The invitations should be sent in small imitation music rolls, and headed with a line of appropriate music. As each guest enters he receives a long, narrow strip of pasteboard, bearing a portion of some familiar song, both words and music. Each card bears a number, and the eight whose cards are numbered alike are instructed to get together and practice to sing a verse formed by the union of their eight cards. A bell calls them to order, judges are appointed, and each group sings its song, a pianist accompanying them. While the judges are preparing their verdict, a short musical program may be rendered. A bouquet of flowers may be presented to the group whose musical effort is considered the best. The bouquet may consist of eight small buttonhole bouquets, one for each member of the group. Make a list, numbering from one to twenty, of tunes that are perfectly familiar to every one. "Yankee Doodle," "America," "Annie Rooney," or any of the later popular songs, are some of the airs that are known everywhere. Number as many cards as there are guests, with twenty numbers on consecutive lines. These, with pencils, are distributed to the people as they arrive. An accomplished pianist then plays snatches of each tune, in the order that the list calls for. Just enough of the piece is played to let the melody be indicated. Each person, as the air is played, puts down against the number on the card what he thinks the tune is. At the end the cards are collected, and prizes given to the most successful.
To match partners, write the notes of a bar or two of some well-known melody on the lady's card, and the balance on the gentleman's card.
MUSICAL GUESSING CONTEST
| 1. | Used on a bundle. | (Chord [cord]) |
| 2. | A place of residence. | (Flat) |
| 3. | A reflection on character. | (Slur) |
| 4. | Bottom of a statue. | (Bass [base]) |
| 5. | An unaffected person. | (Natural) |
| 6. | Used in driving horses. | (Lines) |
| 7. | What makes a check valid. | (Signature) |
| 8. | What we breathe every day. | (Air) |
| 9. | Seen on the ocean. | (Swells) |
| 10. | What betrays nationality. | (Accent) |
| 11. | An association of lawyers. | (Bar) |
| 12. | Used in climbing. | (Staff) |
| 13. | Part of a sentence. | (Phrase) |
| 14. | Belonging to a fish. | (Scales) |
| 15. | Used in wheeling. | (Pedals) |
| 16. | A girl's name. | (Grace) |
| 17. | Used in flavoring soup. | (Time [Thyme]) |
| 18. | Often passed in school. | (Notes) |
| 19. | Used in a store. | (Counters) |
| 20. | An instrument not blunt. | (Sharp) |
MUSICAL ROMANCE
The young hostess announced that a love story of the Civil War would be related in musical numbers, and to the one who should best interpret them a prize would be awarded. All were provided with cards and pencils and a young woman seated herself at the piano. The hostess then asked "What was the heroine called?" Whereupon the familiar notes of "Sweet Marie" were heard, and it began to be understood that the names of popular airs—given with much spirit by the pianist—would furnish the answers to the questions propounded, to be recorded upon the cards. The story progressed thus:
What was the hero's name? "Robin Adair."
Where was he born? "Dixie."
Where was she born? "On the Suwanee River."
Where did they meet? "Comin' thro' the rye."