Milford chronicle., 1937-09-17
GAMES BEFORE SUPPER
By AIice A. Keen

| AhC WCtC III tuG
room-Ralph and Benny quarreling
and Mildred protesting tearfully that
she could not do her homework be-
cause Of the noise.
Mrs. Brady. In the kitchen getting
supper, could hear what was going
on. She sighed. II took time to ad-
minister justice and this, for her,
was the busiest hour of the day. I'm
fortunately, IT was the hour, too,
when the children were apt to be
most out of sorts.
"If could just get them interest
ed In some game or other, 1t would
carry them through this hungry,
difficult time," she said to herself.
Her thoughts raked through her own
childhood and struck upon a game
she used to play. Ralph, Benny" she
called to the boys, and there was
such animation in her voice that
they came tumbling out, wide-eyed
and expectant.
i've just thought of a game" she
said. Let's play it. I'll begin by
spelling word of three letters.
Ralph, you come next with another
word of three letters. Yours must
begin with the last letter of my
word. Then Benny must give one
beginning with the last letter of
Ralph's. All ready? BAG" spelled
Mrs. Brady.
GOT" said Ralph instantly,
while Benny followed with TIN"
Now Mildred appeared and want
ed to know what it was all about.
So she was admitted into the merry
game of three-letter words.
Mildred can take my place." said
Mrs. Bardy, "for l shall be going
back and forth between the kitchen |
and the dining-room."
The children all went back into |
the iiving-room and were as happy |
as blackbirds in a cherry tree until
supper time.
The children played the game al
most necessarily and wore it to a
frazzle, as was bound to happen.
Then one evening Mildred said
Let's play the game using the mid
die letter to begin the next word.
Well ask Mother to start it"
"C-A-N," said Mother, the moment
she was told. AND" said Ralph,
and Benny continued with NOW"
When "Three-Letter Words" had
and almost died. Mrs.
Brady searched her past for another
If the old games that are new to the
of today. And that night,
when the children's voices began to
laye ragged edges, she called them
o her. Z
"I have another game for you,"
he told them. want to try it?'
Did theyl Immediately, they we're
III eager attention.
"I'm thinking of something in this
she said slowly, not looking !
t the broom handle, "and it's red" !
They began with quickly shot :
uesses that showed their keen in
crest. Benny guessed it and proud /
e was, being the youngest. to an S
ounce the color of the thing he was
milking about. C
After a while, Mrs. Brady with II
rev from the game and the chill 5
rem carried it" into the other
pom. u
The mother was exultant; she felt r
le had solved a problem. She had :
'und a way to lift her children's :,
Ioughts from ill-natured chickering's b
ward a common interest that unit N
them. And the effect on the at :
osphere of the home during the "
hour was as beneficial as q
brisk change of wind at the end OF -
sultry day.
Besides this, inventiveness was de- h
Ioped. Sooner or later the children %
ere sure to vary the game or to -
vent a new one. Mother must al =.
sys be told about the change. and r.
is thinking and playing with her 70
ildren on equal terms of fun and :
mradeship made simpler. hap &C
,r relation between them all than II
are had ever been before. 10