Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-03
GAMES FOR YOUNG AND OLD
AT ST. VALENTINE PARTIES
The Valentine Post Office and the Heart Hunt
Afford Much Merriment.

In preparing for valentine party send
invitations on heart shaped pieces of
cardboard. which may be red. the invita-
ton written in white ink. or white card
board with the invitation In red ink.
Across one end, if one is clever with
brush or pencil, draw a spray of bleed
ing hearts
If one likes the guests may be asked to
come as valentines. At one jolly affair
last year the men were comics. with
appropriate sentiments written in large
characters on cardboard pinned to their
breasts. while most of the young women
were Dresden Shepherdesses.
In making ready for the decorations one
can buy glazed red paper hearts with
strings to hang them, or the red paper
from which hearts may be cut. These
should be strung in long festoons and
draped from walls so they will criss-cross
over the dining table. From these sus-
pend by invisible threads a lot of paper
Cupids with bows and arrows. These may
be purchased for 60 cents a dozen or cut
out at home. Any number of appropriate
favors. boxes and paper dishes for serv
ing salads. ices, bonbons, ETC., can be
purchased a low rates.
For children valentine napkins and the
valentine swapping notices. containing
caps. etc, are always in order. japanese
bows and arrows that sell from II to -,
cents each, according to size. are effective
favors.
For small children the game of heart
target makes plenty of fun To make ii,
give each child a small dart about four
inches in length. made from cardboard,
with small sharp tack in the end.
Have pinned Oh the wall large red
paper heart and let each child throw his
dart, aiming for the center of the heart.
The one who comes the nearest gets the
prize.
Valentine Post Office.
4 valentine post Office is jolly fun and
affords chance for enamored SWANS to
make favorable Impressions upon their
lady love. The post Office may be trel-
Used or curtained booth at one side of the
hall or living room, with pretty post
mistress installed. and couple of small
boys dressed as Mercurys ready to de-
liver the mail. The valentines may be
purchased. or. still better, made at home.
and therefore suited TO individuals for
whom intended
The hostess may provide all the yaen-
tines or ask her guess to bring valen-
tines with them for special distribution.
Every FIVE or eight minutes the postmis
treSS can hang out a card to this effect:
"Uncalled-for letter here for Jack Smith,
= cents due: or a longer list of adver-
tised letters. Among the clever valentines
prepared for society event few years
ago were these, which may be Suggestive:
To Mrs. c. v. jr.
Sweet Valentine. my heart is thine.
As thou capst plainly see.
join heart mine and cross the riue
And fly TO gay Paree
To p. {. H., Amateur Electrician
Oh. call me not the Light That Failed
When Cupid hands thee this.
My love for thee has never failed
Ny arc Of hope and bliss.
Heart Hunt.
Another game suited to valentine parties
is heart hunt, in which little candy
hearts are hidden in every nook and cor
ner. Each child is furnished with heart
| shaped bag OF box and Starts on jour,
ney to find the hidden heart. A game
for older persons consists of a curtain
screen, behind which stand all the ladies
| of the party. There are openings at equal
distances through the middle of the screen
and these are numbered. Through these
ladies' hands. devoid of rings, are ex-
tended. and the men. provided with PEN
ellis and note books. are required to guess
the names Of the owners of the hands,
according to the number. This data they
put in their, noe books
Then the men and women exchange
places, the curtain coming down just to
| the ankles OF the men. Above each pair
| Of feet is a number. The women on the
other side guess the owners OF the feet
| and write the names opposite the num-
bers.
| At the conclusion the men who guessed
correctly the greatest number of hands
and the women who knew the greatest
number of feet receive valentine prizes.
| II cards are to form a feature of the en-
| tertainment Hearts should be the
game. At one home valentine tableaux
| have been arranged to include such ia
| miliar pictures as Millais' "Huguenot Low
ers" Alma Tadema's 'Old Story" Bough-
| tons John Alden and Priscilla" Botti-