kiss her in!" her when you get At the words, "Thus the farmer sows his seed," the children loose hands and stand swinging their arms, imitating the motions of seed-sowing. At "Thus he stands and takes his ease," they stand with folded arms or hands on hips. During the next couplet they stamp their feet, clap their hands and turn around, then join hands again and move around in a circle, singing the rest of the song given above. After which they all stand still, and the one in the centre, if a boy, chooses a girl, kisses her, and they both kneel together in the ring, while the others take up the song "Now you're married, you must obey, You must be true to all you say, You must be loving, kind and good, And keep your wife in kindling-wood." The first half is addressed to the wife, the second to the husband. If a girl is in the centre, she chooses a boy, whereupon he kisses her and leads her into the middle of the ring. MISS JENNIA JONES This game is a very ancient one and must appeal to children's taste to account for its survival. One player represents the mother, who is seated with her daughter, Miss Jennia, in her arms, apparently ill. The rest join hands, advance and retreat, singing "We've come to see Miss Jenni a Jones, Miss Jen - ni a Jones, Miss Jenni a Jones. We've come to see Miss Jenni a Jones, And how is she to - day?" One of their number steps forward, and the Mother, laying her daughter down tenderly and coming forward, announces unblushingly that "Miss Jennia Jones is wash The inquirers take up the song again, while dancing back and forth, to the words "Miss Jennia Jones is washing, Is washing, is washing, Miss Jennia Jones is washing And can't be seen to-day." The questions are taken up again, and reply comes that she is ironing, sweeping, baking, etc. Finally it is confessed that she is very ill, then worse, then dead. The news is received with pantomimic expressions of deep grief. The question of her apparel is then taken up: "What shall we dress her in, Dress her in, dress her in? What shall we dress her in, Dress her in to-day?" Some one suggests "Blue" and the chorus sings "Blue is for sailors, For sailors, for sailors, Blue is for sailors And that will never do." Green? "Green is forsaken, Forsaken, forsaken, Green is forsaken, And that will never do." Black? "Black is for mourners, For mourners, for mourners, Black is for mourners, Pink? "Pink is for babies, For babies, for babies, Pink is for babies, White? "White is for dead people, Then they continue "Where shall we bury her, Where shall we bury her? "I dreamt I saw a ghost last night, A ghost last night, a ghost last night, I dreamt I saw a ghost last night, Under the apple tree." At this Miss Jennia Jones revives. The ring breaks up and flies with shrieks, pursued by the ghost of Miss Jones. The one caught must take the place of Miss Jennia, and the game goes on. CHAPTER X Games for Sunday Evenings SCRIPTURE ALPHABET HE slenderest rhyming facility only is needed to play the game of Scripture Alphabet. ΤΗ One person writes a line beginning with "A," which must be the initial of somebody or something mentioned with some prominence in the Bible. The second player must write the next line in the same metre, beginning with "B"; the third "C," and so on, until the end of the alphabet is reached-passing the paper from one to another. Any one who confesses inability may refuse, and the next player writes the line, until finally one person may be left alone as victor. If two or more contestants still dispute the victory when "Z" is reached, they may recommence with "A." SCRIPTURE ALPHABET No. I A was a traitor found hung by his hair. |