St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-01-13

the circle, by a rustic of skirts, by the
odor of tobacco, by the perfume of a
bunch of flowers or like fashion. The
players may talk in disguised tones if
they dare, and innumerable other ex-
Dedients to puzzle and tantalize the
blind man are resorted to. When he
makes an unsuccessful CUES a hand
clap from the other players informs him
of the error. When he gueSses rightly
the one whom he has discovered must
take his place and be blindfolded.
THE BLIND QUADRILLE. :
When there is large company, SO
that it can be divided into two parts,
one part performers, the other audi
ence, q jolly diversion is the blind quad
rifle. The music, the calls the num-
Der of dancers-eight-and all the like
details are the same as in any Quadrllle.
This dance has one characteristic, how
ever, which makes it grotesque and alb
surd-all the dancers are blindfolded
1t does not require any great length of
time for the dancers to become Wildly
confused, hopelesSly entangled, and their
efforts to perform the movements as
they are called out are ludicrous be-
yond measure. The audience delights
in their disorderly attempts to trip the
measure but when the first dancers
dance for the amusement of the others.
A very diverting sport is that of blow
ing out the candle. 1t is excellent as
means of paying forfeit, or 1t may be
used as a test to be undergone by all
the company in succession. a candle
is lighted and placed on the edge OF a
table. The victim is blidfolded ana
brought to within a short distance of
the table, facing it. He is then turned
about three or four time, until he is
totally confused in his ideas of direc-
ton. 1t then becomes his task to blow
out that candle. Fe must hold Is hands
clasped behind his back the company
agreeing to warn him against possible
dangers. except from the candle. The
victim is as likely as not to approach
the vacant part of the room and blow
mighty breaths at the empty atmos-
phere, while showing unmistakable
symptoms of fear that he is about to
burn his nose.
For those who can sing-and for
those who cannot-the honorable ballad
Of the popcorn man offers opportunl-
ties for huge enjoyment. The players
are arranged in a circle. The leader
turns to his left hand neighbor and
sings solemnly to a grave or monoto-
nous tune the following words:
Oh don't you know the popcorn man?
Oh, don't you know the popcorn man!
Oh don't you know the popcorn man
Who lives in poor mans lane?
The leader and every player must main
tain sober face throughout the chanting of
the ditty or pay forfeit. The next player,
thus questioned in song. must stare the
leader in the face and sing in serious manner
this reply:
Oh, yes. 1 know the popcorn man.
Oh yes. I know the popcorn man.
Oh, yes. | know the popcorn man
Who lives in mans lane.
When he has concluded this stanza he
turns to his left-hand neighbor and inter-
rogates him:
Oh, don't you know the popcorn man?
Oh don't you know the popcorn man?
Oh don't you know the popcorn man
Who lives in poor mans lane?
The fun continues in this way until the
round of players has been made. When all
have sung the words, the whole company joins
in singing the following chorus:
We all know the popcorn man.
We all know the popcorn man.
We all know the popcorn man
Who lives in poor mans lane.
1t is to be believed that no company has
yet succeeded in singing through this ballad
without accommodating large quantity of for
feits.
There are many amusements which depend
on the failure of those who essay any desig
mated task. Such, for example, is that known
to all who dote on fun where each person with
shut eyes tries to draw the outline of pig.
Often the unfortunate subject of sketch will
have an eye in it's side and a tail on it's head,
with a general appearance unlike anything
else in air or on earth. Another diversion of
the same sort is gained by sticking fork in
the wall at height of four or five feet from
the floor and then placing cork on the end
of it. The performer approaches the cork and
places his forefnger by it in careful determi-
nation of the height. He must then walk
backward across the room, pause, close one
eye and once more approach the cork. This
time he will endeavor to knock the cork off
by blow of his forefnger The result is
usually disappointing to the performer, but
most gratifying to the remainder of the COM
pany. Ia