Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1900-08-16
cHILDREn's wlEs.
some novel ana sensisse Way. Of

cities so called eh1lurenS parties are
given every season, These, however,
little deserve the name. save in the
smallness of stature and fewness Of
years of the guests.
They are elaborate functions. take
place in the evening, and the little
maids and masters come In expensive
and snowy dress. A german Is danced. |
which duplicates the eotiIlon of the
adult bellies and beaus, smart favors
are distributed and wonderfully criti- |
cised and estimated by the precoeious
youngsters. Finally an elaborate sup
per is served, of which croquettes, sal |
ads. spirituous Ices and rich cakes and
entrees make up the menu. In Eng.
land the lines OF these Juvenile balls |
trend even closer to those of adult SO.
ciety than here. An English family
journal of prominence has thought It'll
necessary to inveigh against the ''cry-
ing evil of serving champagne and
other wines to such a tender com
pany. Mention is made in the article |
of the flushed cheeks and sparkling
eyes, the loosened tongues and I'M
steady steps of the young guests after
supper. We Americans who read 1t
are glad that az least that pitiable
custom is not ours. We may be fool
ish; we are not wicked in this matter.
In point of fact, a children's party
needs no elaborate accessories. There
is no entertainment in all the list so
sure of being an unqualified success.
Turn 40 children dressed ia their best |
clothes loose IN a parIor for three hours, |
with the knowledge that they are at |
party, serving them ice cream and mac
aroons at the end of the first hour and
q half, and they will every one go home
in state Of blissful happiness.
The hostess-that is, the mother of |
the host or hostess-may not be so
happy, and the parlor will probably
look as if cyclone had swept over II,
but the guests viii have but one YER
dict-that of satisfied pleasure
More rational happiness and less
damage are secured with little effort
to direct the children's amusement.
Donkey and observation parties still
please though they are not new; cob
web parties have also reached perma- |
nent popularity. In arranging for one
Of these the effect is heightened If gray
cord is used, which better Stimulates the
the spiders weaving, and to put few
huge manufactured spiders about
among the meshes adds to the effect |
There should be four prizes attached
to the interviewed cords-a girls and
boys first and girls and boys BOBBY
prize; each of the latter is fastened
to very short cord which leads it's
possessor so quickly to the prize that
his or her skill is not tested. Often
additional prizes are added
Auction parties for children are new
Little bagsof gay tarlatan, holding each |
so beans, are distributed to the little
guests as purchasing money, who then
bid upon lots" which an auctioneer
offers. The lots are prizes, of course.
and each parcel should be tied, with
ribbons or colored cord, in bright tissue
paper. Very big ones contain often the
tiniest Of trophies-a penny doll, per
haps gowned In scarf and tiny bow
Of ribbon. Much depends upon the
auctioneer. who should be a young
man or woman with a notion of chill
dren's tastes and limitations
Still another way for the little folks
to earn their favors is to suspend them,
attached to cords of uneven length, |
upon frame or rod; the curtain of a
portiere between two rooms answers |
nicely, or an old fashioned cIotheshorse
will serve. Each child is blindfolded |
In turn. and given pair of blunt |
pointed scissors; he then makes the eff |
fort to reach the frame and cut down |
one of the swinging parcels, which, if |
he does, he confiscates. About Is |
prizes should be provided for a com |
pany Of 45 children. That proportion, it |
being estimated, would achieve sue
cess.
Dancing can never be relied on In a |
company of children of various ages;
only simple dances. like the polka or |
plain waltz, ought to be attempted. |
Children like plays with music accom-
paniment; the old fashioned 'going to |
Jerusalem" seems never to pail. Kiss |
ing games have quite gone out, even |
among the youngsters. This is not to |
be deplored, They We're usually romps
of partially and favoritism.
For refreshments for children's par
ties too much cannot be urged in favor |
of their wholesomeness and simplicity. |
Dainty sandwiches of potted ham. |
breast Of chicken or turkey, with a
plain jelly. like currant or cranberry. |
and chocolate not too rich are suffi- |
Client first course, with Ice cream and |
give the children coffee or rich nut |
cake or layer cake. Little patties |
frosted of any simple make delight |
them equally well and are not SO diff |
cult TO digest.
Have an abundance of everything. |
The capacity Of little folks is startling |
to those who are not used TO it. Often |
candies are not served with the supper, |
but are put in little white boxes, tied |
with blue ribbons for the boys and |
pink for the girls. and passed to the |
children as they leave the house.
A Jack Horner pie always pleases
and is passed after the children have |
returned to the parlor from the supper |
room. Trifies with narrow ribbons at
tached. are packed in large tin pan
which is covered with perforated tissue
paper the ribbons being skillfully /
drawn through the perforations.
Another and prettier way is to select |
small favors of as near as may be |
identical size and wrap them In fringed
tissue papers of variegated hue. Thesel
tasseled parcels are then packed in a
large dish, the fringed ends forming a
fluffy mass of color TO choose from. I
The japanese stores. which are now in
almost every community; offer usually
excellent facilities to secure prizes.
MARGARET H. WEIGH
Hoods Pills