TOILET.
We must not forget to name the old-fashioned game of the Toilet, which no doubt, if the truth were known, came in, like Blind Man's Buff, as far back as the time of William the Conqueror. The original idea in connection with it is for each person to fix upon some article indispensable to a lady's dress. Her fan, pocket-handkerchief, slipper, scent-bottle, and so on are chosen, an article to each player. The leader, supplied with a wooden trencher, generally begins by announcing the fact that my lady is invited to a ball, consequently her wants during the time of dressing will be very numerous. Probably the brush and comb will first be called for to dress the lady's hair, when the owner of these articles must respond to the call by taking up the trencher before it has ceased spinning; it being the rule that every one who makes a call shall spin the trencher. Instead of articles of dress, flowers have frequently been chosen by young ladies, each one representing her favourite flower, and in order to make the game suitable for use among boys it may easily be still further altered, according to fancy, the variations of course depending upon the articles chosen. In all round games, however, boys and girls generally play together, and it is usually found that a good girls' game is equally attractive among the boys. It must not be forgotten, in playing this game of Toilet, or Trencher, as it is also called, that when the word "Toilet" is used, or any other word that is fixed upon instead, every one of the company must change places. Should any one fail to do this, a forfeit can be demanded as a penalty.