Democratic Sentinel, Volume 10, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 February 1886 — HOME [?] USEMENTS. [ARTICLE]

HOME [?] USEMENTS.

a Some Interesting^, „«irlor Caines and Pastimes. Clumps. —One of the most agreeable and funny games for the parlor is that by the name of “Clumps.” It can be played by tuyy number. Sides are chosen the s' T b as in a spelling match, and one clow o from each side to go out and seloGP some article, substance or thing from either the animal, vegetable or mineral kingdom for both sides to guess, and the side that succeeds in finding it first gains one member from the other side. The rapidity and eagerness with which the questions are asked by both sides in order to win is very amusing and quite exciting, to say the least. Blowing the Feather. —The players sit in a circle, each taking hold of the edge of a sheet with both hands and holding it up to the chin. A feather is placed on the sheet, and the players are to keep it in motion by blowing it, while one of the company is outside the circle trying to catch it by reaching out his hands. The quickness with which the position and direction of the feather can be changed by blowing sharply, will make the efforts of the catcher futile for some time. When he catches the feather, the person in front of whom it is c aught must exchange places with him. Game of Bean Bags. —A very pretty and amusing game for old and young: Take a board three feet long, eighteen inches wide; cut a hole six inches square; have the top of hole nine inches from the top of hoard and six inches from each side; arrange legs underneath, either stationary or with hinges, so that the hoard will slant to bring the bottom of the hole just one foot from the floor; cover with some pretty material—cretonne preferred. Make six hags six inches square, of ticking, and one hag (called jumbo) six inches wide by twelve inches long. Put a scant half-pint of beans into the small hags and double the quantity into jumbo. To play the game—Cnoose sides, then toss the bags the length of the room, about fifteen feet, through the hole.

Each small hag going through counts ten points. The large jumbo going through counts twenty points. If it lodges on the hoard the small bags count five; the large one ten. The small hags going off the hoard, the player loses ten; jumbo twenty. Game 100 points. It seems an easy matter to pitch tho bags through the hole, but experience will prove to the contrary.

The Fkuit-Seller.—This is a simple little game that very young children may understand, and yet older ones, by choosing foreign fruits that are not commonly seen, may make it quite puzzling. I got it up for a little class of boys and girls, who thereby learned much about the growth of fruit. One child is chosen for the seller, and he or she selects a kind of fruit and does not tell the rest, who are to guess what it is after asking one question which may be answered by “yes” or “no.” Any one asking a question that cannot be answered thus loses a chance to guess, and the one who guesses right becomes the seller, the previous seller becoming a buyer. EXAMPLE. Seller—l have a fruit to sell. First Buyer—Does it grow on a tree ? S.—No. First B.—Strawberries? S.—No. Bepeats to second buyer. Second B.—Does it “keep” through the winter ? S.—Yes. Second B.—Quinces? S.-No. Repeats to third buyer. Third B.—Does it grow in this country? S.—No. Third B.—Figs? S.—No. Bepeats to fourth buyer. Fourth B.—ls it solid, fresh, oi dried ? Loses his chance to guess. Repeats to fifth buyer. Fifth B.—-Is the fruit dried before being sent from the country where it grows ? S. —Yes. Fifth B.—Raisins ? S.—Yes.

He that blows the coals in quarrels he has nothing to do with lias no right to complain if the sparks fly in his face. — Franklin.