After most of the inside has been removed turn the apple around and look at the features; if you cannot yet see daylight through them, insert the small blade from the outside of the apple, through each feature in turn, and by degrees cut away the meat, without enlarging the openings of the different features. Should this prove ineffectual, again turn to the back of the apple and work from the inside, removing more of the contents and making the layer of apple thinner next to the skin. Then once more try through the features from the outside. This time the result should be distinctly clear openings for all the features. You cannot help smiling when you look at the apple now, for you see such a comical little face.
Fig. 95.—Make the bottom larger than the top.
Cut a short section from an ordinary wax candle ([Fig. 94]), shave down the sides, making the bottom heavier and larger than the top ([Fig. 95]). Run a pin through the centre of the candle from bottom to top; then pull it out. Fit the candle inside on the centre of the bottom of the apple, hold it in place while you run the pin up from the outside of the apple, through the skin and into the pinhole in the centre of the little candle. The pin should hold the candle firmly in place; if it does not do so, pull the pin out and see what is the matter; possibly the candle needs hollowing out a trifle at the base in order to fit the slight rise in the apple on which the candle stands. Put on your thinking cap, examine and make the candle stand absolutely straight and firm.
Manufacture all the other individual pumpkin lanterns in the same way, and when story-telling time arrives set a lantern in front of every girl and boy in the circle and light the candle in each little pumpkin. The effect will be charming and inspiring for the story-tellers. Oranges with all the pulp extracted also makes very pumpkin-like lanterns when cut in a similar way to the apple lanterns ([Figs. 96] and [97]).
Anything may be given as
A Forfeit
and the forfeits are redeemed in the good old way. The leader is blindfolded and seated. A girl or boy stands back of the leader, and, taking one of the forfeits, holds it over her head, while repeating these words, “Heavy, heavy hangs over your head.” The leader replies with the question: “Fine or superfine?” If the forfeit belongs to a girl, the answer is “superfine,” if to a boy, “fine.” The same player adds, “What shall the owner do to redeem it?” The leader names a penalty, such as, kneel to the prettiest, bow to the wittiest, or, look angry, then smile your sweetest. The leader may inflict one of these, or any other, making the penalty as funny as she desires, but it must never cause a player to feel in the least uncomfortable, for every girl and boy should be given just as good a time as possible, that all may return to their homes from the Thanksgiving games happy and pleased with their evening’s fun.