It is certainly a matter of regret that the names of most of the good people to whom we are indebted for the introduction of our favourite old-fashioned Round Games are buried in obscurity, for they deserve, in our estimation at least, the name of benefactors quite as much as any great discoverer or inventor. What higher aim could they possibly have had in view than that of teaching people how to enjoy themselves? It has been said that in the world there are two great heaps, one of human happiness, and the other of human misery, and that we are all engaged the whole day through in taking a portion from one heap and carrying it to the other. Surely the portion carried from one heap to the other by the kind folk who have at various times furnished us with our amusements must by this time be one of considerable size, and in spite of their names being unknown to us, we will ever feel grateful to them for contributing so largely to our enjoyment of life. A long time ago it was observed of the English as a race that they took their pleasures sadly; but we will hope that henceforth the observation may be applicable to past generations only, and that our readers at any rate will resolve that when they play they will play heartily, just as when they work they will work heartily. To the really hearty players, therefore, we have great pleasure in handing our collection of Round Games.

ACTING PROVERBS.

In this game each player may take a part, or if thought preferable, the company may divide themselves into actors and spectators. The actors then each fix upon a proverb which is to be represented by every one of them individually. There is to be no connection between them in any way. Each one in turn has simply to act before the rest of the company the proverb he has selected. The first player might, for instance, come into the room holding a cup in his hand; then, by way of acting his proverb, he might repeatedly make an appearance of attempting to drink out of the cup, but of being prevented each time by the cup slipping out of his hands, thus in dumb show illustrating the proverb, "There's many a slip between the cup and the lip." The second might come into the room rolling a ball, a footstool, or anything else that would do to represent a stone. After rolling it about for some time he takes it up and examines it with astonishment, as if something were wanting that he expected to find on it, making it, perhaps, too plainly evident to the company that the proverb he is aiming to depict is the familiar one of "A rolling stone gathers no moss." If really good acting be thrown into this game, it may be made exceedingly interesting.

ACTING RHYMES.

A word is chosen by the company which is likely to have a good many other words rhyming with it.

The first player then begins by silently acting some word that will rhyme with the one chosen; as for instance, should the selected word be flow, the first actor might imitate an archer, and pretend to be shooting with a bow and arrow, thus representing the word bow, or he might with an imaginary scythe cut the long grass (mow), or pretend to be on the water in a boat, and make use of imaginary oars (row). As each word is acted it should be guessed by the spectators before the next one is attempted.

ADJECTIVES.

A sheet of paper and a pencil are given to the players, upon which each is requested to write five or six adjectives. In the meantime one of the company undertakes to improvise a little story, or, which will do quite as well, is provided with some short narrative from a book.

The papers are then collected, and the story is read aloud, the reader of the same substituting for the original adjectives those supplied by the company on their papers, placing them, without any regard to sense, in the order in which they have been received.

The result will be something of this kind:—"The sweet heron is a bird of a hard shape, with a transparent head and an agitated bill set upon a hopeful neck. Its picturesque legs are put far back in its body, the feet and claws are false, and the tail very new-fangled. It is a durable distorted bird, unsophisticated in its movements, with a blind voice, and tender in its habits. In the mysterious days of falconry the places where the heron bred were counted almost shy, the bird was held to be serious game, and slight statutes were enacted for its preservation," and so on.

THE ADVENTURERS.

The great advantage to be derived from many of our most popular games is that they combine instruction with amusement. The game we are about to describe is one of this number, and will give the players the opportunity of exhibiting their geographical knowledge, as well as any knowledge they may have as to the physical condition, manufactures, and customs of the countries which, in imagination, they intend visiting.

The company must first of all fancy themselves to be a party of travellers bound for foreign lands.

A starting-place is fixed upon, from which point the first player sets out on his journey. In some cases maps are allowed, and certainly, if any one should be doubtful as to the accuracy of his ideas of locality, both for his own sake and that of his friends he will do wisely to have a map before him.

The first player then proceeds to inform the company what spot he means to visit, and what kind of conveyance he means to travel in; on arriving at the place what he means to buy, and on returning home which of his friends is to be favoured by having his purchase offered as a gift.

To do all this is not quite so easy as might at first be imagined. In the first place there must be some knowledge of the country to which the traveller is going; he must know the modes of conveyance, the preparations he will have to make, and the time that will be occupied during the journey.

Also, he must know something of the capabilities of the people whom he means to visit, because what he buys must be something that is manufactured by them, or that is an article of produce in their country. For instance, he must not go to North America for grapes, or to the warm and sunny South for furs. The presents, too, must be suitable for the persons to whom they are to be offered. A Japanese fan must not be offered to a wild schoolboy, or a meerschaum pipe to a young lady. Forfeits may be exacted for any mistakes of this kind, or, indeed, for mistakes of any description; the greater will be the fun if at the end of the game a good number of forfeits should have accumulated.

The second player must make his starting-point where his predecessor completed his travels, and may either cut across the country quickly, make his purchase, and return home again, or he may loiter on the road to sketch, botanise, or amuse himself in any other way.

It is astonishing how much pleasure may be derived by listening to the various experiences related, especially when a few of the company are gifted with vivid imaginations.

Sometimes rhyme is employed instead of prose for recounting the travels, and with very great success. When this is done the speaker may, if so inclined, end his description abruptly, thus leaving it to the next player about to commence his narrative to supply a line which shall rhyme with the one just uttered.

ÆSOP'S MISSION.

This being a game of mystery, it is, of course, necessary that it should be unknown to, at any rate, a few of the company—the more the better. One of the gentlemen well acquainted with the game undertakes to represent Æsop. In order to do so more effectually, he may put a cushion or pillow under his coat to imitate a hump, provide himself with a thick stick for a crutch, make a false nose, and put a patch over one eye. The rest of the company must then each assume the name of some subject of the animal kingdom—a bird, beast, or fish—and having done this must prepare themselves to listen to the words of their great master. Limping into their midst, Æsop then tells them that the wrath of the great god Jupiter has been aroused, and as the cause of a calamity so terrible must be that one or more of them have been committing some crime or other, he is anxious to discover without further delay who are the guilty subjects. "I shall therefore," continues he, "question you closely all round, and I shall expect you every one to give me truthful answers. To begin with you, Mr. Lion, as you are the king of beasts, I sincerely hope you have done nothing derogatory to your high position; still, as it is absolutely necessary that you should be examined with the rest of your friends, will you please tell me what food you have eaten lately?" Should the lion have eaten a lamb, a sheep, a tiger, a bear, or any other dainty that is spelt without the letter O, he is acquitted as innocent; but should he have eaten a leopard, a goose, a fox, or any other creature, in the name of which the letter O occurs, he is pronounced by Æsop to be deserving of punishment, and is therefore sentenced to pay a forfeit. The other animals in turn then undergo a similar examination, during which each one must remember that in naming their prey they must confine themselves to such food as is suited to the species they have adopted. The game may be carried on for any length of time, or until all have discovered the secret in it. There is no fear of the interest flagging, so long as even only one of the company is still left unable to solve the mystery.

ALPHABET GAMES.

Provided with a good boxful of letters, either on wood or cardboard, a clean table, a bright fire, and three or four pleasant companions, I have no hesitation in saying that a very pleasant hour may be spent. It is almost needless to give directions how to proceed with the letters, for they can be used in a variety of ways, according to inclination. Sometimes a word is formed by one person, the letters of which he passes on to his neighbour, asking him to find out what the word is. A still more interesting method is for the whole party to fix upon one long word, and all try in a certain time how many different words can be made of it. Or another way, even better still, is to shuffle the letters well together, and then to give to each person a certain number. All must then make a sentence out of the letters, whether with or without sense, as best they can. The transposition of words, too, is very amusing, and can be done either with the loose letters or with pencil and paper.

The names of poets, authors, or great men famous in history may be given, the letters of which may be so completely altered as to form words or sentences totally different from the original.

For instance:—

THE ARTISTS' MENAGERIE.

A pencil and a piece of paper of moderately good size are given to the players, each of whom is requested to draw on the top of the sheet a head of some description, it may be a human head or that of any animal, either bird, beast, or fish. As soon as each sketch is finished the paper must be folded back, and passed to the left-hand neighbour, no one on any account looking at the drawing under the fold. The body of something must next be drawn. As before, it may be either a human body or that of any animal, and the papers must then be again folded and passed to the left. Lastly, a pair of legs must be added, or it may be four legs, the number will depend upon the animal depicted. The productions all being complete, they are opened and passed round to the company, who will be edified by seeing before them some very ridiculous specimens of art—see our illustrations, for instance. The dotted lines in these figures show where the paper was folded back, as each "artist" finished his work.

THE BABY ELEPHANT.

A very good imitation of a Baby Elephant can easily be got up by two or three of the company, who are willing to spend a little time and trouble in making the necessary preparations. In the first place a large grey shawl or rug must be found, as closely resembling the colour of an elephant as possible. On this a couple of flaps of the same material must be sewn, to represent the ears, and also two pieces of marked paper for the eyes. No difficulty will be found in finding tusks, which may consist of cardboard or stiff white paper, rolled up tightly, while the trunk may be made of a piece of grey flannel also rolled up. The body of the dear little creature is then constructed by means of two performers, who stand one behind the other, each with his body bent down, so as to make the backs of both one long surface, the one in front holding the trunk, while the one behind holds the tusks one in each hand. The shawl is then thrown over them both, when the result will be a figure very much resembling a little elephant. When all is complete, the services of a third performer should be enlisted to undertake the post of keeper to the elephant. If the person chosen for this capacity have great inventive faculties, the description given by him may be made to add greatly to the amusement of the scene.

THE BIRD-CATCHER.

One of the party is chosen to be the bird-catcher. The rest fix upon some particular bird whose voice they can imitate when called upon, the owl being the only bird forbidden to be chosen. Then sitting in order round the room with their hands on their knees, they listen to the story their master has to tell them. The Bird-catcher begins by relating some incident in which the feathered tribe take a very prominent position, but particularly those birds represented by the company. Each one, as the name of the bird he has chosen is mentioned, utters the cry peculiar to it, never for a moment moving his hands from his knees. Should the owl be referred to, however, every one is expected to place his hands behind him, and to keep them there until the name of another bird has been mentioned, when he must, as before, place them on his knees. During the moving of the hands, if the Bird-catcher can succeed in securing a hand, the owner of it must pay a forfeit, and also change places with the Bird-catcher.

We must not forget to observe that when the leader, or Bird-catcher, as he is called, refers in his narrative to "all the birds in the air," all the players are to utter at the same time the cries of the different birds they represent.

BLIND MAN'S BUFF.

A handkerchief must be tied over the eyes of some one of the party who has volunteered to be blind man; after which he is turned round three times, then let loose to catch any one he can. As soon as he has succeeded in laying hold of one of his friends, if able to say who it is he is liberated, and the handkerchief is transferred to the eyes of the newly-made captive, who in his turn becomes blind man. This position the new victim must hold until, like his predecessor, he shall succeed in catching some one, and naming correctly the person he has caught.

BLIND POSTMAN.

In this game the first thing to be done is to appoint a postmaster-general and a postman. The table must then be pushed on one side, so that when the company have arranged themselves round the room there may be plenty of room to move about. The postmaster-general, with paper and pencil in hand, then goes round the room, and writes down each person's name, linking with it the name of the town that the owner of the name chooses to represent. As soon as the towns are chosen, and all are in readiness, the postman is blindfolded and placed in the middle of the room. The postmaster then announces that a letter has been sent from one town to another, perhaps from London to Edinburgh. If so, the representatives of these two cities must stand up, and, as silently as possible, change seats. While the transition is being made, the postman is at liberty to secure one of the seats for himself. If he can do so, then the former occupant of the chair must submit to be blindfolded, and take upon himself the office of postman.

BLOWING OUT THE CANDLE.

No end of merriment has frequently been created by this simple, innocent game. It is equally interesting to old people and to little children, for in many cases those who have prided themselves on the accuracy of their calculating powers and the clearness of their mental vision have found themselves utterly defeated in it. A lighted candle must be placed on a small table at one end of the room, with plenty of walking space left clear in front of it. One of the company is invited to blow out the flame blindfold. Should any one volunteer, he is placed exactly in front of the candle, while the bandage is being fastened on his eyes, and told to take three steps back, turn round three steps, then take three steps forward and blow out the light. No directions could sound more simple. The opinion that there is nothing in it has often been expressed by those who have never seen the thing done. Not many people, however, are able to manage it—the reason why, you young people will soon find out, if you decide to give the game a fair trial.

BOUTS RIMÉS.

Several rhyming games are given among these Round Games, and the following is simply a variety of some of them:—

A slip of paper is given to each player, who is requested to write in one corner of it two words that rhyme.

The papers are then collected and read aloud, after which every one is expected to write a short stanza, introducing all the rhymes that, have been suggested.

When the completed poems are read aloud, it is very amusing to observe how totally different are the styles adopted by the various authors, and how great is the dissimilarity that exists between the ideas suggested by each one.

"BROTHER, I'M BOBBED."

Two chairs are placed in the middle of the room, upon one of which some one unacquainted with the game must be asked to take a seat. The other chair must be occupied by a lady or gentleman to whom the game is familiar. A large shawl or tablecloth is then put over the heads of both, so that nothing that is going on in the room can be visible to them. The person, however, who understands the game may stealthily pull away the cloth from his own head, keeping it round his shoulders only, so that his companion may have no suspicion that both are not equally blindfolded. The player acquainted with the game then with his slipper hits his own head, at the same time calling out, "Brother, I'm bobbed." His blind companion will then ask, "Who bobbed you?" upon which the first player must name some person in the room, as if making a guess in the matter. He will next hit the head of the player under the shawl with the slipper, who will also exclaim, "Brother, I'm bobbed." "Who bobbed you?" the first player will inquire. The blinded player may then guess which person in the room he suspects of having hit him. The fun of the whole affair lies in the fact that the bobbing, which the blind player suspects is performed by the various members of the company, is really chiefly done by the player sitting close beside him. Sometimes, too, the bobbing business is done so effectually, and with such force, as to render it anything but amusing to the poor blinded victim, although to the spectators it may be unmistakably so. Should the victim be a gentleman, a few sharp raps with a slipper will not make any material difference to him; but if instead it should happen to be a lady, the "bobbing" must be of the gentlest.

"BUFF SAYS 'BAFF.'"

In this game no one is allowed to either laugh or smile; consequently, it is generally one of the games chosen when the merriment of the evening has reached its highest pitch. The company seat themselves in a half circle at one end of the room, with the exception of one of their number, who is supposed to have gone on a visit to Buff. He then enters the room with the poker in his hand, and his face looking as grave as possible. When he is asked by his friends in succession:—

If all this can be repeated without laughing, the player is highly to be commended. He may then deliver up his staff to some one else, and take his seat.

BUFF WITH THE WAND.

Blind Man's Buff is so time-honoured and popular with young and old, that one would think it impossible to devise a better game of the kind. The newer game of Buff with the Wand, however, is thought by many to be superior to the long-established favourite. The blinded person, with a stick in his hand, is placed in the middle of the room. The remainder of the party form a ring by joining hands, and to the music of a merry tune which should be played on the piano they all dance round him. Occasionally the music should be made to stop suddenly, when the blind man takes the opportunity of lowering his wand upon one of the circle. The person thus made the victim is then required to take hold of the stick until his fate is decided. The blind man then makes any absurd noise he likes, either the cry of animals, or street cries, which the captured person must imitate, trying as much as possible to disguise his own natural voice. Should the blind man detect who holds the stick, and guess rightly, he is released from his post, the person who has been caught taking his place. If not, he must still keep the bandage on his eyes, and hope for better success next time.

CAPPING VERSES.

This game is not unlike one that is elsewhere described as "Mixed-up Poetry." Every one at the table is supplied with a sheet of paper and a pencil, at the top of which is written by each player a line of poetry either original or from memory. The paper must then be folded down so as to conceal what has been written, and passed on to the right; at the same time the neighbour to whom it is passed must be told what is the last word written in the concealed line. Every one must then write under the folded paper a line to rhyme with the line above, being ignorant, of course, of what it is. Thus the game is carried on, until the papers have gone once or twice round the circle, when they can be opened and read aloud.

CHARADES.

Although the acting of charades is by no means an amusement of very recent invention, it is one that may always be made so thoroughly attractive, according to the amount of originality displayed, that most young people, during an evening's entertainment, hail with glee the announcement that a charade is about to be acted. It is not necessary that anything great should be attempted in the way of dressing, scenery, or similar preparations, such as are almost indispensable to the performance of private theatricals. Nothing is needed beyond a few old clothes, shawls, and hats, and a few good actors, or rather, a few clever, bright, intelligent young people, all willing to employ their best energies in contributing to the amusement of their friends. What ability they may possess as actors will soon become evident by the success or failure of the charade.

The word charade derives its name from the Italian word Schiarare—to unravel or to clear up. Suitable as the word may be in some instances, we cannot help thinking that in the majority of cases the acting of a charade has the effect of making the word chosen anything but clear; indeed, the object of the players generally is to make it as ambiguous as possible. As all players of round games know how charades are got up, it would be superfluous to give any elaborate instructions regarding them, though perhaps the following illustration may be useful.

WORD "GO-BANG," TO BE REPRESENTED IN THREE SCENES.

The following, among other words, are suitable for charade acting:—

Adulation, Andrew, Arrowroot, Artichoke, Articulate; Bayonet, Bellman, Bondmaid, Bonfire, Bookworm, Bracelet, Bridewell, Brimstone, Brushwood; Cabin, Carpet, Castaway, Catacomb, Champaign, Chaplain, Checkmate, Childhood, Cowslip, Cupboard, Cutlet; Daybreak, Dovetail, Downfall, Dustman; Earrings, Earshot, Exciseman; Farewell, Footman; Grandchild; Harebell, Handiwork, Handsome, Hardship, Helpless, Highgate, Highwayman, Homesick, Hornbook; Illwill, Indigent, Indulgent, Inmate, Insight, Intent, Intimate; Jewel, Jonquil, Joyful; Kindred, Kneedeep; Label, Lawful, Leapyear, Lifelike, Loophole, Loveknot; Madcap, Matchless, Milkmaid, Mistake, Misunderstand, Mohair, Moment, Moonstruck; Namesake, Necklace, Nightmare, Nightshade, Ninepin, Nutmeg; Orphanage, Outside, Oxeye; Padlock, Painful, Parsonage, Penmanship, Pilgrim, Pilot, Pinchbeck, Purchase; Quarto, Quicklime, Quicksand, Quickset, Quicksilver; Ragamuffin, Ringleader, Roundhead, Ruthful; Scarlet, Season, Sentinel, Sightless, Skipjack, Sluggard, Sofa, Solo, Somebody, Sonnet, Sparerib, Sparkling, Spectacle, Speculate, Speedwell, Spinster, Starling, Statement, Stucco, Supplicate, Sweetmeat, Sweetheart; Tactic, Tartar, Tenant, Tendon, Tenor, Threshold, Ticktack, Tiresome, Toadstool, Token, Torment, Tractable, Triplet, Tunnel; Upright, Uproar; Vampire, Vanguard; Waistcoat, Watchful, Watchman, Waterfall, Wayward, Wedding, Wedlock, Welcome, Welfare, Wilful, Willow, Workmanship; Yokemate, Youthful.

CLAIRVOYANT.

In this game one of the company standing outside the room is, strange to say, able to describe what is passing inside. A dialogue such as would have to be carried on between the principal players will best describe the game, and show how it is to be played:—

The vase of flowers being the only object preceded by the word and, the clairvoyant knows that that is the object which will be touched. The fun of the game, of course, consists in puzzling those of the company to whom the secret is unknown.

THE COMIC CONCERT.

In this performance the company for the time imagine themselves to be a band of musicians. The leader of the band is supposed to furnish each of the performers with a different musical instrument. Consequently, a violin, a harp, a flute, an accordion, a piano, a jew's-harp, and anything else that would add to the noise, are all to be performed upon at the same time. Provided with an instrument of some description himself, the leader begins playing a tune on his imaginary violoncello, or whatever else it may be, imitating the real sound as well as he can both in action and voice. The others all do the same, the sight presented being, as may well be imagined, exceedingly ludicrous, and the noise almost deafening. In the midst of it, the leader quite unexpectedly stops playing, and makes an entire change in his attitude and tone of voice, substituting for his own instrument one belonging to some one else. As soon as he does this, the performer who has been thus unceremoniously deprived of his instrument takes that of his leader, and performs on it instead. Thus the game is continued, every one being expected to carefully watch the leader's actions, and to be prepared at any time for making a sudden change.

CONSEQUENCES.

The old-fashioned game of Consequences is so well known that there are doubtless few people who are not thoroughly acquainted with it. It is played in the following manner:—Each person is first provided with half a sheet of note paper and a lead pencil. The leader of the game then requests that (1) one or more adjectives may be written at the top of each paper by its owner, and that, having done so, the paper may be folded down about half an inch, so as to conceal what has been written. Every one then passes the paper to the right-hand neighbour, and proceeds to write on the sheet that has just been given him by his left-hand neighbour, (2) the name of a gentleman, again folding the paper down and passing it on to the right. Then (3) one or more adjectives are written; then (4) a lady's name; next (5) where they met; next (6) what he gave her; next (7) what he said to her; next (8) what she said to him; next (9) the consequences; and lastly (10) what the world said about it.

Every time anything is written the paper must be turned down and passed on to the right. As soon as every one has written what the world said the papers are collected, and the leader will edify the company by reading them all aloud. The result will be something of this kind, or perhaps something even more absurd may be produced—"The happy energetic (1) Mr. Simpkins (2) met the modest (3) Miss Robinson (4) in the Thames Tunnel (5). He gave her a sly glance (6), and said to her, 'Do you love the moon?' (7). She replied, 'Not if I know it' (8). The consequence was they sang a duet (9), and the world said, 'Wonders never cease'" (10).

CONVEYANCES.

To do justice to this game it will be necessary for the players to call to mind all they have ever read or heard about the various modes of travelling in all the four quarters of the globe, because every little detail will be of use.

The business commences by one of the company announcing that he intends starting on a journey, when he is asked whether he will go by sea or by land. To which quarter of the globe? Will he go north, south, east, or west? and last of all—What conveyance does he intend to use?

After these four questions have been answered, the first player is called upon to name the spot he intends to visit.

Mountain travelling may be described, the many ingenious methods of which are so well known to visitors to Italy and Switzerland.

The wonderful railway up the Righi need not be forgotten; mule travelling, arm-chairs carried by porters, and the dangerous-looking ladders which the Swiss peasants mount and remount so fearlessly at all times of the year, in order to scale the awful precipices, will each be borne in mind. In the cold regions the sledges drawn by reindeer may be employed, or the Greenland dogs, not forgetting the tremendous skates, that have the appearance of small canoes, used by the Laplanders; and also the stilts, which are used by some of the poor French people who live in the west of their country. Indeed, it is amazing how many different methods of conveyance have been contrived at one time or another for the benefit of us human beings.

In Spain and other places there are the diligences; in Arabia the camels; in China the junks; at Venice the gondolas.

Then, to come home, we have balloons, bicycles, wheelbarrows, perambulators, and all kinds of carriages, so that no one need be long in deciding what mode of travelling he shall for the time adopt. As soon as the four questions have been answered, should the first player be unable to name what country he will visit he must pay a forfeit, and the opportunity is passed on to his neighbour.

This game may be made intensely amusing, as will be proved by trial; and at the same time a very great amount of instruction may be derived from it.

CRAMBO.

Two pieces of paper, unlike both in size and colour, are given to each person. On one of them a noun must be written, and on the other a question. Two gentlemen's hats must then be called for, into one of which the nouns must be dropped, and into the other the questions, and all well shuffled. The hats must then be handed round, until each person is supplied with a question and a noun. The thing now to be done is for each player to write an answer in rhyme to the question he finds written on the one paper, bringing in the noun written on the other paper.

Sometimes the questions and the nouns are so thoroughly inapplicable to each other that it is impossible to produce anything like sensible poetry. The player need not trouble about that, however, for the more nonsensical the rhyme the greater the fun. Sometimes players are fortunate enough to draw from the hats both noun and question that may be easily linked together. A question once drawn was—"Why do summer roses fade?" The noun drawn was butterfly, so that the following rhyme was easily concocted:—

CROSS QUESTIONS AND CROOKED ANSWERS.

This is a pleasant game, that may be enjoyed while sitting in a circle round the fire. The person at either end, who is honoured by commencing the game, must, in a whisper, ask a question of the player sitting next to him, taking care to remember the answer he receives, and also the question he himself asked. The second player must then do likewise, and so on, until every one in the party has asked a question and received an answer. The last person, of course, being under the necessity of receiving the answer to his question from the first person. Every one must then say aloud what was the question put to him, and what was the answer he received to the question he asked—the two together, of course, making nothing but nonsense, something like the following:—

Another way of playing this game is for one person to stand outside the circle; then, when all the whispering is finished, to come forward and ask a question of each person, receiving for his replies the answers they all had given to the questions they asked each other. Or what is, perhaps, a still better plan, both questions and answers may be written on different coloured paper, and then, after being shuffled, may be read aloud by the leader of the game.

"CUPID IS COMING."

In this game all the adverbs that can be thought of will need to be brought into requisition. Seated in order round the room, the first player begins by saying to his neighbour, "Cupid is coming." The neighbour then says, "How is he coming?" To which the first player replies by naming an adverb beginning with the letter A. This little form of procedure is repeated by every player until every one in the room has mentioned an adverb beginning with A. Next time Cupid is declared to be coming Beautifully, Bashfully, Bountifully, etc.; then Capriciously, Cautiously, Carefully, and so on, until the whole of the alphabet has been gone through, by which time, no doubt, it will be thought desirable to select another game.

THE CUSHION DANCE.

A hassock is placed end upwards in the middle of the floor, round which the players form a circle with hands joined, having first divided themselves into two equal parts.

The adversaries, facing each other, begin business by dancing round the hassock a few times; then suddenly one side tries to pull the other forward, so as to force one of their number to touch the hassock, and to upset it.

The struggle that necessarily ensues is a source of great fun, causing as much or even more merriment to spectators of the scene than to the players themselves. At last, in spite of the utmost dexterity, down goes the hassock or cushion, whichever it may be; some one's foot is sure to touch it before very long, when the unfortunate individual is dismissed from the circle, and compelled to pay a forfeit.

The advantages that the gentlemen have over the ladies in this game are very great; they can leap over the stool and avoid it times without number, while the ladies are continually impeded by their dresses. It generally happens that two gentlemen are left to keep up the struggle, which in most cases is a very prolonged one.

DEFINITIONS.

This game is not fit for very young children, but among older ones, who wish to enjoy a little quiet time together, it will suit their purpose admirably. On a little slip of paper each member of the party writes down a subject for definition. The slips are then handed to the leader, who reads the subjects aloud, while each person copies them on a piece of paper. Every one is then requested to give definitions, not only of his own word, but of all the others, the whole being read aloud when finished.

DUMB CRAMBO.

After dividing the company into two equal parts, one half leaves the room; in their absence the remaining players fix upon a verb, to be guessed by those who have gone out when they return. As soon as the word is chosen, those outside the room are told with what word it rhymes. A consultation ensues, when the absent ones come in and silently act the word they think may be the right one. Supposing the verb thought of should have rhymed with Sell, the others might come in and begin felling imaginary trees with imaginary hatchets, but on no account uttering a single syllable. If Fell were the right word, the spectators, on perceiving what the actors were attempting to do, would clap their hands, as a signal that the word had been discovered. But if Tell or any other word had been thought of, the spectators would begin to hiss loudly, which the actors would know indicated that they were wrong, and that nothing remained for them but to try again. The rule is that, while the acting is going on, the spectators as well as the actors should be speechless. Should any one make a remark, or even utter a single syllable, a forfeit must be paid.

DWARF.

Just as absurd and ridiculous as the representation of the Giant (elsewhere explained) is that of the Dwarf, and to those who have never before seen it performed the picture is certainly a most bewildering one. The wonderful phenomenon is produced in the following manner:—On a table in front of the company the dwarf makes his appearance, his feet being the hands of one of the two gentlemen who have undertaken to manage the affair. His head is the property of the same gentleman, while his hands belong to the other gentleman, who thrusts them over the shoulders of his companion to take the place of those that are being made to act as feet. Stockings and shoes are of course put on to these artificial feet, and the little figure is dressed up as well as can be managed, in order to hide the comical way in which the portions of the two individuals are united. For this purpose a child's pinafore will be found as suitable as anything else. A third person generally takes part in the proceedings as exhibitor, and comes forward to introduce his little friend, perhaps as Count Borowlaski, the Polish dwarf, who lived in the last century, and who was remarkable for his intelligence and wit. This little creature was never more than three feet high, although he lived to be quite old. He was also very highly accomplished: he could dance, and played on the guitar quite proficiently. Or he might be introduced as Nicholas Ferry, the famous French dwarf, who was so small that when he was taken to church to be christened his mother made a bed for him in her sabot, and so comfortable was he in it that for the first six months of his life it was made to serve as a cradle for the little fellow. Sense or nonsense may of course be improvised on the spot, and made use of in order to render the exhibition a success.

THE ELEMENTS.

Seated round the room, one of the company holds in his hand a ball, round which should be fastened a string, so that it may be easily drawn back again. Sometimes a ball of worsted is used, when a yard or two is left unwound. The possessor of the ball then throws it first to one person then to another, naming at the time one of the elements; and each player as the ball touches him must, before ten can be counted, mention an inhabitant of that element. Should any one speak when fire is mentioned he must pay a forfeit.

THE FARMYARD.

If it were not understood that joking of all kinds is considered lawful in most game playing, we might be inclined to think that in this game of the Farmyard a little unfairness existed in one person being made so completely the laughing-stock of all the rest. Still, as "in war all things are fair," so it seems to be in amusements, most hearty players evidently being quite willing to be either the laughers or the laughed at. The master of the ceremony announces that he will whisper in the ear of each person the name of an animal which, at some signal from him, they must all imitate as loudly as possible. The fact is, however, that to one person only he gives the name of an animal, and that is the donkey; to every one else he gives the command to be perfectly silent. After waiting a short time, that all may be in readiness, he makes the expected signal, when, instead of a number of sounds, nothing is to be heard but a loud bray. It is needless to remark that this game is seldom called for a second time in one evening.

THE FEATHER.

A small flossy feather with very little stem must be procured. The players then draw their chairs in a circle as closely together as possible. One of the party begins the game by throwing the feather into the air as high as possible above the centre of the ring formed. The object of the game is to keep it from touching any one, as the player whom it touches must pay a forfeit; and it is impossible to imagine the excitement that can be produced by each player preventing the feather from alighting upon him. The game must be heartily played to be fully appreciated, not only by the real actors of the performance, but by the spectators of the scene. Indeed, so absurd generally is the picture presented, that it is difficult to say whether the players or the watchers have the most fun.

FINDING THE RING.

The principle of the following puzzle is very similar to that contained in "Think of a Number."

First of all a ring must be provided, after which you can request the company to put it upon some one's finger, adding at the same time that you will tell them who has it, and also upon which hand, and even upon which finger it shall have been placed.

The ring being deposited on a certain finger, you must then ask some one to make for you the necessary calculation.

Multiply the number of the person having the ring by 2; to that add 3. Multiply this by 5; then add 8 if the ring be on the right hand, or 9 if on the left. Then multiply by 10, and add the number of the finger (the thumb is 1); and, lastly, add 2.

Ask now for the result, from which subtract mentally 222, and the remainder will give the answer.

For instance, supposing the ring were put on the fourth person, on the left hand, and the first finger, remembering that the thumb counts 1.

The following is the kind of sum to be worked out:—

Which result proves it to be, beginning at the right-hand finger, the second finger of the left hand of the fourth person.

When the number of the person wearing the ring is above 9, the remainder will stand in four figures instead of three; in that case the first two will indicate the person.

Like all games of mental calculation, the more quickly this is done the better.

FLYING.

To play this game well it is necessary that there should be a good spokesman in the company, who will find ample opportunity for his gift of eloquence.

Simple as the game may appear to be, it is one that is generally played with very great success.

Each member of the party wishing to take part in it must place the right hand upon the left arm.

The leader then intimates that in the discourse with which he intends to favour his friends, whenever he mentions a creature that can fly, every right hand is to be raised and fluttered in the air in imitation of a bird flying. At the mention of all animals that cannot fly, the hands remain stationary. It is, of course, needless to say that the leader will do his best to have the hands raised when other animals are mentioned as well as flying ones, in order that a good number of forfeits may be collected.

All being in readiness, he will begin in a style something like the following:—

"One lovely morning in June I sallied forth to take the air. The honey-suckle and roses were shedding a delicious perfume, the butterflies and bees were flitting from flower to flower, the cuckoo's note resounded through the groves, and the lark's sweet trill was heard overhead. It seemed, indeed, that all the birds of the air (here all hands must be raised) were vieing with each other as to whose song should be the loudest and the sweetest, when," &c.

Thus the game is carried on until as many forfeits as are deemed desirable have been extracted from the company.

FORFEITS.

As an evening spent in playing round games would be thought incomplete if at the end of it the forfeits were not redeemed, so our book of amusements would be sadly lacking in interest if a list of forfeits were not provided. Indeed, many young people think that the forfeits are greater fun than the games themselves, and that the best part of the evening begins when forfeit time arrives. Still, although we will give a list of forfeits, it is by no means necessary that in the crying of them none but certain prescribed ones should be used. The person deputed to pronounce judgment on those of his friends who have had to pay the forfeits may either invent something on the spur of the moment, or make use of what he has seen in a book or may have stored in his memory. Originality in such cases is often the best, simply because the sentence is made to suit, or rather not to suit, the victim; and the object of course of all these forfeit penances is to make the performers of them look absurd. For those players, however, who in preference to anything new still feel inclined to adopt the well-known good old-fashioned forfeits, we will supply a list of as many as will meet ordinary requirements.

1. Bite an inch off the poker.—This is done by holding the poker the distance of an inch from the mouth, and performing an imaginary bite.

2. Kiss the lady you love best without any one knowing it.—To do this the gentleman must of course kiss all the ladies present, the one he most admires taking her turn among the rest.

3. Lie down your full length on the floor, and rise with your arms folded the whole time.

4. Kneel to the wittiest, bow to the prettiest, and kiss the one you love best.—These injunctions may, of course, be obeyed in the letter or in the spirit, just as the person redeeming the forfeit feels inclined to do.

5. Put yourself through the keyhole.—To do this the word "Yourself" is written upon a piece of paper, which is rolled up and passed through the keyhole.

6. Sit upon the fire.—The trick in this forfeit is like the last one. Upon a piece of paper the words, "The fire," are written, and then sat upon.

7. Take one of your friends upstairs, and bring him down upon a feather.—Any one acquainted with this forfeit is sure to choose the stoutest person in the room as his companion to the higher regions. On returning to the room the redeemer of the forfeit will be provided with a soft feather, covered with down, which he will formally present to his stout companion, obeying, therefore, the command to bring him down upon a feather.

8. Kiss a book inside and outside without opening it.—This is done by first kissing the book in the room, then taking it outside and kissing it there.

9. Place a book, ornament, or any other very small article on the floor, so that no one in the room can possibly jump over it.—The way this is done is to place the article close to the wall.

10. Shake a sixpence off the forehead.—It is astonishing how even the most acute player may be deceived by this sixpenny imposition. The presiding genius, holding in his fingers a sixpence, proceeds with an air of great importance to fasten the coin upon the forehead of the victim, by means of first wetting it, and then pressing it firmly just above the eyes. As soon as the coin is considered to be firmly fixed, he takes away his hands, and also the coin. The person operated upon is then told to shake the sixpence down to the floor, without any aid from his hands, and so strong generally is the impression made upon the mind of the victim that the sixpence is still on the forehead, that the shaking may be continued for several minutes before the deception be discovered.

11. Put one hand where the other cannot touch it.—This is done by merely holding the right elbow with the left hand.

12. Kiss the candlestick.—Request a young lady to hold a lighted candle, and then steal a kiss from her.

13. Laugh in one corner of the room, sing in another, cry in another, and dance in another.

14. Leave the room with two legs, and return with six.—To do this you must go out of the room, and come back bringing a chair with you.

15. Put four chairs in a row, take off your boots, and jump over them.—This task would no doubt appear rather formidable for a young lady to perform, until she is made to understand that it is not the chairs, but the boots, she is expected to jump over.

16. Blow a candle out blindfold.—This forfeit is very similar to the game, elsewhere described, of Blowing out the Candle; still, there is no reason why it should not take its place among the rest of the forfeits. The victim is blindfolded, turned round a few times, and then requested to blow out the light. When the performance is over, the owner of the forfeit will no doubt have well deserved to have his property returned to him, for if securely blindfolded the task will have been no easy one. Another way of blowing out the candle is to pass the flame rapidly backwards and forwards before the mouth of the player, who must try to blow it out as it passes, a method that is almost, if not quite, as difficult as the former one.

17. The German band.—In this charming little musical entertainment, three or four of the company can at the same time redeem their forfeits. An imaginary musical instrument is given to each one—they themselves must have no choice in the matter—and upon these instruments they must perform as best they can.

18. Ask a question, the answer to which cannot possibly be answered in the negative.—The question, of course, is "What does y-e-s spell?"

19. The Statue.—The unfortunate individual doomed to redeem his forfeit by acting a statue must allow himself to be placed in one position after another by different members of the company, and thus remain stationary until permission is given him to alter it.

20. The Sentence.—A certain number of letters are given to the forfeit-payer, who must use each one in the order in which it is given him for the commencement of a word. All the words, when made, must then form a sentence—placing the words in their proper order exactly as the letters with which they begin were given.

21. Comparisons.—The gentleman or lady must compare some one in the room to some object or another, and must then explain in which way he or she resembles the object, and in which way differs from it. For instance, a gentleman may compare a lady to a rose, because they are both equally sweet; unlike the rose, however, the lady is of course, without a thorn.

22. The Excluded Vowels.—Pay five compliments to some lady in the room. In the first one the letter a must not occur, in the second the letter e must be absent, in the third there must be no i, in the fourth no o, and in the fifth no u.

23. Kiss your own shadow.—The most pleasant method of executing this command is to hold a lighted candle so that your shadow may fall on a young lady's face, when you must take the opportunity of snatching a kiss.

24. Form a blind judgment.—The person upon whom the sentence has been passed must be blindfolded. The company are then made to pass before him one by one, while he not only gives the name of each, but also his opinion concerning them.

Not unfrequently the victim has to remain blindfold a very long time, for even if the name should be guessed correctly, it is no easy matter to form a just estimate of character, and unless his ideas meet with the approbation of the company, his forfeit is withheld from him.

Great silence must be observed while the ordeal of examination is going on. No one should speak, and all should step as lightly as possible.

25. Act the dummy.—You must do whatever any of the company wish you to perform without speaking a single word.

26. The telegraphic message.—Send your lover's name by telegram to the other end of the room. To do this you must whisper the favoured name to the person sitting next to you, who will whisper it to his neighbour, and so on until every one has been made acquainted with it.

27. Act the Prussian soldier.—This penance is one that is generally performed only by gentlemen. The uniform assumed is usually a coat turned inside out, a hat made of a twisted newspaper, a bag of some description for a cartridge-box, and soot moustaches.

Holding a walking-stick in a military style, the penitent goes up to a lady, presents arms, and stamps three times with his feet.

Rising from her seat, the lady must accompany the gentleman to the opposite side of the room, then whisper in his ear the name of the gentleman for whom she has a special preference.

Without speaking the brave Prussian must march up to the favoured gentleman, and escort him across the room to the side of the lady who has avowed herself his admirer. The lady is, of course, saluted by the object of her choice, after which she is taken back to the seat she originally occupied. The soldier then, presenting arms, returns to the gentleman, who whispers in his ear a favoured lady's name, to whom he escorts her admirer. The proceeding is thus carried on, until some lady is good enough to acknowledge her preference for the soldier himself above all the other gentlemen, when, after saluting the lady, he is at liberty to lay aside his military dress, and return to his seat.

28. "'Twas I."—The victim in this case is unmistakably doomed to occupy a very humiliating position. He must go round the room, inquiring of each person what object he has seen lately that has particularly attracted his notice. The answer may be—a baby, a thief, a donkey; whatever it is, the unfortunate redeemer of the forfeit must remark—"'Twas I."

29. The acrostic.—A word is given to you, the letters of which you must convert into the first letters of a double set of adjectives, one half expressing good qualities, the other half bad ones. When complete you may present both good and bad qualities to the person you most admire, as expressive of your estimate of his or her character. For instance, should the word given you be Conduct. If a gentleman, you might inform your lady that you consider her—

C areful.
O rderly.
N oble.
D elightful.
U seful.
C ompassionate.
T idy.

while at the same time you think her to be—

C aptious.
O bnoxious.
N iggardly.
D eceitful.
U ntidy.
C ross.
T ouchy.

30. The three words.—The names of three articles are given to you, when on the spur of the moment you must declare to what use you would put them if they were in your possession for the benefit of the lady you admire. Supposing the words to be, a penknife, a half-crown, and a piece of string, you might say:—"With the penknife I would slay every one who attempted to place any barrier between us; with the half-crown I would pay the clergyman to perform the marriage ceremony; and with the string I would tie our first pudding."

31. Make a perfect woman.—To do this the player has to select from the ladies present the personal features and traits of character that he most admires in each, and imagine them combined in one individual. Although the task is by no means one of the easiest, it may be made the opportunity of paying delicate little compliments to several ladies at once.

32. Show the spirit of contrary.—The idea in this imposition is the same as in the game of contrary. Whatever the player is told to do, he must do just the contrary.

33. Give good advice.—Go round the room, and to every one of the company give a piece of good advice.

34. Flattering speeches.—This penance is usually given to a gentleman, though there is no reason why the ladies should always be exempted from its performance. Should it be a gentleman, however, he must make six, twelve, or as many flattering speeches as he is told to a certain lady, without once making use of the letter L. For instance, he may tell her she is handsome, perfect, good, wise, gracious, or anything else he may choose to say, only whatever adjective he makes use of must be spelt without the letter L.

35. The deaf man.—This cruel punishment consists in the penitent being made to stand in the middle of the room, acting the part of a deaf man. In the meantime the company invite him to do certain things, which they know will be very agreeable to him. To the first three invitations he must reply—"I am deaf; I can't hear." To the fourth invitation he must reply—"I can hear"; and, however disagreeable the task may be, he must hasten to perform it. It is needless to say the company generally contrive that the last invitation shall be anything but pleasant.

36. Act the parrot.—The player condemned to this penance must go round the room, saying to every one of the company—"If I were a parrot, what would you teach me to say?" No end of ridiculous things may be suggested, but the rule is that every answer shall be repeated by the parrot before putting another question.

37. Make your will.—The victim in this case is commanded to say what he will leave as a legacy to every one of his friends in the room. To one he may leave his black hair, to another his eyebrows, to another (perhaps a lady) his dress coat, to another his excellent common sense, to another his wit, and so on until every one in the room has been remembered.

38. Spell Constantinople.—This trick, as most people are aware, consists in calling out "No, no!" to the speller when he has got as far as the last syllable but one. Thus he begins:—"C-o-n con, s-t-a-n stan, t-i ti." Here voices are heard crying "No, no!" which interruption, unless the victim be prepared for it, may lead him to imagine that he has made a mistake.

39. The natural historian.—Go to the first player, and ask him to name his favourite animal. Whatever animal he may mention, you must imitate its cry as loudly as you can. You then ask the second player to do the same, and so on until you shall have imitated all the animals mentioned, or until the company shall declare that you deserve to have your forfeit returned to you.

40. The blind dancers.—Among players who are not anxious to prolong the ordeal of forfeit crying any longer than is necessary, the following method of redeeming several forfeits at once may be acceptable:—Eight victims are chosen to be blindfolded, and while in this condition are requested to go through the first figure of a quadrille.

41. The cats' concert.—This is another method of redeeming any number of forfeits at once. The players who have their forfeits to redeem are requested to place themselves together in a group, when, at a given signal from the leader, they all begin to sing any tune they like. The effect, as may well be imagined, is far from soothing.

42. Spelling backwards.—Spell some long word, such as hydrostatics, &c., backwards.

GIANT.

The wonderful performance known as the Giant is accomplished by the united efforts of two gentlemen, one of whom takes his position on the shoulders of the other, sitting of course with one leg on each side of his companion's neck. Cloaks, rugs, or coats of any description are then arranged round the two figures in order to hide the real state of things, so that when the Giant makes his appearance nothing is to be seen but one huge figure. The lower gentleman who supports his friend is expected to do little more than patiently to carry his burden, though he may be called upon to exert himself a little in the way of dancing should the Giant feel so inclined. The talking and gesticulating business all devolves upon the gentleman perched aloft, who may wear a mask, paint his face, or do anything else of the kind, to avoid being identified by the company.

THE GIRAFFE.

A very good imitation of a Giraffe may be contrived, on the same principles as those adopted in constructing the Baby Elephant. Provided with an animal's head as nearly like that of a Giraffe as possible, no more difficulty need be feared. First of all, the head must be fastened to the end of a long stick. One of two performers must then hold the stick aloft while his companion, standing close behind, must place himself in a stooping position, so as to make the outline of his own person like that of the lower part of the Giraffe's body. The long stick will of course form the neck of the animal, and the first performer will form the front part of the body. A cloth is then pinned round the stick and round the bodies of the two performers, leaving the legs, of course, to represent the legs of the Giraffe. A rope tail must be stuck in by some means or other, and if cleverly managed, it is astonishing what an excellent imitation of the real animal can thus be manufactured.

THE GRAND MUFTI.

One person is appointed to have the dignity of Grand Mufti conferred upon him, which means that, whatever ridiculous action he may choose to perform, that is preceded by the words, "Thus says the Grand Mufti," every one else must follow his example. Nothing that he does, however, unaccompanied by these words, is to be regarded; he may laugh, sneeze, throw up his arms, or do anything else equally absurd, no one must imitate what he does, unless he has uttered the words, "Thus says the Grand Mufti." In order to lead the company astray, and that more forfeits may be paid, the Mufti will no doubt occasionally alter the order of the words, or change them in some way; but all must be on the alert, and remain perfectly silent and motionless, whatever the Mufti either says or does, unless he has been pleased in the first instance to utter the proper words in their right order.

HANDS.

In this game the company generally divides into two parts, half being players, while the rest do the work of guessing. A thimble is then produced by one of the party, or something equally small, that may be easily held in the hand. Seated by the side of the table the players begin passing on the article from hand to hand. When the working has been done sufficiently, the closed hands are all placed on the table for the opponents sitting opposite to guess in succession whose hand holds the treasure. As soon as the hiding-place is discovered, the opposite side take their turn.

"HE CAN DO LITTLE WHO CAN'T DO THIS."

This simple game has been a puzzler to young people many and many a time. With a stick in the left hand the player thumps on the floor, at the same time saying, "He can do little who can't do this." Then, passing the stick into the right hand, he gives it to the next person, who, if unacquainted with the game, will, no doubt, thump with the right hand. Of course, it is most natural to use the right hand for everything, consequently few people suspect that the secret of the game lies in simply taking the stick with your right hand when it is passed to you, but knocking with your left.

HISS AND CLAP.

In this game, the gentlemen are all requested to leave the room, when the ladies take their seats, leaving a vacant place on the right side of every one for the gentlemen of their choice. Each gentleman in turn is then summoned, and asked to guess which lady he imagines has chosen him for her partner. Should he guess rightly he is allowed to take his seat by the lady who has chosen him, while the company loudly clap hands, in proof of their congratulations on his success; but should he guess wrongly, he will be only too glad to disappear from the scene, so loud will be the hisses of his friends.

"HOT BOILED BEANS."

In this game some small article is to be hidden, the player who has to find it being sent out of the room while the hiding is being effected. This being done, the invitation, "Hot Boiled Beans and Bacon, make haste and come to supper," is given, upon which the searcher returns to the room and begins to hunt for the hidden article. The progress of the player is usually announced by assuring him that he is "very cold," "cold," "warmer," "warm," "hot," "very hot," or "burning," according as he is far from or near to the article to be discovered.

HOT COCKLES.

A game not unlike Shadow Buff is that known by the peculiar title of Hot Cockles. A handkerchief is tied over the eyes of one of the company, who then lays his head on a chair, as if he were about to submit to the punishment of being beheaded, and places his hand on his back with the palm uppermost. Any of the party come behind him and give him a slap on his open hand, he in the meantime trying to discover whose hand it is that strikes.

HOUSE FURNISHERS.

In this game the company are to imagine themselves a number of hosts and hostesses who are expecting the arrival of some friends, for whose reception they are totally unprepared, as far as provisions and household arrangements are concerned. Accordingly, each one must volunteer to set out immediately, in order to procure some particular article. First of all, the rooms must be furnished with tables, chairs, beds, bedsteads, curtains, carpets, and fire-irons; then knives, forks, and crockery of every kind must be obtained; and lastly, a good supply of provisions—meat, wine, ale, fruit, vegetables, sugar, coffee, tea—indeed, everything that would conduce to the comfort of the coming visitors. Every made article must come direct from the place where it has been manufactured, as must also the articles of produce from their native soil.

"HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR NEIGHBOUR?"

The company must seat themselves round the room, leaving plenty of space in the middle for passing to and fro. One person left standing then begins the game by putting the question, "How do you like your neighbour?" to any one he pleases. The answer must be either "Not at all" or "Very much." Should the reply be "Not at all," the lady or gentleman is requested to say what other two members of the company would be preferred instead as neighbours, when the new neighbours and the old must immediately change places. During the transition the questioner may endeavour to secure a seat for himself, leaving out one of the four who have been struggling for seats to take the place of questioner. When the reply "Very much" is given, every one in the room must change places. The questioner, therefore, will easily find a seat for himself, and the person left standing must take his place as interrogator.

"HOW, WHEN, AND WHERE?"

In this game, like the last, a word is chosen by the company, containing as many meanings as possible, the person who has volunteered to be the questioner having previously gone out of the room. On being recalled, the person who has been out begins by asking each of his friends how they like it.

Supposing the word "cord" to have been chosen, the first player might answer slight, the next sweet, meaning chord, the next loud, the next strong, and so on until all have said how they liked it. The questioner then recommences his interrogations at the first player by inquiring "When do you like it?" Replies to this question something like the following may be given:—"When I am preparing to take a journey;" "When I am in church;" "When I am driving;" "When I feel musical." Then to the last question—"Where do you like it?" the company may reply—"In a piano;" "In the garden;" "Not round my neck;" "Always at hand," &c. No doubt long before all the questions have been answered the word that has been chosen will have been discovered.

HUNT THE RING.

The game of Hunt the Ring is perhaps better liked than Hunt the Slipper, on account of its being in the estimation of most people more convenient and manageable. Either a ring or a small key may be used for the purpose. Whichever it is, a string must be passed through it, and the ends fastened in a knot, forming thus a circular band. The company then stand in a circle, allowing the string to pass through the hands of each person, and enabling every one to slide the ring easily along from one to the other. The object of the player standing inside the circle is to stop it in its progress, which, in most cases, he finds a rather difficult task. The game is also frequently played without any string, when every one tries, of course, to pass the ring round very rapidly, without being detected by the hunter.

HUNT THE SLIPPER.

This surely must be one of our oldest games, and one, no doubt, that our grandmothers and grandfathers played at when they were children. The players all seat themselves, like so many tailors, on the floor in a ring, so that their toes all meet. A slipper (the smaller the better) is then produced, and given by the person outside to one sitting in the circle, with instructions that it must be mended by a certain day. Finding it not finished at the time appointed, the pretended owner declares that he must have it as it is, and thereupon commences the hunt. How it is carried on is no doubt too well known to need further explanation.

HUNT THE WHISTLE.

This game is always successful, and a source of very great amusement if only some one ignorant of the secret can be found who will volunteer to act as hunter. Such person is first requested to kneel down while some lady goes through the ceremony of conferring upon him the order of knighthood. During the process, the whistle, attached to a piece of ribbon, is pinned to the coat of the newly-made knight. He is then told to rise and go in quest of the whistle, which is in the possession of one of the party. The hunt now begins, the players all trying to deceive their victim in every way imaginable, and to make him think that they are passing the whistle from one to another. On every possible occasion, of course, the whistle should be sounded, until the deluded knight has made the discovery that the object of his search is fastened to himself.

"I APPRENTICED MY SON."

The shortest way of describing this game will be to give an illustration of the manner in which it is played. John: "I apprenticed my son to a grocer, and the first thing he sold was half-a-pound of C."

Nellie: Coffee?—No.

Sam: Cocoa?—No.

Tom: Cayenne Pepper?—No.

Edith: Chicory?—Yes.

Edith being the guesser of the right article, is entitled to be the next to apprentice her son. One guess only in turn is allowed to each player.

"I LOVE MY LOVE."

"I Love my Love" is played alphabetically, like "Cupid is Coming," though more ingenuity is required in it, simply because a number of words, instead of one adverb only, have quickly to be conjured up. In order to show clearly how the game is played, we will imagine ourselves to be the first of the players, who would have to proceed in a manner something like the following:—"I love my love with an 'A,' because she is amiable; I hate her with an 'A,' because she is arrogant. I took her to the sign of the Angel, and treated her to Apples and Apricots. Her name is Annie, and she comes from Australia." The next player takes "B," the next "C," and so on, until the whole of the alphabet has been gone through.

This simple game must be one of no recent invention if the tale be true told by Mr. Foote, the celebrated wit. He narrates that one day the Ladies Cheere, Fielding, and Hill were amusing themselves by playing at the children's game of "I love my love." Lady Cheere began by saying, "I love my love with an N, because he is a 'Night'" (Knight); Lady Fielding followed with, "I love my love with a G, because he is a 'Gustus'" (Justice); and Lady Hill added, "I love my love with an F, because he is a 'Fizishun'" (Physician). So much for the spelling powers of the ladies in the olden times.

"JACK'S ALIVE."

No one at all inclined to be slow in their movements need offer to take part in the game of "Jack's Alive," for quickness and promptitude of action are indispensable to its success. A piece of paper, or, better still, a long piece of firewood, is put into the fire until it is in a blazing condition when taken out. The first player, blowing out the flame, passes it to his neighbour, saying, "Jack's alive." It is then passed on to the next, and to all the company in succession, each one trying to get rid of it before the spark has died out. Every one to whom it is offered must take it immediately the words "Jack's alive" are uttered, or a forfeit must be paid; and the one in whose hands Jack really expires must produce a forfeit. In some cases boys have actually been known, when playing at this game, to improve each other's appearance by marking black moustaches and eyebrows, &c.; but as such proceedings have nothing whatever to do with the real "Jack's Alive," we feel sure that none of our readers will ever practise this foolish habit.

THE JOLLY MILLER.

The Jolly Miller is a game that may be played either in the open air or in the drawing-room, therefore it may be allowed to take its place among the list of round games. Not being generally considered, however, one of the most refined of recreations, a good large empty room, or a servants' hall, will be quite as suitable for its performance as the drawing-room. Each gentleman chooses a lady for a partner, excepting one who may be kind enough to volunteer to be the miller. This solitary one takes his stand in the middle of the room, while his companions in couples arm in arm walk round him singing the following lines:—

At the word "grab" every one must change partners, and while the transition is going on the miller has the opportunity given him of securing for himself one of the ladies. Should he succeed in doing so, the one necessarily left without a partner must take the place of the Jolly Miller, when he, like his predecessor, must occupy his lonely position until he is fortunate enough to steal a young lady from one of his friends.

JUDGE AND JURY.

The first thing to be done in this game is to select a judge and three jurymen. A piece of paper is then given to each of the remaining company, who, after due consideration, must write down the name of some one in history, the incidents of whose life they recollect sufficiently to be able to narrate. All having made their selection, the papers are presented to the judge, who calls upon one after another to submit to an examination. Supposing the first player to have chosen Guy Fawkes, he would be asked in what year he was born, in whose reign, to what country he belonged, what he did to make himself remarkable, what great men were his contemporaries, and anything else that might occur to the judge. No one, of course, with a superficial knowledge of history should accept the position of judge, nor yet that of juryman. If agreeable to the company, living characters may be personified, still historical ones are generally the most interesting, and it is astonishing how much instruction as well as real amusement may be drawn from the game.

THE MAGIC ANSWER.

It is necessary that this game should be understood by two of the company who mean to take the lead in it, and that an agreement should be made between them as to what course to pursue. One of these leaders goes out of the room while the rest of the company choose a word for him to guess on his return. The agreement made is that the word thought of shall be named immediately after the mention of anything with four legs. Therefore the conversation carried on between the two actors in the ceremony would be something like the following:—

MAGICAL MUSIC.

This is a game in which music is made to take a prominent part. On one of the company volunteering to leave the room, some particular article agreed upon is hidden. On being recalled, the person, ignorant of the hiding-place, must commence a diligent search, taking the piano as his guide. The loud tones will mean that he is very near the object of his search, and the soft tones that he is far from it. Another method of playing the same game is for the person who has been out of the room to try to discover on his return what the remainder of the company desire him to do. It may be to pick up something from the floor, to take off his coat, to look at himself in the glass, or anything else as absurd. The only clue afforded him of solving the riddle must be the loud or soft tones of the music.

THE MAGIC HATS.

Though the following trick cannot exactly be designated a Round Game, it may be performed by one of the company with great success during an interval of rest from playing. The performer begins by placing his own hat, along with another which he has borrowed, on the table, crown upwards. He then requests that the sugar-basin may be produced, from which on its arrival a lump is selected and given to him. Taking it in his fingers he promises, by some wonderful process, that he will swallow the sugar, and then, within a very short time, will let its position be under one of the two hats on the table, the company may decide which hat it shall be. It is generally suspected that a second lump of sugar will be taken from the basin, if it can be done without observation, consequently all eyes are fixed upon it. Instead of that, after swallowing the sugar the performer places the selected hat upon his own head, thus, of course, fulfilling his undertaking.

THE MAGIC WAND.

This being a game of mystery, there is not only a peculiar charm attached to it on that account, but it can also be made exceedingly attractive by the voluntary artistic movements of the performer. As in the Resting Wand, not only the leader must understand the game, but one of the company also must be in league with him, so that the two may understand each other, and work together. The person thus acting with the leader announces to the company that he will retire while a word is fixed upon, to be written on the floor when he returns by means of the magic wand. This done, a word is chosen, the person who retired is summoned, and the performance commences. The leader then begins by flourishing his wand in the air, and imitating as much as possible the tricks of a conjuror. He also makes an appearance of writing on the floor, at the same time speaking to his friend in short sentences. The letter at the beginning of the first sentence must be the first consonant of the word that has been chosen by the company, the second consonant must be at the beginning of the second sentence, and so on; the vowels occurring between being expressed by thumps on the floor with the wand. "A" is expressed by one thump, "E" by two thumps, "I" by three, "O" by four, and "U" by five thumps. One good decided thump at the end signifies that the word is complete.

An illustration will, perhaps, best explain our meaning. We will suppose the word Christmas to have been chosen. If so, the performer might first begin by waving his stick aloft, then he must commence writing, as if with great care, on the ground, at the same time remarking, "Come quickly, fellow-worker, and prepare for thy duty." Here must be a slight pause, followed by the second sentence. "How difficult thy task will be, I dare not tell." Another pause, then the third sentence. "Remember, nothing can be really well done without labour." We have now got C H R. I being the next letter, is represented by three loud thumps with the stick. The conjuror here, assuming a puzzled air, might observe, "Surely we shall not be baffled." A pause, and then, "Trust me, I will help all I can." After another pause, "Mark my wand with care." The letter A coming now, one good thump is given on the floor; then, with the words "Speak quickly, friend, say the word," followed by one good thump, the mysterious business is concluded, the accomplice, no doubt, easily detecting that Christmas was the word chosen.

"THE MINISTER'S CAT."

This is a game that is played alphabetically, in a manner somewhat resembling "Cupid is coming" and "I love my love." The first player begins by saying, "The minister's cat" is an "ambitious cat," the next an "artful cat," and so on, until all have named an adjective beginning with A. The next time of going round the adjectives must begin with B, the next time C, and so on until the whole of the alphabet has been gone through.

MIXED-UP POETRY.

A great amount of fun may be obtained from this game of mixing up poetry, which is nothing more than selecting lines from different authors, and arranging them so as to make rhyme. The specimen below, prepared by Kitty Carrol, will illustrate our meaning:—

MUSICAL CHAIR.

It is no use attempting to play this game in anything but a good-sized room; and, if possible, chairs that may be easily moved and not soon broken should be chosen. Supposing there are fifteen players, fourteen chairs must be placed in the middle of the room, every alternate one having the seat the same way, and upon these the players must seat themselves. One person, therefore, is left standing. The music then begins, when the owners of the seats all march round until the music stops, which it is generally made to do unexpectedly; at this instant each person tries to secure a chair. Necessarily one player is left without a seat; he is considered out, and, in addition, he must pay a forfeit. One of the chairs is then taken away, and the game proceeds, a chair being removed every time the music stops. One unfortunate person is always left out in the cold, until at last one chair is struggled for by the two remaining players, and the successful one of these is considered to have earned the right to pronounce judgment on such as have had to pay forfeits.

"MY MASTER HAS SENT ME UNTO YOU."

No better game than this can be chosen by those who are partial to a little gentle exercise. Sitting in order round the room, the first player begins by saying to his neighbour, "My master has sent me unto you," at the same time working away with the right hand as if hammering on his knee. The person to whom this remark is made must reply "What to do?" In answer to which the first player says, "To work with one as I do." The second player, then working in the same way, must turn to his neighbour on the left, and carry on the same conversation with him, and so on, until every one in the room is working away with the right hand. The second time of going round the order is given to work with two hands; after that with one foot as well, then with two feet, and last of all with the head. Should any one be detected not keeping both feet, hands, and head in constant motion while the game is going on, a forfeit can be demanded.

NOUNS AND QUESTIONS.

See "Crambo."

THE OBJECT GAME.

The party first divides itself into two equal parts. One person from each side is chosen to go out of the room, and, after consulting together, they fix upon any object they like for the rest to guess. The company then seat themselves in two distinct circles, sufficiently apart to prevent the remarks made in one circle from being overheard by those in the other. The two representatives are now summoned, and requested to take their places, one in each group, when a race begins as to which group shall first find out what object of thought has been fixed upon. The rule is that the number of questions asked should be limited to twenty, though in many cases it is impossible to adhere to this restriction; while, on the other hand, the object is frequently guessed before the whole twenty questions have been asked. No restriction is placed upon the objects to be thought of—a drop of water, a ray of light, a crab's claw, a nail in the boot of some great man, or anything else may be chosen. The object of the game is, of course, to make the guessing as difficult as possible, so that the struggle as to who shall be the winners may be a hard one.

THE OLD SOLDIER.

The game of Old Soldier, though unmistakably an old one, is always welcome, especially to the little people. One of the company stands up and personifies for the time the character of an old soldier, who is destitute, ragged, and hungry. He goes round the room asking each one in turn for relief, the rule being that in the answers given to him the words "Yes," "No," "Black," or "White" must not be mentioned, neither must any hesitation be allowed. Want of promptness in a reply must be atoned for by the payment of a forfeit, just as much as would the mention of one of the forbidden words.

ORANGES AND LEMONS.

Two of the company, one supposed to be an Englishman and the other a Frenchman, stand face to face, holding each other's hands so as to form a kind of bridge for the rest to pass under one by one. As the company pass under the bridge, the couple holding hands sing the following well-known rhyme:—

"Oranges and Lemons,

Say the bells of St. Clement's.

You owe me five farthings,

Say the bells of St. Martin's.

When will you pay me?

Say the bells of Old Bailey.

When I grow rich,

Say the bells of Shoreditch.

When will that be?

Say the bells of Stepney.

I'm sure I don't know,

Says the great bell of Bow.

Gay go up and gay go down

To ring the bells of London Town."