Books: Entertainments for Home, Church and School
F >>
Frederica Seeger >> Entertainments for Home, Church and School
Pages:
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 | 5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9
THE PHANTASMAGORIA
In showing the common magic-lantern, the spectators see a round circle
of light with the figures in the middle of it; but in the Phantasmagoria
they see the figures only, without any circle of light. The exhibition
is produced by a magic lantern, placed on that side of a
half-transparent screen which is opposite to that on which the
spectators are, instead of being on the same side, as in the ordinary
exhibition of the magic lantern. To favor the deception, the slides
are made perfectly opaque, except in those places that contain the
figures to be exhibited, and in these light parts the glass is covered
with a more or less transparent tint, according to the effect required.
The easiest way is to draw the figures with water colors on thin paper
and afterward varnish them. To imitate the natural motions of the
objects represented, several pieces of glass placed behind each other
are occasionally employed. By removing the lantern to different
distances, and at the same time altering, more or less distinct, at
the pleasure of the exhibitor; so that, to a person unacquainted with
the effect of optical instruments, these figures appear actually to
advance and recede. Transparent screens for the Phantasmagoria are
prepared by spreading white wax, dissolved in spirits of wine or oil
of turpentine, over thin muslin; a screen so prepared may be rolled
up without injury. A clearer screen may be produced by having the
muslin always strained upon a rectangular frame, and preparing it with
turpentine, instead of wax; but such a screen is not always convenient,
and cannot be rolled without cracking, and becoming in a short time
useless.
CHINESE SHADOWS
In a partition wall cut an aperture of any size; for example, four
feet in length and two in breadth, so that the lower edge may be about
five feet from the floor, and cover it with white Italian gauze,
varnished with gum-copal. Provide several frames of the same size as
the aperture, covered with the same kind of gauze, and delineate upon
the gauze different figures, such as landscapes and buildings, analogous
to the scenes which you intend to exhibit by means of small figures
representing men and animals. These figures are formed of pasteboard,
and their different parts are made movable, according to the effect
intended to be produced by their shadows, when moved backward and
forward behind the frames, at a small distance from them. To make them
act with more facility, small wires, fixed to their movable parts, are
bent backward and made to terminate in rings, through which the fingers
of the hand are put, while the figure is supported on the left by means
of another iron wire. In this manner they may be made to advance or
recede and to gesticulate, without the spectators observing the
mechanism by which they are moved; and as the shadow of these figures
is not observed on the paintings till they are opposite those parts
which are not strongly shaded, they may thus be concealed and made to
appear at the proper moments, and others may be occasionally substituted
in their stead.
It is necessary, when the figures are made to act, to speak a dialogue,
suited to their gestures, and imitate the noise occasioned by different
circumstances. The paintings must be illuminated from behind by means
of a reverberating lamp, placed opposite to the center of the painting,
and distant from it about four or five feet. Various amusing scenes
may be represented in this manner by employing small figures of men
and animals, and making them move in as natural a way as possible,
which will depend on the address and practice of the person who exhibits
them.
A WONDERFUL MIRROR
Make two openings of a foot high and ten inches wide and about a foot
distant from each other, in the wainscoting of a wall; let them be at
the common height of a man's head; and in each of them place a
transparent glass, surrounded with a frame, like a common mirror.
Behind this partition place two mirrors, one on the outward side of
each opening, inclined to the wainscot at an angle of forty-five
degrees; let them both be eighteen inches square; let all the space
between them be enclosed by boards or pasteboard, painted black and
well closed, that no light may enter; let there be also two curtains
to cover them, which may be drawn aside at pleasure. When a person
looks into one of these supposed mirrors, instead of seeing his own
face he will perceive the object that is in the front of the other;
so that, if two persons present themselves at the same time before
these mirrors, instead of each one seeing himself, they will
reciprocally see each other. There should be a sconce with a candle
or lamp placed on each side of the two glasses in the wainscot, to
enlighten the faces of the persons who look in them, otherwise this
experiment will have no remarkable effect. This recreation may be
considerably improved by placing the two glasses in the wainscot in
adjoining rooms, and a number of persons being previously placed in
one room, when a stranger enters the other, you may tell him his face
is dirty, and desire him to look in the glass, which he will naturally
do; and on seeing a strange face he will draw back; but returning to
it, and seeing another, another and another, what his surprise will
be is more easy to conceive than express.
When one looks in a mirror placed perpendicularly to another, his face
will appear entirely deformed. If the mirror be a little inclined, so
as to make an angle of eighty degrees (that is, one-ninth part from
the perpendicular), he will then see all the parts of his face, except
the nose and forehead; if it be inclined to sixty degrees (that is,
one-third part), he will appear with three noses and six eyes; in
short, the apparent deformity will vary at each degree of inclination;
and when the glass comes to forty-five degrees (that is, half-way
down), the face will vanish. If, instead of placing the two mirrors
in this situation, they are so disposed that their junction may be
vertical, their different inclinations will produce other effects, as
the situation of the object relative to these mirrors is quite
different.
THE DISAPPEARING PAPER
Attach to a dark wall a round piece of paper an inch or two in diameter,
and, a little lower, at the distance of two feet on each side, make
two marks; then place yourself directly opposite to the paper, and
hold the end of your finger before your face in such a manner that
when the right eye is open it shall conceal the mark on the right; if
you then look with both eyes to the end of your finger, the paper,
which is not at all concealed by it from either of your eyes, will,
nevertheless, disappear.
MULTIPLIED MONEY
Take a large drinking-glass, of a conical form, that is, small at
bottom and wide at top, and, having put into it a dime, let it be half
filled with water; then place a plate upon the top of the glass, and
turn it quickly over, that the water may not get out; a piece of silver
as large as half a dollar will immediately appear on the plate, and
somewhat higher up another piece of the size of a dime.
MULTIPLYING SHADOWS
A dummy figure (suppose that of a witch, riding on the conventional
broomstick) is suspended by fine threads or wires on the screen remote
from the spectators. Behind this are ranged, one behind the other, and
at right angles to the screen, a row of lighted candles. Being all in
the same line, they throw one shadow only on the screen. The figure
is now made to oscillate slightly, so as to impart some little motion
to the shadow. One of the candles is now removed from its place in the
row, and waved gently about, now high, now low, the effect to the
spectators being that a second shadow springs out of the first, and
dances about it on the screen. A second and third candle is then
removed, and waved up and down, each candle as it leaves its place in
the line, producing a separate shadow. It is well to have three or
four assistants, each taking a candle in each hand.
CHAPTER XII
TABLE GAMES FOR ADULTS
DOMINOES--BACKGAMMON--CHECKERS--JENKINS--ZOO--STRAY SYLLABLES--CHESS
DOMINOES
At the beginning of the game the dominoes are thoroughly shuffled by
being turned face down and stirred round and round. The players then
draw at random as many bones as the game requires. These dominoes with
which the hand is to be played may stand on their edges in front of
the players or may be held in the hand, or both. It is usual to sort
them into suits as far as possible. The one who has drawn the highest
doublet usually plays or sets first.
The object in dominoes is either to block the game so that the adversary
cannot play or it is to make the two ends when added together equal
to some multiple of a given number, or it is to make both ends of the
line the same. The player first getting rid of all his pieces is
"Domino."
Dominoes are made in sets known by the number of pips on the highest
domino or bone in the set. The standard set is double-sixes and contains
twenty-eight bones. Some persons use double-nines. In the double-six
set there are seven "suits," each named after some number from six to
blank. In each of these suits there are seven bones, but each domino
in a suit, except the doublet, belongs to some other suit as well. The
lower figure on each domino shows the other suit to which it belongs.
All games of dominoes, except matadore, are based on the principle of
following suit or matching. The first player "sets" a certain domino,
and after that each player must play one of the same suit, the suit
called for being always that of the exposed or open end.
BACKGAMMON
The object of each player is to get all his men into his home table,
and as soon as they have all arrived to throw them off the board
altogether. The one that succeeds in doing this first wins the game.
Each of two players has fifteen men, known as black and white, and
each should have his own dice-box. Almost all of the folding checker
boards are marked on the reverse side for backgammon, and the fifteen
men of each color in a checker set are intended for backgammon players.
The two sides of the board nearer the players are called tables, and
the table with only two men on two of the points is called the inner
table. It is also the home table of the player who sits with that side
of the board nearer to him.
It does not matter which way the board is turned, as the arrow points
are alternately light and dark all the way round in either direction,
but it is usual to place the side of the board with only two men on
points nearest the window, so that there shall be a good light on the
home tables. The points in the home tables are known by their numbers,
which correspond to the faces of a die, and are called: ace point,
deuce point, trey point, four point, five point, and six point.
The point immediately across the bar which divides the two tables is
called the "bar point," not because it is next the bar, but because
it bars the two adverse men in your home table from running away with
double sixes if you can "make it up."
CHECKERS
The object of the game is to capture all the opponent's men and remove
them from the board, or else to pin them up in such a manner that he
cannot move. If neither player can accomplish this, the game is drawn.
A board divided into sixty-four squares is used. These are of dark and
light color. Each player receives twelve men, known as white and black.
At the beginning of the game the board is so placed that each player
shall have two of his men touching the edge of the board at his left.
The men are set on the black squares.
The squares upon the board are supposed to be numbered from one to
sixty-four, beginning at the upper left-hand corner upon the side of
the board occupied by the black men.
In giving the moves the first figures are the moves of a black man.
The next figures are the moves of a white man.
As the men never leave the color upon which they are first placed, all
moves must be diagonal. A man can move only one square at a time, and
only to a square which is in front of him diagonally and is not
occupied.
If a square to which a man might move is occupied by an adverse piece,
that piece can be jumped over if there is a vacant square immediately
beyond him. The capturing piece moves to this vacant square, and the
man jumped over is removed from the board. Two or more men may sometimes
be captured simultaneously. When a piece may be captured the player
is obliged to take it. If he does not, his adversary can compel him
to take back his move and make the capture, or can remove from the
board the piece that should have made the capture, or can let the
matter stand. If there are two different captures on the board at the
same time the player can take his choice of them.
JENKINS
Any number of players may play this game, which is common to almost
every nation, and is very interesting. Sides being formed, the players
seat themselves at a table, facing each other. It having been decided
who shall first hold the silver piece, the player who receives it holds
it in his closed hand under the table, as do all the players on his
side, when they receive it, and the piece is passed from hand to hand,
the object being to deceive the opposite players as to its whereabouts.
The captain of the side which has not the coin now calls: "Jenkins
says hands up," and all the hands come up, closed; then "Jenkins says
hands down," and all the hands fall, palms downward, on the table.
There should be much noise to drown the clink of the piece as it falls
on the table.
The opposing side now tries to guess the side which has not the coin.
The captain directs the players who have not the piece to take their
"hands off." None of his side may give this order. Should any do so
the coin is forfeited.
Should the captain make a mistake and call up a hand under which the
coin is hidden, the piece remains with the same side, and the number
of hands still on the table counts for the side which keeps the coin.
If the last hand left on the table covers the piece, it then goes to
the opposing players. It is necessary to set a score. The side which
makes these points wins the game.
BOUQUET
Each guest receives a slip of paper, on which is written the name of
a flower. When all are ready to begin, the hostess gives to each a
sheet of tissue paper of the color needed to make a designated flower;
also two sheets of green paper of different shades.
Thirty minutes are allowed for the making of the flowers. A pair of
scissors and a needle and thread must be given to each guest; also
some mucilage. The flowers are collected and a committee decides who
has made the most perfect flower. The one who has done so receives the
bouquet of flowers made by the guests.
ZOO
The names of animals are given the players. Each receives ten slips
of paper numbered from one to ten. These are arranged irregularly in
a pile. The slips are turned with the faces downward.
The first player turns up his upper slip so that the number is visible
and lays it down in front of him. In doing this, he must turn it away
from himself, so that the other players see it first; the next player
then does the same.
Should two slips coincide in number, they must each at once call each
other's names--the animal names given them. The one who first calls
the other's name gives away his slip to that other person, the object
being to get rid of one's slips as fast as possible. If the slip turned
up by the second player does not correspond in number to that turned
up by the first, he also lays it down in front of him; the third player
then turns his up, and this is continued around the circle until a
slip is turned that corresponds in number with any that has been turned
up, when those two players must immediately call each other's names.
The winner is the one who first gets rid of his slips.
SIMON SAYS
Any number of players seat themselves at a table. Each player makes
a fist of each hand, extending the thumb.
The leader says, "Simon says, 'Thumbs up'!" whereupon he places his
own fist on the table before him, with the thumbs upward. The players
do likewise. When the leader says, "Simon says, 'Thumbs down'," he
turns his own hand over so that the tips of the thumbs touch the table.
The others must imitate him.
He then says, "'My thumb wiggles-waggles." He suits the action to the
word, and the rest repeat his performance.
If at any time the leader omits the words "Simon says," and goes through
the movements only with the words "Thumbs up," "Thumbs down," or
"Wigle-waggle," the players must all keep their hands still and not
imitate his movements. Any player doing this pays a forfeit.
AUTHOR'S INITIALS
Each player writes on a piece of paper groups of words, each group
descriptive of some author, and each word beginning with one of his
initials in regular order. The player who guesses the largest number
of authors wins the game.
Example: Who is the just, gentle writer?
Answer: John Greenleaf Whittier.
Whose stories are read alike by old and young?
Answer: James Fennimore Cooper.
Who was the greatest humorist?
Answer: "Mark Twain."
SKETCHES
The players are provided with sheets of paper and pencils. They then
write a description of some historical character. The object is to
give a description that is truthful, yet misleading, in a way, so as
to make the guessing a little harder.
One player reads his description. The others ask questions that may
be answered by "Yes" and "No." The one guessing correctly reads his
description next.
STRAY SYLLABLES
The same syllable is often seen in different words. You can prove this
by playing the following game: Each player writes several words on a
long strip of paper, leaving spaces between the different words. This
having been done the syllables are cut out and shuffled. Each player
draws three syllables. The guests seat themselves at small tables, and
try to fashion words from the syllables, either using two or three of
them. If it is impossible to do this, they must be returned and others
are taken in their place. Another trial at word-making is given, and
the one who, after a definite time, has made the most words out of his
syllables, wins a prize.
SHAKESPEAREAN ROMANCE
One of Shakespeare's plays is selected, and as many questions are
arranged in connection with it as the writer can think of. These are
given to the players.
Example: About what time of the month were they married?
Answer: Twelfth-Night.
Of whom did they buy the ring?
Answer: Merchant of Venice.
In what kind of a place did they live?
Answer: Hamlet.
PARODIES
Pencils and paper are given the guests, and a subject for the parody
is given. This may be a poem or a story, as selected by the hostess.
The parodies are collected and read. The company decides which is the
best one. To this one a handsome copy of the poem or story is given.
LONDON
On a large, oblong slate draw with a slate pencil a diagram, as follows:
Horizontal lines every two inches across the narrow part of the slate.
Pieces of paper are blown over the diagram toward the top of the slate;
or beans or pieces of chalk may be substituted for the paper. One of
these is called a "chipper." If you use beans, snap them over the
diagram with the fingers. Where the "chipper" stops, draw a mark to
represent a small round "o." This depicts a man's head. The "chipper,"
having been returned to the starting point, is again snapped over the
diagram. This continues until the player has marked a head in each of
the spaces; or should his chipper land a second time in a space in
which he has already marked such a head, he makes a larger round "O"
under the head, to represent the body of a man. The third time it lands
in this place he makes a downward stroke for a leg, and the fourth
time, one for a second leg, which completes the man. Should three
complete men be so drawn in one space, the player, without shooting
again, draws what are called "arms," that is, a horizontal line from
the figure across the space to the outside limit. This occupies the
space completely and keeps the other players out of it. He continues
to play until his "chipper" lands on a line. If this goes beyond the
diagram, the player is "out." Each player takes a turn. He can start,
or complete men, in any space not occupied with three armed men, even
though the former player may have started men in the space or have
completed two of them. A player can build only on his own men. The one
drawing the largest number of spaces with three armed men is the winner.
CHESS
Chess is a game which can only be played by two persons at the same
time. The requisites are a board consisting of 64 squares of alternate
black and white, and 32 pieces of wood, ivory, bone or other
composition, which are technically known as "men." The board is so
placed between the players that a white square is on the extreme right
of each. The "men" are called black and white, there being an equal
number of each. One player takes the white and another the black. Each
division of 16 is composed of a king (the capture of which is the issue
of the game), a queen, 2 rooks or castles, 2 bishops, 2 knights, and
8 pawns. In commencing the game, the rooks are placed on the corner
squares, next to them on each side a knight, next to the knights on
each side a bishop, and then the king and queen. If white, the queen
is placed on the remaining white square, if black, on the remaining
black square, and thus both queens face each other. It is the same
with the kings. The 8 pawns are placed on each side on the squares
immediately in front of the pieces.
The player has the privilege of moving his king into any vacant square
adjacent to one he is occupying, provided it is not already taken by
a piece belonging to his opponent, but he can go no farther. The queen
can be moved in any direction up, down, backwards, forwards, as long
as there is no piece to block her. The same can be done with the rook
or castle, except that it cannot be moved diagonally--The bishop can
only be moved diagonally, in a backward or forward direction. The move
of the knight is a combination of the rook's shortest move, followed
by the bishop's shortest move. It is not hindered by intervening pawns
or pieces. The pawn can only be moved one square at a time, and that
in a forward direction. Another pawn in front of it stops its progress.
A pawn has the power of capturing an opposite pawn in either of the
adjacent squares in advance and diagonally to the right or left of it
when it moves into the square of the one captured. The king is never
captured. When a piece or pawn attacks him he is said to be in check
and the opposite player cries out "Check"! The attacked king is freed
from check by moving him to an adjacent square not occupied by a piece
or pawn of the opposite side, or else by opposing some piece to defend
him from the check. If the player cannot resort to either of these
tactics to save his king he is "checkmated" and loses the game.
CHAPTER XIII
OUTDOOR GAMES FOR ADULTS
LAWN TENNIS--POLO--HOCKEY--GOLF--ARCHERY--RING TOSS--LAWN BOWLS
LAWN TENNIS
A lawn tennis court is a plot of level ground about 26 yards by 9
yards, divided into sections. A net standing 3 1/2 feet high is drawn
across the middle and attached to two posts outside the court on each
side about three feet. The players stand on opposite sides of the net;
the one who first delivers the ball is called the server and the other
the striker-out. At the end of each game they reverse places. The
server wins a stroke if the striker out "volley" the service, that is,
he strike the ball before it touches the ground; or if the ball is
returned by the striker-out, so that it drops outside his opponent's
court, the latter wins the stroke.
The striker-out wins if the server serves two consecutive "faults,"
which consist in sending the ball to the net or outside the lines; or
if the server fail to return the ball in play, the striker-out wins.
Either player loses a stroke if the ball touch him in the act of
striking, if he touches the ball with his racket more than once, if
he touch the net or any of its supports while the ball is in play, or
if he "volley" the ball before it has passed the net.
The player winning the first stroke gets a credit score of 15; for the
second he gets 30; for the third 40, and if he wins the fourth he has
the game. Six games in succession entitle the winner to a _Set_.
For a three-handed or four-handed game the Court requires to be 12
yards in width. In a three-handed game the single player serves every
alternate game. In the four-handed game the pair who have the right
to serve in the first game shall decide which partner shall do so and
the opposing pair shall decide in like manner for the second game. The
partner of the player who served in the first game shall serve in the
third, and the partner of the player who served in the second game
shall serve in the fourth, and the same order is to be observed in all
the succeeding games of the set. If one partner of a double team strikes
at a ball and does not touch it, his partner still has the right to
return it. A player or different member of a team may strike at a ball
as often as he pleases, for it is still in play until hit. The server
must wait until the striker-out is ready for the second service as
well as the first, and if the striker-out claims to be not ready and
makes no effort to return the second service, the server cannot claim
the point, even though the service was good. If a player's racket
touches the net after the ball has struck the latter he does not loose
a point.
Pages:
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 | 5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9