Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1906-08-25

The near approach of the fall with its
school life must bring to the minds of the
mothers the fact that entertainment
days for the children are drawing to
close. Fun must be crowded into the
next few days. The little friends who
have been scattered to the four cor
ners of the globe during vacation time
are returning and a party just at this
season will serve as a reunion as well
as a means of conveying the usual
party joy.
The mother of to-day who seeks to
entertain the small friends of her
small children finds herself wrestling
with a grown-up problem. Young
ideas have learned to shoot very much
after the elders pattern in this mat
ter of entertainment and the time has
passed when the good old games of
Drop the Handkerchief" and the like
fill the social longing within the hearts
of the youngsters. Their cry. too. is
for novelty and many are the pro-
visions which must be made for their
amusement.
Did you ever try a circus party,
you mothers who are puzzling over
this problem of entertainment. ust
nothing carries quite so muSn joy
within it's confines as circus.
The circus party means work and
trouble to the hostess, but this is true
of almost any entertainment for chill
dren. and the mother who devotes
much time to the early plans of her
party will find that the actual work
of entertainment is greatly lessened
thereby. The object in a children'S
party is to keep the youngsters busy
better have too many means of
amusement than not enough, rule
which does not apply to a party for
elders and which is often the rock
upon which a hostess sinks her ship
of hospitality.
Now the mother who has been for
tunate enough to preserve her old
fashioned yard" against the on
slaught of the park workers lawn"
has found great aid in the arrange
ment of her circus party. In the first
place there is little doubt about her
success in enlisting the interest and
services of many of the older boys and
girls and the grown-ups. too. and be-
fore she realizes she will have circus
performers, ticket sellers, clowns and
other followers of the circus, galore
One corner of the yard may be cur
tanned off for the side-show. where
young and old friends may be dressed
to represent many wonders and do
many stunts" for the amusemeat of
| the small guests and, incidentally.
| themselves. In the center of the yard
| circus tent should be erected and
| seats arranged as nearly as possible
| like the circus seats.
Tuo Ticket SaIlorS nav bo D1,oad ~,
| booths at the entrance to the yard
one to give tickets. upon which num-
bers are written. to the boys, and the
other to serve the girls with tickets
| bearing duplicate numbers. These
| will be matched and the boys and girls
| in this way will find their partners for
the performance.
Let all the skill of the hostess be.
brought to bear upon the menagerie
| Secure as many varieties of toy ami
| mails as pOssible-and almost every
| thing may be purchased in the toy de-
| partments these days-and then take
| recourse to old Biographies and other
books where animal pictures may be
found. The menagerie should be the
| acme of success Animals and pic
lures will be numbered and a slip of
paper, with corresponding numbers
and pencil will be given every guest
who enters the menagerie. From the
pictures or toys the guests will guess
the names OF the animals and the one
| guessing most successfully will be
given an animal book.
Along toward the middle of the aft
ernoon the real circus will begin
Men of the family or friends, perhaps
may be prevailed upon to act as
clowns and the performance may in
clude any form of entertainment the
hostess chooses to plan. Mechanical
dolls and toys may be brought into use
1t may be possible to rent many OF
these things-if not and the hostes:
can AFFORD to do Sc, they may be pur
chased for the occasion and the left
over toys may be sent to gladden. tn,
hearts of the little inmates of tn,
orphanages- Regular circus booth.
may contain peanuts. taffy in tissu,
i paper wrappfngs. and the popcorn
balls or squares in red, white. blue o.
pink tissue paper. or these things ma,
be passed during the circus perform
ance along with the lemonade. mad,
, pink by dash of strawberry fiavorins
, 1t is highly probable that enough
eatables will be found in these thfnEr
but if the always-longed-for ice cream
1 r. T. l.