The Old Family Coach.
Miss Annie and Clara and the Little Dog decided to take a ride in the Family Coach, so, whip in hand, the fat Coachman shut the Door, mounted the box, the Little Dog barked, when they entered the Family Coach, and almost fell among the Wheels. Miss Clara and Annie scolded the Coachman for being so careless in starting the Family Coach too soon, and putting the Little Dog in danger of falling among the Wheels. Finally the Coachman cracked his whip and the Family Coach started in good shape, the Little Dog barking furiously. Everything went well with the Family Coach for a few miles, till the Coachman spied a pretty girl on the road. He kept looking after her and did not see that he was putting the Family Coach and horses in danger, when crash! went the Family Coach. Miss Clara and Miss Annie screamed, the Little Dog barked; the Coachman shouted, the Wheels went in different directions, and the Axle, the Whiffle Tree and all the parts of the Family Coach were left in a heap in the road, in care of the Coachman, while Miss Clara, Miss Annie and the Little Dog went home on foot. Such were the adventures of the Family Coach.
Assemble the company, and give to each one of the names that are capitalized in the first paragraph, four being Wheels, two Axles, one the Whiffle Tree and one the Door, the names of the ladies to two, and select the tallest person in the room for the Little Dog. After all the names of all the parts are given, some one stands in the middle of the floor and reads the Adventures of the Family Coach.
Each time the Family Coach is mentioned every one in the room should rise, turn around three times, and sit down again. When the wheels are mentioned, four persons bearing the names of Wheels also rise, turn around three times, and sit down. The Little Dog barks, the Coachman shouts, the two ladies bow when their names (Miss Clara and Miss Annie), are called. There is great fun when the Little Dog is called on repeatedly to rise, turn, and sit down again. When the Horses are mentioned four persons also rise, turn around, etc., and so until disaster overtakes the Coach. This game causes much merriment, and general good feeling.