It is to laugh

by Edna Geister

It does seem so inane to ask people to shake hands with each other, and yet, if a leader can once get a group to laugh heartily as a group, if she can give them a sufficiently interesting incentive for grasping the hand of a neighbor with real vim and enthusiasm even if it is for the purpose of saving themselves from dire penalties!—they are won and one for the rest of the evening! But just telling guests to be sociable and to shake hands will not do it.

It is necessary to create a setting and furnish an incentive, and instead of playing on the guest’s sense of duty, to play on their sense of humor.

They are invited to shake hands with each other, but are warned that the only handshake allowed is a vigorous side-to-side swing, and are further cautioned that it is fully as great a crime to be seen using the ordinary handshake as it is to be caught not shaking hands at all; that several “policemen” in the crowd will see to it that these laws are enforced; and finally, that any violator of these laws will certainly repent at leisure and in public.

Some ten policemen are chosen, their number of course depending on the size of the group. At a signal the handshaking begins. The policemen are more than vigilant in discharging their duties, and several culprits who were caught standing about “just looking on”, and some of the ladies who shook hands in a manner not vigorous enough to suit the policemen, are escorted to the platform, there to sit in the public eye till the leader’s whistle stops the frantic, vigorous handshaking, which should be given about five minutes time.

The next game of the evening might well be a hoax, with these culprits used as the victims.

Southpaws.

This is very much like “Shake Hands” in its object and in its rulings. The difference lies in the kind of handshaking permitted. The rule is that the left hand only is to be used in shaking hands. At irregular intervals a whistle is blown and anyone caught not actually shaking the left hand of some other guest at that particular moment is punished in the same way in which culprits in the game “Shake Hands!” are taken care of.

Of course there are policemen, whose one object in life is to catch someone napping, or a bit negligent in the evidence he gives of a very active and left-handed spirit of sociability!

My Virtues!

“Mrs. Kalen, let me present Mr. Black.”