wishes to model. The hostess keeps an eye on the time and when time is up, (any length she chooses) all the cards are collected and placed on a table for exhibition.

There is a curious mixture of cows, cats, dogs, sunflowers, pansies, violets, etc. Vote is taken upon the best model and a prize is awarded the victor.

SCISSORS CROSSED OR UNCROSSED.

A simple catch game is as follows. It is best if two of the company know how to play it. One of the two is the leader and the other helps her out.

The leader hands a closed pair of scissors to her accomplice, who takes it and says: "I received these scissors uncrossed and I give them crossed." (Opening the scissors as she speaks.) She pa.s.ses them to the player on her right who should say: "I receive these scissors crossed and I give them crossed." (If they are left open; if closed, they are uncrossed.) Those who do not know the game receive the scissors and pa.s.s them and say what they think they ought. It may be just what the player before said, but the condition of the scissors may not be the same, and, therefore, it is not right.

Thus each one has a turn, and the game continues until some bright player notices that the scissors are called crossed when they are open and uncrossed when they are closed, and that the player who knows the game crossed her feet if the scissors were crossed, and if not, her feet were uncrossed, or resting on the floor as usual.

Thus the object of the game is to change the words and the position of the feet in accordance with the position of the scissors.

CAPPING VERSES.

To while away the time before dinner, or while sitting in the twilight, this is a simple amus.e.m.e.nt for those who love poetry.

One begins by giving a line or verse of poetry. The next one continues, but his verse must commence with the last letter of the previous verse, and so on, each one capping the other's verse.

Suppose No.1 quotes:

"Full many a flower is born to blush unseen And waste its sweetness on the desert air."

No. 2 continues quoting:

"Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?"

No. 3:

"O speak again, bright angel."

No. 4:

"Like summer tempest came her tears, 'Sweet, my child, I live for thee.'"

and so on until the guests tire of it.

RABBIT.

The leader, who knows the game, asks each one in turn: "Do you know how to play rabbit?" When all have answered, he says: "Do just what I do, and I will show you how."

1st. All stand in a row.

2d. All kneel down on one knee.

3d. All place the first finger of the right hand on the floor.

When all the players are in this position, just as they are losing their balance, the leader, who is at the head of the line, pushes against the player next to him, thus knocking over the whole row. As they fall amid laughter, he calmly announces that that is the way to play rabbit.

GHOST.

Turn down the lights. All the players sit in a circle. The leader has a b.u.t.ton which she gives to some player, as in "b.u.t.ton, b.u.t.ton, who has the b.u.t.ton?" The one who guesses who has the b.u.t.ton takes the leader's place while the leader becomes a ghost and remains outside the circle. She can talk to the players in the circle, but no one except the one in the middle can answer her. Anyone who does, becomes a ghost with the leader.

Every effort is made on the part of the ghosts to induce the players to answer. The b.u.t.ton keeps going around the inside circle, the one depositing the b.u.t.ton becoming a ghost when a correct answer is given and the other one taking his place.

The game continues until all are ghosts. If there was one who was not enticed, that one wins the game.