One child is chosen "It." This one stands by a post or in a corner which is called "base," and hides his eyes. The children decide among themselves how many he shall count while they are hiding. Suppose they choose 100, then he counts 5, 10, 15, 20, etc., until he reaches 100, and then he calls out:
"Ready or not,
You shall be caught."
The children having hidden while he was counting remain perfectly still while he is hunting them. If he passes by some child without finding him, that one may run to the "base" and say "One, two, three, I'm in free!" As many children as can, try to get in "free," but if the one who is "it" sees a child, runs to the base and touches it first, calling: "One, two, three," and the child's name he has to be "it." If the child reaches the "base" first he is "free" and the game proceeds until someone is "caught." If all the children get "free" the one who is "it" again hides his eyes.
HISS AND CLAP
This is an excellent party game. One of the company goes outside the room, whilst the remainder of the players decide amongst themselves which of them he shall kneel to. When this is settled upon, the person who is outside is allowed to enter, and he kneels in front of whom he thinks is the right one. If he should make a correct guess, the company clap their hands, and the person to whom he knelt goes outside. If, however, the guess is an incorrect one, the company hiss loudly, and the guesser has to go outside, come back, and try again. Of course, it will make more amusement if when a boy is sent outside the room a girl be chosen as the person to whom he has to kneel; and the opposite if a girl be outside the room.
LONDON BRIDGE
No game has been more popular with children than this, and any summer evening, in the poorer quarters of the cities, it may still be seen how six years instructs three years in the proper way of conducting it. Two players, by their uplifted hands, form an arch, representing the bridge, under which passes the train of children, each clinging to the garments of the predecessor and hurrying to get safely by. As the last verse is sung the raised Arms of the two directors of the game descend and enclose the child who happens to be passing at the time. The prisoner is then led, still confined by the arms of her captors, to the corner which represents the prison and asked, "Will you have a diamond necklace or a gold pin?" "A rose or a cabbage?" or some equivalent question. The keepers have already privately agreed which of the two each of these objects shall represent, and, according to the prisoner's choice, he is placed behind one or the other. When all are caught, the game ends with a "Tug of War," the two sides pulling against each other; and the child who lets go, and breaks the line, is pointed at and derided. The words of the rhyme sung while the row passes under the bridge are now reduced to two lines:
London bridge is falling down,
My fair lady!
London bridge is falling down,
Falling down, falling down,
London bridge is falling down
My fair lady!
You've stole my watch and kept my keys,
My fair lady!
Off to prison you must go,
My fair lady!
Take the key and lock her up,
My fair lady!
MISS JENNIA JONES
The story of this is originally a love story. The young lady dies from a blighted affection and the prohibition of cruel parents.