This game is played on a figure similar to the above, made on an ordinary slate. The players alternately mark in the figure, the one a cross, and the other a nought; he who first obtains a row, either horizontally, perpendicularly, or diagonally, wins the game, and calls out the following rhyme:
“Tit-Tat-To, my last go;
Three jolly butchers all in a row.”
The object of each of the players is equally to obtain such a row and to prevent his opponent from obtaining one.
AIR, EARTH, OR THE SEA?
This game—which is sometimes called Birds, Beasts, and Fishes—is instructive as well as interesting to children who have some slight knowledge of natural history. It is played as follows: Two boys take their slates, and each writes down the first and last letters of the name of some bird, beast, or fish, first stating whether it belongs to the air, earth, or water, or from which category the name is selected, and puts a cross for each of the intermediate letters. For example: James writes upon his slate T × × × r, and remarks, as he passes it to his companion, “the earth.” Charles selects a bird and marks upon his slate as follows: E × × × e, saying, at the same time, “the air.” They exchange slates, and each tries to guess the name of the beast or bird indicated, and fills up the blanks accordingly. It is evident that those indicated above are respectively tiger and eagle.
TURKS AND RUSSIANS.
The slate should be divided into three divisions, the top and bottom divisions each having a small compartment marked off therein, as shown in the annexed diagram.
One of the two end divisions should be allotted to the Turks, and the other to the Russians, and marks put therein, to represent the soldiers of the respective nations.