Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1898-12-15

warmed up into anything like sociabil-
ity. The most accomplished hostess
knows this, and if this is true of grown
folks how much more difficult it is to
get a number of boys and girls into any
kind of accord SO that they may have a
"real good time' from beginning to end
of an evening. think can tell them
how to manage it easily.
We will suppose the invitations to
have been sent out and the acoeptances
received. The supper isall prepared and
the house in readiness tits to be hoped
that all the guests will arrive promptly.
In the afternoon the young girl of the
family, or the boy, if it is to be boys
party, should take as many walnuts as
there are to be guests and carefully open
them and take out the meats Into all
but two put white bean rolled in
little tissue paper. In the two that are
left put large red bean and a small
black one. Two or three more than the
actual number of guests expected should
be prepared for unexpected ones. Into
these white beans are put. Each nut
should be glued together SO that it will
appear to be unbroken. Pile all these
in basket.
Two gilt paper crowns and gilt sticks
should be made. One as large and fine
as possible and the other small and
shabby. Two chairs should be in readi-
ness, a large, high one covered as roy
ally as circumstances will permit aud
the other small and poor. A kitchen
chair will do.
AS soon as each guest enters the par
lor he or she receives one of these nuts
until the order is given. This arouses
curiosity at once and generally breaks
the ice, as it gives each child something
to think about besides him or her self.
As soon as the last nut has been given
out at the door the mother or some
other grown person takes place in the
center of the room with the basket, now
empty, and calls for attention, then
says, "Form in line, beginning with
the one nearest the parlor door. and
march up to me. "
AS soon as that Is done the speaker
continues:
Now, begin at the head of the line
and break the nuts you received and
hand what is inside to me. There is a
red bean in one, black one in another.
All the rest have white beans. The girl
who gets the red bean is the queen to-
night, and the boy who finds the black
one is king. If a boy gets the red one,
he must pretend to be girl and act as
queen, and if girl finds the black one
she must be king. The queen is to choose
all the games to be played, and if the
| king doesn't like those games he may
object, but it WON'T do any good This
is as it should be. Now, each in turn
crack the nut and hand it to me-
The nuts cracked and contents disoov-
cred cause much excitement. The king
and queen are then crowned, the queen
| with the finer crown, and they are seat
ed on their respective thrones Often
the most incongruous results come from
this election, as very little queen and
| a grown up king, or vice versa. How
ever it happens it is always a source of
| fun.
As soon as the royal pair are seated
or enthroned the master or mistress of
| games to play. Among them are some
as old as the hills, for, tickle as childish
minds are, there is a faithfulness de-
| lightful TO sec when it comes to some of
the old games. If the majority of the
guests are small, more childish games
can be played. If older, such as call for
some little mental effort are well liked,
and this must be taken into ccnsidera-
| ton.
A good game is to have good sized
basket brought in and set upon the floor,
or the contents may be piled upon
| tablecloth spread out on the floor. The
contents should be candies wrapped in
tissue paper. Each child receives tea
spoon and a saucer, and they all form
ring and fall upon their knees. Then,
while the mistress (or master) of cere-
monies couE is 20, or ten, in measured
tones the children are to try to ill their
saucers with the candy, but they must
use only the spoon for the purpose.
When the time is up, the child who has
j tlo lhlSCSt uNthpSl VI ChbNtACs A0OVlfSh n
large paper rosette. This may be tried
twice if the candy is plentiful. 1t is
very difficult task to get even one on a
teaspoon.
When this is finished. the old game
of London bridge is in order aud always
enjoyed, especially if there are forfeits.
/ A piano accompaniment is always en-
liyening. After this, if one or two Of the
boys could give few sleight Of hand
tricks, they would be we'll appreciated,
or one or two of the little girls could
sing, though this is rather to be avoid
ed, all the children taking equal part in
the evenings enjoyment.
Naturally the king and queen are not
supposed to leave their thrones until
supper time, but the queen gives her
orders to the mistress of ceremonies,
/ and IL the king offers advice or protest
she promptly squelches him in psnto-
mime, whereupon he sinks down into
his chair silent.
A large blackboard, or bristol board,
is brought in and stood against the wall.
It is covered with white paper and has
three black rings drawn upon II in shane