A box party can be made very enjoyable if every one enters into the contest.
Each lady should pack a box with lunch for two and at the party the boxes can be auctioneered off to the highest bidder.
Or, if there is any objection to that, the ladies' names can be placed on slips of paper and the papers put into a hat and passed to the gentlemen; the slip each draws contains the name of the one with whom he is to eat refreshments.
If this party is to make money for some society the wisest way will be to sell the boxes.
The same plan may also be followed for a Sunday-school or other picnic.
CAKE SALE
Probably the description of a cake sale that was held for the benefit of a library fund may not come amiss to show just how attractive and successful such an affair can be made. The principal feature of this sale was the cake contest—a game, with cake prizes. This game was devised to take the place of raffling, which was voted out of date. It was played by groups of ten, who on paying a fee were given printed lists of questions to be answered. Each list had to be signed with the player's name and put in the "post-office" by a certain time in the evening, and later the names of the prize-winners in each group were announced. To promote sociability and fun, a lady's and a gentleman's first prize, and a lady's and a gentleman's booby were given in each group. The prizes were cakes, iced and fancifully decorated with colored candies, and each cake was put on a wooden plate, covered with a frill of crepe paper. The boobies were ginger and sugar horsecakes. Below is the list of questions and answers used in the contest, which may be lengthened or shortened at will:
Which cake did the society woman buy? Reception. The schoolgirl? Composition. The grocer? Sugar. The artist? Exhibition. The farmer? Harvest. The mean man? Sponge. The tramp? Loaf. The minister? Scripture. The milliner? Feather. The maiden aunt? Tea. The dairyman? Cream. The champion? Cup. The pretty girls? Ribbon. The jockey? Horse. The shoemaker? The last. The sculptor? Marble. The small boys? Snowballs. The gossip? Spice. The Bryan man? Silver. The young man for his sweetheart? Angel. The fond mamma for her daughter? Wedding. The candidate for office? Election. The politician? Plum.
Then there were cakes for sale, whole or cut. Small tables were placed at one end of the hall; and here cake was served with tea, coffee or chocolate. The cake booths were attractively decorated with crepe paper and flags. Posters announced the specialties and prices at each. Watermelon cakes were the novelty at one booth; apple lemon cakes at another; a plentiful supply of cookies, dominoes, horsecakes, gingerbread dolls, and little patty pan cakes, containing a prize to attract the patronage of the children, at another. Little china dolls, marbles, china dogs, cats, vases, etc., were put in the dough when the little pans were filled. These china toys were not injured by the baking and delighted the children beyond measure.