CHINESE SHADOWS.
This can be played only in the evening, by candle light. A white curtain should be fastened smoothly at one end of the room, as in “shadow buff.” Half the company must be spectators and half actors. The spectators must be seated facing the curtain. Two persons in front should hold a ribbon or stick across the curtain as high as they can easily reach, to mark the line on which the shadows are to move, or a line may be drawn across the curtain. The actors must stand behind the spectators, at a little distance, with a large supply of figures cut in paper, such as houses, trees, men, women, animals, birds, &c. These figures must be slowly passed along, one after the other, in the manner you wish the shadows to fall on the curtain. It is easy to make them advance, retreat, &c., while you hold conversation for them. Those who are skillful in the use of these shadows, can make them represent a battle, game, contra dance, &c. The figures of inanimate things must not be moved; birds can be suspended on the ends of strings, and swung about irregularly, from time to time. The effect is not unlike a magic lantern. When the actors have played long enough, they must change places with the spectators.
“THE COMICAL CONCERT.”
This game, when well played, is extremely diverting. The players are arranged as an orchestra, and each one undertakes to imitate some musical instrument. One pretends to play the violin, by stretching out her left arm, and moving her right hand across it, as if she were drawing a bow; another doubles up her hands and puts them to her mouth, to imitate a horn; another moves her fingers on a table, to imitate a piano; another takes the back of a chair and touches the rounds, as if they were the strings of a harp; another motions as if beating a drum; another holds a stick, after the manner of a guitar, and pretends to play upon it; another appears to be turning a hand-organ; another plays a flute, trombone, or any instrument he fancies—even a jewsharp. This is but half the game. Each musician should, while playing, make a sound with his mouth, in imitation of his instrument, thus:
Rub-a-dub, goes the drum;
Twang, twang, goes the harp
Toot, too, hoo, goes the horn;
Tweedle-dee, tweedle-dee, goes the violin, &c.
If all play with spirit it makes a laughable jumble. The leader must stand facing the orchestra, with a long stick, beating time, in an absurd imitation of some famous leader. In the midst of the noise and fun, he suddenly stops, and pointing his wand of office to one of the players, asks, abruptly, “Why don’t you play better?” The one spoken to must answer instantly, and with suitable reference to the nature of his instrument. For instance, the drummer could say one of his drumsticks is broken; the harper, that a string is loose; the pianist, that a key is broken or out of tune; the violinist, that a string is broken, &c. If they hesitate a moment, or give an unsuitable answer, or if they repeat an excuse already made, they must pay a forfeit or take a new instrument. While one is answering, all must stop playing. When the leader waves aloft his wand, all must commence again, and play till he speaks to some one else; so on till they are weary. Sometimes it is a rule that all who laugh must pay a forfeit. There are many forfeits in that case.
THE MENAGERIE.