Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-05-19
PLEASANT PARLOR GAMES.
How the French Canadians Amuse Them
selves at Home.
Boston Globc.l

boston hiODc.I
The French Canadians have a geography
game that have not met with elsewhere,
writes j. Macdonald Oxley. They call 1t
simply La Geographic, and IT Is played III
the following manner:
Each PLAYER has paper and pencil, ana
all take seats in a row. or, better stlll, IN q
semicircle. The head of the line then calls
ont SAY Countrlcs-Asia,' and at once
writes Asia" at the top of his paper, the
other players initiating his example.
The player next to him must then, be-
fore ten is slowly counted, call out the
name of another country whose INITIAL
letter is the same as the hnal letter Oh
ASIA q.
suppose he or she calls out America
Very good: America is jotted down,
and now the third player has TO call out a
country whose name begins with \.
After some thinking africa" suggests
itself. All right, down goes Africa,
and still the demand is for country be-
ginning with A.
But the fourth player introduced variety
bv calling out "Afghanistan,' so that
number five has to seek country begin
ming with n. Happily, Norway soon
comes into the mind, although IT leaves
an awkward nut for number SIX 20 crack.
Thus the game proceeds, the penalty OF
failure to supply a name or town being
whatever NAV be agreed Ipon-a forfeit
heinz sent down TO the foot, etc. Cites
rivers. mountains, etc, may be treated 10
the same way, or IF the players find 1t too
ditfcult To confne themselves to one geo.
graphical feature the whole field OF geogra-
phv may be thrown open, the only REQUIRE,
meut being that each new name shoulu
begin with the last letter OF the preceding
one.
In Lower Canada the boys have game
that no doubt their ancestors brought
over with them from In belle France Gen.
turies ago but which | have never seen
nIaved by the boys of che other provinces
IN is called La Main Claude that IS;
the warm hand-and when | describe ~
am sure YOU will agree with me that the
name is very appropriate;
One of the players takes his seat IN
chair. Another is blindfolded, ana, elthel
kneelinr down before the settee or SIMPLY
bending forward, as he may prefer rest
his head on the, other knee. be sen hlI ~.
hack. with palm outstretched, he holus
ms richt hand. The game IS now ready tt
begin. u.ou,.,1,-o.
round the blindfolded one whose palm lies
90 temptingly open, and IN turn give M
hand a smart slap with theirs. IL Is tht
bTuiness of the unfortunate wight thus
hc;no slapped to guess who strikes MN
mo sitter determining the accuracy OF tn'
Cuess and the instant he guesses correctly
the person whom ho has thus found ou'
tales his place and the game proceeds.
When not too roughly played gTea'
deal of fun may be had ont OF La Man
Gbaude." but Of course such undue ylo
lsnce must be guarded against as is illus i;
t-ated in a famous French picture, Whl ui
re T lot of monks divertlng them
selves with this lively game. Inc Dlln nt
folded victim is evidently noyitlate, an.
a great coarse monk with crnel grin W. -
a n,S fine extended hand with his heavy
S Toolien sabot, while the .gentle;,face'
Srother is lifting his hand in shocked pro
test II is powerful picture, and goo'
lesson against cruelty in itself.