Evening star., 1900-12-22
A CONSTELLATION PARTY
CAPITAL SUGGESTIONS FOR JOLLY
HOLIDAY PARTIES.
Nimb1e Fingers Can Make All the De-
tails at Small Cost-Characters
and Books.


The suggestion of the stars, which figure
so prominently in the games played, may
also appear in the decorations of the dra "
ing room.
Soft blue material, creepy If possible, and
spangled with gilt paper stars may drape
the walls. Candles or fairy lamps under
white shades should glow here and there
from corners, window seats and maniel
shelves. The hostess and her aids if they
desire might wear gowns spangled with
steel or gilt, but costuming is by no means
necessary to the success of the affair.
There is no item in the preparations that
cannot be done at home and at trifiing cost.
The first thing necessary in preparing for
the event is seven sheets of colored card
board, one of blue, one green, one of black,
yellow, violet, red and white.
Cut from this cardboard a number OF
five pointed stars, about two inches in di-
ameter
Now select, from memory or a book, a
series of proverbs consisting each of seven
words. The problems chosen should be
well known sentences used in common
speech, such as the following:
Straws show which way the wind blows.
'Tis an i'll wind blows nobody good.
God helps the man who helps himself.
Gold lies very deep in the mountain.
willful waste makes a woful want.
A fool and his money soon part.
In times of peace prepare for war
You can't squeeze blood from a stone.
How to Read the Stars.
Have an exactly equal number of stars
OF each color. One word of each proverb
is written upon each star, no two stars
of the same color being used for the same
proverb. Thus, write upon a white star
the word "Straws." Upon blue star
"Show." Upon a red star The" The
yellow star bears the word Way" The
green star The Violet Wind" Red,
Blows
Vary this order as much as possible.
sometimes beginning the proverb on a red
star and ending on a white. Sometimes
ending on a green and beginning on a blue
When all proverbs and stars have been
disposed Of tumble them well together and
then divide them equally into as many en-
velopes us you are to have guests.
When your guests come together give
each an envelope and explain the nature
Of the contest, which consists in seeing who
can in an hour and a half form the larg-
est number Of the proverbs by grouping
the stars together in consultations" of
seven. Explain that each sentence consists
of but seven letters and that color can
be used twice in any seven words. These
two points will be the only guides by which
the players can work toward success.
IT, as will probably happen early in the
game, the astronomers find themselves un-
able to form a constellation from the stars
in their own envelopes, they may offer ex-
changes, and in this way secure new
words.
There are no tables for the game. The
players form their star groups while walk
ing or sitting, according to fancy. Each
sentence when completed is taken to the
hostess, who consults her list and says
whether or not it has been correctly given
If correct, the player receives a gilded
cardboard star, which counts one point to-
ward the prize. If incorrect it must be
worked over again.
Supper and Prizes.
Hunting for the word which one thinks
necessary to complete ones proverb, bar
gaining for it with another player who is
reluctant to give it up, and perhaps OBJ
tanning it only to find that, because of it's
color. it cannot be used in the constellation
one Is forming-these and similar excite
ments form the spirit of the game.
The player who has in hand the greatest
number of gilt stars when the finishing
bell rings is entitled to the first prize. If
other prizes are given the second and third
largest numbers of the gilt stars carry off
these
There are dozens of pretty bijous which
would make appropriate prizes for star
party. Scarf or lace pins or cuff studs in
starry shapes, spangled neck fichus for the
ladies, and well-llustrated books on as
tronomy for the men worth thinking
about for the purpose.
The motif of the evening could also ap-
pear in the supper or refreshments Sand
wiches and cakes, by means of tin biscuit
cutter, can be cut to the appropriate shape.
Ice cream can be nodded in it. The vines
upon the supper table can be trained to
form the five-pOinted star. Bonbonnieres
can be little star-shaped boxes covered with
silk and spangled.
A Novel Affair.
When the great occasion works It's way
around upon the calendar and the last
guest has arrived, open the evening with
contest in heroes and heroines of fiction
For this you must have prepared in ad
vance list of the interesting young peo-
ple-or old people-who figure in certain
popular novels as leading man" and lead
ing lady" Only stories of recognized repu-
tation should be consulted for this purpose.
but this rule is the only one limiting the
choice. 1t is preferable to use no transla-
uons. From the books selected make list
of about twenty-five heroes and heroines.
In order to puzzle the players more thor
oughly it is better to choose characters
which do not give their name to the ro-
nance. The names selected are written.
one by one, upon a blackboard within view
of all players, and each player is asked to
write down the title Of the story in which
they occur.
The following suggests some good ones
for the purpose. The books in which the
characters figure given in parenthess:
Maggie Tulliver (Mill on the Floss, Jennie
Deans QIeart of Midlothian), Esther Sum-
merson, BLEAK House,, Nathaniel Bumppo
deather Stocking Series), Laura Bell CPen-
dennis) Rev. DR.. Primrose Vicar of Wake
field. Hester Prynne (Scarlet Letter.. Ag-
nes Wakefield David Copperfield), Ursula
March John Halifax, Georgianna Cobb
CThe Kentucky CardinaD, Roberta March
Crhe Late Mrs. NulD, Josephine March
Gittle Women), Mr.. Knightly (Emma),
Rudolph prisoner of Zenda), Elizabeth
Bennet pride and Prejudice), the Disagree
able Man (Ships That Pass in the NighD,
christopher Newman CThe American). Pom
ona (Rudder Grange) Penelope Lapham
(Rise of Slas Lapham) Dorothea Brooke
(Middlemarch).
About fifteen minutes will be required for
these questions. The player who at the
end of that time has most correct answers
to her account receives a card on which
is written, This card entities the bearer
to one point toward the prize"
Time between the acts must not hang
heavily. To carry the gayety on with
eclat have the maid roll at once upon the
scene a table having upon 1t the following
objects:
Quick Wit and Rewards.
parlOr match, two or three photographs
Of infants grouped together. small school
globe, or, failing this, a book of geograph-
ical maps; bust miniature of pretty
woman; an empty cigar box with a fine
handkerchief and a pair Of women's gloves