being drawn by a string from one side to the other of the room, threatens her. MEN'S WIVES The hostess may announce this guessing contest to be a sort of "fortune-teller," which should give each man a clue to the name that his future wife should bear. The "eternal fitness of things" had determined the matter. It was for them to discover it. The first name should be told, to make the subject clear— which was that a chemist's wife should be named "Ann Eliza" (Analyzer): -A civil engineer's?-Bridget. A gambler's?-Bettie. A humourist's?-Sally. A clergyman's?-Marie. A shoe-maker's?-Peggy. -A porter's?-Carrie. -A dancing master's?-Grace. -A milliner's?-Hattie. A gardener's?-Flora. -A judge's?-Justine. A MUSICAL ROMANCE A guessing contest recently contributed much to the success of a reunion of lads and lasses. Profiting by a lull in the conversation, the young hostess announced that a love-story of the Civil War would be related in musical numbers, and to the one who should best interpret them a prize should be awarded. All were provided with cards and pencils, and a young woman seated herself at the piano. The hostess then asked, "What was the heroine called?" Whereupon the familiar notes of "Sweet Marie" were heard from the piano, and it began to be understood that the names of popular airs—given with much spirit by the pianist― would furnish the answers to the questions propounded, to be recorded upon the cards. The story progressed thus: What was the hero's name?-"Robin Adair." Where was he born?-"Dixie." Where was she born?—“On the Suwanee River." Where did they meet?-"Comin' thro' the Rye." At what time of day was it?"Just as the sun went down." When did he propose?" After the ball was over." What did he say?"Only one girl in this world for me." What did she say?"I'll leave my happy home for you." What did he then bid her? A soldier's farewell." What did the band play?"The girl I left behind me." Where did he go?"Georgia.' Where did he spend that night?-"Tenting on the old camp ground." What did the band play when he came home?— "When Johnny comes marching home." Where were they married?-"Old Kentucky Home." Who were the bridesmaids?-"Two little girls in blue." Who furnished the music?-"Whistling Rufus." Who furnished the wedding feast?" Rory O'Grady." Where did they make their home?—"On the banks of the Wabash." What was their motto?" Home, Sweet Home." The music was a new feature, and the fact that the airs were so well known but made it the more enjoyable. The advantage of the winner being so slight, the pleasure of success was the more general. HIDE THE WORD The game consists in putting a word, previously agreed upon by the company, into a narrative so cleverly that the person who is required to guess it shall be unable to distinguish it. The word chosen must be one that has several meanings, and the players in turn each. adopt a separate signification or manner of its use. Each person tells a story, recites a verse of some poem, or relates an adventure, bringing in the chosen word, being careful not to mark it by additional emphasis. Self-conscious persons are apt to hesitate at its pronunciation, or slur it with such evident haste that the secret is betrayed. The one who inadvertently furnishes the clue must then take the place of questioner. Words of two letters are ruled out of the choice. For example, the word "out," while remaining unchanged, is used in several different senses: The first player may speak of going out the first time after an illness. A second refers to "going out" so much more than usual, in the sense used in society. A third may tell of some embarrassment at feeling "out of it" when others were enjoying themselves. A fourth of being "out of pocket." A fifth at being cheated-in the English phrase of being "done out of what was mine by rights," or "There I was so many dollars out!" "Out of reckoning." "Out of sight." Even the word "outrageous" may ring other changes. -- A good way to mislead is to bring in some other rather salient word-that is not the one selected and have each narrator repeat it. The story, too, should be long enough to make the chosen word inconspicuous. PICTURE TITLES This game has been very popular with book-loving folk. Each one in succession portrays a scene as if it were before the actual as well as the mental vision, descriptive of the title of some book that is presumably known to the company. It need have no real relation to the story told in the book, but must suggest its title. For instance, one person says: "I see before me a great stone castle, with towers and donjon-keep. From one of its narrow casements a maiden surpassing fair is watching a falcon that has escaped its thrall and has flown to a tall tree with its lune (the string by which the bird is held) tangled about its feet, so as to impede its flight. And now a knight in full armour comes pricking by, to whom the maiden makes appeal. 'Oh, Sir Knight, help me to get my hawk, for if it be lost my father will slay me, he is so hasty.' The knight makes answer, doffing his plumed cap, 'Fair lady, I will do what I may, though in truth I am an ill climber, and the tree is passing high.' And therewith he alights, but prays the lady to come down and unarm him, which she blithly does. With might and force he climbs up to the falcon, ties the lune to a rotten bough and throws the hawk down with it. When he has received the lady's thanks he resumes his armour and rides away, but he carries more away with him than he brought, and the maiden loses more than the worth of the hawk she received, for verily he takes with him the heart that has escaped the lady's keeping even as had the bird." It probably will not take the players very long to discover that such doings relate only to the times "When Knighthood was in Flower." CAPTAINS From among the players two captains are chosen, who then proceed to select a following, until the company is equally divided. They either stand in two lines or sit in chairs facing each other. It is a matter of agreement, or toss-up or card-matching to decide which captain shall begin the game, which he does by asking a question and then slowly counting ten. Before he has finished counting, the captain of the opposition must answer. If his reply be correct he puts a question to the second player in the ranks of his opponents, who questions in his turn, and so on. If any player fail to answer or makes an incorrect reply, he or she drops out. The interest is at its height when two contestants only are left on the field and the rest form an audience. The game is adapted to questions on any subject—and may be the source of much valuable information, if the hostess, leader, or mother, takes the trouble, in advance of the playing of the game, to collect questions that shall |