Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1893-04-21
The TWENTY QUESTIONS GAME.
An Interesting Diversion For y whole
RoomfuI of Clever People.

An interesting Diversion For = Whole
ROOmfuI of Clever People.
Among the most acceptable games for
small companies is the game Of Twenty
Questions" 3 great favorite with the
English, although not widely known
here.
The requisites 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 it that
there be an even division of the objects
and exactly the same number as there
are guests, in order to prevent the leav-
ing ont of q 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
drawing of ribbons or by choice Of the
leaders-a method which has its awk.
ward side where there are people sensi-
tive to being the last chosen in a COM
pany-each side retires to its own room
and selects an object which, its opponents
are to discover by the asking of 20 ques-
tions, or as many less than that number
as may be. A scribe is chosen for each
tide TO keep record of the questions and
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-
ticiently 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
jects 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 In
the Tower of London and Rip Van Win
kles gun will illustrate the wide range
of choice in objects permissible. After
each side announces the choice of its
subject through its leaders by knocking
on the door, hostilities begin.
Each side deliberates on the questions
TO be given the other and its own re-
plies with closed doors, each guest con
tributing informally his ideas Of wording
the replies and questions and his guesses
as TO the enemy's object. But eommunica-
tion with the opposing side must be con-
Quoted wholly through the leaders. the
other people being silent when the doors
are open, And the leaders must not
make answers or put questions without
first consulting their respective sides
The doors should never be opened with
out warning knock. Any question is
allowable, the first one being generally,
''To what kingdom does your object be-
longF'-Philadelphia Times.