Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-24
FOR THANKSGIVING PARTIES
PORTRAIT WHIST AND BOOMERANG,
FILIPINO.
Two New and Very Jolly Games Re-
Gently Invented. With Sim
pie Requisites.

Written for The Evening Star
There are two new games that gong
to be immensely popular for jolly Thanks
giving gatherings; the one is portrait whist,
the other boomerang Tipping. OF these the
former is true breeder of mirth and light
hearted gayety. Men enjoy it, women ara
successful at it and therefore 1t has become
popular. IN fact so original is portrait
whist that it stands as memorial to the
genius from whose consciousness IT was
evolved. Happily. the requisites for playing
it are simple and not at all expensive.
Those who wish to arrange such a game
have but to hunt among the family relics
for cast-aside photographs, choosing al.
ways those of the carte de visite size. The
more old-fashoned and ludicrous the pic
lures can be found to appear to modern
eyes the better will be the fun.
When fifty-two of them have been Sc
cured, or a similar number to form packs
of cards for each table, they should be as
sorted into four sets of thirteen each. The
of women to clubs, children to diamonds
and babies to hearts. The game is then
played in a way similar to whist, the regu-
larity in the following of suits being adj
hered to strictly. The card representing the
plainest individual takes the trick. Here.
indeed. is the telling part of the game, for
who can say with certainty that his card
bears the ugiest image? About the ladies
the same question arises. The cry becomes.
Which is the plainest? In the long ago
these pictures show that there were many
buXom lassies, with, however, not prop
erly finished off expression, and they may
be played as rivals to limp, sylph-dke ones
with corkscrew curls. Even the children
and babies must vie with each other in
uglineSs Disputes and exchanges OF opins
ion, accompanie by bursts of laughter, in.
varably follow the claiming of the tricks.
for as beauty has been said to be in the
eyes of the beholder. SO it is even with
ugliness Therefore, to keep the game In
progress umpire is appointed for each
table, one who in all disputed instances de-
cides to whom the trick must be given
The position is not exactly a sinecure, and
many umpires, charming though they may
be, have found 1t necessary to call out for
mercy when exercising the courage OF theiL
convictions in rendering these decisions.
boomerang FlippinG.
Boomerangs are now Tipped for amuse-
n,ent in the drawing room, quite as natu.
rally as marshmallows were at one time
toasted before the fire For parlOr prac.
tice, however, the sport has its limitations,
and skill Is expended in getting the BOOM
erangs curve and recurve in rings. For a
little sport good models Of the Australian
weapon can be initiated in stiff cardboard
and all sorts of different achievements ac-
compished through the diversity Of their
shapes. Crescents and almost circular
ones can be thrown so as to curve and re-
curve in rings and return finally to their
owners feet. Long, slender ones broaden-
ed at one end will, of course. take longek
distances but they do not return. Tri-
angles pass through the air very swiftly
and usually take sure aim. In throwing
them they are held between the thumb and
two first fingers and let fly in tnt same
way as is customary in native sport. Thu
cardboard should be firm and thick, but al.
ways kept thin on the edges. as are those
made of wood, they will not slip
through the air well.
At party arranged for this amusement
it is customary for each guest to cut out
his own weapon that he may get an indt'
vidual shape. The hostess simply provides
good shears and a vast amount of card
board. 1t is necessary to have an objective
point to throw at, and for this purpose
there is usually suspended from the ceiling
on light cord bird made of cotton bat.
ting. When the boomerang has been sucs
cessful in its aim it can always be told by
the swaying of the bird. Such i function
most often devulves into contest Of skill
and the that hits the bird the oftenest
is rewarded with prize, while to all there
is opened field for personal investigation
and good bit of sport.