The herald., 1893-05-04
THE TWENTY ouEsTIoNsD GAME.

An Interesting Diversion For Whole
Roornful of Clever People.
Among the most acceptable games for
small companies Is the game of Twenty
Questions" q great favorite with the
English, although not widely known
here.
Therequisites for Twenty Questions
are, first, two rooms, that the company
may be divided into two sides. The di-
vision of the guests may be done by their
selecting one of two colors in bells, balls
or ribbons, or by the choosing of sides
after the old fashioned spelling school
style. The hostess must see to 1t that
there be an even division Of the objects
and exactly the same number as there
are guests, in order to prevent the ieav-
ing out of friend or other awkward
mistakes. Two leaders or spokesmen
should be chosen, the host being natu-
rally one of them, and it will also save
further mishaps If the second leader be
previously selected and given the idea of
the game.
The sides being selected either by
III UW lA4t5 Va l1ODOllp VI Wy ClioASC VI btlO
leaders-a method which has its awk-
ward side where there are people sensi-
tive to being the last chosen In q COM
pany-each side retires to its own room
and selects an object which it's opponents
are to discover by the asking of 20 ques-
tions, or as many less than that number
ffde feo keep E1 record oi1d of the questions ana
and answers by numbers, that no con-
fusion may arise from misunderstood
questions or replies To this end each
scribe should keep tally on two sheets OF
paper--the questions Of his own side
with the respective answers on one, and
the opponents questions and the replies
of his own side on the other.
The object selected may be inanimate,
animate, ancient, modern or historical
may exist in fact or fiction, the only
qualification being that it shall be suf-
ficiently well known so that majority
of the players on the other side may be
supposed to have seen or read about it.
| A spirit of fairness should of course be
shown in the selection of objects, and in
each case the answers should be honest
and not hairsplitting, although giving as
little information as possible. Such OBJ
iects as Ben Franklin's loaf of bread
which he carried under his arm as he
walked up Market street in Philadelphia
the metal cap of the Washington monu
ment, the last rail laid on local rail
road. the armor of the Black Prince II
the Tower of London and Rip Van Win
kle's gun will illustrate the wide rang
of choice in objects permissible. Afte
each side announces the choice of it
subject through its leaders by knocking
on the door, hostilities begin.
Each side deliberates on the question
TO be given the other and its own re
plies with closed doors, each guest con
tributing informally his ideas of wordin
the replies and questions and his guesse
as to the eneny's object. But communica
ton with the, opposing side must be cor
Quoted wholly through the leaders, th
other people being silent when the door
are open. And the leaders must nc
make answers or put questions withor
first consulting their respective side
The doors should never be opened witt
out warning knock. Any question
allowable, the first one being general,
"To what kingdom does your object b
longT'-Ph Philadelphia Times.