AGA-MEMNON is a good word, only not so laughable as Knighthood. PIRATE is another. MAT-RI-MONY, again, is a good one. We leave it to the ingenuity of our young readers to find out how they can be performed.

We have seen PEN-ELOPE very nicely done by quite young children. Pen was, of course, an author finding a bad pen hinder him sadly, trying and rejecting, mending and splitting quills with much energy. His sisters offer him quill pens, steel pens, gold pens-all in vain! He rises, tears his hair, and paces the room in great agitation, while they look on, in distress at not being able to help him. A bright idea strikes him: he rushes to the table, seizes the first pen he can find, and writes smilingly and with great rapidity. The sisters raise their hands in amazement at the eccentricity of genius. The three-syllabled word is made two syllables for the charade. Elope is a boy running away from home with his sisters. They should be tiny children, who wish to run away by the train: they count their money, and make signs of what they mean to do, finally running away at the first sight of their nurse. "Penelope" is a little girl (sitting) pulling out a crochet web: she sighs often, and sometimes pauses and wipes her eyes. Suddenly a loud barking is heard: she springs up-Ulysses and Telemachus enter: they receive her welcome, and united, form a grand tableau, Penelope showing her web to Ulysses, and explaining what she had done to delay her second marriage. The costumes should be classical and pretty.

WORDS AND QUESTIONS.

ADA. As we have so many players past twelve years old this evening, I think we had better have a game of Words and Questions.

COUSIN WALTER. You must first tell us what it is. I do not remember ever seeing it played.

ADA. We are to write on slips of paper a number of questions (let us each write one), fold them up, and put them in a hat or basket. Then we take an equal number of papers, on which we write nouns-a noun on each slip. Now let us do that first. Charley has brought us some paper and pencils. We will write a question and a noun each.

For a few minutes afterwards silence prevailed, while the merry party assembled round the drawing-room table, busily concocted and wrote down their questions. An occasional, but instantly suppressed titter intimated that some few at least were of a laughable description.

WALTER. Well, Ada, our papers are written; what shall we do now? ADA. Charley will hand them round separately, and we must each draw a question and a noun. Then we are to answer the question in rhyme, and bring the noun into the answer.

PHILIP. It sounds rather difficult. How if I am not poetical?

ADA. The more absurd your rhymes are, the better; they will afford us more cause for laughter.

CHARLEY. Well, mine won't disappoint you, then.

WALTER. But I don't approve of being laughed at.

CHARLEY. Then give us something very "stunning." But, in reality, no

one can be laughed at personally; for the questions and answers are read out by Nora, who will not tell us the author's name of any one of them, even if she recognizes the handwriting.

They answer their questions. Each player, as his slip is written, rolls it and puts it into a basket before Nora, who at last shakes them about and selects one at hazard.

up

NORA. The question is--If you had your choice, which would you be-a dragon-fly or an eel? The word to be brought into the answer is, Roses. The dragon-fly at eve reposes

Upon the clust'ring scarlet Roses;

The eel lies buried in dark green slime:
Can you ask, cousin, which choice is mine?

PHILIP. Bravo! that's first-rate.

NORA. Here is another. Ah! I guess the author by the style. WordRope-dancer. Question-Which do you prefer-Cæsar or Pompey?

Great were old Cæsar and Pompey,
Seldom their equal you see;

Great is Blondin the rope-walker:
Which is the best of the three?
Answer me!

ADA. I never could write rhymes.

NORA. Oh! it will do very well. What is here? Word-North Pole. Question-What do you think of the Crystal Palace?

From the North Pole to the South

You won't find such another;

This is the true opinion

Of your very intelligent brother

ADA. That's Charley!

CHARLEY. You are not to reveal authorships-we are all Great Unknowns here. But it is as good as the last.

NORA. This is a nice one: What do you think of travelling in an air balloon? The noun drawn was Cobweb. The rhyme on the two is—

I confess I should not greatly care

To float like a cobweb in the air.

Next comes-How many feet has a spider? Word-Nonsense.

Not being a naturalist, like White of Sel

Borne, I really cannot such wouders tell.
It was nonsense to ask a fel-

Low such stuff. Farewell.

NORA. Oh! what stuff! Well, here is quite a poem! Word-Cigar. Question-What do you like best to do in the evening?

How sweet at dewy eve to rove

When brightly shines the vesper star,
And, wandering through the moonlit grove,
Calmly to puff the mild cigar.

Let Asia boast her scents afar,

Her spicy groves that flout the sky;
More sweet the clouds from my cigar
Than all the balms of Araby.

Very well; but word and question fitted. Here is a short one. Word-Don't. Question-Do vou like crochet?

Don't I?
Just try!

Thus the game went on. But we will not inflict all the rhymes perpetrated that evening on our young readers. We believe that their own ingenuity and wit will enable them, from these specimens, to comprehend and play this excellent game.

It is not possible to give verbal directions for producing these amusing hand pictures, therefore we offer the following examples to our young readers, who will find it a very amusing winter evening entertainment to try and copy the position of the hands given, and thus cast shadows of objects on the paper of the room. We need scarcely say that the shadow artist must stand between the lamp and the wall.

PAPER SHADOWS ON THE WALL.

These are made by getting a head or figure either sketched or printed, and cutting out all the light portions of the face. Held to the wall with the light behind them, these cuttings-out present very nice pictures of light and shade.

SHADOWS.

This is a very pretty game for girls. A white sheet is suspended at one end of the room. The shadow-seeker sits facing it on a very low stool: if the player happens to be a brother, he will not mind sitting (Oriental fashion) on the carpet; as, the lower the gazer is, the less shadow he or she will throw on the sheet. There must only be one lamp in the room, all other lights must be extinguished, and it must be placed about six or seven feet behind the shadow-seeker. Then one, two, or more of the players must

drape themselves with shawls, raise and extend their arms, or in any way disguise themselves, so that their shadows thrown on the sheet may be deceptive, and puzzle the gazer, who has to guess, as they pass between his back and the lamp, whose shadow he beholds. A little ingenuity on the part of the substances will make very laughable or very pretty shadows. Loosening the hair and letting it fall over the face; bending a finger over the nose to make it look aquiline in the shadow, and sundry other tricks, suffice to puzzle the guesser excessively. One shadow-as of a gigantic bat, may be made by enveloping the player in a sheet, which by extending her arms she may make into huge wings. She must then pass sideways

that is, with her face turned towards the sheet, between the gazer and the lamp. A glance behind her entails a forfeit on the gazer, who must guess in all honesty whose shadow she beholds. The task, is very often, a difficult one. When the right substance of a shadow is named, she becomes shadowseeker in place of the previous player, and he pays a forfeit.

One very funny disguise may be made by those who can imitate the shadows made by fingers on the wall. (See page 94.) A shawl spread out, put on over the head, or pinned under the chin and let fall round the figure, will disguise the form of the substance very well. The shawl should be pulled sufficiently forward to hide the profile. Then the player's hand may be raised, close to it, and her fingers may make a duck's head, rabbit, &c.

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CHRISTMAS GAMES.

PHILIPPINE.

This is a German game. If at dessert, or any other almond-eating period of the day, you find twin almonds in one shell, you ask a friend or playfellow to" Philippine" with you. She consents, and you give her one of your twin almonds. After this you must be careful to take nothing from her hands, for if you do, she will instantly exclaim "Philippine!" and you will have to give her whatever you have agreed on previously. If, however, you can get her to take anything from you, and you exclaim" Philippine," it is you who win. But you must be ready to show your Philippine, or you will lose your wager. The Philippine will sometimes (with two clever and watchful players) go on for several days. It is only ended when one or the other wins and claims her Philippine.

The Italians play this game with leaves, dividing a geranium leaf, &c., between them, and take it, we have been told, quite au serieux.

We venture to suggest a divided branch of holly as a Christmas Philippine in England, and the word to be not " Philippine," but "Yule."

This is a very favourite pleasure for the young ones at Christmas. A large deep brown dish, such as poor people in the country send to the bakehouse with dinner in it, is best for the pie. Then a quantity of bran is procured.