Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1873-12-24
Holiday Games.
SNAP-DRAGON.

tHe oetUer, ana Dfandy or some other
spirit is poured on the fruit and ignited
The bystanders now endeavor by turns
to grab raisin, by plunging their
hands through the flames, and as this
is somewhat of feat, requiring both
courage and rapidity of action, con.
siderable amount of laughter and
amusement is created at the expense OF
the unsuccessful competitor.
While the sport of snap-dragon is
going Oh it is usual to extinguish the
lights in the room, so that the 1urid
glare from the flaming spirits may exer-
else to the full it's weird-like effect.
THE GAME OF TAPES.
Each person holds piece by one
end. The other ends are grasped, like
SO many single relns, in the hands OF
the leader of the game, whose place is
consequently in the center of the ring.
When he calls out .sLoose ~ every.
body must tighten their tape. When
he gives the word of command.
" Tight !" they must slacken it. Ii is
an experiment. in the rule of contra.
ries, showing how much we are the
creatures of habit. A forfeit is exact
ed from every person who literally
obeys the word Of command.
BLINDMAN's BUFF.
This game can be played with wand,
which relieves it of the tendency to
romp. The blindman with long wand
is placed in the middle of the room ;
the players stand around him, hand
finland, singing chorus. They sud
denly cease. and the blindman
stretches out his wand until it touches
somebody, who is obliged to take
hold of it by the end. The blindman
repeats few words (anything will
do), which the person holding the
wand must initiate. If recognized by
the voice he must pay & forfeit and
take the bllndman's place.
FoRFEITs.
Forfeits should be as ingenious and
unexpected as possible. New ones, in
vented on the spur of the moment, are
sure to meet with signal success. But
no one should venture to play at for.
feits who has not. in the first place,
perfect command of temper, or who
cannot, secondly, while in the height
OF merrlment, observe the rules of fine
breeding and decorum.
In no class Of forfeits is good breed
ing more indispensable than in that
which involves the act of kissing. Our
forefathers practiced them innocentIy,
and SO, it is hoped, may we; and there
fore, without further preface or ser
mon, we will give a few examples, be-
ginning with the tantalizing position
of being a Knight Of the Sorrowful
Countenance. In this, the person to
pay the penalty takes his sent on a
chair, when lady comes and sits upon
his knees, to be kissed by another gen
tleman.
Amongst penitential kisses are the
Convent kiss and the Capuchin kiss.
For the first the back of chair is sub.
stituted for the grating Of the convent
door: and as the wooden bars are
mostly wider apart than the iron ones,
the former have decidedly the advan-
tage.
For Monastic kiss, a gentleman
and lady kneel on the carpet, back to
back. Both then turn their heads,
one to the right, the other to the left,
until the desired salute is given. AS
the position is rather fatiguing to the
lady, and might even cause her to fall,
it is allowable for the gentleman deli
cately to help her to keep her balance
with his arm.
Kissing your own shadow is per-
formed by placing yourself between
the light and the lady. :
Kissing the candlcstick is a little
trick played on a lady whom you have
cunningly persuaded into holding a
candlestick. Kissing the bottom of
may be effected by placing
the candlestlck on the lady's head
showing the spirit of contradiction Is
doing the very reverse Of what the COM
pany tell you to do; you are lucky
fellow therefore, if lady tells you
that she insists upon you not kissing
her, when condemned as a forfeit. To
Sulk, you whisper some ladys name
in the ear OF the person who gives the
forfeits, and then put yourself III a
corner, and the forfeit holder COM
mands the ladies, one after the other,
to 60 and see you in the corner. You
are obliged, however unwlllingly, to turn
your back on all except the one whose
name you had previously designated.
whom you may kiss. To go a beg
ging and to perform pilgrimage are
favorite forfeits. For the first you
go down on your knees before lady,
and touch her hands repeatedly with
your own hands clasped. She Iretends
to be deaf to your entreaties, and af-
fects not to understand what it is you
desire. At last she asks, edo you
want some bread? Do you want some
water Do you want penny Do
yon want pair of shoes and so on.
To each of these questions you answer
by shake of the head ard
continued supplication with clasped
hands. She then says, edo you want
a kiss?" at which you of course jump