C. Y. P. R. U.
Effie D.—Pot-pourri is a French word which means a mixture. In music it is used to describe a piece or a series of pieces in which fragments of various melodies are oddly contrasted. But its prettier meaning, and the one which you will probably like to carry out for yourself, is that by which it was known to our grandmothers when they were young. The pot-pourri was a vase or jar into which rose petals, sprigs of lavender, bits of fern, and other delicate flowers were thrown, often with perfumes and essences, and all the year round it shed a faint sweetness through the parlor where it stood.
The Postmistress was much interested, not long ago, in the description given by an English lady residing in Pekin of the funeral of a Chinese Empress. The manners and customs of China are not at all like our own. Their way of showing their love and respect for the dead is quite different from ours, as you will see by reading about the procession which followed the lady Tung-tai-how to her resting-place in the Imperial Tombs. Her body was inclosed in a splendid coffin, and the tablet telling her name and the story of her life was hung in a niche in the Temple of Ancestors. The road to the Tombs was spread with yellow earth, and banners were hung across it at intervals, while blue cloth was festooned at crossings, and wherever there was danger that the curious eyes of the common people should peep at the tablet. In complete silence came the imperial umbrella, flag, and Sedan-chair, all of beautiful yellow satin. The chair containing the tablet was carried by eight bearers in crimson dresses with yellow spots. It was followed by a train of Mandarins in court dress, their garments glittering with embroidery. After them came a troop of spearmen, wearing yellow jackets with black sleeves, and bearing long slender lances.
On arriving at the Temple of Ancestors, which is within the palace, the procession was met by some of the ministers of state and the princes. The tablet was lifted to its place of honor, and then the ceremonies were over for the time, though offerings will be placed before it, as before the tablets of other ancestors, whenever any event of importance takes place in the royal family.
Perhaps some of you do not know that the Chinese worship their ancestors. They fancy that the souls of the dead linger around these tablets, and so they place food, clothing, and money near them. Even the poorest consider this a sacred duty. Every home has its tablets, if not its ancestral hall. It is their idea that the spiritual part only of the food is eaten by the dead, and so, after a while, most families use the rice and fruit themselves. Money and clothing are represented by paper, which, at stated periods, is very devoutly burned before the shrines.
Two Amusing Games.—By the same mail which brought the Postmistress a letter from the pupils of the Prairie Mound School, Watkins, Iowa, asking her to tell them of a nice game to play at recess, came another letter from St. Louis, Missouri, telling of two games. So what can be better than to let Olga answer the Prairie-Mounders? The Postmistress is sure they were thinking of games for rainy days. On fine days top, ball, I-spy, and tag usually enlist active boys and girls, and those are the best plays for them which give them wholesome exercise in the open air:
I have two very interesting games that may be played in-doors—one is called "Cross-Purposes," and the other is "The Cook who likes no Peas." The first is played in the following manner: One player goes around among the circle, and whispers in each one's ear an answer which he is to make to the next player who shall come after him asking questions. For instance, Charles goes around to Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 4. To No. 1 he whispers, "Hot, sweet, and strong," to No. 2, "With pepper and vinegar," to No. 3, "With my best love," and to No. 4, "No, indeed." Jane comes after Charles to ask any questions her own wit may suggest. She asks No. 1, "What kind of a week have you passed?" No. 1 answers, "Hot, sweet, and strong." She asks No. 2, "Shall you ever marry?" No. 2 answers, "With pepper and vinegar." To No. 3, "How will you keep house on these?" No. 3 answers, "With my best love." To No. 4, "Where do you live?" No. 4 answers, "No, indeed." Much amusement is sometimes made by the total variance of the questions and answers, and sometimes a very hard blow is administered to some of the company, but of course no offense can be taken.
Now for "The Cook who likes no Peas." The leader of the game must put the following question to his right-hand neighbor, and also to all the players in succession: "My cook likes no peas; what shall I give her to eat?" If any player replies, "Potatoes, apples, and parsnips," the other answers, "She does not like them—pay a forfeit." But if another says, "Onions, carrots, veal," she likes them, and consequently no forfeit is required of the player. The trick of this game is evident: it is the letter "p" that must be avoided. Thus, to escape the penalty of a forfeit, it is necessary that the player should propose some kind of food in which the letter "p" does not occur.
Olga C. B.