Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1892-03-26
THE FLEETING SHOW.

GHOSTS, PHANToMs AND FUN.
A somewhat old fashioned amusement,
formerly known as a sheet and pillow-case
party, has been revived and renamed, with
the added interest of "web of fate," to
make it specially entertaining The. Co.'S
tune for Phantom Party as of old, con-
sists of large sheet. fully shrouding the
figure, and a pillow-case with apertures
for the eyes and mouth. In such ghostly
garments the hostess receives her guests,
greeting them silently and motioning them
to their rooms, from which they emerge in
spectral attire and seemingly without the
power to utter articulate sounds.
To each phantom is given a thread of
the web of fate, and they mutely follow
the clues, which, by devious ways, lead
them at last to the scrolls whsreon are
traced the prophecies of the future. The
cords should be of different colors, and
are not arranged in geometrical web, but
pursue their winding course from room to
room, upstairways and down, over pictures
and chandeliers, around chair-rungs and
door knobs, crossing and recrossipg each
other repeatedly in the usual "cobweb
party" style.
When all the rolls of fate are discovered
tongues are unloosed, the prophecies are
read aloud, prize is presented to the
lucky first finder, and the merry unmask
ing follows.
The cords should be of the same length,
twenty or thirty feet, and the prophecies
should always be cheerful and witty. They
may be original compositions, or bright
and humorous quotations, according to
the ingenuity of the hostess.
The spectacle of sheeted ghosts, fitting
about the rooms, climbing upon chairs,
creeping under pianos, reaching, untang-
ling, winding, is sufficiently ludicrous to
upset the gravity of any "spook," but
laughter is as vigorously tabooed as speech.
Perhaps the hilarity that follows the read
| ing of the rolls of fate is all the merrier
for the enforced silence of the guest.
Not quite of the same character is the
| diversion known as ''Ghost Party" No
ghosts are visible, if present, but the COM
pany, few congenial couples, sit by the
| dim light of a single candle, and while the
hearth fire softly glows, each in turn re-
| lates ghost story-not the really scarey
and shuddery ones, but only those that are
| agreeably creepy.
| Palms snd large ferns cast eerie shad-
ows, there should be the fragrance of
| flowers, luxurious cushions upon which to
lean, and in an adjoining room an oblig-
| ing musical friend plays, with most deli
cate touches, all the sweetly haunting,
hopelessly sad, Polish or Hungarian melo-
dies that she has at her fnger-ends, thus
heightening the weird effect of the
shadows, the dying fire, and the softly-told
tales of gentle, love-lorn ghosts, returning
to the scenes of earthly experiences and
sorrows.
Now for an amusing game, simple
enough, yet requiring more thought than
is at first apparent. In 1.-THE Travelled
Alphabet each player is required to state
to what place he is going, and mention the
names of two articles that he intends tc
purchase. Names of places, articles, an6
descriptive adjectives, if used, must al
begin with the same letter, each player
order to the one Just used When th'
alphabet is exhausted the players begil
again at A, but no words given in the pre-
ceeding round can be used second time
. Here are a few examples.
l. am going to Annapolis to buy an
| tidotes and a1manacs.
2. am going to Boston to buy bake,
beans and brown bread.
/ 8. I am going to Colorado to buy cab
bages and cardamons.
4. am going to Danbury to buy dyns
| dInlGo ouu
!. 5. am going to Ecuador to buy cleo
trotypes and elephants.
: And SO on, at pleasure. OF course tn
T. suitableness or the incongruity of the al
- ticles classed together does much to pro
u woke laughter in this game.
= TO determine partners for one of th
: many games for which partners are re
"a quired, it is suggested that a number {
cards be prepared, upon which are wri
ten the names of states and countries, an
upon a corresponding number the name
> of their capitals. .-.-.
The states and capitals must seek eac
p other out, and people whose geographic
!, knowledge has grown rusty for want {
4 use may be little troubled in the que
for a partner if the card bids them find or
3. for Venezuela, or the Ionian Islands, Be
n oochistsn, or some obscure European pril
,r cipality, but then this makes the search q
i. the more interesting and serves to refres
= the memory or teach lesson.
FAMOUS PIECE OF NEEDLEwoRK.
r Ladies' who plume themselves upon the
at tart needlework"-how tired we all are
At that phrasel-and who exhibit with mut
9. complaeency their scarfs and doileys, the
T. tides and cushions, spreads, center-piec
ly and afghans. should know that their wo
Of sinks into inter insignifcance when coI
Ne pared with that of their long-dsparted s