WASHINGTON’S BIRTHDAY ENTERTAINMENT.
If the hostess is a girl, she should be costumed as Lady Washington; if she has a brother, his dress should be a faithful copy of General Washington’s. The mother of the young people may take the character of Mary Washington, mother of George. Ask your friends to wear an appropriate costume excepting that of the Washington household; that family excluded, they are fancy free. Decorate the house with flags and bunting; also give an eagle prominent position. For evergreens use holly, and whatever flowers may be peculiar to the State of Virginia. Suggest red, white, and blue in the supper-room. Example: Cover the dining-table with blue silk or bunting, and on it stand cakes frosted with red and white icing, mottoes in red and white papers, etc. Serve strawberry and vanilla ice-cream in blue dishes. Have all the confectionery red and white in color, and served from a blue-covered stand. Should you not have blue china suitable for the confectionery, deftly cover white china with blue crinkled paper, and so preserve the colors.
Open the evening with the flag dance. This is any square dance you may please. Immediately before it starts, present the dancers with a tiny American flag, and whenever a bow occurs, let the flags be triumphantly whirled. They may be retained as souvenirs. After the dance some one previously selected should come into the parlor. He must be entirely enveloped in tricolor, which may be done by the use of a large flag, and if necessary a smaller one may cover the head. The question now is to guess, Who is this distinguished visitor? whether it is some one of the Revolutionary period or of the present, of our own country, or of another. When the domino is removed, across his chest will be his name. It is George the Third, who did not feel very comfortable at the time of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. He should wear a crown, which is easily made from pasteboard, cover it with gold paper, and for precious stones glue on rounded buttons covered to suit whichever gem you may please-jasper, sapphire, diamonds, or what not. Whoever makes a correct guess should receive a gift suggestive of the occasion. A book about a Revolutionary hero would do, or any article of jewelry, suggestive of Washington’s time. There are stickpins which may be used for scarfs also, that have the flag in colored enamel. After this, another dance would be in place, and follow that with games and patriotic songs.
“The Star-Spangled Banner,” in march time, would be appropriate to use as the march to supper.