The Red Cloud chief., 1901-02-15
AFTER DINNER SPORTS
SOME FINE FUN FOR THE LONG
WINTER EVE NlNCs.
4 prs Room stecpi.cbs.e - sitting
ON = bottle Balancing on Deceptive
broomsticks - 4 Jap Fight" In =
uravtne Goon.

~broomsticks - 4 Jap tight" In .
Drawing Room.
Age cannot wltlcr the device Of
amusement. aud whatsoever umuscs The
world deserves the gratitude Of all
mankind.
You may have engaged the greatest
comedians. the most noted society lest.
crs whom money al procure. To ainusc
your guests. We, Ave minutes OF the
Blind Mans Stccplechase" will do
more io put every one IN u good hui
NOR than any number of comic songs,
says the writer of the article In ducs.
lion.
4 drawing room steeplcchasc Is done
IN this way: 4 narrow course is mr..
ranged down the length Of the room.
laid out with Jumps" varying In
height, and nj diferrn, distances from
each other. The jumps are made with
piles of books. or cushions. foot stools,
small chairs aid On their sides. or in
any other way that ingenuity can sug.
gest, hut NIL must bc small enough to
lc easily stepped over
''VH'' W Dt'i'IuUIN wv ulUltlN'
young man who prides himself on his
skill, IN hurdle jumping must now he
blirdfo'dcd. aud II IL required that he
shall Journey from end to end OF the
course. stepping yer all. without
touching any Of the obstacles. This IL
carefully explained 10 him beforehand.
and he II allowed TO study the various
obstacles and TO estimate their heights
and distances before his eyes are
bandaged; In fact, he may make n trial
trip over the course. ~ that the dis
tancc between the jumps may he drm.
ly axed In his memory. Then he Is
started on his s~tceplccbase.
No sooner is he OF than all the oh.
s~tacles. quietly and stcalthily are re-
moved from his path. He advances n
step or two. eIngcrly raises n loot,
throws II out, and makes n giant
stride over nm Imaginary jump and
as he goes along. 80 indcscribab bly, la.
dicrous are his careful efforts to clear
the obstacles when moi one Is in his
path. that long before he has reached
the winning post he will be tho only
who IL not feeling tired from cxcess Of
laughter. The misguided siceplecbas
or thinks. Of course. that he In per
forming splendidly when he dpds thal
he Is clearing everything In his patti
without q woodworking funn'er car
he imagined than the way m whicl
his complacent conceit at his W sue
cess gives way to the bitterest cha
grin when his eyes are uncovered, AMI
ne finds out the hoax.
As difficult M the feat Of climbing
greasy pole is the drawing room spor
of sitting on a bottle. and, with "a can
dlestlck in either hand, lighting tn
wick Of one candle from the flame .
The other.
An ordinary wine bottle Is laid o.
the floor. On either side liz placed
candle, and one Of the wicks Is lighted
Then the competitor sits on the BOTH
10 that It's neck points toward hi
feet. Putting his legs straight out Ia
now places the heel of the right foo
on the toe of the left. and, taking
candle In either bnnd, lights or. r8tl
er. attempts to light-the nnlit wick
The fun Is sOon In evidence, for a
every attempt 10 raise both candle
from the tlOor over rolls the bottle an,
man. and down pours the grease. Blu
after a few falls and u little prac!ic
there comes a moment Of ~steadiness
and her both candles are safely light
ed and are placed on the floor In thei
original position.
Unfaillngly popular as a drawinI
room sport Is a very pretty gam
played with a chair and a pin. Tn
pin is inserted in the side of the chai
ON the seats edge. In front Of one o
the hind legs. Some n then take
his eat OH the chair, sitting sideways
i. with his feet on the same side as tn
pin. Suppose that the pin Is stuck int
the edge of the seat just In front Of
the right hind leg. The performer sit
with his feet to the right side OF tn
| chair. Leaning far back and raisin
I his feet from the ground, he bend
. himself round the back Of he chal
and grasps the bottom OF the RICH
i Hiiu itE w hiS tiSh' h"hN INV -
top with his left hand.
This Is n highly critical position. A
the slightest shifting of balance til
chair Is liable to upset and to send II
: occupier rolling on the floor, Shiftin
his position very carefully, by degrees
therefore. the performer works hin
: self 80 far round the back Of the cha
, that at length he Is able to WITHDRAW
. the pin In his teeth. He must the
work himself back again to his orig
nal position. his feet all the time to b
off the ground and his legs resting o
the seat of the chair.
1t is delightful to see a man tryin
to preserve his balance while he crane
{ his head forward to grip the pin !
. his teeth: then. Just when victor
seems assured, and he 10 cautiousi
! returning with the prize In his mouth
= he fails to negotiate the corner, an
over he rolls. The pin should be grat
uaiiy shifted further round the sid
OF the chair al the ccmpeti.-<s ski
---- - -. .-x - uytthAra - Inn