CHEAT.
This lively round game may be joined in by any number of players, who must, first of all, have dealt to them equally a pack of fifty-two cards. As soon as all have examined their hands, the player on the left of the dealer begins by playing the lowest card he has, face downwards (ace counting lowest), at the same time calling out what it is. The next player puts down a card, face downwards, and calls the next number; thus, should the first player play a one, the second player, whatever his card may be, must call out two. As it is not necessary for the card laid down to correspond with the number called, the fun of the game consists in putting down the wrong card. Any one of the company is at liberty, however, to challenge a player to show the card last played, immediately after it has been put down, by calling out Cheat. In this case the player must show his card, and if it should not be what he said it was, he must take all the cards laid down. As the player who first finishes his cards wins the game it is greatly to his disadvantage to have a new number added to his original stock. The player who is cheated recommences the next call.
TRUTH.
For this capital round game two packs of cards must be provided, one of which is handed, complete, to a member of the party who consents to lead the game, and which he must place by his side, face downwards, the other being dealt to the company, card by card, until it is exhausted. The leader then begins by putting any question he likes to the players, the answer to which is obtained by the following method:—When he asks his question, he at the same time turns up the top card of the undealt pack. Whatever this card may be the leader calls for the counterpart to it from one of the players, the one who exhibits it being the one to reply to the question. Ridiculous personal questions are sure to create more fun than anything else. For instance, should the leader ask, "Who is the vainest person in the room?" and, at the same time turn up the queen of hearts, the player unfortunate enough to possess the similar card in the other pack is the ill-fated individual who then proclaims his vanity. As a slight compensation, however, for his ill-luck, he is entitled to put the next question, which may, of course, be as unmerciful as the one asked concerning himself. As each question and answer card are produced they are laid aside; and thus the game proceeds until both packs are finished.
PARLOUR MAGIC.
CONJURING.
Nowadays Conjuring has its professors and teachers, and may be ranked as a science, if not as an art. Tricks that have astonished audiences for a length of time are explained upon the payment of fees, and instructions are given to amateurs as to how to perform them; but in these pages we aim at nothing beyond describing certain tricks and telling how they are done, and we would seriously urge our young friends to remember that between this and teaching them how to perform the tricks there is a vast difference. Many of the tricks described may be performed on the descriptions here given, but any one anxious to become an adept even in what we describe will be well repaid in the greater amusement he will be able to provide for his friends if he takes a few lessons from some professor of magic. Valuable hints may be obtained from various books, and we heartily recommend, for pleasant reading as well as for study, the works of Piesse, Hoffmann, Cremer, and the "Memoirs of Robert Houdin." Perhaps next after personal lessons in the art, Hoffmann's will be found the most instructive book as to details; Cremer's gives the best variety of simple tricks adapted to the drawing-room or parlour; while for general interest and fascinating reading the "Memoirs of Robert Houdin" will carry off the palm against many novels and romances.