River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1873-12-23
Holiday Games.
sNAP-DRAdoN,

bNAP-DRAGON.
A quantity of raisins are placed in
bowl (the broader and shailower it is
the BETTER and brandy 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 on it is usual to extinguish the
lights in the room, so that the lurid
glare from the flaming spirits may exer.
else to the full its weird-like effect.
THE GAME OF TAPES.
Each person holds a piece by one
end. The other ends are grasped, like
so many single re1ns, in the hands of
the leader of the game, whose place is
consequently in the center of the ring.
When he calls out "Loose !" every
body must tighten their tape. When
he gives the word Of command,
"Tight !" they must slacken it. 1t 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 a 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 a chorus. They sud-
denly cease, and the bindman
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 be must pay forfeit and
take the blindman's place.
FokFEITs.
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 innocently,
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 a 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, 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 lady whom YOU have
cunningly persuaded into holding
candlestick. Kissing the bottom of n
candlestick may be effected by placing
the candlestck 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 q lucky
fellow therefore, if a lady tells you
that she insists upon you not kissing
her. when condemned as q forfeit. To
Sulk, YOU whisper some lady's name
in the ear OF the person who gives the
forfeits. and then put yourself in
corner. and the forfeit holder COM
mands the ladies, one after the other,
10 60 and see you in the corner. You
are Obliged, however unwilllngly, TO turn
your back on all except the one whose
name YOU had previously designated,
whom YOU may kiss. TO so n beg
cling and 10 perform pilgrimage are
favorite forfeits. For the first you
90 down on your knees before lady,
and touch her hands repeatedly with
vour own hands clasped. She pretends
to be deaf 10 your entreaties, and al.
fects not TO understand what IL is you
desire. At last she asks, Do you
wsnt some bread Do you want some
water Do you want penny Do
yon want a pair Of shoes and 50 on.
To each Of these questions you answer
negatively by a shake Of the head and
continued supplication With clasped
. hands She then says, "do you want
kiss /" at which you Of course jump