The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1891-10-25
FASHIONS ODD CONCEIqS
Most of Them Seem to Be
Based on Old
Ideas.
ONLY ONE REALLY NEW DANUI
Planchette in Slightly Altered Form
Phantom Parties aud Webs
Of Fate-kotes and Incl

Andoof amusements are now well under
T way. The cool evenings being delightful
for playing games, everybody is looking
for something Of that kind to pass away
the time. Progressive euchre this season
to great extent. has lost It's fascination,
and the once popular game Of 'sTlddledy :
winks" is sunken IN oblivion Whist has
been tried for change, bnt among young
people it has proved failure.
But new amusement holding sway at
present is the novel game OF s'Ouija.'' Il
is also called the Egyptian Luck Board,
and really IL no other than the
old game OF 'PIanchette.n which reigned
supreme over all other games, when il
or igineted in France IN 1850. sOaija, :,
without doubt. il interesting, and never
| fails to provide amusement for every one.
! The manner in which it Is played not
only affords entertainment TO tbose
| participating Ia it. but creates merriment
Tor the onlookers also. The game con-
| sists OF board called talking board =
| ard q miniatures table of wood made In
| the shape of heart, about eight inches
/ long and fourlnches wide, called fs0uIja -
Upon the board are printed in large
letters the alphabet a scale OF figures.
and the words yes and "no.n When
! playing the board must be placed on the
10 the centre. and the players press their
fingers lightly on 1T.
In from one to five minutes Ouija will
commence to move. and is able TO talk
| and answer any question put, rapidly
/ touching the printed letters on the board
! and spelling out words and making conn
| plete sentences.
| OF course "Quija1 tells many tales and
| divulges all the secrets, especially the
love affairs Of all who happen 20 be pres
ent. ''Ouija" also pretends to be some
what supernatural, able to link the
known with the unknown, and the ma
teriRl with the unmateriai. Simple
though the game Is, it is an excellent
means for making run, and that is its
| main virtue.
Apropos Of this game. remember a
funny incident which occurred
| young lady who expected friend
| TO spend Sunday at the same place
! asked OHija earnestly whether he would
come. Ouija seemed unwilling to answer
the question hastily. At last it moved
firmly and gave ont the cruel answer.
No" The young lady had the greatest
/ confidence in the game, it was really
wonderful, she thought. and In conse-
! quence she Was quite crestfaIlen the rest
| Of the day. The following morning Will
lam appeared Il is wonderful game.
WEB OF FATE
another OLD fashlousd amusement re-
yived IS tne 'fnantom Party 1t is now
MADE more amusing, being combined
with the WEB OF Fate Everyone
knows what the phantom costume consists
81, ana now gnastiy one looks shrouded
~ snees Win 9 pillow case bsding the
head. and white mask covering the
face. Since 1t has been revived the hos
tess in r5hantotf attire rppaivaa har sy1aatu
IN silence and motions them to the dress
ing room, from WHICH they make sud
den appearance clad In the same white
costume
On entering the parlor each guest re-
| celves q single thread OF the web OF
late. The thread Is gaily coiored
twine aud about twenty yards long.
from Some conspicuous place it is sus-
pended over the Chandelier, the doorway,
or picture, pursuing its course in any
direction, over book cases, up stairways,
TO the top noor; sometimes to the kitchen.
until az last, IN some out of the way
place, IL is tled about the hidden late
Inc 'fates" are bits OF paper, and on
each one is written the destiny CT the one
Tor whom 1t Is intended. The hostess
prepares them, and writes them in such
manner that when read they inspire
wit and humor- The strings in the net
must be OF bright color. and all entirely
dinerent, so that when they cross and
become entangled they can be traced.
Wnen a phantom discovers the roll of
fate prize is awarded him or her, as the
case may be-
NOTHING NEW UNDER THE sun
The dances TOR the season. too. are
nearly all old ones revised. The old min
net, forgotten By our grandmothers, is
with their descendants. The waltz, wiu-
ming popular favor is danced slowly,
looking gracefully with both feet on the
floor. It is danced to six short counts
There Is no spring 10 IL, aud the turns
and reverses are made so easily that ne
dress of the lady remains undistu rbed by
the motion. which IS almost walk.
The LIE Reeve, Berlin polka, Musette
and Dancing in the Barn are becoming
famous. but the dance for slmpiicity,
beauty and grace is the Oxford. It was
arranged by George Beck, OF Chicago,
entertainment