THE STAGE COACH.
Now for a really stirring game, provided that in the party a few energetic lively young people are to be found. Many a hearty laugh has been heard from big people, as well as little ones, while the stage coach has rattled along through the rain and snow and sunshine round the drawing-room table. The leader tells every one to assume a name connected in some way with a stage coach. Any of the four wheels, the horses, the bridles, the whip, the windows, the cushions, any of the passengers, or numerous other things, may be chosen. The objects selected are generally written down on paper, linked with the name of each owner, unless it be that the leader can trust to his memory without any such assistance. He then begins his narrative, which must be as lively and ridiculous as possible, telling how the stage coach started, where from, where it was going, how many passengers there were, what they were like, and so on. The narrator will find that one thing suggests others to his mind; the difficulty will probably be to narrate every incident that occurred as the conveyance rolled along. We must not forget to say that the greatest part of the fun consists in the jumping up, twirling round, and changing seats, that have to be done while the narrative is proceeding. The names assumed by the company are mentioned as frequently as possible, each of whom must recognise the call by rising from his seat, turning round, and then sitting down again. When the stage coach itself is mentioned by any one all must change places, the person left without a seat being called upon for a forfeit.