Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-12-22
Miscellaneous.
From Ehrich's Quarterly.
winter Evening Amusements.

From Ehrich's Quarterly.
Winter Evening Amusements.
How shall we amuse our guests? il
often . seriously perplexing question,
when holiday gathering is impending.
Dancing. indeed. is all-sufiicient for the
young people, and for the ordinary party"
no other form of amusement need be pro-
vided. But when, as not unfrequently
happens at Christmas time, the assemblage
is to q great extent q family one, to which
three generations are hidden, the hostess
finds it puzzling task, indeed, to provide
some form of amusement in which all can
take . part; and yet, unless she does so,
she il apt to find, to her chagrin, that
what she had hoped would be a pleasant,
happy evening has lapsed into a cold and
somewhat stupid entertainment, at which
nobody has thoroughly enjoyed himself.
Good-natured grandpapa may stiAe an in
cipient yawn, and declare that he is having
q delightful time; and the unmarried
youth Of both sexes may smilingIy main
tain the conversation which interests them
not; but grandpa (and grandma too, for
that matter) is secretly wishing it was
time to break up, and cousins Jane and
Charley are mentally voting the affair
bore; while the hostess reads the secret
thoughts of all of them. and vows. as she
takes the openly rebelIious children off to
bed, that never. never, never will she be
tempted to do it again.
Yet by taking thought beforehand, it is
easy enough to arrange a programme OF
simple games and diversions, in which
the oldest and the youngest can alike take
part, and which all will find amusing.
And, in fact, il is programme hat is
chiefly needed tor such a party as ! have
indicated. If only the hostess has decid-
ed beforehand on a simple list of amuse-
ments, she will find it very little trouble,
and need but little tact to persuade her
company that each succeeding game is
just the very thing that everybody has
been longing for, and, consequently. the
most enjoyable that could be suggested.
It is easy to feel the pulse of an assem-
blage and if it responds but languidly at
first, the tactful entertainer will vary the
nature of her treatment, until she feels
the full and bounding throbbing that tells
of interest awakened.
To speak of all or even many of the
games adapted to a family gathering.
would be task beyond my powers, and
m affection to the readers of the Quarterly;
but ! venture to describe few of those
which l have found most useful. For
those who wish longer lists there are
books devoted to the subject, from which
selection can be made without difficulty.
GIFTS AND Uses.
This is always a good game to COM
mence an evening with, as it is exceed
ingly simple to learn, and provokes a
good deal of kindly laughter The play
ers having seated themselves. two persons
are chosen by lot to present the gifts, and
describe their uses. The first visits each
player in succession, whispering to each:
II present you with-a table, or chair,
or horse and buggy. or anything she
may happen to think of; while the second
follows IN the same manner. whispering
to each in turn the use he is to make of
his present: rs. ''you must light the fire
with it," or you must wear it on your
head" or You must take it to the kitch-
en-" When the gifts have all been dis
tributed, and their uses described. each
player Is called upon in succession to de-
clare aloud what he has received. and
what he is to do with it. The almost
inevitable incongruity between the article
presented and the use to which the recipient
has been instructed to put it is very pro-
v0cative of laughter; while, occasionally.
the peculiar applicability of both gift and
Instructions. proves very amusing
CONDOLENCES
This is game somewhat similar to
''Giits and Uses.' The players being seat
ed in circle, each one whispers to his
right hand neighbor the name Of some
this, each one whispers to his left hand
nelghbOr, some quotation or familiar say
ing. remember playing this once when
the circle included all ages from over 60
to land some of the hits were very good
One of the little ones gave his grand
fathers name. it being to him the most
noted he could remember. Now the old
gentleman was famous for his gallantry
to young ladies SO that the announcement
of his name. coupled with the prove.b;
Its we'll TO be of with the old love be-
fore you are on with the new" was re-
ceived with shouts of appreciative APP
plsuse. A stanch Republican was given
the name of rccently-elected Democratic
Governor. bnt he announced the sentiment:
Every dog has his day." with an en-
phasis that pointed its application. and
showed the fervor of his political faith.
The name of divine who had gotten him
self into warm places by his loquacity.
was accompanied by the quotation, 'Sil-
ence is golden" These few illustrations
show how the game is played.
The OFEN BOARD OF BROKERS
When noise is not objected to. this will be
found queerly amusing, though very
simple game. In preparation for it,
there should be copied on sepa-
rate cards the name. of number OF
railway and other corporations (takirg
the names from the share-lists of any
newspaper; bnt if there is no time for
this, the game may be played with blank
cards. The players sit in close circle,
or in two rows facing each other. The
leader then hands card to his neighbor,
naming waht it is as he does so. The
second player passes it on to the next, re-
peating the name, and thus the card is
passed quickly round the circle, each one
calling out its name as he posses it on
Meanwhile the leader has continued hand
ing the cards. which have in turn been
passed on, SO that by the time the first has
got well started on its rounds. half doz-
en- voices are shouting out at the same
a. -