How to amuse yourself and others

by Lina Beard; Adelia B. Beard

For this a damp sheet must be fastened up across the room or between the folding doors of the parlor. First, fasten the corners of the sheet, next, the centre of each of the four sides, in order that the cloth may be perfectly smooth; then place a lighted candle on the floor, about four or five feet from the centre of the curtain. When the lights in the room occupied by the audience are turned out, leaving it in total darkness, so the shadows of the actors behind the curtain may be seen on the screen, someone, standing outside of the curtain and facing the audience, should explain or relate the story of the play: of how a young girl, while walking out on the last day in November, meets Halloween, who presents her with three gifts to try her fortune, and how, when she is about to do so, a witch enchants her, etc. After the story is finished, and a lively overture has been performed on some musical instrument, the pantomime is played as follows:

The young girl personating the enchanted one, comes gayly forward from the side, when almost across the curtain she meets Halloween, who approaches from the opposite side, arrayed in short dress, with wings made of newspaper folded fan fashion, and fastened on the shoulders; in her hand she carries a cane with a silhouette of a cat, or two or three stars and a crescent cut of stiff, brown paper and pasted on the end; the cane is so held that the profiles of the figures are kept toward the curtain. Seeing this queer being the young girl clearly demonstrates, by her actions, that she is alarmed. When Halloween quiets her fears, by surely and plainly indicating with slow movements of the head, and downward motions of the arms that no harm is intended, they shake hands; then Halloween shows the maiden three gifts, an apple, a hand-mirror, and an unlighted candle. Before presenting them she illustrates by gestures, the use to be made of each. Holding the mirror in front of her face, she bites the apple, then looks quickly around, as if expecting to see someone, and, again holding up the mirror in one hand and the candle in the other, she takes a few steps backward, when a boy enters by jumping over the light, which gives the appearance of his having fallen down from the sky, Halloween looks around, and the boy quickly disappears in the same manner as he came.

All this time the girl stands transfixed, with her hands raised and all the fingers spread out in astonishment; she receives the presents which are given with many nods and gestures. As Halloween walks away the fortune-seeker turns and watches her with a telescope made of a roll of paper she finds at her feet on the floor. The maiden then proceeds to examine the gifts; as she takes up the apple and mirror, her hand is stayed by a witch with flowing hair, who has approached unperceived, carrying under one arm a broom, and wearing on her head an ordinary hat with a piece of newspaper rolled up and pinned on to form a peaked crown. She motions to the girl to be seated; then stands over her and makes passes in the air, and taking up her broom from the floor makes grand flourishes and departs walking back towards the candle, which causes her shadow to grow larger and larger. The poor girl looks anxiously around and discovers she has been enchanted, for there are three girls instead of one; this effect is produced by two more lighted candles being placed on the floor on either side of the first candle, and every movement the girl makes is mimicked by her other selves. The candles are removed and the Old Year instantly appears, his figure bent, a piece of fringed paper pasted on his chin for a flowing beard, and carrying in his hand a cane with a piece of stiff paper fastened on to represent a scythe. Discovering him the girl runs forward to tell her sorrows, and finds that it is only when alone that she is enchanted, for when she attempts to point out her other selves they have disappeared; making many gestures she looks here and there for them, but in vain, then as the Old Year leaves she bids him a sorrowful adieu. Again alone, the facsimiles reappear and she grows desperate, so do the other two selves, she throws her arms about, skips, jumps, and dances wildly around, the other selves do likewise, and at the same time they are made to pass and repass her, by two persons taking up the two extra lights, and, keeping the lights facing the curtain, walking back and forth, passing, and repassing each other but never stepping in front of the candle on the floor. In the midst of the dancing the two extra candles are taken away and immediately the little New Year enters, crowned with a paper star and wearing wings of paper. The young girl rushes to meet the New Year with a hearty greeting, she then tells him of her enchantment, counting the three selves by holding up the first finger of the right hand three times in succession, and while the New Year makes gestures that indicate advice the maiden listens with her hand to her ear, and, promising by signs to be a good girl, she kneels down, and the little New Year raises both hands above her head, then, kissing her hand to the maiden, departs.

The glad New Year has disenchanted her, she carefully looks this way and that, but seeing all is well she tosses her head, dances around, makes a courtesy, kisses both hands to the audience and disappears.

When the play is over, and just as the clock strikes twelve, the party can instantly change its character if it is leap-year and become a

Leap-Year Party

for the remaining hour or so, thereby creating a great deal more merriment and sport; the novelty of the fact that the girls exchange places with the boys makes everything appear strange. And when the music commences for dancing the girls look from one to another, no one at first having the courage to invite a partner to dance, so unaccustomed are they to even the thought of such a thing. The boys of course laugh, and make no move to assist their timid, would-be partners in the part they must play, but quietly await the expected invitation. When, however, someone takes the initiative step, the others follow, and all goes merrily.

The supper presents a new phase, but here the girls do their part perfectly, providing all the boys with a plentiful repast, and each one is made to feel that his presence is necessary to the success of the party, thereby insuring a happy, pleasant time for all.

In giving a leap-year party it is very essential that all the guests understand perfectly that the idea of the entertainment is to have the girls take upon themselves all the duties and courtesies properly belonging to the boys, and that the boys shall wait for an invitation before dancing, promenading, or partaking of refreshments, and that a boy should not cross the floor unattended, but wait for some fair friend to escort him. The girls are at liberty to go and come as they like, though they must remember not to leave a partner standing after the dance is over, but politely conduct him to a seat, and the girls must also endeavor to make the party pleasant and agreeable to all. The chaperons, of course, should have charge of the boys during the entertainment.