The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1906-01-10

some very nice party invitations can
be bought ready to fill out with the
name, place and date for 10 to 50
cents. But IL one chooses, the invita-
tion may be written.
Very pretty decorations for the
rooms in which the party is to be
held can be bought at most department
stores for a small amount or, if one
wishes, crepe and other colored paper
| can be used to great advantage in
decorating. In this case it is a good
plan to cover all chandeliers and pic
ture frames with crepe paper to match
the walls and ceiling, and to have
several chains of colored paper hang
ing around the room. 1t increases the
effect if little ornaments, also made Of
paper. hang from the walls.
If there are any ''grown-ups" pres
ent the party usually begins by having
each child recite a piece. After this
games are played The game of milk
man is one good game. In this a boy
is chosen to be the millman and is
supposed to sell milk to each player.
He then eSks each if the milk was all
right. The buyer replies that there
was something in it, naming thing
such as match or a needle. The
milkman asks all sorts of questions, to
which the only reply must be the thing
found in the milk. If the player
laughs or answers wrong he must give
forfeit and the next one is ques-
toned. The one who keeps answering
questions the longest has one forfeit
after another held in back of him and
tells what the owner must do to re-
gain it. This is a very laughable
game if played right.
A variation of this-is the game Of
"Old Bachelor" which is played like
the game of milkman, with the eXcep-
ton that the one chosen to be the
bachelor asks, What will you give
an old bachelor to keep house with"
The player names some article and
must stick to it, no matter what ques-
tons are put to him. Good games can
be bought at the stores.
Shortly after o'clock refreshments
are served These usually consist OF
hot chocolate and cake, ice cream,
crackers and candy. If desired, place
cards can be used, with little pictures
illustrating sports for the boys and
flowers for the girls.
Little fancy shaped pasteboard boxes
full of candy are often placed beside
each plate while on the plate itself
or in large bowl in the centre of the
table are the paper caps which grace
nearly every party.
Many children have birthday cakes
with candles on them, one candle for
each year. Another way is to have
towers built of cakes stuck together
with icing. There should be as many
cakes in each tower as the years the
one giving the party is old,
After the refreshments more games
are played. Prizes are given to the
winners in one of them, generally the
game of donkey party, in which the
object is to put a tail on the donkey
while one is blindfolded.
If you can hire a magician he should
begin to perform now. Ii not, you can
entertain the guests by acting play
on a toy stage. These stages are
equipped with scenery and dolls to act
and with the help of the book which
comes with them two children can act
whole play with very little difficulty.
When it begins to get dark the last
feature of the party is announced
This is the giving of souvenirs
each child can have one. They are
separated into two divisions-those for
the boys and those for the girls. All
those for the boys are numbered one
two, and so on. Those for the girls
are lettered A. b. and so forth Then
two muskmelon shells whose interiors
have been removed through a small
hole in the top of each are, taken. In
one are put numbers corresponding to
the numbers on the boys souvenirs,
each being attached to green ribbon
The same is done TO the letters and the
other musEmelon. When the time
comes to distribute the souvenirs each
boy and girl takes hold of one ribbon,
pulls out number or letter and re-
ceives whatever it stands for. This
way OF distributing is Of course un-
necessary, but it gives a pleasant fin
ishing touch to the whole party.-E.
Drachman (aged 49,, New York City.
in the Tribune Farmer.