And so on to the end of the alphabet, or until another game shall be called for.
TWENTY QUESTIONS.
In this game one person goes out of the room while the rest of the company choose some subject which he will be expected to find out by the time he has asked twenty questions. When he has received the twenty answers to his questions, should he still be unable to discover the subject of thought, he must not only produce a forfeit, but must also for the second time be the one to go out of the room until something else is thought of. Before doing so, however, the company may kindly allow him to ask a few extra questions, the answers to which may enlighten him on the first subject.
THE TWO HATS.
A similar game to this of the Two Hats is that known by the name of the Game of Contrary, a description of which will be found on another of our pages. One of the company comes forward holding in his hand two hats, one of which he places on his own head, the other he gives to one of his friends. The person to whom the hat is given must from the moment he receives it make every action of his to be exactly opposite to that of the owner of the other hat. For instance, should the latter sit down his victim must immediately stand up, should he place the hat on his head his friend must stand bare-headed, should he take it off the other must put his hat on. This principle of contrary must be carried out to the very utmost, not only as far as the hats are concerned, but in every other way imaginable. When once the game is entered upon, opportunities will readily present themselves of carrying out the original idea, namely, that dictated by the rule of contrary.
"WHAT AM I DOING?"
Six, seven, eight, or more players take their seats in a straight row. Behind them the person chosen to lead the game takes his stand. Placing himself exactly behind the player seated on the top chair, he then begins to conduct himself in the most absurd manner possible; for instance, making some ridiculous grimace, shaking his fist, or any other comical antic that may suggest itself to him. After doing this for a minute or two, he then says to the player seated before him, "What am I doing?" Should the unfortunate individual be unable to answer correctly he must stand up, and until permission be given him to desist, must imitate in silence the antics the nature of which he was unable to discover. More frequently than not the guesses are quite wide of the mark, consequently the spectacle is most laughable when five or six of the company are all occupying the enviable position above described.
"WHAT IS MY THOUGHT LIKE?"
This is a pleasant fireside game that, without requiring any very great depth of thought, is made all the more interesting by the ready wit and natural ability of the players. Some particular thing is fixed upon by one of the company as a subject of thought. He then asks each one in turn what his thought is like. They say anything they choose; a rainbow, a waterfall, a monkey, an umbrella, or whatever may occur to them. The leader then informs the company what his thought was, asking each one in turn to draw a resemblance between it and the object fixed upon as a comparison. It not unfrequently happens that the best reply is given by one whose task appears to be the most difficult, owing to the utter dissimilarity of the two objects compared; an ingenious player being able to detect some point of resemblance between two things so totally unlike each other as to be almost ridiculous.