The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-10-22
ideas for dWonaen.


Most American youngsters would look
upon life as a failure unless a birthday
festival were celebrated with a party
Mrs. Frances Hodgson Burnett. in that
charming study Of child-life, The One
knew the Best of ALL has given us the
description Of a first party, and aptly put
upon paper the romance with which the
function is invested in q youngsters
mind~
Children's entertainments should never
take place at night. Late hours are GER
tainly inappropriate-though many women
are foolish enough to i~naugurate them for
that time. They are best Of all when
opened early in the afternoon-say ! 2.
Nor at the earliest hour convenient for
the little ones after leaving school.
The newest thing in this line is the
miniature luncheon party in which the
small hostess Of the affair can preside
over a Liliputian table, and her small aids
may pour the coffee, tea or milk with as
much grace and eelat as their mother or
older sister would put into the action
But wouldn't a luncheon be unwhole-
some? Wouldn't I have to provide indi-
gestible dishes Of all varieties, and give
the children great quantities of sweets in
order to make them happy2' cries the
anxious mamma.
Not at all. This great bugbear Of pro-
viding exactly the proper edibles for chill
dren's parties is. in reality. the simplest
thing imaginable, If a little thought be
bestowed uponit. The menu. for instance,
might contain the following:-In addition
10 tea and coffee. milk should be pro-
vided, and, perhaps. bottled waters, for
many children are not accustomed to cof-
fee and tea. Bouillon. served in tiny
cups; excellent bouillon can be bought in
cans and heated for the affair. 1t should
be brought to the table in a covered
pitcher. and the small hostess detailed to
pour It.
The second course may consist Of cold
fowl-chicken or t~urkey-the white meat
principally. The slices thin and the dish
daintily garnished with green's With the
turkey, small sandwiches-ham, cheese
or cress sandwiches-would be suitable.
These are daintily cut to a pretty size;
mot more than two or three inches square.
ard are bound with ribbon. Z
After this follows a course of hot bis
cult and pure Jam. of home manufacture.
The biscuit must be tiny in proportion, to
suit the fancy of children for cute
Things with this course, the hot choco-
sate might be served.
Confectionery, ice cream. German fa-
pors. nuts, cake may end the feast, If
these can be afforded. The cake, ponbons
and ice cream may b made at home. and
-. -s1f ~~-<aD %ht- rnndo of 1r0-
Siding them, on account of the additional
purity in the edibles. which is thus Sc
cured. The nuts should be cracked before
being brought to the table.
German favors are inexpensive Some
good varieties come as low as % cents
per dozen. The. youngsters are sure TO
find an almost unimaginabie amount OF
enjoyment in these. When the small trig-
gers are pulled. the toy explodes with a
tharp pistol report, while caps, gowns and
pther articles Of dress. concocted In it's
sue paper. are revealed
80
The belongings of the table for such an
affair should be selected from the smallest
which the house affords-tiny flower vases
with cut flowers, viii form a pretty decor
tson. Small breakfast p1ates-or, better
still. sbread and butter Plates should
put into ~requisition. The knives and
forks. cups and saacers, etc, should all
be selected from the smallest Of the
household stock.
When eating is over q few good games
are begun. And in these II is better that
some grown up should take part.
Children, If left to their devices,
are likely to feel this need. An adult
will always be able TO suggest new forms
of amusement and to keep the fun 60
ing"
A time honored custom at children's
parties is 'tthe grab bag" In this q
variety of small trinket and toys cost
ing from one cent to ten cents apiece
are laid m-iscellaneously. The children
form in line and each as he or she passes
the bag thrusts In the small right hand
and pulls out a plum" The grab bag is
old, but 1t seems never to loose its pris-
tine charm.
Somewhat similar is the ceremony of
The ssawdust pudding" which is some
times used TO replace the grab bag"
In this a huge bow is used filed with
sawdust. The toys wrapped In tissue
paper are buried in the dust. The pudding
is served with a large wooden ladle. the
hostess taking care thai each helping"
received by Zach small guest contain a
gift. Good children's games suitable for
an occasion of this kind have often been
described in THE Press. Hunting pea
nuts. the patent medicine game, the
geography ann drawing q man from
beans, sieight-of-hand tricks, ETC., these
may all be added to the old favorites-
blind mans buzz, magic music, Ring
Around a Rosy guessing games, for
feits and so on. With little ingenuity
the fun may be kept alive up to the very
pine for departure.
The day before they are to be served
take n or q pair of old hens and stew
gently for four hours ALLOW to cool over
night, in the water In which they nave
been boiled, then roast in the oyen IN the
usual way, that is allow ten minutes TO
every pound. basting often with the drip
pings Of roast beef or bacon fat, a large
tablespoonful of which must be put in the
par with the chicken when first put In
the oven. If young housekeepers would
only awaken to the necessity of basting