Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-02-15
Frolics by the Fireside.

Invariably, children wish for frolic
just before bedtime, and they ought to
have it. They 60 to bed happier and
sleep the better for it. Something all
can Join in is best, writes Mrs. A. G..
Lewis in the Youths Companion,
since father and mother should never
grow too old, nor allow themselves to
become too busy to join the children in
the evening games.
Handkerchief bear is merry game.
The bear" takes the middle of the
room. His cage may be certain spot
or figure in the carpet or rug. He
must stay in his cage at all events.
His business is to catch the children by
the handkerchiefs, which are tied Sc
curely to their hands by fastening one
corner about the wrist. The children
approach the cage cautiously, throw
ing out their handkerchiefs temptingly
to bruin, yet, if possible, just beyond
his reach. In case he, in his eagerness,
slips beyond the prescribed limits of
the cage, he is condemned to catch
two or more, as his offense requires,
before he can be released. When
bruin succeeds in catching a child, he
roars wildly, and affects to devour his
prey. The prey becomes bruin in
turn.
Another quite similar in type, is the
rollicking game of Ragged Tom"
Papa, for instance, goes out OF the
room and rigs up in some odd costume;
| then, with cane or umbrella or shep-
| herds staff in hand, he knocks loudly
| at the door. The following dialogue
| ensues:
Children Who's there?
| Papa-Old Ragged Tom.
Children-What are you after?
Papa-Sheep.
| Children-What kind do you want?
Papa-Fat ones, and I'm after them
| low.
Ragged Tom" bursts through the
| door. The children scatter in every
direction, with Ragged Tom" pursu-
| ing. The first sheep caught must, i'll
turn. be "Tom," or he, "Tom," must
catch all, sending them off to bed in
| the order of their capture. This is also
| a merry game for the playground.
Another still is Feeding Jocko.
"Jocko" is supposed to be very capri
cious monkey, who may be conciliated
with Jumps of sugar and soft words.
Yet his good-nature is hardly to be de-
pended upon. His cage is made out of
four wooden chairs, SO set as to form
hollow square. Through the chair
rounds "Jocko" must be fed. The
frolic consists in the feeding. One
says: Dear, good Jocko, here's lump
of sugar for you" The SUGARS safely
handed through the bars, which
"Jocko" receives with expressions OF
| IL -
| Another Lays, Nice Jocko, will you
have this delicious nut?" Another,
"Huve bite of my candy?" The
candy is withdrawn before "Jocko" can
taste it. He begins to growl The
children continue to tease him, and
play all sorts of pranks to vex him.
They offer him sweets when his back
is turned. AT last some unwary hand
is caught. The one caught is obliged
to give up his store of sweets to
"Jocko" and take the monkeys place.
This game is immensely funny when
some boy of the company initiates we'll
the antics of a chimpanzce.
| Spinning Jack is suited to young
| people who understand something OF
arithmetic, of division, multiples, etc.
Suppose there are seventeen players.
Each player is numbered from to 16),
and must be sure to remember his or
her number. ihe seventeenth Is
slack" He stands in the center of
the room as spinner.
Those numbered 1, 3, 5, 7, etc, are
called odds; =, 4, 6, s, etc, even; 3, 6,
8, etc, threes; 5, 10, Is, tives, and 8
and Is, Fights. The spinner whirls a
cover of wood or tin, saying: Il spin
Jack for odds" All odds rush to Sc
cure the cover before it drops. The
odd who secures "Jack" announces his
own number, which the former spinner
takes and retains for the present. Il
| spin Jack for threes." whoever secures
1t calls his own number which the re-
firing spinner assumes, then calls out
Immediately: Il spin Jack for even"
or, odds and evens change numbers, L
spin Jack for evens." In the latter
case the odds and evens change num-
| bers, thus: The odds take the num-
bers next higher than the original
ones, and the evens the next number
| lower; meanwhile, they who have been
| spinners must keep clearly in mind
| whether they belong to odds or evens,
and to what set of multiples each be-
| long.
81 spin Jack for ALL" gives to each
| player his original number, and calls
the first spinner of all to his place to
! claim the cover. Multiples may be
called to change in rapid succession.
There need be no confusion if each
| player is attentive to his duty. Yet
the game demands deal of both Thys-
zeal and mental alertness. Forfeits
may he required of those who fail.
Got Used to 1t.
"Can l use your telephone minute?"
she asked, as she ran into neighbours
on Second avenue with a shawl over
her head.
"Oh, certainly"
II am going to give party next
week, and l want to invite few
friends"
"Yes?"
ut is to be very select party"
"Yes?"
"Only my friends"
"Yes?"
"And, therefore, you-,you won't
be-"
ANGRY if am not invited, nor won't
consider it cheeky if you use my tele-
phone to invite others? Oh, no. Any
one who keeps telephone in the house
for use of the neighborhood soon gets
used tn anvthinu Wbv man ooma