Great fun may be extracted out of this game, and it is admirably adapted to boys who (as most of us know) seem to take an intense delight in making each other appear ridiculous. Each gentleman is requested to choose a partner for himself. Should ladies be among the company, it is needless to say that the game will be all the more interesting, especially if there be a sufficient number to provide a lady for each gentleman. One gentleman alone, who personates a lawyer, walks up and down the room in front of the various couples, asking questions of any one he pleases. The answers to his questions must be answered, however, not by the person addressed, but by his or her partner. It may, therefore, be easily imagined what inappropriate replies may be given. For instance, the lawyer may ask a lady what is her favourite occupation. The lady's partner, who must answer the question while she herself remains perfectly silent, may say "dressing dolls," "cricketing," "playing leap-frog," or anything else equally wide of the mark. The lady must patiently hold her tongue, or incur the penalty of paying a forfeit. Those who feel themselves libelled, however, by the remarks made about them by their partners, have the satisfaction of knowing that they will most likely have the opportunity of retaliating before the game is over, because when their turn comes to answer the questions addressed to their partners they can give tit for tat.
PERSON AND OBJECT.
Two of the company leave the room together, and after due consultation agree to think of some particular person, either historical or otherwise, and about whom they shall be prepared to answer any question which may be put to them by their friends. Not merely, however, as in other games, is some particular person thought of, but also something belonging to him; for instance, part of his dress, his favourite dog, his friend, or perhaps some peculiarity by which he is so well known that it has actually become part of himself; and on returning to the room, one of the two who have been absent must represent the person, and the other the object. In turn they must then submit to be questioned by the company, who will alternately address themselves, first to the person, then to the object. Supposing Mr. Gladstone to be the person fixed upon, his axe might be chosen for the object, or Cromwell and his wart, or Lord Beaconsfield and his little curl. While the questioning is going on, the person must not volunteer any information relative to the object, neither must the object give any light relative to the person; each must accurately but briefly speak for himself alone until the company succeed in guessing who and what have been the subject of thought.
THE PORK-BUTCHER.
This game is very much like that of the Spanish Merchant, the only difference being that instead of the players representing themselves as Spanish merchants, they carry on for the time the business of pork-butchers. The first player begins the game by saying, "I have just killed a pig, and shall be glad to sell portions of it to any of you. What part will you take?" he continues, addressing his right-hand neighbour. The trick of the game is that whatever part the purchaser shall choose, the corresponding part on his own person must, as he names it, be touched by him.
POSTMAN'S KNOCK.
This game, sometimes used as a forfeit, is played in the following manner:—First of all, some one is stationed at the door, inside the room, to answer the repeated knocks that will be made. Another of the company begins the game by going out of the room, and presently making himself heard outside as postman, by giving a double knock. On the door being opened he is asked for whom he has a letter, and how many pennies the owner will have to pay for it. The person to whom the imaginary letter is addressed must then go outside the room, and give the postman his fee, not in pennies, but in kisses, after which he must take his turn as postman.
PROVERBS.
In choosing a proverb for this game, the simpler ones will be found the best, as those with long, prominent words are difficult to introduce. One of the company having retired, a proverb is fixed upon. The absent one is then called in, when he at once begins by asking a question of each of the company, the first one of whom must mention in his reply the first word in the proverb; the second player must mention the second word, and so on, until all the words have been brought in. Sometimes when the company is large, the proverb is repeated twice in the same round, though when this is done the person who is guessing should be told of the arrangement. As soon as the proverb is discovered, the person whose word gave the clue to the mystery must be the next guesser.