Perhaps you have heard that old Peter Parley, when he was once in London, as he was gazing into a shop-window, seeing the twelfth-night cakes, got his coat-tail pinned to the gown of a woman, which made no small degree of fun.
Within doors there is also a frolic going on at this time. A large cake is cut up among a party of young people, who draw for the slices, and are chosen king and queen of the evening. They then draw for characters, thus making a great deal of sport.
Puzzles.
- My first and last are man’s beginning;
- My ninth, ’leventh, twelfth, a school-boy’s task;
- My fifth, tenth, sixth, a welcome winning,
- If maids consent when lovers ask.
- My second, third and fourth, to do,
- Is but the lot of human creatures;
- Seven, eight, nine, ten—if books are true—
- Bore once a goddess’ form and features;
- My first half—save a single letter—
- Denotes a jolly, one-legged fellow;
- My other half—perchance the better—
- Doth mean a thing with covers yellow.
- Such is my riddle—can you guess it?
- If so, pray write us, and confess it.
- And if you think you’d like to try it,
- Why, send a dollar—and you’ll buy it.
A friend has sent us the following. Will any of our readers tell us the secret?
- I am a name of 28 letters.
- My 1st, 15th, 28th, 23d, 11th, 9th, and 5th, is a town in the East Indies.
- My 3d, 2d, 6th, 25th, 13th, 26th, 9th, and 9th, is what some persons hate to see.
- My 4th, 24th, and 13th is a vehicle much in use.
- My 22d, 5th, and 7th, is a domestic animal.
- My 14th, 17th, and 10th, is a kind of grain.
- My 13th, 12th, 9th, and 11th, is a nickname.
- My 16th, 18th, 8th, and 6th, is a great blessing.
- My 19th, 21st, and 7th, is much to be pitied.
- My 14th, 27th, 20th, and 2d, is a beautiful flower.
- My 4th, 21st, 25th, 7th, 27th, and 6th, is a great article of commerce.
C. B. F.
Varieties.
Once on a time, a Dutchman and a Frenchman were travelling in Pennsylvania, when their horse lost a shoe. They drove up to a blacksmith’s shop, and no one being in, they proceeded to the house to inquire. The Frenchman rapped and called out, “Is de smitty wittin?” “Shtand pack,” says Hans; “let me shpeak. Ish der plack-smit’s shop in der house?”