The group sits in a circle in a room which is semi-dark. The leader goes around inside of the circle and slips a button in the hands of one of the players. He does this after making an offer to do it to several others, so as to disguise where he finally deposits the button. All then have a turn to guess in whose hands the button lies. The one who guesses right becomes the leader, and the leader becomes a ghost. The game then continues as before. The ghost asks questions of any of the players, and they are not supposed to answer any question asked them except by the leader. Should they do so, they also become ghosts. As the ghosts multiply the game becomes more difficult. The game continues until but two are left of the circle.

Jack's Alive

The group sits in a circle in the room. A lighted splinter is handed to one of the group in the circle. It is then passed around the circle, still lighted. Should the flame become extinguished, the one in whose hand the splinter rests at that time must pay a forfeit. The forfeit sometimes demanded is that a mustache be made on the upper lip of that individual with the charred end of the splinter.

In passing the splinter the player must say Jack's Alive; failing to do this the splinter is returned to him and should it become extinguished before he can say this, it counts against him.

Going to Jerusalem

The chairs are arranged in a circle in the center of the room, with the seats away from the center. There should be one less chair than there are participants in the game. The participants form a line around the outside of the chairs and march forward around the chairs, while the piano, phonograph, or some other musical instrument is being played. The instant the music stops each player tries to sit in a chair. The one failing to get a chair drops out of the game. A chair is taken from the circle and the group starts marching again with the music. When the music stops they seek chairs as before, the one failing to secure one dropping out. A chair is taken out of the circle after each scramble and so the group diminishes until all are eliminated except one, who is crowned King of Jerusalem. If the group be large more than one chair can be eliminated at a time.


CHAPTER V[ToC]