The Washington herald., 1909-08-15

10 ugly mugs but, barring such unpar-
donable vulgarity. the perennially smiling
Instructor Of infants sings the same song
and goes through the same motions with
her docile brood.
Two guessing games frequently wit
messed In the streets cultivate a real
knowledge OF birds and colors. Each
child chooses for himself either the name
o. some bird or color. Then one selected
10 be leader guesses any color or bird
that comes into his mind. When he lights
by chance on a name that has been
chosen. that bird or color must run. II
no can outwit his pursuer and get back
10 his vacant place before he is caught
he is safe: otherwise he must keep or
guessing. There is the double contest of
wits and alertness. Pink. blue. red. and
black and robin. sparrow, eagle. and
swallow were soon found 10 be easy 70
guess and relegated to babies. There was
much ransacking OF brains for unusual
names Mauye, azure, Prussian blue. in
digo. magenta. cerise. were added 10 the
child's vocabulary. and he learned the
names OF finch, bluejay. vireo thrush.
klnghsher, sandpiper, up to that time
strangers 20 his bird acQuaintanceship
Then. when he had selected his name he
had 10 be on the qui vive for the moment
when II was pronounced. TO lose no sec
ond in his dash for liberty. SO there was
a thrill for every moment. and the joy OF
the chase 20 cap the climax.
Flavor of Aboriginal Melody.
Musically. these plays have something
Of the flavor Of aboriginal melody. It
would be interesting. II It were possible.
TO trace the tunes back TO their origin
Through centuries OF existence the inves-
tigatOr would have to make his way back
10 the folk songs Of the early English
and the balladry Of Germanic nations.
and even beyond. perhaps. 10 the sim
phcity Of rudeT days Without exception,
they are written in a major key. There
is none Of the wailing minor music Of en-
shaved negroes or the fantastic intervals
OF American Indian chants In these tunes.
And yet there is the same mOnotony OF
measure. the same repetition Of words
and musical phrases and the same limited
range TO the melody Thus they are
adapted 20 childish voices and memories.
1t is wonderful how good IS the effect
produced when bird-like trebles pipe up
In the quiet OF a summer evening. How
Justify they sing. seldom. II ever. forget
ting the accompaniment In the excite
ment OF the action Like the ancient
saga or early epic, the musical setting OF
the story is all important
With the development Of summer play
grounds, the importance Of these old
games is being recognized as never be-
fore. Play OF one sort or another all
children know. but organized play is not
common among children brought up IN
der unfortunate conditions. That games
can go on quietly. happily. in due order
Of sequence is a new idea 10 the little
dweller in the darkness. who hovers shy
" about the public playground entrance,
unwilling 10 enroll herself until sure OF
the desirability OF this new enterprise. II
taxes coaXing 10 get the little fellow In
side, but. once trapped. he is a willing
captive
one girl who applied for the position OF
teacher and director OF a new playground
confessed afterward that she was ex-
tremely uncertain as 20 any method OF
procedure when she entered the yard the
first morning. Her directions. given by
the president OF the woman's club sup
porting the movement, has been TO enter
tain the children. and the material sup
piled had been half a dozen bean-bags
and a dilapidated set Of battledore and
shuttlecOck Obviously this would not
furnish amusement for the twenty-five
children of assorted sizes who presented
themselves. The big boys were started
on the bean-bags. two older girls claimed
the shuttlecocks. while those Of interme-
date size made up a game Of "puss-ln-
corner with the aid OF four big naples.
But the babies Of six and seven,
Grandmnmmy Tipsy Toes.
Then suddenly the light came Back IN
thought she sped 10 her own six-year-old
play, and IN a trice she was marshaling
the willing small folk and teaching them
the old favorite. "Grandmammy Tipsy
Toes" What fun It was 10 see them
initiate her steps and try TO follow the
unfamiliar tune, But they loved Il. all
babies do. and their fun was so evident
that by and by the big girls and boys
lined up 10 see the game. From that to
Breads a-Burning." Fox-in-the- Morn
Ing" and ali the rest was but a step, and
any difficulties that might have beset the
girl teacher were so simplifed that she
counts that summer one Of the pleasant
est OF her life
Evening after evening they sang and
played, these children Of the long ago.
sing
and play to-day under the naples and
the lamp-posts Even when the evening
was rainy there was roomy balcony
where they could take shelter, no narrow,
modern affair, but genuine open room.
with generous view over back yards 10
the distant statehouse, whose shining
clock face warned them OF bedtime
That was the only drawback Bedtime
came so soon. Just as the fun was at its
climax, mother always appeared 10 point
at the distant monitor and say, Time for
bed, my dears. Frank and Alice. your
father Is calling, and I know Dorothy
must be home by O." No one dared 10
grumble. for 9 was a concession to warm
evenings
Eight O'Clock was winter bedtime. And
there were two small girls IN the neigh
borhoOd who had to leave. no matter how
hot the weather, when the clock struck
S. How luckier ones thanked their kind
lier nursery godsl
But even 9 came sadly soon. and I'd
stairs. pausing on the third-story landing
for a last look at the stars. the young
sters heard dance music from the great
hall Of the militia armory. They could
almost see through the open windows
Would they ever be old enough TO STAY IN
late and dance under the flare Of gas
jets? They wondered.
The other day Alice came across Ste
vensOn's-
In summer. Just tho other way
| have 10 90 70 bed by day.
At once she harked back 10 maple tree
and balcony; once more she lay In a
white bed, lighting or dowsiness. sleepy
little rebel that she was. to the sound OF
dance music and the tread Of grown-up
peoples feet stu going past her on the
street. Well could she sympathize with
And does it not seem hard TO YOU.
When all the sky Is clear and blue
And I should like 50 much To play.
To have 90 so 70 bed by dayf