It is to laugh

by Edna Geister

There are two regulations, however, which make it not so easy as it might appear. Every lady takes her partner’s arm and keeps it through the entire race. Under no condition is she to let go. If a contestant should drop his potato, his partner must still keep his arm while he stoops to pick it up. The other regulation is that instead of running or walking to the goal they are to hop on one foot all the way.

Partnership Relay.

Six or eight couples are placed in groups of two couples each, one couple standing behind the other, the entire group about twenty feet from a goal line. The girls take their partners’ arms and retain possession throughout each event despite the inevitable protest at lagging. At a signal, each first couple walks to the goal line, carrying out directions given before each event of the relay; then hurries back and touches off the second couple. Events might be as follows:

1. Each man carries a glass full of water. At the goal he hands it to the girl who must drink it all before they can rush back to the starting point.

2. Together they clap hands and sing Yankee Doodle as they walk to the goal and back.

3. Each man has a cracker. At the goal he gives it to his partner, who must eat it, and is not allowed to start back until she can whistle.

4. At the goal line the man sings up the scale and waits for the girl to sing down the scale before they can go back.

5. While they are hurrying to the goal line the leader may blow her whistle at any time, which is the signal for them to turn completely around once, and then continue their course. Because their arms are locked and because they always have different ideas about the right way to turn, complications arise!

Balloons.

Choose four teams, with two on each team. Each couple is given a toy balloon, the kind that is blown up by the leader beforehand, with a rubber band attached to keep the air in. At a signal from the leader partners link arms and, with their free hands, start batting the balloons down the length of the room and return, using the open hand in batting.