New-Year's presents and visits originated with the Romans, and their gifts were symbolic. They were dried figs, dates, and honey, emblematic of the sweetness of the auspices under which the year should begin its course, and a small piece of money called stips, which foreboded riches.
[SPOONS.]
A NEW GAME FROM THE GERMAN.
BY G. B. BARTLETT.
A very funny new game has come to us from our German cousins, with the odd title of Spoons, which is played as follows: One person takes his stand in the centre of the room, with a handkerchief tied over his eyes, and his hands extended before him, in each of which he holds a large table-spoon. The other players march around him in single file, clapping their hands in time to a tune which may be sung or played upon a piano in any slow measure suitable for marching. When the blinded player calls out "Spoons," all the others stop at once, and turn their faces toward him. He then finds his way to any player that he can, and must ascertain who he is by touching him with the spoons only, which he may use as he pleases. If he guesses right, the person he has caught is obliged to take his place in the centre. If he is wrong, he must try until he succeeds, which it is easy to do with a little practice, especially if the one who is caught joins in the universal laughter.
An old gentleman in Vienna, who was afraid of leaving his money in a bank, two years ago concealed his savings, in the shape of twenty 1000 florin notes, in a cupboard in his cellar. Last week it occurred to him to go and see how his treasure was going on; but on doing this he discovered, to his horror, that the mice had been making free with it, and that only a small heap of fluffy dust remained of all his wealth. The grief caused by this discovery was so great that the poor old man threw himself out of his bedroom window, and broke his neck. Another story is told of a lady who hid her property, consisting of a number of United States greenbacks, in a satchel in her cupboard. She also, after a time, found that a mouse had devoured part of the notes, and had used the rest to line its nest; but in this case the meal had evidently disagreed with the enterprising mouse, for it was lying dead in its nest, the fact being that the arsenic which had been used to give the green color to the notes had caused its death. In these days, when money can easily and safely be deposited in savings-banks, it is very foolish to hide it in holes and corners where it is liable to be lost.