“J—— B—— so they say
Goes a courting night and day,
Sword and pistol by his side,
M—— L—— shall be his bride,
She has sparks, one, two, three,
I can tell you who they be,
Joel, Toel, half a day,
Exel, Toel, turn away.”
All again commence to sing “Uncle John is very sick,” &c., this continues until each one faces outwards in turn or they are weary of it.
MOTHER GOOSE.
This is a new and amusing game for little children. One among their number must be chosen to take the part of “Mother Goose,” and she must arrange her forces in a line, and place a cricket in the centre of the room. She then leads off, clapping her hands and dancing slowly, saying, “Hi, diddle, diddle, the cat’s in the fiddle.” All must follow her, saying and acting exactly as she does, on penalty of a forfeit. She then imitates the mewing of a cat and all imitate her. She then repeats “the cow jumped over the moon,” and “Mother Goose” runs and jumps over the cricket, all the others following her. Again they pass round the room singing, “The little dog laughed to see the sport.” Suddenly she stops and laughs heartily, each one imitating her, and away they go again, singing, “The dish ran away with the spoon.” “Mother Goose” then claps her hands as a signal for all to run, and off they start, she after them; if she succeeds in catching one, she cries out, “Here is Mother Goose,” and all assemble round her, and the play commences again. If played in the open air, it is well to have some post or tree as a goal, and if “Mother Goose” does not catch some one before it is reached, she has to act her part again.
“CLAP OUT AND CLAP IN.”
All the girls in the party arrange themselves behind chairs, sofas, ottomans, &c., all the boys being sent out of the room, one girl stands as door-keeper. Some girl then calls out the name of a boy whom she wishes to take the seat in front of her, the door-keeper opens the door and calls out the name. The boy called enters and the door is shut; he looks all around wondering who has chosen him, and finally takes a seat. If he happens to sit down in front of the girl who called his name she kisses him, and he keeps his seat; but if not, as is most likely to be the case, they all clap him out, and away he goes. Another is then chosen and the same thing is gone through; sometimes a favorite boy will be called in a number of times before he guesses correctly. When all the girls have taken their turn in calling, they leave the room, and the boys take their stand behind the seats, and the girls are called in.