All the guests sit in a circle and the leader begins by saying: "This is a very solemn occasion." He then twirls his thumbs and looks very solemn. Commencing with the player to the right of the leader, each one in turn repeats what he has said, very solemnly twirls his thumbs, and keeps twirling them, until each one has repeated it, and it is the leader's turn again.

He then says, "Sister Jane died last night," still twirling his thumbs. This goes around the circle as before. Then the player to the right of the leader says, "How did she die?" and he replies, "Like this," moving his right hand up and down. Thus each one tells his neighbor, and makes the motion just as the leader has done.

After each one has said this, still repeating the same question and answer, the leader moves his left hand up and down, too, thus both hands are going; the next time both hands and the right foot are moving; then both hands and both feet; next, hands, feet, and head, bobbing up and down; last, fall back in the chair uttering a hideous groan as if dead.

No one must laugh during the whole game; whoever does, must leave the circle.