Good Times with the Juniors

by Lilian M. Heath

Another game of golf is the one played on a table wound with a somewhat crumpled cloth. Each player is furnished with a pea and a pin by way of ball and stick. It is very good fun when there are players enough to make the contest exciting; for the winner is the player who is first to roll the pea up to goal. The pea that collides with another, or pushes it, or even touches it, is sent back to the starting-point.

Other games mentioned elsewhere in the book may be substituted for one or the other of these, in case not all present are enthusiasts on golf; but the second one could be adapted to the veriest novice, while interesting to all. Refreshments of cake and chocolate may be served, and it would add to the fun if the small iced cakes were decorated with various golf emblems.

Mysterious Basket-Ball.

Collect the materials, either with or without the Juniors’ help, beginning some time in advance. When the time comes to have the “ball,” the more mystery the better.

Place a large basket or clothes-hamper in the middle of the room. This is the “mysterious basket” part, and each Junior is then told to help himself to his “ball,” one of the many bundles wrapped up to look as nearly like balls as possible, all the way from the size of a baseball to that of a basket-ball.

Have ready plenty of scissors, paste, glue, needles, thread, and the celluloid thimbles that can be bought for a cent or two apiece. As each “ball” is opened, it proves to hold the materials for making a small Christmas gift or article for a fair to be given by the Juniors, or for a Junior fancy-work booth at a “grown-up” fair.

Many simple and inexpensive articles, both pretty and useful, can be made by children of Junior age, both girls and boys. If a piece of work which is all sewing happens to be drawn by a boy, so much the more fun. The Junior superintendent acts as “umpire,” answering questions and explaining the rules of the game. A thimble worn on the thumb is “foul,” even if the fingers do seem to be all thumbs, which is often far from being the case.

Here is a partial list of articles which might be made:

1. Stamp-box, of heavy water-color paper, ready cut out. The one who draws this bundle will have an easy task; merely to fold the box into shape, paste the flaps on the inside, decorate the cover with a two-cent stamp, and tie it in place with a ribbon.