The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1906-11-23

LII lHe Case " d ldlS0 AN LIE
gathering, the hours which follow directly
on the heels of dinner present a problem
for the hostess. Naturally, the elder
guests prefer to sit quietly and chat about
family affairs which have arisen since the
last annual gathering: but not So the
young people. who desire more attractive
forms Of entertaining. The wise hostess
will plan amusements for the children
and young people, so that their elders may
be left in peace for an hours converse
ton.
AS soon as the dining room is cleared of
all signs of the feast it can be changed
into a play room, and some older girl
should be elected as mistress of cere-
monies and should plan the games so that
the children are amused quietly until the
elaborate Dime has been digested.
A pleasing little contest for children
is laid out on kindergarten lines. Two
bowls, one containing big white popcorn
kernels, and the other cranberries, are
placed at their disposal, with a supply of
t%oothpicks. threads and needles. The chill
dren are then requested to make some ar
ticle Of decorative design in the white
kernels and the red berries. 1t is re-
markable how quickly the children will
seize upon the idea and what fetching lit
tie ornaments they will produce. Tooth
picks, run with cranberries and Joined
at the corners with popcorn, will make a
frame to lay fiat on the table, and inside
Of his a child will block out a picture in
red and white; or. strung on the thread,
they can be wrought into red and white
| ~tassels, balls and odd-shaped ornaments,
such as are seen on Christmas trees.
Half an hour will pass quickly at such
work, and then q committee of the older
guests can pass upon the results and
award a prize to the most slSillful worker.
This prize Should suggest Thanksgiving
day, and inexpensive little favors are
\ -l~-,, ;N {l1 fN~~a- ~ 1,o - 90 ,Iy 1-ttl
a Puritan Made standing on the box as
on a pedestal. This is merely a doll dressed
IN Puritan garb, generally in crepe pa
per.
The second game is q triAe more active,
and is merely a variant of the old game
of pinning a tail on the donkey. In this
case a sheet Is fastened against the wall
and on it is drawn or pinned a representa-
ton of a turkey. A turkey, drawn in col
ored crayons and then cut out and passed
carefully on the sheet, gives the best eff
feet. In the old donkey game a tail was
provided and did service for all the play
ers, but for the turkey game the housewife
may provide real turkey feathers, saved
from the gobbler which was served at din
ner. Each child is given one CT these
feathers and a long pin; then, blindfolded,
he is started toward the sheet in search of
a proper place to pin the feather.
If the paper turkey has been pasted on
IQG sheet, IT ~ Il GOIllputdllVely easy Ildl-
ter for a blindfolded person to feel around
until the bird is discovered, but it is not SO
easy to find the exact spot OH which the
tail feathers should DO pinned. AS a re-
suit, when all ave taken q turn, the tur-
key is liable to have tails %sprouting in
every direction, which of itself will create
fun.
The mistress of ceremonies must keer
track of the game and award the prize,
which can be a papier-mache turkey, filled
with small candies. TO the child whose
feather strikes nearest the mark.
For the third game. start the children
in search Of cranberries which nave beer
hidden all over the room. For this pur-
pose provide each child with a small bas.
ket of wicker or crepe paper, and hav
the cranberr.es hidden before the guests
arrive behind ornaments, in the crevices OF
the table legs, behind pictures, on the up
per sashes Of the window-in any place
which will tax childish wit and ingenuity
When the voyage of discovery is over thu
cranberries can be counted. and a small
prize, such as Il crepe paper basket, fillet
with c-rimson-coated Jordan almonds, cal
be awarded to the child who has found tn,
most berries.
BY this time the heavy dinner will b,
pretty we'll digestcd, and the children will
be glad to go for u run out of doors, or
skate CD the pond If, fortunately, the fam
lily gathering be i'll a country where ic
forms early.
If these games be too childish for tn
young people who have reached the age o
10 or more. the hostess will do we'll t
plan some formal entertaining for tn
evening, which will be given under TIL
direction of a college girl or boy versed i
the handling of amateur theatrtcals. TIL
VIII afford. an afternoons entertainment
for the young people Will need to be drille
for the evening performance. Even in thi
blase age, young people from Is to is thor
oughly enjoy getting up a "show."
New England poetry has suffered a
eclipse, and school boys and girls of to
day arc not so familiar with its beautie
as We're their fathers and mothers. 1t vii
therefore,, be something of a novelty If tn
hostess arranges a Thanksgiving evenia
with Longfellow, presenting living pic
lures from his poems dealing with Ne,
England home life.