CHARADES.
In some form or other, the game of charades is played in almost every country under the sun. The most popular form is as follows:
Send one-half the company out of the room, the others remaining as audience. Rooms separated by double doors or portières are best for the scene of action.
The party outside thinks of some word which can be represented entire, in pantomime or tableau. Thus, the door opening, discloses a half dozen young girls standing in a line, while one of the acting party announces that this striking tableau represents the name of a famous orator. The audience failing to guess, is told that Cicero (Sissy-row) is the man.
Again just as the clock strikes ten, the doors opening, reveal a lady eating an apple or any convenient edible, while a gentleman who stands near, points to the clock and then at her. This being correctly guessed to represent “attenuate,” (at ten you ate) the other side goes from the room and the previous performers become the audience.
There are a host of words which, with a little ingenuity and the aid of a dictionary, may be turned to account. For example:
Ingratiate. (In grey she ate.)
Catering. (Kate. Her ring.)
Hero. (He row.)
Tennessee. (Ten, I see.)