"BROTHER, I'M BOBBED."
Two chairs are placed in the middle of the room, upon one of which some one unacquainted with the game must be asked to take a seat. The other chair must be occupied by a lady or gentleman to whom the game is familiar. A large shawl or tablecloth is then put over the heads of both, so that nothing that is going on in the room can be visible to them. The person, however, who understands the game may stealthily pull away the cloth from his own head, keeping it round his shoulders only, so that his companion may have no suspicion that both are not equally blindfolded. The player acquainted with the game then with his slipper hits his own head, at the same time calling out, "Brother, I'm bobbed." His blind companion will then ask, "Who bobbed you?" upon which the first player must name some person in the room, as if making a guess in the matter. He will next hit the head of the player under the shawl with the slipper, who will also exclaim, "Brother, I'm bobbed." "Who bobbed you?" the first player will inquire. The blinded player may then guess which person in the room he suspects of having hit him. The fun of the whole affair lies in the fact that the bobbing, which the blind player suspects is performed by the various members of the company, is really chiefly done by the player sitting close beside him. Sometimes, too, the bobbing business is done so effectually, and with such force, as to render it anything but amusing to the poor blinded victim, although to the spectators it may be unmistakably so. Should the victim be a gentleman, a few sharp raps with a slipper will not make any material difference to him; but if instead it should happen to be a lady, the "bobbing" must be of the gentlest.
"BUFF SAYS 'BAFF.'"
In this game no one is allowed to either laugh or smile; consequently, it is generally one of the games chosen when the merriment of the evening has reached its highest pitch. The company seat themselves in a half circle at one end of the room, with the exception of one of their number, who is supposed to have gone on a visit to Buff. He then enters the room with the poker in his hand, and his face looking as grave as possible. When he is asked by his friends in succession:—
"Where do you come from?"
"From Buff."
"Did he say anything to you?"
"Buff said Baff,
And gave me this staff,
Telling me neither to smile nor laugh.