The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-03-13
PARLOR ADJUSTMENTS
Brighten Indictment EVENINGS.

Brighten luclemeut Evenings.
Parlor games are the order OF the
day at country houses, where society
is pleased to lay aside its dignity for
a time and forget formality and ever
lasting sameness of the cotillion. Old
favorites there are in plenty, but the
demand for something new is none the
less constant and emphatic Here are
few that met with the favor of a
popular hostess of the hunting set.
who entertained a large party at her
country place last week
The constituents of a good-looking
and well-known politician would have
been very much surprised if they could
have seen him at this same house party
sitting on the floor playing potato 4"
He lives in an uptown apartment. and
his rumored engagement-but that is
another story and intended for the
society column. Anyway there are
four rows, six in a row, of raw Irish
potatoes. -Four people were called out
at time and each assigned row. The
object was to pick up with silver
spoon each apple of the Emerald Isle,
and, walking the length of the room
with it. to deposit it safely on a plate
difficult matter, indeed, And great
is the temptation in a crisis to give the
potato little shove with the finger to
anything one may hold in the other
hand. This however, would cause one
to be ruled off the track" At the end
Of three minutes time is called ana
the four contestants give place to four
others, after the potatoes have been
arranged again. When every one has
had trial the prize is awarded to the
one who has the largest number of po-
tatoes on his plate.
Palette is the name of a game that
has found favor good sized black
board is provided Names of birds and
animals are written on folded slips of
paper. Each guest is called in turn
and selects a paper What he finds
written here he must draw on the
board. The less he knows about draw
ing the greater the fun.
Each player is in honor bound not TO
tell what his paper contained, for the
prize is awarded to the one who has
guessed correctly the greatest number
of animals drawn.
AT recent party I saw young wo-
man who devoutly wished she had paid
more attention to her drawing master
when at school. She had to draw a
bear, and she concluded to assist her
fellow guests by trying to suggest a
we'll known advertisement. Amid wild
laughter, most people decided il was a
chicken on fence
Even the most prosaic of us have
We'll, an interest in the occult. Not that
we believe anything of the sort Of
course; we are too clever. yet When
spirits are called the lights are lowered.
and the Pickering freight lends a
ghostly effect and, of course, a thought
less hostess has been careful to hang
in convenient spots lunches of mistle-
toe. But then, far be it from me to
hint that a combination of dim. reli-
gious light and mistletoe, and not love
of scientific search impels the young
people to go in for "dowser"
Few people know the exact meaning
and derivation of "dowser." 1t means
water finder. A dowsing rod is an
old Cornish word for divining rod
Now, if a rod is made of the wood from
hazel willow or thorn tree and
shaped like fork. when held loosely
by a person of the least mediumistic
power it win seek water
The hostess provides bowl of water
and several twigs-or, more properly,
the dowser rods-and several people
are chosen TO hold the rods and proceed
to discover if they are dowsers or NOE
They are watched very carefully to
prevent them form cheating Some.
we are told, have the power so slightly
that they are compelled to hold the rod
directly over the water. These, now
ever, are not the real thing" for 81
genuine dowser is not phased by a lit
tie matter of the water being twenty
feet underground
Then there is the ever fascinating
table rapping. This is the favorite oc-
suit performance. A light table is
placed in the middle of the floor. The
entire company gather around. Hands
are spread out, the tips of the fingers
lightly touching. The table is asked
questions, and somehow ii answers
them. People who have taken part in
this manifestation have no further
words TO explain than 1T is a curious
fact"
When the pretty creature whom YOU
have adored for year asks the table
If she has met her "fate" perhaps no
spirit with any decency will feel offend
ed II YOU help matters along a bit and
give the table tip. That, however. IS
something between your conscience
and the spirit. You must settle it your
self.
Thought reading comes in for its
share during these times. This often
resolves itself into viii power, and even
the most sceptical believe in will pow
err When two people meet. whether 1t
is social intercourse or warfare, each