CHAPTER XIX.—SOME MINOR GAMES.

I.—A NEW INDOOR GAME.

This is a good indoor game for boys, which I believe has not yet appeared in any form in England. It is a modification of one played by the students in Germany, but adapted to English words, and with a special arrangement of the figures, which the original game does not admit of, the words not being so suitable.

The above [diagram] is chalked on the floor, the figures being about one foot across and one foot apart. Then one player takes his place on the middle figure, facing Fig. 6. The other players then sing the old rhyme of the ‘Crooked Man’ to the ‘King Pippin Polka,’ known also as ‘My mother said,’ etc.

Then the player, with his feet together, jumps to No. 1, No. 2, etc., as the words ‘man,’ ‘mile,’ etc., are mentioned. He must not turn round, or put his feet outside the figures. The others keep time by clapping with their hands. If the player jumps to a wrong figure, or to one before it is sung, he pays a forfeit, especially for the last line.

The verse is then repeated to the second part of the tune, the player jumping to each figure before it is mentioned, and giving a second jump on it, before going to the next. The last line finishes off with a wild repetition of the figure, the player stepping from one figure to the next as fast as he can, finishing on No. 7 to the last word. The player must place both feet on Fig. 7 to the words ‘and they,’ then the right on Fig. 1, and so on, to the last one. The great difficulty in the last line is to get the left foot from Fig. 4 to Fig. 6 in time. This is done by passing the right foot behind the left, when moving it from Fig. 3 to Fig. 5, which will enable the player to finish without tying his legs in a knot. The words and the numbers of the figures for the player to jump to are here given (commencing on No. 7 and facing Fig. 6)—

There was a crooked (jump to Fig. 1 to the word) man,
He went a crooked (jump to Fig. 2 to word) mile,
He found a crooked (Fig. 3) sixpence
Against a crooked (Fig. 4) stile;
He bought a crooked (Fig. 5) cat
That caught a crooked (Fig. 6, and pause) mouse.
And they all lived together in a little crooked (Fig. 7) house.
There (jump to Fig. 1) was a crooked (2nd jump on Fig. 1) man,
He (to Fig. 2) went a crooked (2nd Fig. 2) mile,
He (Fig. 3) found a crooked (2nd time Fig. 3) sixpence
A- (to Fig. 4) -gainst a crooked (2nd Fig. 4) stile;
He (Fig. 5) bought a crooked (Fig. 5) cat
That (Fig. 6) caught a crooked (Fig. 6) mouse,
(Step to Fig. 7, left foot) And they (right to Fig. 1 to word) all (left to Fig. 2) lived (right to Fig. 3 to) together (left to Fig. 4 to) in a (right behind left to Fig. 5) little (left to Fig. 6) crooked (both feet to Fig. 7) house.

II.—KNUCKLE BONES.
By Captain A. S. Harrison.

The game is played with five bones, and the stages are as follows:—

1. Beginnings.—The five bones are gathered in the palm of the hand and thrown up, any number being caught on the back of the hand; they are then tossed up again, and caught in the palm. One is selected, thrown into the air, and one at a time the remainder picked up, while the one thrown is in the air. This must be caught and again thrown for the next bone. The bone thrown up is called the ‘dab,’ and must be caught clear, without touching any part of the person but the right hand under all circumstances of the game.

2. Ones.—The five bones are thrown on to the table, and the dab selected is thrown up, and the remainder are taken up, one by one, without touching any other bone.

3. Twos.—The same again, but two taken up for each throw of the dab.

4. Threes.—Three picked up, and then one.

5. Fours.—Four picked up.

In twos, threes, and fours, it is permitted by consent of the adversary to push the selected bones together while the dab is in the air. The touching of any other than the selected bones, or the failure to pick up the proper number, forfeits the turn.

6. Short Spans.—Two bones are placed on the table, each side of the left hand, one pair close to the thumb, the other pair at the tip of the little finger. Each pair must be taken up separately, without any pushing together.

7. Long Spans.—A bone is placed at the extremities of the thumb and little finger, stretched out to the widest. Another pair is put in the same way about six inches farther on the table. These pairs must be taken up without any touching together: any bone displaced may be put back again three times; failure on the third trial forfeits the turn.

8. Creek Mouse.—The five bones are tossed from the palm, and any number caught on the back of the hand; all but one are shaken off; the remainder are then gathered into the palm, without disturbing the one on the back, which is then tossed and caught in the palm, with the others.

9. Second Creek Mouse.—The five bones are tossed from the palm as before, and one is retained on the back. The remainder are taken one between each finger and thumb, the one on the back is then tossed and caught in the extended palm.

10. Bridges.—The hand is laid on the back on the table, the bones held between the fingers are then dropped in a row on the table. An arch is formed with the first finger and thumb of the left hand at about six inches from the left-hand bone of the four. They are then one by one pushed through this bridge; when all are through the left hand is removed, and the four are taken up at one sweep. No touching together is allowed.

11. Cracks.—The bones are thrown on the table, and the four picked up one by one; the dab in falling and being caught to make a distinct crack on the one picked up.

12. No Cracks.—Same as before, but the dab must be caught without touching the other bone. The slightest sound forfeits the turn.

13. Exchanges.—The four bones are laid at the corners of a square, a full span on each side. The first bone is picked up from the lower right-hand corner, and at the next throw is exchanged for the one above. This is exchanged for the one at the top left-hand corner, this for the lower left, and that is placed at the point of starting. The bones are then taken up in diagonal pairs.

14. Everlastings.—The whole of the bones are tossed from the palms, and any number caught on the back. These are tossed from the back and caught in the palm; and any that have fallen in the first toss have to be picked up while the whole of the others are in the air, so that at one moment there may be four dabs and one to pick up. This task, as the name implies, approaches the everlasting.

The game is an excellent one for exercising and developing that perfect sympathy between the eye and the hand which is certain to be of great service in after life.

‘PLEASE, SIR, WILL YOU BUY AN OWL?’

SECTION IV.
THE MAGIC-LANTERN, AND ALL ABOUT IT.

1.—CONTEMPLATION.

2.—EXPECTATION.

3.—FRUSTRATION.