Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-04
EVEN NGS WITH BOYS
How to Entertain Young Lads at a
Gathering.
FaSOt Parties, Egg-SheIl Foot
Bali and Cha
rades.


With the advent of the long evenings and
| the approach of the holiday season, enter
| talnments suitable for the young lads or
| lasses. either, for that matter are in de-
! mand In a California university town
noted for its sociability. the fagot party
| continues exceedingly popular with the
young people. The invitations issued print
| ed with the pen a piece of birch bark or
a smooth chip, run something in this wise:
| The Epsilon Society request Mr.. John
Smith to be present at freight party on
| Wednesday evening s o'clock, at the Chap
Ter house to tell d story, crack d joke or
sing song while the fagot burns" Where
| tne writer OF the invitation is clever with
the pen q dancing eli radiant browne
may add attractivepess to the screed The
Idsot party, OIL course, presupposes the
| open fireplace, ana each guest comes at the
| time appointed, Bringing IS 1agot with ma
| terlal for It's accompanying entertainments
| with him. When time is called, the gas is
| turned out, the guests seat themselves on
| the floor in front of the glowing CRATE and
as the freight dances on the wall The
piot untolds. Number one casts in his fagot
and starts the ball rolling. If a good story
| teller he may hold his audience spe l.
| bound by the recital of an over true tale of
personal sport or adventure. One with a
sHL TOT music may follow his fagot's blaze
"tn inc troubadours song or The ping,
| ping of the banjo or mandolin A third
| loiioWs with a list of conundrums, a fourth
| with recitation, and 50 on. A ghost story
| Is always in order at a fagot party pro
| vided, of course, that the listeners are not
! 700 young to be disturbed. Failure to pro-
| Nlde iagots or entertainment is usually fol-
| lowed by forfeits. when the dereict may be
| ordered to stand upon his head play that
| ne - cnoo choo car, la the West
Point cadets hazing practice, or do anv
| other equally absurd thing.
Egg-ShelI Foot Ball.
When fagot hour is over a game of egg.
shell foot BALI is often enjoyed. The
| neceSSaripS for b,,+
| clllns game are within the reach of all
| as the only apparatus required is an ex-
| tensive table, four stumblers and an emmy
! egg smell. The table is the field; the shell
| the pail; while the breath of the contest
| ants takes the place of sinewy arm and
muscular leg. Any number of players can
take part in this game though five on a
| side is ordinarily counted best The two
captains kneel, one at the head of the
table at the right-hand corner and the
| other at the foot by the left-hand while
me players line up on the sides, also on
lhelf knees. The tumblers placed in
pairs at each end of the field as goal posts
papers being stretched across the tops; the
egg shell is put in the center of the fe d
ana play begins by both captains blowing
at the ball. AS soon as it is fairly going
the other players begin to blow, each side
endeavorlng to blow the ball through the
others goal.
When this occurs it scores a touchdown.
winch counts four points for the victorious
side The captain of this side then takes
INC jail Ddck TO the opposite goal and
ploWs II across the table, striving to pass
the goal again, which would score him two
points more for his side. AS the contest
goes on the fun wakes fast and furious
Whlle the apparition of score of scarlet
dlstended, Boreas-like cheeks proves al
most too much for ordinary gravity. Thir-
ty minutes is the time limit of the game
Always Popular Cknrades.
II impromptu charades the pro-
gram for the evening any of the fol-
lowing words may be easily acted, either
by pantomime or in dialogue: Washing
ton, Row me-o." Hamlet" "Mend-i-
can't" Meta physician" MILITARY. ;,
Contra band" Buy sickle ."rour-nav-
meant, "lnn.no7cents,s' "Man-dough-lean"
lmproVlsed from the Ordinary house fur
nishings or wraps at hand A mink collar
can De utilized forechin whiskers; tub is
an excellent boat; a blanket on the floor
with one or two active boys rolling about
under 1t, gives a chobpy sea.
Ihe household broom is an admirable
car; the fur rug on the floor can be meta
pillows and sofa cushions wisely distributed
ABOUT person and esvered by a blanket,
shawl or mans overcoat can turn a sylph
INTO Falstafrand, so ad inffniturn. In
having charades' 1T IS a good plan TO di-
VIDE the company Unto sections each
headed by cbver dleader and each in
TURN constituting performers and audience
| " course, there must be music If any
o! the boys are proficient the banjo or
violin, request them1t bring their instru-
nents with thema If there is piano. there
VIII doubtless be, found some one willing to
play accompaniment for the college or
coon songs which every boy dotes on. If
the lads enjoy a good story well read, a
chapter from 'Boyville Town"
The Real Party Begins.
1t goes without saying that where there
are boys there must be plenty to eat. The
refreshments may be simple elaborate,
according to circumstances, but there must
De an abundance If the table is set, there
may be sandwiches, creamed oysters a
saiad, olives, chocolate, cake and ice cream
| II the plates are simply passed. chocolate
and cakes with nuts, popcorn and home
made candy will be sure to find a warm
reception.
With such simple, wholesome entertain
ments frequently provided for "our boys"
or our neighbors boys, the street corners
the pool room, the club house. where the
card table reigns triumphant. or the sa-
loon, will lose much of their power to
charm, charm they never wisely, while
our boys will still remain boys of which
any mother may be proud-true. upright
pure-minded, manly.