BLINDMAN’S BUFF, AND HOT-COCKLES.
The next day the family were once more alone, and the young people were obliged to find out games which did not require such a considerable number of players. Blindman’s Buff was the first that was chosen by this joyous little group. Adriana, as the youngest, had her eyes bound, and ran after her companions. Madame D’Hernilly took upon herself to call out, in order to warn the one who was blinded, when she approached too near a tree, or any other object that might endanger her safety. Adriana ran about during some time without catching any body; at last Ernestina suffered herself to be caught, out of compassion no doubt, and she pursued her young friends in her turn. This play lasted the greatest part of the day, but a storm coming on towards evening forced them to seek a shelter, and they retired to the drawing-room. As they complained of being obliged to leave off their game, Adela advised them to continue it in the hall, which was very spacious.
Madame D’Hernilly disapproved of this proposal, because she thought the game
would endanger the furniture; but being always desirous to contribute to the amusement of the children, she told them that they might play at Blindman’s Buff sitting. This game is not attended with any risk to the furniture, and may be played without inconvenience even in a small room; it is besides more amusing perhaps than the other, particularly if it is played by candle-light.
The young people applauded Madame D’Hernilly’s idea; but they agreed at the same time that they would not begin to play till after dinner. They had scarcely dined when visitors arrived, whose company was almost as tiresome to the mistress of the house, as to the children. Our young readers will easily conceive with what impatience the latter waited for the moment when the departure of the guests, would leave them at liberty to begin their sport. At last it arrived, the visitors retired, and our gay young troop immediately formed themselves into a circle in the middle of the saloon. As Ernestina was to be blinded, they covered her eyes with a muslin handkerchief; every one then changed their place, and she was conducted into the middle of the group, and had the liberty of seating herself upon the knee of whatever person she pleased; but she was obliged, without putting her hands upon the person whom she touched, to guess who it was.
As the young folks were all differently dressed, the touch of their clothes would furnish an easy means of discovering them, but they did every thing in their power to prevent the one who was blinded from profiting by this circumstance: Adriana, who had a plain cambric muslin gown on, drew upon her knees the skirt of her next neighbour’s Merino pelisse. Ernestina deceived by the touch, exclaimed that it was Madame D’Hernilly or Adela; they called out, triumphantly, “Wrong! wrong!” and poor Ernestina had to begin her round again.
This game amused them during the whole evening, and they liked it so much, that in some days afterwards they began to play at it again, with as much eagerness as the first time; but they varied the manner of playing at it, and by so doing, heightened the amusement it afforded them. This new method, which we must call playing blindman’s buff in shadow, was as follows:—
One of the young ladies stood facing the wall, and she was enjoined not to look behind her: an Austral lamp was placed upon a table at the bottom of the saloon, and there was no other light in the room. All the party then passed between the lamp and the person who stood with her face to the wall, so that their shadows fell upon the wall; the