Jasper County Democrat, Volume 12, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 June 1909 — FOR THE CHILDREN [ARTICLE]

FOR THE CHILDREN

Twelve o'clock at Night One player Is chosen to be the fox. He or she hides In the most secluded corner to be found. Another Is selected to be hen, while the rest of the children are her chickens. They form a string behind her, holding each other by the waist. The hen walks thus with them up to the fox’s den and says: “If you please, Mr. Fox, could you tell me what o’clock it is?” If he says 1, 2 or 3, etc., she may go away in safety and return again with the same question, but the moment he says “12 o’clock at night” she and her chicks must take flight, for be Intends to seize one of them. A good deal of merry running then begins. If a chicken is caught it must then take the place of the fox. A spot has previously been fixed upon which is called the “farmyard,” where the chickens who reach it are safe, and the fox cannot enter, but must return alone to his den and stay there till he has another opportunity to catch a chicken. The fun of the game is the uncertainty as to when the fox will dart out A good fox will delay doing so till the fear of his pursuit begins to grow less and the chickens become bolder, then the moment he says “12 o’clock at night” he rushes out. As he says “12 o’clock noon” without intending to seize a chicken, the ben is always in dreadful doubt as to which 12 is coming.

Geography Game. When the boys came home from school they brought a new game. While Dick was out of the room the company selected the name of a city, river or mountain. When he returned Fred mentioned a number of geographical names, and Dick was able each time to tell which was the one that had been agreed upon. Ilere are some of the questions in their proper order, with Dick’s answers. Can you see how he did it? Chicago, London, Paris, St. Petersburg, Lyons (no to all of these), Brooklyn (yes), the Alps, Rockies, Catskills (no), AdirolTdacks (yes), Manchester (no), Liverpool (yes). The right name is the one that follows immediately after one containing the name of some living creature, as lion, cat, man—in Lyons, Catskills, Manchester. Chinese Wise Sayings. Recently a Chinaman in London was heard to wind up a dispute with another man with the words, “You paper tiger!" Asked what he meant, the oriental replied, “Oh, in China a paper tiger is a fool who talks much, but is harmless. “When a man is very proud, what you would call ‘stuck up,’ ” he went on, "we compare him to a rat falling into a scale and weighing himself. If a Chinaman overdoes anything we say, ‘You hunchback making a bow.’ A son who spends his father’s wealth quickly is ‘a rocket,’ while of some of you rich people who send money to the heathens abroad and neglect your families at home we say, ‘You hang your lantern on a pole which is seen from afar, but gives no light below.’” Tiddler's Ground. The game is called Tom Tiddler’s ground. A line is drawn to separate Tom Tiddler’s ground from the rest of the ground or field. Tom Tiddler takes up bis position in this space and tries to touch any one who Intrudes upon it. Any player he touches becomes prisoner and must stand behind Tom Tiddler until a comrade comes to rescue him. To release the prisoner the rescuer must touch him without being previously touched by Tom. If, however, Tom touches the rescuer first he also becomes a prisoner. The whole spirit of the game lies in there being plenty of invaders and in the prisoners being rescued quickly. Riddle*. Why is a clock an emblem of humility? Because it holds its hands before its face, and, however good its works may be, it is always running itself down. What Queen Mary had before, poor thing! What King William had behind, poor thing! What Queen Anne never had at all. poor thing! The letter M. When is a newspaper like a delicate child? When it appears weekly. Why is cutting off an elephant’s head so widely different from cutting off any other head? Because when you cut off the elephant’s head you don’t sever it from the trunk. Why is the letter A like 12 o’clock? Because it comes in the middle of day. A Magic Bquare. Ask your friends to so place the figures from 1 to 16 In four columns, * four numbers in each, In the shape of a square, that when added the totals shall be 84 which ever way you count np, across or diagonally. Here is the solution: • 4 is 6 I 1 u 14 1* 10 6 8 « u 1 u A Spring Bong. Right up Into Bossy's syes Looked the daisy boldly; But, alas, to his surprise. Bossy ate him obldly. Listen, daisies In the fields: Hide away from Bossy. Daisies make ths milk she yields And her skin grow glossy. Bo each day she tries to find N Daisies nodding sweetly And, although It’s most nnktrig, Bites their heads off neatly. —Philadelphia Lsdgsr.