diff options
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 3 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 11883-0.txt | 2883 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/11883-8.txt | 3305 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/11883-8.zip | bin | 0 -> 51389 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/11883.txt | 3305 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/11883.zip | bin | 0 -> 51360 bytes |
8 files changed, 9509 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/11883-0.txt b/11883-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..fdb328e --- /dev/null +++ b/11883-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2883 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 11883 *** + +Made Easy Series + + + + + +ENTERTAINING MADE EASY + +BY + +EMILY ROSE BURT + + +1919 + + + + +_Acknowledgment is made to Woman's Home Companion, The Ladies' Home +Journal, Farm and Fireside, and the Designer for their courteous +permission to reprint certain material in this book_. + + + + +TABLE OF CONTENTS + +SOCIALS AND PARTIES + A SMILES SOCIAL + AN AVIATION MEET + A MOCK CANTEEN + A PROGRESSIVE MARCH PARTY + AN AUTUMN LEAF DANCE + A HARVEST HOME PARTY + A NUTTY PARTY FOR OCTOBER + A MAY POLE PARTY FOR CHILDREN + +OUTDOOR AFFAIRS + A BACON BAT + A CHILDREN'S DAISY PARTY + A HAWAIIAN PORCH LUNCHEON + A WATERMELON FROLIC + A JAPANESE GARDEN PARTY + A COMMENCEMENT PICNIC + A PROGRESSIVE MOTOR PARTY + +BIRTHDAYS AND OTHER ANNIVERSARIES + A BACHELOR SUPPER + MOTHER'S BIRTHDAY TEA + A PUSSY CAT PARTY + A GIRL'S BIRTHDAY LUNCHEON + THE WOODEN WEDDING + THE TIN WEDDING + A MOCK WEDDING + A SILVER WEDDING SHOWER + A CAPE COD LUNCHEON + +ANNOUNCEMENTS AND SHOWERS + "A LITTLE BIRD TOLD ME" LUNCHEON + A HAPPINESS TEA + A HELLO PARTY + AN APPLE SHOWER + AN OLD ROSE SHOWER + A KITTY SHOWER + A CAMP FIRE SHOWER + A "ONE I LOVE" SHOWER + AN INDIAN SUMMER SHOWER + A CHRISTMAS TREE SHOWER + +WEDDINGS + SUMMER WEDDING DECORATIONS + THE TABLE DECORATIONS + MENUS FOR THE BUFFET LUNCHEON + THE FAVORS + TWO SUMMER WEDDINGS + A Wild Rose Wedding + A Field Flower Wedding + OUTDOOR WEDDINGS + An Orchard Pageant + A Wedding on the Lawn + FALL WEDDINGS + A Blue and Gold Fall Wedding + Oak Leaves and Cosmos + THREE WINTER WEDDINGS + A Christmas Wedding + A Rainbow Wedding + A Colonial Wedding + + + + +_INTRODUCTION_ + + +It is fun to entertain--if you don't make hard work of it. + +And why make hard work of it when there are ways to entertain easily? + +Besides you know that the more easily you do it, the more successful +you'll be, and there's hardly a woman in the world--is there?--who +wouldn't like to be known as a good hostess. + +"But," says one of you, "I haven't the knack." + +And another says, "I haven't the time or money." + +And yet another, "Oh, I never have any ideas." + +Nonsense! + +It's not a question of knack or money or ideas. All you need is to +know the secret, and it's an open secret at that! + +First, ask yourself what you mean by a successful hostess. Your answer +will be, "One whose guests have so good a time that they want to come +again." + +Sure enough! The secret is out then--entertaining successfully is +giving the guests a good time. + +"More easily said than done," you say. "What must I _do_ to give the +guests a good time?" + +And the answer to that is in a nutshell. "Make your entertainment fit +the folks to be entertained." + +You wouldn't, for instance, think of inviting your grandmother's +friends in of an afternoon in honor of the old lady's birthday and +playing stagecoach or blindman's buff. + +And if you have your Sunday School class of lively boys in for the +evening, you won't expect them to play paper and pencil games from +eight to ten. + +It's really just a matter of common sense coupled with some +imagination and forethought to choose the right kind of entertainment. + +Along with choosing the right variety of amusement, remember that +folks generally like the simple things best and if there's a touch of +originality in addition, you've won their hearts. For you see you've +made them feel that you took the trouble to plan something "different" +in their honor. + +Because it's different, it isn't necessarily hard to prepare--there +are lots of novelties in decoration, amusement and "eats" that +are perfectly simple and inexpensive. They are what help to make +entertaining easy, in fact. And just at this point you see comes in +the reason for the writing of this little book. + +It aims to make entertaining easy by suggesting plans that are simple +and a little out-of-the-ordinary to fit the most frequent occasions +when you wish to entertain or perhaps _must_ do so. Special care has +been taken to consider time and expense, but at the same time to bring +in a touch of the unusual. + +Don't miss the fun of entertaining because you've always thought it +hard work! This book has been prepared to show you how easily, +after all, it can be done. And may you have the reward of joy and +satisfaction that comes with successful hospitality! + + + + +SOCIALS AND PARTIES + + +Perhaps you're appointed chairman of the social committee of your +young people's church society of or some club. Or maybe you want to +entertain for a friend who is visiting you so that she may meet +your circle of friends. Anyway it's up to you to plan an evening's +amusement for a big crowd of people. If it's a mixed crowd--young and +old and in-between (as church socials often are)--you need one kind +of plan; if it's a bunch of young folks, or a school class party, or +something for the children, you need other plans. + +But the secret of all good times for big crowds is to choose +entertainment that draws the individuals together in some kind of +comradeship, gives them all something in common, and puts them on a +friendly footing. + + + + +A SMILES SOCIAL + + +On the door of the parish house as well as in the post-office window +appeared a poster adorned with a big smiling face--the kind made by +drawing a circle and putting inside of it two eye dots, a nose line, +and a cheerful curve for a mouth. + +Beneath it the invitation urged everybody to come to a Smiles Social, +wearing a smile and bringing an extra one in the pocket. Admission, +one smile. + +The parish house parlors were decorated with all the laughing or +smiling pictures that could be found by the committee in charge. "Mona +Lisa" was there with her inscrutable smile, "The Laughing Cavalier," +as well as less famous characters, such as smiling girls on calendars +and magazine covers. An amusing display of newspaper cartoons also +filled one portion of the wall space. Smilax was appropriately enough +used for trimming. + +At the door was stationed a smiling admission collector, who insisted +on an entering smile from everyone. The extra one was not demanded at +this point. + +With such a beginning and the gallery of smiles about the room to +break the ice, the social was assured of the success that followed. + +The first stunt tried was called "Throwing Smiles," not a new +amusement but always a fun-maker. + +One person starts the game by smiling broadly and then pretending to +wipe off the smile and throw it to somebody else. As soon as it lands +on the next person's face, that person must in turn wipe it off and +fling it at a third player. As soon as a smile is supposedly wiped +off, the owner of it must maintain a perfectly sober expression. + +The company was in screams of laughter before this game had gone very +far. + +Another amusing game for a large number which goes under various +names was called on this occasion "The Smile Factory." The company is +divided into two groups which line up opposite each other. Someone +is appointed to stand between the two lines with a man's soft hat in +hand. If upon being tossed in the air, the hat lands right side up, +one group has to laugh while the opposite one remains absolutely +sober. When the hat lands upside down, the first group remains solemn +and the other group laughs. A member of either side who fails to +follow this rule goes over to the opposite side. The side which wins +all the members of the other side is announced victorious. + +The old-fashioned game of "Poor Pussy" was also played because the +point of it is trying not to smile. The younger folk will enjoy it. +You may remember that a ring is formed and the person within the ring +who is "it," kneels before someone in the circle and mews or purrs +appealingly three times successively. Each time the person confronted +must answer sternly or calmly "Poor Pussy," never smiling. In case of +a smile or a laugh, this person takes the place of "Poor Pussy." + +Midway of the evening the extra smiles brought to the social were +asked for. Jokes and funny rhymes or sayings were read in turn. If +various persons dislike the publicity of such a procedure, all the +"smiles" may be collected and presented by two or three clever persons +in the form of a minstrel show. This can be called "Smiles in Black +and White." + +The popular song "Smiles" was in order as well as the older favorite," +Pack up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag and Smile, Smile, Smile." + +The following conundrum was also propounded: What is the longest word +in the English language? The answer is "Smiles" because there's a mile +between the first and last syllables. + +Humorous recitations and others relating to smiles were given by some +good readers. + +Just before the refreshments came a smile-measuring contest. All stood +in line and grinned broadly while a girl with a tape measure took +account of each one in turn. The winner received as a prize a grinning +little china darky. + +The refreshments were enough to make everyone smile--they consisted of +pink lemonade and ginger cookies with features marked on them in white +icing. The most conspicuous feature was of course the grin. + + + + +AN AVIATION MEET + + +Try this plan for recruiting attendance at your next church social. +It would also "fill the bill" for a jolly midwinter school party. The +invitations are made to look like tickets of admission; the men's of +red pasteboard and the girls' of blue. They read this way: + + _Admit Two + To an Aviation Meet + In the ---- Church parlors + Friday evening + February 21 8 o'clock_ + +Each member who receives a ticket must make a point of inviting +somebody else, and should conduct the guest personally to the social. + +The hall or assembly rooms may be decorated with American and Allied +colors, and it would be appropriate and effective to suspend in +each window a trio of toy balloons, red, white, and blue in color, +respectively. Miniature airplanes hung overhead at intervals down the +length of the room would add realism. + +In different places on the walls fasten conspicuously large posters +boldly lettered with the program of events, as follows: + +1. TESTS: + Ground work + Control + Balance + +2. FLIGHTS + +3. STUNTS AND TRICKS: + Hands Up + Spiral + Reverse speed + Low speed + Spin + Nose dives + Loop the loop + +4. AIR RACES + +5. ARRIVAL OF AIR MAIL + +To promote fun, put up a few placards featuring certain well-known +members in some of the events. For instance: + + "_See Charlie Hays loop the loop_!" + +or + + "_Mildred Brown's control is wonderful_!" + +A good leader can make this program go off well by calling on +volunteers for the various contests. Sometimes people like better to +take part in teams. + +The first test, which is called "ground work," is a hopping stunt. The +contestants hop on one foot to a given goal, and the one who does it +most easily and gracefully and holds out best is declared victorious +by the judges. Blue ribbon badges are pinned on the successful +persons. + +Next comes "control," which turns out to be facial control under +difficulties. No matter what the funny, teasing, or pseudo-insulting +remarks or performances of the onlookers, the contestants must retain +calm and unmoved expressions as they stand in line. + +"Balance" proves who best can poise an apple on the head and walk +across the room. All the "balancers" start at the same moment, and the +first successful ones are awarded the blue ribbon. Balancing peanuts +on a knife blade and carrying them thus from one end of the room to +the other is another way to execute the test. + +When it is time for "flights" everybody is handed a paper aviation cap +to put on. Then paper and pencils are passed and all are invited to +take flights of fancy. These, it may be explained, may be rhymes, +romances, or the biggest lies that can be recalled. A flight of +oratory may also be offered. A committee of three appointed on the +spot promises to report on the winners at the close of the evening. If +preferred, a program of poems and short, comic, exaggerated stories +may be prepared beforehand, and fill in this space with apparent +impromptu. + +The stunts and tricks follow in detail: + +1. _Hands Up_. Only one person knows the stunt and she quite mystifies +everyone who presents himself and obeys her, till some one guesses the +secret or she finally tells it. + +She begins by ordering her student on trial to raise one hand and +keep the other at his side while her own back is turned. Upon turning +around she is able to specify the hand which was raised. The secret +is, of course, that the hand which hangs at the side, because of its +position, becomes redder than the raised hand. At a glance she notes +the difference in color and so knows which hand has been raised. + +2. _Spiral_. This is a good mixer. All are asked to form in line, one +behind another, each one's hands on the shoulders of the person ahead. +The leader then starts the line winding around and round the room into +a spiral and then unwinding it--the well-known gymnasium class stunt +which carried through in a sprightly way is bound to make everybody +feel better acquainted. + +3. _Reverse Speed_. Any number line up for a backward race. They go as +fast as they can backward to an appointed goal. + +4. _Low Speed_. Any number may enter. This is a "slow" race, that is +to say, all contestants progress as slowly as possible to a certain +goal. + +5. _Spin_. A supply of children's tops is provided and the ability to +spin them properly is demonstrated. A few musical tops among them will +add to the hilarity. + +6. _Nose Dives_. This is a stunt which will probably appeal most to +the boys or the more adventurous girls. It consists of pushing apples +or peanuts along given chalk marks on table or floor by means of the +nose only. + +7. _Loop the Loop_. To those who know how to tie different kinds of +knots, the announcement of this contest gives a chance to show what +they can do. + +The "air races" are of two sorts: the "hot air" race and the balloon +race. In the "hot air" race the contestants are timed as to the number +of words each can say in three minutes with the eyes shut. For the +balloon race several strings are stretched from one side of the room +to the other, and the same number of toy balloons is supplied. The +object is for the contestants to blow their respective balloons across +the room, following as nearly as possible the courses of string. The +choice of different colored balloons makes for interest and consequent +"rooting." + +The arrival of the air mail is heralded by the entrance of someone +dressed in aviator's garments--warm helmet, goggles, gloves and +all--carrying a mail sack (if real, a new one: but an imitation one +suffices). + +The aviator then proceeds to take out numerous packets which he hands +to the guests as far as they go. There should be at least half as many +packages as persons present. Each bundle is marked + + "_Owner unknown. + Find another to share this_." + +The explanation is that each recipient of a parcel must immediately +seek a partner and, upon doing so, open the parcel. Enough sandwiches +for two are revealed. Meanwhile, hot coffee or chocolate is being +passed by pretty waitresses with Japanese fans stuck in their hair +airplane-wise. + +The evening may end with a "musical flight," or, in other words, a +rousing "sing." + + + + +A MOCK CANTEEN + + +For one boy who wanted to entertain a few of the fellows who had been +in camp with him, his hospitable sister planned a jolly supper party +which undoubtedly owed its success to its "homeiness." Certainly its +friendly informality accomplished much more than any large outlay in +money could have done. There were to be half a dozen boys, so five +other girls were invited to make an equal number of girls and men. + +To begin with, the hostess passed around to the girls slips of paper +and duplicate slips to the men. + +Each slip contained the name of some article of food for supper and +the man and girl who drew duplicate slips were thus delegated to +prepare that particular dish together. + +When all had matched up partners they repaired to the kitchen, a big +old-fashioned room with plenty of space for all of them. The hostess +and her partner did no cooking, but announced that they would manage +this cafeteria. + +While all the others were in the kitchen, they arranged on a side +table in the dining-room stacks of tin trays, knives, forks, spoons, +and paper napkins. Over it they posted a bulletin board in good +imitation of a real cafeteria. There were listed on it the five dishes +which were being prepared and as a joke a number of others--quite +impossible to cook at such a time, as roast beef, mince pie, frozen +pudding--all of which were then heavily crossed off in black ink. + +When the cooks had finished their tasks (and the cheerful uproar that +accompanied their occupations may be easily imagined) the food was +arranged on a long kitchen table. Thereupon each person, after +possessing him or herself of a tray and the required silver and +scanning the menu posted, passed on and pretended to select from the +counter. In reality, of course, everyone took everything, and received +a check from the hostess with a punch against some "stunt" written on +it. + +The menu as prepared read as follows: + + Scalloped salmon + Fruit salad + Lettuce sandwiches + Chocolate pudding with whipped cream + Tea or coffee + +Two tables were left bare in the dining-room and the company chose +seats where they wished. + +A great deal of additional fun was gained upon finding that someone +had surreptitiously set up a placard on one of the tables reading +"Reserved for Ladies." Over the cold water faucet was a sign reading +"Water" and glasses were grouped near it. + +After supper the various stunts registered on the checks and some +rollicking songs filled the remainder of a merry evening in which +there had been absolutely no chance for stiffness from beginning to +end. + +These were some of the stunts: + +_For the Men_ + +1. Show in five different ways how reveille affected your friends. + +2. Give an imitation of a lady and her pet "Peke." + +3. Go around the room without touching your feet to the floor. + +4. Do a ballet act. + +5. Dig a trench (in pantomime). + +6. Sing a Mother Goose rhyme through your nose. + + +_For the Girls_ + +1. Give a military salute to every man in the room in turn. + +2. Choose a partner to walk around the "chimney" with you ten times. + +3. Count to fifty, substituting the words "Oh, fudge!" for fives and +every multiple of five. + +4. Pretend to eat a bunch of grapes. + +5. Represent your favorite movie actress till the others guess her +correctly. + +6. Flirt in three different ways. + + + + +A PROGRESSIVE MARCH PARTY + + +A group of high school friends, a social club of boys and girls, or a +church society of young people will enjoy giving the following party +in March. + +Send out invitations written on cards reading as follows: + + _March is the month of all the year + When lamb and lion do appear, + When pussy willow comes anew + And March hare scampers into view. + If you would meet these creatures four + And maybe several others more, + Then come prepared for work and play + To Grangers' hall, March first, the day_. + +On the invitation cards, tiny hares, lions, lambs, or sprays of pussy +willows can be outlined or traced by means of carbon paper from +pictures. + +The guests upon arrival draw from a basket containing tiny toy or +cracker lions, lambs, rabbits and cats, whichever kind of favor they +wish. + +According to the favor each one draws, the guests take their places +respectively at the March hare table, the lion table, the lamb table, +or the pussy willow table. Each table is marked by a distinguishing +centerpiece: at the March hare table is a plaster rabbit, at the lion +table, a toy lion; the lamb table has a woolly lamb on wheels, and the +pussy willow table, a bunch of pussy willows or a stuffed cat. + +The fun is now ready to begin, for with the implements and materials +provided at each table the guests are required to produce a facsimile +of the animal for which the table is named. Different materials +are provided at each table, so there is no monotony, as the guests +progress from table to table after half an hour's stay at each one in +turn. + +Modeling clay is the medium in which the March hares are to be done, +and no implements except fingers are supposed to be used, though if +a boy slyly makes use of his jack-knife, there are no embarrassing +questions asked. + +The lions are to be carved from potatoes with the aid of little +kitchen vegetable knives, and the lambs are to be fashioned from +cotton wool, matches, and mucilage. + +At the pussy willow table the guests must show how expert they can be +at cutting cats, free hand, from flannel. Beads for eyes, and floss +and bristles for whiskers, are also furnished. + +Prizes are given for the best and the worst specimen at each table. + +A rabbit's foot charm, a small reproduction of the Barye lion, or +the well-known Perry picture of a lion, a Dresden-china lamb or +shepherdess, and a pussy-cat plate, pincushion, or paper weight are +suggestions for first prizes, and four little tin horns painted green +may be given as booby prizes to the four "greenhorns" who have the +worst showing. + + + + +AN AUTUMN LEAF DANCE + + +In the fall, after school has opened, some class often likes to give +a reception to the entering class. An autumn leaf dance in October is +the prettiest kind of one to have. + +Decorate the school hall with branches of scarlet and yellow maple +leaves, or deep red and russet oak boughs. + +For the dance programs make covers from water-color paper cut and +painted to look like oak or maple leaves. The inside pages can be of +thin white paper in the same shape. Attach little red pencils. + +Plan one autumn leaf dance in which each girl receives a wreath of +autumn leaves from her partner. For refreshments have orange or +raspberry ice with vanilla ice-cream, and serve it on plates covered +with leaf-shaped paper doilies. + + + + +A HARVEST HOME PARTY + + +A "RED EAR" party is what they called it in the invitations. It was +the opening party of the year in the high school and the seniors +planned it. + +The cards they sent out said: + + _Oh, this time o' the year + You'll recall the red ear + (It will never go out o' date); + So the members of "twenty" + Have planned fun a-plenty + At a regular Harvest Home fête-- + You're invited_! + +The school hall was delightfully decorated emphasizing the autumn +colors. Bright tawny leaves banked the platform where the orchestra +sat, and along the side walls globes of red and orange balloons glowed +among the soft tans and browns of cornstalks. From the ceiling, +myriads of red and orange paper lanterns swayed brilliantly. + +The dance programs were "red ears" cut from cardboard, and tiny red +pencils dangled from them. Some of the names of the dances to excite +curiosity were: + + The Corn Stalk + The Scarecrow Skitter + Farmerettes Fancy + Popcorn Waltz + Orchard One-step + Pumpkin Pie Walk + Red Ear Dance + Harvest Home Revue + +The Corn Stalk was in the nature of a grand march--everybody "stalking +stiffly" round and round in time to the music, which ended in a +rollicking one-step. + +Then followed the Scarecrow Skitter. A dilapidated old cornfield +character in all the crudity of flapping black was brought in and +established in the center of the floor. In his shabby hat fluttered a +handful of rusty crow feathers, and the feature of the dance was for +each boy to secure one of them in passing for his partner. The poor +old fellow was nearly torn to bits in the process. + +The Farmerettes Fancy was another name for "ladies choice." All +the girls were given tiny toy rakes, hoes, spades, or other farm +implements which they used as favors in choosing partners. + +For the Popcorn Waltz, the favors were popcorn chains for the boys to +hang around their partners' necks. There was a temptation to devour +these adornments as well as to use them for decorative purposes, and +on the whole they were a source of much fun. + +The orchestra at intervals in this dance made use of some contrivance +which sounded like corn popping briskly over the fire. + +A shower of snowy white confetti from the balcony still further +emphasized the popcorn idea. + +In the Orchard One-step the boys were asked to pick peaches. The girls +stood behind a high screen and thrust their right hands above it. The +boys reached up, touched the "peaches" they chose and thereupon the +girls thus designated one-stepped away with their partners. + +Instead of a cake walk, a Pumpkin Pie Walk was announced. The +contestants could indulge in just as crazy, funny or pretty dance +steps as they liked. The reward to the most original, entertaining and +clever couple was a big pumpkin pie. + +Then came the Red Ear Dance. Everybody was blindfolded and asked to +pick an ear of corn from a big basket. When vision was restored the +girl holding the red ear (an ordinary ear with a red crepe paper +wrapping) was acclaimed queen of the carnival, and was presented +with a bouquet of red roses. During the dance a red glow by means of +special lighting arrangements filled the hall. + +The Harvest Home Dance came just before supper, and lived up to its +name, in that paper costume caps designating fruits and vegetables +were given out and worn, so that the whole room seemed to be filled +with the "harvest." + +Tomato, carrot, corn, apple, wheat, squashes, grapes, popcorn, +watermelon and blackberry were all represented. + +The supper dance occurred midway in the evening, and the other novelty +dances described were interspersed before and after it. + +The supper consisted merely of peach ice cream with sugared popcorn +on top, served on grape leaves, nut macaroons, tiny pumpkin tarts and +fruit punch. + + + + +COSTUME HATS FOR THE RED EAR PARTY + + +_Tomato_: Turkey red crepe paper or cotton skull cap with pointed +green paper calyx and green upstanding stem of wire covered over with +paper or cloth. + +_Carrot_: Orange crepe paper or cloth conical cap. This may be made +on heavy paper or cardboard foundation. Characteristic lines may be +marked on the carrot. + +_Corn_: Green paper or cloth toboggan cap falling gracefully to one +side With a long green or gold-colored silk tassel. + +_Apple_: Little round bowl-like cap of glossy red paper with a brown +stem of paper-covered wire. + +_Wheat_: A wreath of natural or artificial wheat ears. + +_Squash_: Cardboard or stiff paper cut to make a "crook neck" effect, +covered with yellow paper. + +_Grapes_: A graceful floppy green hat of straw or paper with a crown +entirely made of artificial or real grape bunches--blue or purple as +desired.--A filet of green ribbon with a real or artificial bunch of +grapes depending on each side to hang over the ears. + +_Popcorn_: A close-fitting little toque covered with tiny pieces of +cotton batting to resemble popped corn. + +_Watermelon_: A crescent-shaped hat to be worn broadside suggesting a +slice of watermelon from green paper border (fitting on hair) to pink +center dotted with tiny bits of black court plaster to suggest seeds. + +_Blackberry_: Close-fitting little black quilted or puffed bonnet to +tie under chin. + + + + +A NUTTY PARTY FOR OCTOBER + + +A girl who wanted to give an inexpensive jolly little party in honor +of a visiting friend in October issued invitations to a nut gathering. + +At the top of each correspondence card which served as an invitation, +she glued half an almond shell upon which a face was marked in ink. +Below this nut head the rest of the figure was drawn in ink on the +card, and the inscription read: + + _Pretend you're a squirrel for once + And join my nut-gathering stunts, + Friday, October the eleventh + at half-past eight_. + +The first amusement of the evening was introduced by suspending from +the chandelier in the center of the room a cocoanut decorated with a +comical face and a pointed paper cap perched on top. + +Each person from a distance of ten feet was allowed three throws at +this cap with a little light rubber ball, the object being to knock +Mr. Cocoanut's cap off. The best marksman won a prize. + +This first nut stunt caused so much fun that no one wanted to be lured +away to a Nut Exhibit. Ten varieties of nuts were represented by +pictures or objects and little slips of paper and pencil were +distributed for recording guesses. + +The display was as follows: + +1. A bit of butter on a plate + +2. A stout, old-fashioned stick + +3. A can of canned peas with indicating label + +4. A single pea + +5. A map of South America with the outlines of Brazil especially +prominent + +6. A picture of typical English stone or brick wall + +7. A can or cup of cocoa + +8. A photograph of Hazel Dawn, the movie star + +9. A beetle specimen (dead or alive) + +10. Three ears of corn arranged to form the letter A + + _Answers_ + + 1. Butternut + 2. Hickory nut + 3. Pecan nut + 4. Peanut + 5. Brazil nut + 6. English walnut + 7. Cocoanut + 8. Hazel nut + 9. Betel nut + 10. Acorn + +The winner of this contest also had a prize. Of course a nut party +would hardly be complete without a peanut hunt and there was also a +peanut race in which the object was to transfer the peanuts from one +end of the room to another on the blade of a table knife. + +In still another peanut contest the object was to pitch ten peanuts +into a narrow-necked jar at a distance of about twelve feet. + +To choose partners for refreshments a basket of English walnuts was +passed, each little nut with a painted face and a paper cap of some +sort. Blue sailor caps, soldier caps, Red Cross nurse head-dresses, +Scotch Tam o' Shanters, babies' bonnets, girls' gay garden hats, +were all represented. There were only two of a kind, and the two +individuals who selected them were of course partners. + +In addition each nut proved to be only a hollow nut shell; in one was +a conundrum, in its mate the answer. + +The refreshments were nut-bread sandwiches, peanut butter sandwiches, +hot cocoa, cocoanut macaroons, vanilla ice-cream with chocolate nut +sauce, and peanut brittle. + + + + +A MAY POLE PARTY FOR CHILDREN + + +One teacher planned a very happy May party for her little boy and girl +pupils. There was no chance to set up a big May pole out-of-doors for +the children to wind, but her idea turned out to be more original and +maybe even more jolly. + +There were eighteen children included in the party, which was held in +the park. On arriving, each child was given a little peaked paper cap +of bright colored tissue paper. The boys liked these as well as the +girls did, although they found them harder to keep in place on their +heads. As soon as the children had donned their caps, three of the +tallest children were appointed to "help teacher." This helping +consisted in marching proudly out from behind a screen of bushes, +carrying three gay little May poles, decked with flowers and colored +paper streamers. They had been made by swinging a barrel hoop from +a broomstick handle, by means of a number of ribbon-like strips of +cloth. Of course the hoops were wound with the cloth, and besides that +were trimmed with apple blossoms and lilacs. + +From the rim of each hoop the cloth strips hung straight down for two +or three feet. The colors on the May pole matched the colored caps +that the children wore. + +There proved to be just fifteen streamer, and each child was allowed +to pick out a streamer to correspond with the color of the cap worn. +Thus a little girl with a pink cap would pick out a pink streamer; a +little boy with a green cap, a green streamer, and so on. The children +who held the May poles were then asked to stand at some distance apart +out in the open space of the park, and each little group of five +danced round and round, and back and forth, holding and twisting their +colored streamers. + +Somehow this amused them almost all the long spring afternoon. +Different children took turns holding the May poles and sometimes they +would even form a procession and hippity-hop around the park. They +paraded down Main Street for a little way, but came back to the park +in time to play "Drop the Handkerchief," "Hide and Seek," and "Tag," +before refreshments were served. + +They were perfectly delighted, of course, with strawberry lemonade, +brown bread sandwiches, and little frosted cup cakes, which their +teacher's mother had made and on which she had outlined in pink +candies the individual initials of the children. + + + + +OUTDOOR AFFAIRS + + +Out-of-door entertaining is perhaps the easiest kind of all--if you +live in the country or the near-country. Anything elaborate in the +arrangements would be quite out of keeping and there's something about +being outdoors that takes away constraint. That's probably why outdoor +parties, because they are simple and natural, bring people together in +a spirit of good fellowship and are certain of success. + +Children especially love them and young people always find an evening +garden party entrancing. + +One of the jolliest kinds of outdoor parties is a bacon bat. It may be +a breakfast or a luncheon or a supper, but there is always bacon and +an open fire. + +Now that automobiles are so abundant, the possibilities for motor +picnics and progressive motor parties are many and various. + + + + +A BACON BAT + + +A girl who lived in the country and had some city friends visiting +her gave them the time of their lives at a bacon bat. She telephoned +around to some of the young people and invited them to appear about +five o'clock in picnic clothes. The hike wouldn't be long, she +announced. + +At the specified time a jolly bunch assembled to squabble +good-naturedly over the various packages and bundles assigned to them +to be carried. Under the hostess's direction they betook themselves +via footpath and trail to a stone-walled pasture spicy with sweet +fern. + +Long toasting switches were readily cut by the boys from the trees in +the vicinity and wood was collected for two fires. Over one the coffee +was set to boil, and over the other the young folks proceeded to toast +bacon. Rolls were provided in which to insert the crisp juicy morsels +after toasting, and each person ate his or her own bacon sandwiches +broiling hot without further ceremony. + +Cucumber pickles and mustard proved popular accompaniments and the +coffee was appreciated--drunk from tin cups. + +There followed some huckleberry turnovers and homemade cookies, but on +top of the bacon and rolls they were almost superfluous. + +Instead of bacon, chops, steak, or Frankfurters may be roasted, as +well as corn in season, but bacon is the least messy to eat. + +Following the supper came stories and songs around the bonfire till +late in the evening. The city guests enjoyed it all because to them it +was so great a novelty. For the hostess it was a much easier way to +introduce her guests to her friends than a more formal affair would +have been. + +A bacon bat is especially fun in spring or fall, but is also very +enjoyable on the beach in summer vacation time. + +A marshmallow roast in the evening is first cousin to a bacon bat. + + + + +A CHILDREN'S DAISY PARTY + + +Let the children make the invitations they send out for their own +daisy party. On heavy water color paper they may draw and cut out +simple outlines of daisies--about ten petals around a center which is +then colored yellow with crayons. Each petal may hold one or two +words of the invitation, thus: +Will--you--come--to--our--daisy--party--on--Saturday--at--three?--Betty +and John. + +Of course there should be some outdoor games, and a good one to play +is "Daisy in the Dell." For this the children form in a circle, +joining hands, and one is chosen to be daisy-picker. The daisy-picker +runs around the outside of the circle, chanting: + +"Daisy in the Dell, Daisy in the Dell, I don't pick you, I don't pick +you, I _do_ pick you." + +The child whom the daisy-picker touches upon reaching, the last word +must try to run entirely around the circle and back to his place +before the daisy-picker catches him. If he succeeds, he need not be +"it"; but if he is caught, he must be the daisy-picker. + +"Are You a Daisy?" is another jolly game. The players stand in a line +facing one child, who is chosen to be "it." This child asks each one +in turn the question, "Are you a daisy?" Each child answers by naming +the flower he chooses to be. Thus one may say, "I am a rose"; another, +"I am a pansy." If any child chooses to say, "I am a daisy," he is +immediately chased by the questioner, and if caught, he must take the +place of the questioner. The game then proceeds as before. One rule is +that a child must not repeat the name of a flower that another child +has given. + +A game that is based on the Mother Goose rhyme, "Rich Man, Poor Man, +Beggar Man, Thief," etc., is called "Rich Man, Poor Man." One child is +chosen to whisper to each of the players some word of the rhyme. The +named children then stand in a circle, and another child who is "it" +may call for any character in the rhyme that he wishes; the child +who has been given that name must respond by saying "Here," and then +running away. For instance, the one who is "it" may call for "lawyer," +and the child to whom that name has been whispered calls out "Here," +and is immediately chased by the leader. If he is caught within a +reasonable length of time, he is "it," and the former leader drops +out. This should be played until only two are left. + +The refreshments carry out the daisy idea, and should be served +outdoors, either on the piazza or on the lawn. The centerpiece at +the supper-table is a big bunch of daisies, and each child has a +place-card on which is painted or drawn a daisy face, the petals +forming a cap frill. The sandwiches are bread and butter, and some +"good-to-eat" daisies can be made from hard-boiled eggs, by cutting +the whites petal-shaped, and by mixing the yellow with salad +mayonnaise to form the centers. Marguerites and little cakes frosted +in yellow and white may be served with vanilla ice cream. + + + + +A HAWAIIAN PORCH LUNCHEON + + +One woman entertained her club at their last meeting of the year with +a little porch luncheon. Hawaii had been one of the subjects of study, +so the Hawaiian note was dominant throughout. + +Each guest was welcomed with a _lei_, the Hawaiian paper flower +garland which signifies friendship. Hung about the neck, these +decorations excited much fun. + +The Hawaiian features of the refreshments were Hawaiian pineapple +salad and little imitation volcanoes which were in reality cones of +vanilla ice-cream in the center of which holes had been scooped and +then filled with hot caramel sauce, which of course overflowed the +sides in true lava fashion. + +The favors were tiny dolls, each dressed in a short bright-fringed +paper skirt, orange, green, blue or pink, to match the color of the +_lei_ which each lady had already received as a souvenir. + +During the luncheon the hostess played several Hawaiian musical +selections on her phonograph. If any of her friends had owned or +played a ukelele, doubtless the plaintive music would have been a +feature. + + + + +A WATERMELON FROLIC + + +When watermelons were ripe and plentiful, big pink posters cut oval +with a painted border of green and black lettering on the pink +startled the village with the notice of a watermelon frolic. + +They read: + + _Do you like watermelon? + Anyway + Be sure to come to a watermelon party + on the local fairgrounds + next Tuesday evening + Admission 25 cents + This entitles you to see the minstrel show + Proceeds for the Epworth League + of ---- Church_ + +Long plank tables on wooden horses were improvised for serving the +watermelons which were contributed by the members of the society. Some +of the men acted as carvers of the melons, and the girls served the +portions, which were sold for ten cents each. + +The grounds were lighted with strings of electric lights in pink and +green paper lanterns. + +Besides the main attraction there were several booths and side shows, +arranged country fair fashion, which drew well. One was labeled THE +WATERMELON PATCH. For this, real watermelon vines had been obtained +from somebody's garden and placed naturally on the ground. To the +vines were tied any number of artificial melons made of green paper +stuffed with cotton wadding which concealed tiny favors. + +On payment of ten cents any person had the privilege of picking a +melon. The prize inside was supposed to be worth the fee. + +At another booth, "watermelon cake" was served at five cents a slice. +The secret of this was that in making a plain cake the batter had been +colored with pink sugar and sprinkled with raisins. The cake was then +baked in a round tin and when sliced resembled the pink of watermelon +filled with black seeds. + +As it was sweet corn season, and as corn is also typical of the South, +there was a hot corn vender, who sold steaming ears straight from +kettle to buyer. + +One feature of the evening was a watermelon contest among the boys. +Volunteers were called for and lined up at a table. They were then +supplied with large wedges of melon and at the sound of the referee's +whistle the race began. + +The prize was a whole watermelon. + +There was also a watermelon hurdle race. The course was laid out with +big watermelons and time was kept for each hurdler. + +The main attraction of the evening, however, was the minstrel show. On +a raised wooden platform sat the performers with blackened hands +and faces. They wore grotesque garb and each one fingered a guitar, +mandolin, or banjo. + +First they gave a number of well-known Southern melodies such as _Old +Black Joe, Swanee Riber, Dixie, Massa's in de Cold, Cold Ground_. Some +whistling numbers were much appreciated and _My Alabama Coon_, with +its humming and strumming, proved a great success. As a special item +of their musical program they sang a parody of _Apple Blossom Time_ +called _It's Watermelon Time in Dixie_. + +The watermelon frolic was a great success and is recommended to any +organization in town or country at watermelon time as a fun--and +funds--producing social. + + _Parody_ + + "When It's Watermelon Time in Dixie"[1] + + After + + "When It's Apple Blossom Time in + Normandie" + + (_Sing with appropriate motions_) + + _Repeat_: + + When it's watermelon time in Dixie Land[1] + Ah wants to be + Right dher[2] you see + In dat dear old melon patch + To eat a batch! + When it's watermelon time in Dixie Land + Dat's de time of all de year + When Ah grin[3] with cheer from ear to ear + Watermelon's jes' GRAND!!! + +[Footnote 1: Sway heads and bodies] + +[Footnote 2: Jerk thumbs backward over shoulder] + +[Footnote 3: Grin broadly--stretch hands from corners of mouth to +ears.] + + + + +A JAPANESE GARDEN PARTY + + +A girl who wished to entertain for a visiting school friend one +evening in midsummer sent out invitations to a Japanese Garden Party. +She wrote them on the pretty little hand-decorated place-cards which +are to be found in most shops now. The Japanese writing paper which +comes in rolls is another possibility for them. + +She had a wide porch and a big lawn which she decorated for the +occasion with strings of pink, yellow and green Japanese lanterns with +electric bulbs inside. Settees and wicker chairs were scattered in +cosy groups through the shrubbery, and there was a faint odor of +burning incense. + +For entertainment there was dancing on the porch to the tune of a +phonograph and a program of Japanese music, including some selections +from "Butterfly" and "The Mikado." + +A clever reader gave one of the Hashimura Togo stories, and also the +hostess had arranged some artistic tableaux in Japanese fashion. + +When it was refreshment time, cunning little girl friends of the +hostess appeared in Japanese kimonos, hair done high and stuck full +of tiny fans or flowers. They bore Japanese lacquer trays with tiny +sandwiches (filled with preserved ginger), cherry ice and rice wafers. +A wee Japanese flag was stuck in each portion of cherry ice. + +The favors were wee Japanese doilies which the guests were bidden to +hunt for under a certain group of trees. While doing so, a sudden +surprise shower of seeming cherry blossoms covered them with pink and +white petals. These were really confetti petals obligingly scattered +by the nimble little waitresses perched in the branches above. + + + + +A COMMENCEMENT PICNIC + + +Instead of giving the usual banquet and reception to the seniors, +the juniors in a small school might well plan an outdoor picnic and +supper. It has the possibility of being jollier than the regulation +affair, and is certainly less expensive. + +Individual invitations may be sent out to the senior class--quite +unusual and mysterious invitations--for each one may consist of a +colored feather quill with a message written on a slip of paper +wrapped about the end. This reads: + + _Greetings from the Tribe of Twenteequas + To the Tribe of Nyneteenwas: + Will the Tribe of Nyneteenwas + Smoke the pipe of friendship + Round the camp-fire of the Twenteequas + On the sixteenth day of the Moon of Roses + One hour before waysawi (sunset)? + One of the Twenteequas will act as your guide_. + +As soon as the two classes have gathered at the picnic ground, the +juniors, already decked in head bands of ribbon in their own class +colors, may present the seniors with similar ribbons. The boys may +have feathers stuck in theirs--if they don't object to head bands. + +The chief of the Twenteequas may announce the first stunt as a Hunt +for Game, and all must hunt in pairs, matching partners by means of +selecting, blindfolded, colored beads from a basket. Pasteboard bows +and arrows are supplied, and everyone is told to return at the summons +of a beaten tom-tom. + +The couples then scatter into the surrounding woods, and hunt for +animal crackers which have previously been hidden by a committee of +juniors. + +The prize for the couple getting the most game might be an animal toy. + +Next, volunteers to "Run the Gauntlet" may be called for. The others +form in two parallel lines facing each other, armed with pieces of +chalk. The victims must run down between the lines to a goal at the +end, while the cruel Indians on each side reach out to put a chalk +mark on them. The victim who gets the least chalk marks is permitted +to select five of his tormentors to perform a series of stunts, +previously planned by the junior entertainment committee. + +Appropriate ones are these: 1. Give an Indian war whoop. 2. Do an +Indian war dance. 3. Give Indian names to five people here. 4. Make a +speech in sign language. 5. Tell an Indian story. + +Supper should be eaten around a big camp-fire, and should consist of +coffee cooked over the fire, nut-bread sandwiches, cold chicken and +potato chips, and chocolate ice-cream under individual miniature +tepees of brown paper. + +Paint on each tepee in black some symbol apparently mysterious but in +reality characteristic of the owner. Thus, a girl with a beautiful +voice and a talent for singing may have a quaint bird on hers; an +athlete, a pair of Indian clubs; a domestic science girl, a bowl and +spoon or a kettle, and so on. + +Redskins and Palefaces complete the menu, Palefaces being cookies with +white icing and features marked in candies, and Redskins being apples. + +Toasting marshmallows over the fire and singing school ditties and old +favorites will end this unique party delightfully. + + + + +A PROGRESSIVE MOTOR PARTY + + +A group of girls who lived in the country gave a delightful farewell +party for one of their number who was to move out of town to another +part of the world. They called it a Progressive Rainbow. + +At four o'clock one Saturday afternoon they all met at one of the +homes. + +The porch was decorated in a red color scheme. A row of red Japanese +lanterns hung from the roof all around. Red cushions were scattered +about in the chairs and on the steps, and a jar of crimson rambler +roses adorned the table. + +Everybody sat about and gossiped for a little while, and then fruit +cocktails, to which strawberries gave the touch of red, were served. + +A tray of red ribbon streamers was passed, and each girl pinned one on +her blouse, as the beginning of her rainbow badge. + +The guest of honor found with her favor a package tied with red tulle, +which she was requested not to open till the end of the afternoon. + +After this, two automobiles, owned by members of the group or their +families, whisked the party along two miles of fresh country road to +the home of another girl in the group. + +Little tables had been set on the lawn with a bouquet of old-fashioned +marigolds in the center of each one, and a toy orange balloon tied +to the back of each chair by a long string. Here were served jellied +orange soup in cups, and saltines. + +The girls received orange-colored favor ribbons to pin next to their +red ones, and the guest of honor received another prize packet, this +time tied with orange tulle. + +From there they all jumped again into the waiting cars and were +transported to the home of a third girl for the third course. + +This time it was served in the dining-room, which was decorated with +yellow snapdragons. A basket of them filled the center of the table, +and at each place was a scalloped shell containing deviled crab meat +garnished with lemon quarters and accompanied by tartar sauce. Cubes +of hot yellow cornbread were delicious with the crab. + +Again the passing of the yellow ribbons to the girls and the +presenting of the yellow-tied package to the guest of honor were the +signals for leaving to go to the next house. + +The automobiles quickly took them there, where the main course of the +dinner was to be eaten. Maidenhair ferns were lovely in a green bowl +on the table, and tiny wood ferns were scattered over the white +tablecloth. + +The menu consisted of broiled chicken, fresh green peas, small boiled +potatoes with parsley, and rye rolls. + +By this time the girls were getting interested in their rainbow of +ribbons, to which the green was now added, and the guest of honor +received her fourth package, green-tied. + +Motoring to the salad course, the group found the dining-room lighted +by blue candles, though the guests were begged not to feel blue. +Ragged robins were arranged as a centerpiece, and fluttering blue +tissue butterflies marked the places. + +The salad was prunes stuffed with peanuts in hearts of lettuce, served +with French dressing and Dutch cheese balls. + +By the time the sixth stop was reached the sun had set and the moon +was coming up, so that the girls sat on the veranda in the moon-light +and sipped grape-juice ice to the music of romantic ditties. Lavender +streamers were added next to the blue ones, and their badges were +complete. + +As they finally drove up to the last house, they were greeted by a +rainbow of tulle which arched the entrance to the porch. + +With their fluttering rainbow ribbon badges and the armful of rainbow +packages belonging to the guest of honor, they felt very much at home +with the rainbow, and the guest of honor was not even surprised to be +asked to seek the pot of gold at the foot. + +In the yellow pottery jar which she discovered were as many +gold nuggets as there were girls, and each nugget was a little +gilt-paper-wrapped joke for the trip. + +The real, sure-enough farewell gifts to keep were in the packages +progressively received, and there was a jolly time opening them under +the rainbow. + + + + +BIRTHDAYS AND OTHER ANNIVERSARIES + + +Birthdays you particularly wish to celebrate happily and successfully. +There's your mother's birthday or your brother's or your little son's +or daughter's birthday or the birthday of the popular president of +your special club. + +Then there are the various wedding anniversaries that call for +suitable recognition, especially the five, ten, and twenty-five year +ones. + +Besides these there are countless other events that you want to +commemorate pleasantly in some way afterward. These various occasions +offer fascinating possibilities for the most delightful of social +affairs. + + + + +A BACHELOR SUPPER + + + "_When I was a bachelor I lived by myself + And all the bread and cheese I got, I put upon the shelf; + The rats and the mice, they made such a strife + I was forced to go to London to buy me a wife. + The streets were so broad and the lanes were so narrow + I was forced to bring my wife home in a wheelbarrow_." + +This old Mother Goose rhyme was the keynote of a bachelor supper +which one girl gave for her brother and a few of his friends on his +birthday. + +The centerpiece on the table was an arrangement of bachelors' buttons +and at every place was a tiny toy wheelbarrow filled with candies, a +wee dressed-up dolly dame perched atop of each load. + +The rhyme also furnished the reason for the first course, which was +most suitably bread and cheese, only the bread was in the form of +buttered rounds of toast and the cheese was a delicious Welsh rarebit, +accompanied by coffee or gingerale. + +Ice-cream in cantaloupes with a chocolate mouse nibbling at the +rind followed, to be eaten with those most delicious of all +cookies--home-made "hermits." + + + + +MOTHER'S BIRTHDAY TEA + + +A pleasant way for a daughter to entertain for her mother is to give a +little informal afternoon tea, asking the mother's friends and their +daughters and thus making it a kind of mother and daughter affair. + +Send out the invitations on your calling card, writing your mother's +name at the top. If your mother likes surprises, arrange the party to +be one if possible, but if she is like most mothers she will prefer to +know what's going on and so be prepared. + +The rooms should be decorated with flowers of the season. The country +girl will find it easy in spring, summer, or fall. + +During the afternoon a little program of previously arranged "mother" +songs, lullabies and readings by some of the guests may agreeably +interrupt the chat. + +Tea, sandwiches and little cakes may be served in the dining-room +from a festive birthday table. The centerpiece may be a bowl of pink +roses--to match in number the years of the guest of honor. Candles +from under rose-colored paper or silk shades may light the room, and +if desired each guest may be presented with a miniature band-box +covered with rose-sprigged paper or chintz--filled with wee pink and +white candies. + + + + +A PUSSY CAT PARTY + + +When Billy's mother decided to give him a birthday party, she pounced +upon the pussy cat plan, partly because pussy-willows are still +flourishing in April, but mostly because she knew that kittens and +cats are favorites with nine and ten year olds. + +The invitations were folded kitty-cornered and inside of each appeared +a fat fuzzy little gray puss taken from a real pussy-willow branch. +"Puss" had pen and ink ears, whiskers and tail, and likewise a tiny +red-painted fence post upon which to sit. + +The first game was a good romp at "Puss-in-the-Corner." That was +followed by the foolish but funny "Poor Pussy." + +While the children were still in a circle for that, Billy's mother +explained a new game. It was called "Kitty Kitty" and was carried +out on the lines of "Spin the Platter." In every child's ear Billy +whispered the name of some sort of cat, as for instance, tiger, +"yaller," green-eyes, double-toes, maltese, Angora, black and white, +gray. + +He then occupied the center of the circle and spun a tin pieplate. As +he did so he called out one of the names he had assigned and counted +rapidly out loud up to ten. Thus, "Green-eyes, one, two, three, four, +five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten." + +The child who had been given the name "green-eyes" was supposed to +jump up and snatch the pie tin before Billy had finished counting to +ten. If "green-eyes" failed, then he had to take Billy's place. Billy, +too, of course, had a pussy cat label. + +Another circle game that was fun was called "Pussy's Prowlings." It +was on the order of stage-coach. Billy's mother told the story of a +kitty's wanderings and before she started to tell it, she whispered to +each child the name of something which was to appear in the story. For +instance, she gave out "haymow," "milk dish," "mouse hole," "catnip." + +Every time she mentioned any such name in the process of telling the +story, the child who had it was expected to rise from his chair, +turn around three times and sit down again. When the words "pussy's +prowlings" were mentioned, all the players jumped up and exchanged +seats. The story teller also tried to get a seat, and if she succeeded +the child who was finally left without one had to continue the story. + + +PUSSY'S PROWLINGS + +Once there was a PUSSYCAT named BLINKY who said to herself one day, +"I'm tired of MILK to drink and I'm oh, so hungry for MOUSE. I must go +on a MOUSE hunt." + +So BLINKY stole out of the red BRICK HOUSE where she lived very +happily with the JONES FAMILY. She pattered down the back DOORSTEPS +where her MILK SAUCER was set and she scampered along the winding PATH +to the BARN. + +(That's the way PUSSY'S PROWLINGS began.) + +Up the LADDER to the HAYMOW she crept and through the heaps of sweet +clover HAY to a HOLE IN THE WALL. There BLINKY knew lived a MOUSE. So +she crouched close to the MOUSE HOLE, as still as still could be and +watched, and she watched and she watched and she watched. + +But that MOUSE must have been away from home or else very busy down in +its HOLE, for it never once stuck its little NOSE out. And when BLINKY +had watched there in the HAYMOW for three long, long hours, she was so +hungry that she couldn't watch for that MOUSE a single minute more. + +She thought of the MILK SAUCER by the back DOORSTEPS and she said to +herself, "If I can't have MOUSE, MILK won't taste so bad after all." + +So BLINKY made her way back through the heaps of HAY and scrambled +down the LADDER to the HAYMOW and ran along the winding PATH to the +back DOORSTEPS. And there, sure enough, was a SAUCER full of MILK all +ready for her to drink. So BLINKY lapped it up very hungrily and was +perfectly happy! + +(And that's the way PUSSY'S PROWLINGS ended.) + + +The next game was called "Hunt the Mouse." Billy had hidden a +chocolate mouse somewhere in the room and the children were asked to +be kitties and try to find it. Whenever anyone came very near the +hiding place, Billy miaowed loudly, or if everyone was very far from +it, Billy would mew only faintly. The "kitty" who found the mouse kept +it for a reward. + +In another room the children had a chance to hunt for those mittens +which the "naughty kittens" once lost. Many tiny red paper mittens +were scattered throughout the room and were much more easily found +than the mouse. + +The supper table delighted the children. In the center of it sat a +big stuffed toy cat surrounded by chocolate mice, and at each child's +place a tiny white plush cat with the child's name on a paper tied to +the neck had been placed. Such toys can usually be bought in five and +ten cent stores. + +Pussy-willow sprays laid flat on the tablecloth decorated the table +gracefully. The napkins were the paper ones which feature black cats +at Hallowe'en. + +Little ramekins of creamed chicken pleased the children. With the +chicken, Billy's mother served "kitty-cornered" sandwiches of brown +bread filled with cream cheese and chopped nuts. There was hot cocoa +too, and for the last course individual molds of chocolate blanc mange +with whipped cream and a candied cherry on top. Needless to say there +was a birthday cake which was brought in ablaze with candles and set +before Billy to cut. + +Each guest received a souvenir chocolate mouse and was ready to +declare upon departure at six that the pussy cat party had been, oh, +so jolly! + + + + +A GIRL'S BIRTHDAY LUNCHEON + + +Once a mother gave a little birthday luncheon for her daughter who was +a freshman in high school. It pleased the fourteen-year-old and her +friends because of the novelty in decorations and menu. + +The class colors were green and white, so that scheme was used +throughout. In the center of the table was a green bowl with a few +paper narcissi arranged in a flower holder, Japanese fashion. + +Around each plate was a wreath of smilax--any small green vine would +do perfectly well--and above each plate a tiny green candle burning in +a wee holder. The place-cards were tied to the handles of the holders. + +Glass dishes of lime drops and wintergreen candies added to the +general green and white effect. + +The menu consisted of fruit cocktail with a sprig of mint atop of each +portion, followed by a second course of chicken à la King generously +sprinkled with capers, and accompanied by hot rolls and olives. +Then came hot chocolate with a marshmallow floating in each cup and +milestone salad, which consisted of oblongs of cream cheese into which +numerals cut out of green peppers were pressed. The milestones stood +erect on fresh lettuce leaves and were served with French dressing. + +After that a birthday cake was borne in ablaze with fourteen green +tapers and set before the little hostess to cut. Great was the fun +when the fortune favors, baked in the cake, were found by the guests. + +Pistachio ice-cream accompanied the cake, but vanilla ice-cream or a +green gelatine dessert would be equally fitting. + +The favors were little green vanity bags made from ribbon by the +fourteen-year-old's mother. + + + + +THE WOODEN WEDDING + + +An informal evening party is perhaps the jolliest way to celebrate the +fifth wedding anniversary. + +After everybody has arrived, try a wooden smile contest. There will +be any number of humorous attempts, but few will be wooden. The +contestant who smiles most woodenly may receive as a prize a gaily +painted wooden jumping jack or any other wooden toy. + +The next amusement can be a progressive one, consisting of putting +together at tables wooden puzzles of all sorts, including jig-saw +puzzles. + +Puzzles make good prizes for this contest. One of the carefully packed +wooden boxes of candy is another possibility. + +Another occupation that is appropriate and fun-making is a pea and +tooth-pick contest. Wooden tooth-picks and dried peas soaked up are +provided. Each person is then assigned to construct one member of +a tooth-pick wedding party properly. The tooth-pick persons when +finished should form in a parade down the center of the library table. + +A light buffet supper or simply ice-cream and coffee may be served +in the dining-room. Decorate the table with a central wooden bowl +containing some simple flowers such as daisies, honeysuckles, +snapdragons, nasturtiums, or whatever flowers are in season. + +There may be wooden candlesticks with candles to match the color +scheme and small wooden plates and bowls for candies and nuts. + +Serve the ice-cream on wooden plates covered with lace paper doilies, +and give as favors tiny wooden household articles such as dolls' +rolling-pins, clothespins, barrels, washtubs, spinning wheels, and the +like. + + + + +THE TIN WEDDING + + +The tenth wedding anniversary has many possibilities for fun. An +informal social evening or a dinner followed by some jolly stunts are +in order. + +In any case, arrange for the dining table a centerpiece of a shiny tin +funnel filled with bright garden or wild flowers surrounded by a frill +of lace paper to represent an old-fashioned, formal bouquet. Use tin +candlesticks with bayberry candles for illumination and scatter tiny +new patty pans with crinkly edges over the table to hold candies and +nuts. + +The salad may be served on shiny tin plates covered with lace paper +doilies, the ice-cream in individual patty pans, and the coffee or +punch in tin cups. + +At each place put a tiny funnel bouquet, a miniature of the central +one or else some tiny tin toy. + +Tin whistles for everybody would promote the hilarity. + +The old-fashioned game of "Spin the Platter" would be good to start +the entertainment of the evening. Then may come a "tin" minute paper +and pencil contest to see who can write the most words beginning or +ending with TIN in the allotted ten minutes. + +Ten "reel" years of married life may next be shown. This feature is +simply a series of movie-like pantomimes showing humorous events, real +or imaginary, in the life of the host and hostess--given, of course, +by their friends. + +A tin band concert will also provide a good time. Those who are in the +band perform on instruments contrived from kitchen utensils or the tin +noise-making novelties which can be obtained in the shops. + + + + +A MOCK WEDDING + + +A mock wedding is a funny way to celebrate one of the numerous early +wedding anniversaries, especially if a group of young married women +friends want to join in a surprise. + +The bride may be invited to a chum's house and presently the +procession may appear before her. + +The bride should have a cheesecloth or mosquito netting veil with +dried orange peel to hold the folds in place, and she should carry a +bouquet of white chicken feathers tied with white tape--the shower +part can be little bows of rags. + +The bridesmaids might all wear the cheapest of farmers' hats, with +huge bunches of goldenrod or asters on them or else such things as +little kitchen utensils sewed on the front in place of flowers. +Bouquets of burdock tied with colored cretonne would be attractive +for them, or possibly as a substitute for the conventional shepherds' +crooks they could carry umbrellas with big bows on the handles. A +third suggestion for the bridesmaids is that they carry grape baskets +filled with none too choice outdoor flowers and weeds. + +There should be a flower girl, of course, who can wear an abbreviated +costume. Her hair should be in ringlets with a big ribbon tied around +her head, and she may carry a market basket filled with scraps of +paper, or flowers if you prefer, to scatter in front of the bride. + +The ring bearer may carry a curtain ring on a sofa cushion. + +At the ceremony, of course, you must omit all the really solemn parts, +but you may let someone make up some questions for the minister to +use. For instance, he may say to the mock bridegroom, "Do you promise +to obey this woman?" Instead of saying, "I will" and "I do," they may +say, "I wilt" and "I doth." + +For a wedding breakfast, you might serve creamed codfish in heavy +crockery, and follow it with helpings of cream of wheat either cold or +hot, which can be served to resemble ice cream in little paper cases. +There should be a wedding cake which may be only ginger-bread, and +some kind of grotesque motto may be inscribed in the frosting. + + + + +A SILVER WEDDING SHOWER + + +A little group, girlhood friends of more than twenty-five years +standing, recently planned a pleasant shower for a popular friend, the +president, as it happened, of their fortnightly sewing club, on her +silver wedding anniversary. + +None of the ladies was rich and the gifts were planned to cost not +over fifty cents each. Many of them were less than that. + +Silver fittings for a work basket were chosen and included a silver +needle case, a silver thimble case, a silver hem gauge, a unique +tatting shuttle, a little silver ripping knife, a cunning strawberry +emery with a silver hull and a wee wax cherry with a silver stem. + +The gifts were wrapped in white tissue paper, tied with silver cord +with a tiny shining bell inserted in the center of each knot. They +were presented in a lovely sweet grass sewing basket, which in turn +was wrapped and tied with silver ribbon. + +This was not given, however, till the close of the afternoon's +sewing, which had gone on as usual, though there was an atmosphere of +ill-concealed expectation. + +Simple refreshments were brought in and served in buffet style. +Home-made ice-cream was passed in little ice cups which had as +decorations around the rim a circlet of glittering silvery tinsel. +"Silver Cake" and bonbons in silver wrappings accompanied the ice +cream. + +Last of all, the "shower" was borne in on a silver tray and set before +the surprised guest of honor. A little rhyme explained this turn of +events to the delightfully mystified recipient: + + _Because of many a happy hour + With you, well spent, we give this shower, + Just to remember in a way + With love, your silver wedding day_. + +As an amusing little contest each lady was asked to write down ten +things she had learned in the last twenty-five years. The replies made +good reading and furnished plenty of conversation till home-going +time. + + + + +A CAPE COD LUNCHEON + + +In remembrance of a happy two weeks spent in a little bungalow on Cape +Cod, one of the girls of the "bunch" gave a quaint luncheon for the +others during the year following. + +The invitations bore a tiny spray of bayberry sketched in one corner +and read like this: + + _May the bayberry dip and the odor of pine + At this little reunion luncheon of mine, + Bring back all our fun in the house by the sea, + Where we were as jolly as jolly could be_. + +On the luncheon table homespun runners were used, crossed in the +center where a brown wicker basket filled with the gray green of +bayberry branches, brightened by the orange of bittersweet, stood on a +mat of fragrant pine. + +Green bayberry dips in the simplest of low tin candlesticks lighted +the table and at each cover the place-card was a little outline map of +Cape Cod with the situation of the summer camp conspicuously marked. + +The menu consisted of clam cocktails, codfish cakes and tiny pots +of baked beans, hot steamed brown bread cut in small round slices, +blueberry tarts, and coffee. + +The favors were wee bayberry "waxes" for the sewing basket, each with +a bit of a bayberry twig peeping from its top. + + + + +ANNOUNCEMENTS AND SHOWERS + + +"How shall I announce my engagement?" The engaged girl we have always +with us, and the next step after the engagement is the announcement +of it. Most girls like to have some kind of little social function to +break the news to their special circle of friends. Usually a mother or +a sister or a chum does the entertaining, though a girl herself may +perfectly well plan and carry out such a party. + +There are several sorts of affairs which may serve as a setting for +an announcement. A favorite kind is a luncheon for a group of girl +friends. Even less work is an afternoon tea and to that a girl's men +friends may be asked also, though it's really easier to have girls +only. Another kind of announcement party is the evening affair +to which both men and girl friends are invited and at which the +announcement should be "sprung" as a total surprise as in all other +announcement affairs. + +After the engagement is known, immediately the friends of the +bride-to-be begin to think of showers for her. One friend or a group +of friends or her club may be hostesses and give such an affair. + +There are different ways of planning them. For instance, they may be +appropriate to the month, like a Christmas Tree Shower in December or +an Indian Summer Shower in November or a Rainy Day Shower in April. Or +they may take as keynotes the engaged girl's special likes, as in the +case of an apple shower, a kitty shower or an old rose shower. And +then again, they may be just plain, ordinary, handkerchief showers, or +linen showers, or kitchen showers, with an original touch somewhere. + + + + +"A LITTLE BIRD TOLD ME" LUNCHEON + + +At a recent engagement luncheon the announcement was made in a unique +way. + +A large wooden embroidery hoop was hung from the ceiling over the +table and in the ring perched a gaily painted wooden parrot, the kind +that rocks back and forth when touched. + +From the parrot streamers of colored baby ribbon led to the different +places, and tied to the ends of the ribbons were tiny notes in +envelopes. These on being opened showed the names of the engaged +couple and a short rhyme reading thus: + + _A little bird told me + A very nice thing, + That Randolph gave Sally + A diamond ring_. + +The refreshments followed somewhat the parrot color scheme, with +halves of grapefruit garnished with cherries, chicken à la King, +pimento, walnut and cream cheese salad, orange ice, and little cakes +with colored frosting. + +Small celluloid parrots perched on the rims of the glasses were +appropriate souvenirs. + + + + +A HAPPINESS TEA + + + _Sing a song of sixpence, + A pocket full o' rye, + Four and twenty bluebirds + Baked in a pie; + + When the pie was opened + The birds began to sing, + About a certain couple here + Who have some news to spring_. + +Thus did one girl announce her engagement in the month of May. She had +asked twenty-four of her best friends to come to a bluebird tea one +Saturday afternoon, and nobody suspected her secret, although they did +remember that the bluebird stands for happiness. + +The party was held out on the hostess's big porch, which was decorated +with jars of pink and white apple blossoms. Everybody had a very good +time dancing to the music of the phonograph until it was time for the +tea to be served. The waitresses were Betty's two little sisters, who +wore as insignia big blue bows on their hair and cunning little aprons +made of bluebird cretonne. + +The tea was iced and served with lemon and mint in tall glasses. The +sandwiches were tiny and round and filled with pink strawberry jam +which made them seem like delectable apple-blossom petals. Betty +happened to have bluebird plates and she used paper napkins with a +bluebird motif. + +After the sandwiches came little pink and green and white frosted +cakes and last of all the surprise. It appeared to be a great pie with +bluebird heads peeking through the crust. In reality the crust was +just brown paper touched up with a bit of water color paint and pasted +across the top of a big open pan. The bluebirds soon showed what they +were when the guests in turn pulled them out of the pie by means of +the narrow white ribbon attached to each one. They were really flat +pasteboard bluebirds and served as the excuse for the rhyme announcing +Betty's engagement. + +As a souvenir each guest had a tiny bluebird May basket filled +with pink and white Jordan almonds. Small square boxes formed the +foundations of the May baskets, the sides were then covered with +bluebird crepe paper and the corners tied with wee blue bows. Little +cut-out bluebirds hung from the slender handles and bore the names of +the individual guests. + +When they said good-by, the guests all declared that they had had a +bluebirdy time, which in other words meant that Betty had planned very +happily. + + + + +A HELLO PARTY + + +The invitations to this party read as follows: + + _Hello! hello! hello! + A party's on the wire; + And you must surely go + Or else arouse my ire! + Friday evening + Eight o'clock_ + +The affair was planned by one girl to announce the engagement of a +chum, and of course the object of the party was not revealed in the +invitations. + +All kinds of jolly games were played to pass the evening, and one +pleasant feature was "A Telephonic Conversation" by Mark Twain +rendered by a good reader. + +The telephone was the keynote of the evening and played a prominent +part in the table decorations. A big blue paper bell such as one +sees in front of telephone booths hung over the center of the table. +Beneath it was a low bowl of forget-me-nots of which the guests did +not see the significance till later. + +The candles were white with blue bell-shaped shades, and at each +person's plate as a favor stood one of the tiny glass telephones seen +in candy stores, full of candies. + +The place-cards each bore a mock telephone number, such as Sing 1236, +Circle 6320, Joke 5156, Shiver 9315, Groan 231. + +The menu was mostly white and served on blue dishes. It consisted of +chicken patties, hot rolls, cream cheese and white grape salad, and +vanilla ice-cream in blue frilled paper cases. + +Toward the end of the ice-cream course the hostess asked the guests to +announce their telephone numbers, in turn. Whereupon, each person was +requested to rise from the table and act out his number. This was +comparatively simple and made everyone quite hilarious. + +When it came the turn of the hostess, she said that her number was +Springit 42. The two (2), she said, were Elizabeth and John, and +this was the time she had chosen to spring the announcement of their +engagement. + +Another way in which the announcement could be made is to prepare +telephone messages of the news and tie them to the ends of blue +ribbons hanging from the tongue of the bell. The hostess may announce +that the "bell tolled" when the guests are allowed to open and read +their messages. + + + + +AN APPLE SHOWER + + +A girl who was very fond of apples in every form, so much so that all +her friends knew about it, was given a clever shower after she became +engaged. + +The invitations were cut in apple shape and tinted a little with red +and green water colors. The following verses voiced the plan of the +party and notified the guests: + + _Invitation to a Shower_ + + _Apples, apples everywhere + Will doubtless make up half the fare + On Elsie's future menu pad, + As they are Elsie's greatest fad. + So if you'd keep that fact in mind + In shower presents--'twould be kind; + Send it to me the day before + And come on Saturday at four_. + + _January the twentieth + At Mary's house_. + +The first amusement of the afternoon was an apple-guessing contest, +the names of different varieties of apples to be guessed from literal +definitions, thus: The Royal Apple--. King. After that there was an +apple-peeling contest in Hallowe'en fashion and each girl threw the +peeling over her left shoulder to discover the initial of her future +husband. + +Immediately following this, the hostess, with the help of one of the +other girls, brought in a big bushel basket apparently filled with +huge rosy apples, and set it down before the guest of honor. + +When the green ribbon around the stem of each make-believe apple was +untied, the red crepe paper opened out, disclosing, in wrappings of +soft cotton, a variety of gifts for the apple-loving girl. + +There was an up-to-date corer and a plate for baking apples, a fat +plush apple pincushion for the kitchen, a red apple "bank" with a slit +for savings, one of the beautiful Wallace Nutting photographs of a New +England apple tree in full pink and white bloom, an artistic brown +basket for apples to be kept on the buffet or used for the breakfast +table, and a delightful fruit bowl with an apple border. + +One girl had contributed a little booklet of choice apple recipes, a +jar of apple butter and another of home-made apple sauce. One artistic +member of the group had stenciled a crash table runner for the porch +table with a conventional apple design in yellow and orange and green, +and another girl put the same design very decoratively on a round box +of painted tin. + +Two of the prettiest gifts were a cunning sports handkerchief with a +cluster of apples stamped in one corner, and a smart flat silk hat +ornament in the shape of three apples. + +Before the happy bride-to-be had finished exclaiming over her gifts, +the hostess served buffet refreshments that were as pretty as they +were delicious. There were little individual molds of pink apple +tapioca, topped with whipped cream and accompanied by small home-made +cakes, frosted uniquely. Each one had in the center of its white icing +a miniature apple bough as a decoration, made from two red maraschino +cherries, two leaf-shaped pieces of green angelica and a bit of +citron. + +As a surprise for each girl, the hostess had provided a tiny bunch of +apple sachets, easily made from scraps of apple-colored silks. + +"I like apples more than ever now that I've begun to see their +possibilities," the guest of honor declared. + + + + +AN OLD ROSE SHOWER + + +For a girl who was very fond of everything rose-colored, her friends +planned an "old-rose" shower on Valentine's Day. + +As a result, among the gifts were rose-colored silk stockings, a +rose-flowered silk party bag, an old-rose boudoir cap, slippers to +match, and towels with old-rose initials. Each gift was wrapped in +white tissue paper and tied with old-rose ribbon, and they were +all presented on a big tray, the bottom of which was rose-flowered +cretonne under glass. + +The refreshments were raspberry ice and tiny cakes frosted in rose and +white, and each guest carried away as a favor a wee glove handkerchief +with an old-rose border. + + + + +A KITTY SHOWER + + +It sounds odd, but the engaged girl for whom it was given was so very +fond of pussy cats that her chum knew that a kitty shower would just +exactly suit her. + +The invitations, written on cats cut from heavy paper, read this way: + + _Since Elizabeth Ann is so fond of the kitty + Don't you agree that 'twould be a great pity + If we missed a good chance now for making a hit + By each bringing her some kind of a kit_? + +The bride-to-be suspected nothing when she was asked to a kitty +luncheon at her chum's house. + +The table had as decorations a centerpiece of pussy willows and yellow +tulips, and the candle shades were made of yellow parchment paper with +black silhouettes of cats running around them. + +At each girl's place was a tiny china cat with a yellow ribbon bow on +its neck to which was tied the place-card. + +There was no attempt to carry out the kitty idea in the menu, but it +was yellow throughout. The first course was grapefruit, then followed +scalloped oysters garnished with lemon slices, chicken and mayonnaise +salad, individual baked custards, and sunshine cake. + +Upon withdrawing from the table, it was announced that "Pussy was in +the well," and forthwith a deep cylindrical waste-basket trimmed with +pussy willows was brought in and set before the guest of honor, who +was requested to be the one to "pull pussy out." + +With a dawning understanding of the meaning of this, the bride-to-be +reached in and drew one by one from the waste-basket the "kits" which +had been placed there for her. Each one was tied with yellow ribbon +and had a black cat pasted on it. + +The gifts were all very clever. There was a traveler's sewing kit, +a small blacking kit, a wee laundry kit for motoring, a handy kit +containing baggage tags, rubber bands, and the like, an emergency kit +with safety pins and threaded needle for her handbag, a guest towel +with a cross-stitch kitty on one end, a cream pitcher and sugar bowl +with a kitten border, a quaint kitten door stop, a painted wooden +kitten twine holder, a pair of Angora skating gloves, an odd little +sewing apron with linen cats appliqued on the corners, and a knitting +bag of cretonne which pictured Puss-in-Boots prominently among other +Mother Goose People. + +When the excitement of the shower was over, a guessing contest was +played, each answer being a word in which the syllable "cat" figured. +This very jolly afternoon ended with a really hilarious game of +Puss-in-the-corner. + + + + +A CAMP FIRE SHOWER + + +A jolly crowd of young people who had been camping together a great +deal gave a lively shower to two of their number who were announcing +their engagement. + +The affair took place in the city in the winter time and was very +informal. + +After the "bunch" had gathered, someone suggested that they play +charades, one of their favorite diversions. + +The engaged persons were chosen to sit with the hostess before the +open fire and pretend they were in camp. The word selected was not +made known to them, however. + +The others all retired into the next room and came back shortly, +wrapped in raincoats and sou'westers, each one carrying a knobby +package. + +"Shower!" they shouted in chorus, throwing their bundles at the group +by the fire. The parcels contained all kinds of camp conveniences. +There was a camp kit containing knives and forks and spoons, a +collapsible drinking cup, a thermos bottle, a pocket compass, an +electric flashlight, a folding mirror, a pocket corkscrew, a folding +camp grate, a folding camp stool, a folding alcohol stove with a pot, +and a pocket camera. + +The engaged couple were taken entirely by surprise, for they had +supposed the party to be only one of many sociable evenings which the +crowd were in the habit of having. + +The refreshments were reminiscent of camp and were served on wooden +plates around the fire in picnic fashion. The menu consisted of hot +bacon and roll sandwiches, dill pickles, coffee, and marshmallows +toasted over the flames. + + + + +A "ONE I LOVE" SHOWER + + +The invitations were made of white water color paper cut in the shape +of daisies, with centers tinted yellow. Scattered over the petals were +the following lines: + + "_One I love, two I love, + Three I love I say, + Come and see if this is true + On St. Valentine's Day." + (or "Friday next, I pray_") + +On all the invitations but the guest of honor's was added: "In honor +of Marion's engagement. Please send your remembrance to me the day +before." + +This direction was put on so that the gifts could all be wrapped in +advance by the hostess in white tissue paper, tied with yellow baby +ribbon and a big artificial daisy tucked into the knot. Piled on a +tray they were brought to the surprised little bride-to-be on the +afternoon of the party. The entertainment fulfilled the promise of the +invitation in this way: A large paper daisy with many petals was hung +against the wall and each guest was given a pointer and asked to +select a petal at random. On the back of each petal was written a +little fortune rhyme somewhat on the order of this one: + + "_Five! he loves--good pumpkin pie, + So learn to cook it--thus say I_." + +The refreshments were served in buffet style in the dining room. In +the center of the table was a blossoming pot of marguerites. There +were individual daisy salads, formed by little mounds of chicken salad +covered with yellow mayonnaise and surrounded by a fringe of petals +cut from the whites of hard-boiled eggs. With the salad simple bread +and butter sandwiches were eaten. + +As a second course, frozen custard in paper cups with borders of white +paper petals was served with squares of angel cake, frosted in yellow, +and squares of sunshine cake, frosted in white. + +The principal feature, however, and the final one, was the favor pie. +A big imitation daisy was made from a round basket, by covering the +top with yellow paper and surrounding the edge with as many petals +as there were guests. Each guest was asked to pull a petal from the +daisy, and in so doing drew from the basket a tiny doll dressed like +a "rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief, doctor, lawyer, merchant or +chief." The girl whose fate was already assured had been guided to +choose a particular petal and her favor doll proved to be dressed in +the garb of her fiancé's profession. + + +FORTUNE RHYMES FOR A "ONE I LOVE" SHOWER + + 1. If you'll only wait a while + Some one nice will make you smile. + + 2. You will have to choose between + Walking or a limousine. + + 3. If you only ONLY knew + Who was thinking much of you. + + 4. At a motion picture show + From the screen your fate you'll know. + + 5. Something nice you'll sure know + In about a week or so. + + 6. Don't despise + Hazel eyes. + + 7. Far across the briny sea + Comes thy lover now to thee. + + 8. Your career you'll surely ship + And substitute a wedding trip. + + 9. A dance, a ride, a moonlit lawn, + Your heart will be completely gone. + + 10. One--two--three-- + The third it will be. + + 11. Beware, beware the eyes of blue + Or they'll surely capture you. + + 12. Your intellect will meet its equal, + Happy though will be the sequel. + + 13. A word, a smile, a bow, + Married in a year from now. + + 14. Try a smile + For a while + To beguile. + + 15. You will travel far away + Sixteen years from yesterday. + + + + +AN INDIAN SUMMER SHOWER + + +For the girl who is to be married in the winter, an Indian Summer +Shower might be given some November evening. The cards of invitation +can have a little brown Indian wigwam painted in one corner, or cut +out of brown paper and pasted on; or the invitations can be written on +pieces of white birch bark, if you happened to have gathered and saved +any from the summer vacation. Paper imitation of birch bark might also +be used. + +Put all the gifts, wrapped in brown tissue paper and tied with gay +ribbons, in a toy wigwam which you can make with three sticks and a +piece of brown burlap. When the right time comes, the engaged girl is +led up to the wigwam and asked to receive the gifts. If there is a +small brother or cousin who can be dressed up in an Indian suit to +hand out the presents, so much the better. + +The hostess may make this any kind of shower she wishes. + +After the wigwam has been sacked, it would be fun if you could sit +around the open fire to pop corn or toast marshmallows and play the +Indian Summer game of "Pipe Dreams." Each girl writes out an imaginary +dream of the bride's future. The dreams are read by the hostess, and +then each dream paper is consigned to the fire. + +The refreshments ought to be very simple, and may consist of hot +chocolate and little chocolate cakes, cone-shaped to simulate wigwams, +or they may be merely apples, nuts, popcorn, and sweet cider. Serve +the nuts and apples in Indian baskets. + + + + +A CHRISTMAS TREE SHOWER + + +For the bride who announces her engagement in December, a Christmas +tree shower might be given Christmas week. Send out cards of +invitation in the shape of small Christmas trees, or else paste or +paint little evergreen trees on white cards. Ask the guests to bring +something small enough to be hung on a little Christmas tree. The +bride should be asked to come a little later than the others, so that +they may have time to hang their gifts on the tree. + +The tree may be as elaborate as you wish to make it. Where trees +are hard to procure, a cunning little one on a table is quite large +enough. It can be decked with gold and silver hearts and candy kisses, +and on its branches should hang the shower gifts, prettily wrapped and +tied. + +When the bride arrives, she must strip the tree. Among its treasures +may be English walnut shells, gilded and tied together, with fortune +verses inside.--The hostess provides one of these for each guest. + +The refreshments may consist of sandwiches cut in the shape of +Christmas trees and filled with green pepper and cream cheese; caraway +cookies cut in the shape of Christmas trees; and hot chocolate, with a +sprig of evergreen tied by a tiny bow of red to each cup-handle. + +This affair could be planned specifically as a handkerchief, hosiery +or kitchen shower. + + + + +WEDDINGS + + +Following naturally on the engagement announcement and bridal showers +come the wedding plans. + +If the bride's house is small, a church wedding may be the solution +for her, or else she may plan a house wedding with just a few chosen +friends and relatives present. + +Very often, if a church wedding is planned, there is a reception +afterward at the bride's home. If only a few guests are invited to it, +a wedding breakfast or dinner may be served, but if a large number of +people are asked, buffet refreshments are sufficient. + +According to the different seasons of the year, the weddings may take +on varying characters. Spring, summer, fall and winter weddings, +indoor and outdoor weddings, all have their own special charms. + + + + +SUMMER WEDDING DECORATIONS + + +Every girl can have a pretty wedding--especially if she lives within +reach of the free woods and fields or in a place of gardens and +shrubbery. + +Wild roses and wild clematis vines with ferns from the woods are +lovely in a country church where festoons and garlands are often +needed to adorn the bare walls. + +Banks of black-eyed Susans with outdoor ferns, bowers of snowy dogwood +in season and the fluffy wild pink azalea are very decorative, and so +are the spring and early summer shrubs: syringa, deutzia, flowering +almond and Japanese snowball. + +Mountain laurel, with its exquisite pink flowers and glossy green +leaves, lends itself particularly to church decoration. Ropes of the +leaves may be looped from the roof to the side walls; and the blossoms +massed in the front of the church make a fitting background for a +bride and her pink-clad attendants. + +In the South, Cape jasmine, in the Far West, the golden California +poppies and carnations, are beautiful to use. Of course, nothing is +lovelier than roses--pink and white--and should they prove scarce +they can be successfully supplemented with pink and white peonies, +especially for church decoration purposes. + +Meadow rue in great misty clumps as it grows, arranged with tawny +field lilies and dark green wood ferns, is remarkably striking in a +church. + +At one home wedding, big loose bunches of feathery grass, buttercups, +daisies, and clover in brown earthern jars filled the corners of the +living-room, and in the bay window, where the ceremony took place, +tall graceful sprays of Queen Anne's lace arranged with plenty of +green, made an artistic background. Glass vases filled with it stood +on the window sills and on the floor, the tops of the floor bouquets +hiding the window receptacles. + +In the dining-room a bowl of pink and white clover occupied the center +of the table and there were window boxes of the same sweet flower. + + + + +THE TABLE DECORATIONS + + +Whatever color scheme is used in the other parts of the house, an +entirely different one may be carried out in the dining-room. Some +suggestions for simple table decorations in various colors follow: + +1. Large low bowl of blue and pink forget-me-nots in the center of the +table, with candle shades of white, painted with forget-me-not sprays. + +2. Garden basket or glass basket of yellow roses and honeysuckle with +graceful sprays of honeysuckle vines trailing to the corners of the +table, yellow candle shades. + +3. Old-fashioned bouquet of garden flowers in old-fashioned +vase--snapdragons, lark-spur, coreopsis, babies' breath, +mignonette--old-fashioned stiff little artificial bouquets in white +lace paper for favors. + +4. Hanging basket of pink and lavender sweet peas and smilax over the +table, with smilax reaching to the corners of the table and caught +with pink and lavender tulle bows. + +5. Wood maidenhair ferns and pink garden roses, tiny ferns scattered +over the tablecloth, and rose-colored candle shades. + +6. Wild clematis vines from ceiling over table to four corners, and +low bowl of wild roses in center beneath sprays. + +7. Bachelors' buttons and mignonette in the center of the table +connected with small baskets of mignonette at the corners of the table +by ribbon matching the blue bachelors' buttons, tied on the handle of +each basket. + +8. Scarlet poppies in silver vase, silver candlesticks and shades. + +9. Large bowl of "Jack" roses in the center on a table mirror, with a +single large Jack rose in a slim flower holder at each corner of the +table. + +10. Wicker basket of June garden pinks (white and pink) with shower +of tiny bells hung on pink ribbons above them from the chandelier or +ceiling. + + + + +MENUS FOR THE BUFFET LUNCHEON + + +Many dining-rooms are too small to have a wedding breakfast served at +the table, and for that reason buffet luncheons are most popular. + +The dining table is decorated with flowers and often lighted with +candles under colored shades, and on it are placed extra supplies of +silver and small dishes of olives, nuts and bonbons. + +As the guests leave the receiving line, they move informally toward +the dining-room, where they stand to be served. If the wedding +reception takes place directly after a ceremony in the morning, or at +high noon, the refreshments are more elaborate than at an afternoon +affair and the guests may be seated to be served in the different +rooms. + +When a caterer is not employed, and the serving of the refreshments is +managed by the hostess herself, it is a pretty and practical plan to +ask several young girls to help in the dining-room. They should see +that the guests are promptly supplied, and can relieve them of their +plates when they have finished. + +Below are half a dozen good menus for buffet wedding breakfasts and +receptions, varying in degree of formality to suit individual needs. + + I + + BOUILLON + SALTED CRACKERS + CHICKEN PATTIES + OLIVES + PINEAPPLE SALAD + SMALL LETTUCE SANDWICHES + NEAPOLITAN ICE CREAM WITH FRESH STRAWBERRIES + COFFEE + CAKE + + + II + + CREAMED SWEETBREADS + CHERRY SALAD + WATERCRESS SANDWICHES + RASPBERRY ICE + MACAROONS + + + III + + CHICKEN SALAD + FINGER ROLLS + FROZEN CUSTARD + SUNSHINE CAKE + + IV + + SCALLOPED CRAB MEAT + BREAD AND BUTTER SANDWICHES + STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM + ANGEL CAKE + + V + + ICED CLAM BROTH WITH WHIPPED CREAM + SALTED CRACKERS + COLD VEAL LOAF + SARATOGA CHIPS + OLIVES + PINEAPPLE ICE + SMALL CAKES + + VI + + ICED CONSOMMÉ + SALTED CRACKERS + CHICKEN CROQUETTES + ROLLS + FRUIT SALAD + UNSWEETENED CRACKERS + LEMON CREAM SHERBET + SMALL HOME-MADE COOKIES + + + + +THE FAVORS + + +For wedding favors at a wedding breakfast or reception a number of +interesting little souvenirs can be inexpensively prepared. For +instance, there are wee fans (bought at the doll department) with the +date lettered on each; tiny straw baskets that look like the one +the flower girl carries and are filled with very small artificial +forget-me-nots and rose-buds; airy butterflies of white and pale +yellow silk, to be fastened to fine threads above the table in the +dining-room, where they flutter realistically over the flowers +beneath. + +More frivolous are very diminutive bridesmaid's hats, and at the +wedding of a bride who is going to travel far away there may be small +boats, either real or of cardboard, with a flying flag of matrimony at +the masthead. + +The old-fashioned posy gift cards with clasped hands are quaint; so +are the little nosegays in white paper frills, and every guest will +like a box of bride's cake. + + + + +TWO SUMMER WEDDINGS + + + + +A WILD ROSE WEDDING + + +A wild-rose wedding which one bride planned was wonderfully +attractive. In one corner of the living-room an arch of woven wire was +erected, and covered with graceful wild clematis vines and wild roses. +On each window-sill stood a jar of wild roses, and the mantel was +banked with them. + +The two bridesmaids wore pale green dresses, and carried baskets +overflowing with wild roses; the maid of honor wore a gown of +wild-rose pink, and carried an arm bouquet of wood maidenhair ferns +and wild clematis. + +The dining-table was decorated effectively. A crystal bowl filled with +wild-rose sprays which trailed over the sides and along the table was +placed in the center on a mat of hardy sword ferns. From above the +middle of the table four garlands of wild clematis were looped down to +the edge of the round table and held with bows of green tulle. + +Glass dishes of olives and pink, green, and white candies on the table +still further carried out the color scheme. + +The menu, which was served in buffet style, was pink and white. It +consisted of strawberry and pineapple cocktail, with a sprig of green +mint in each glass, sliced ham and pressed chicken, potato chips, hot +rolls, raspberry ice, white-frosted cakes cut in the shape of bells, +pink-frosted cakes in the shape of hearts. + +Fruit punch, pink with strawberry juice and green with mint, was +served on the rose-bowered porch by a pretty girl in a rose-flowered +frock. + + + + +A FIELD FLOWER WEDDING + + +Another country bride used the field flowers for decorating. + +Big jars of daisies, buttercups, wild carrot, red clover, and tasseled +grasses stood in the corners of all the rooms and filled the empty +fireplace. + +Four little girls, dressed in white with yellow sashes and hair +fillets, carried a daisy chain to form an aisle for the bride and her +attendants, and the ceremony took place under a big bell of field +daisies. + +The bridesmaids wore pale yellow georgette gowns, and carried bouquets +of black-eyed Susans, the maid of honor wore old-gold georgette, +lightened with white, and carried a loose bunch of daisies and +buttercups. + +In the center of the dining table a high-handled white-enameled basket +held a natural arrangement of sweet white clovers, grasses, and yellow +buttercups, and was linked by several streamers of yellow baby ribbon, +with four smaller white baskets at the corners which held smaller +bouquets of the same flowers. A fluffy yellow bow was tied to the +handle of each basket. + +The menu was also yellow and white and consisted of hot bouillon, +sprinkled with grated hard-boiled egg yolks; chicken jelly salad with +mayonnaise; tiny bread and butter sandwiches; frozen custard in ice +cups trimmed with white paper petals, so that each individual serving +looked like a daisy; small squares of sponge cake, and angel food iced +in yellow; yellow and white candies. + +The boxes of wedding cake were piled on the hall table, and each one +had a wee daisy blossom tied into the knot of white ribbon on top. + + + + +OUTDOOR WEDDINGS + + + + +AN ORCHARD PAGEANT + + +There's no wedding quite so picturesque as the outdoor one. Famous is +the orchard wedding beneath a blossoming apple tree, where the air is +filled with fragrance and the bridal party comes winding through +the trees to the trysting place. It needn't be only a poetic fancy, +either--it's entirely practical, and if you have a comparatively small +house, why not give your guests the beautiful freedom of outdoors +instead of cooping them up in the house? + +Mark out the path beforehand by mowing the grass in the chosen +direction. Select plenty of ushers to conduct the guests to the spot +and provide benches and settees for the older folk, who may find it +tiring to stand till the wedding party arrives. + +There need be no decorations except the natural ones of the orchard; +preparations may consist of raking out dead leaves and branches. + +A victrola may be arranged in the proper place to furnish the wedding +processional--or perhaps some musical friend may be found to play the +violin. + +The simpler the pageant, the more effective it will be. First may come +a tiny flower girl in a white frock, swinging a cretonne flowered +sunbonnet from which she tosses apple blossom sprays. + +If there are bridesmaids, they should wear the simplest of pink +dresses with pink fillets on their hair or else wide straw hats +trimmed only with a tiny wreath of flowers. + +Possibly the maid of honor may add a note of contrast by wearing +forget-me-not blue. + +Last of all appear the bride and bridegroom, together, for in an +old-fashioned orchard wedding that is less awkward than for the +bridegroom to come from some other direction. The bride should wear a +simple white gown--formal satin would be out of place. + +The wedding breakfast may be served picnic fashion on a long table of +boards decked with apple blossoms. Toasts in strawberry punch are in +order while an orchestra of robins and bluebirds sing in the apple +trees round about--unless the noise drives them away. The little +waiting maids should wear white aprons and white caps with an apple +blossom sprig stuck in the top. + +Following them came a flock of flower children, tiny girls and boys +scattering flower petals from the high-handled baskets swinging in +their chubby little hands. + +Last of all, four abreast, came the bride and bridegroom, with the +bride's mother, who gave her away, on the right of the bride, and +the best man on the left of the bridegroom. The ribbon girls had +accompanied the procession at the proper intervals holding the aisle +ribbon, and the last two brought up the rear, winding up the ribbon as +they came. + +The reception took place immediately afterward on the lawn, and the +guests were served with ice-cream and cake wherever they chanced to be +by the attentive ribbon girls. + +In the back yard at a long table a colored caterer superintended the +service. + +Altogether it was a most successful wedding and at the same time a +fairly easy one to plan since there was no question of overcrowding in +the house, although in case of rain it could have been managed there. + + + + +A WEDDING ON THE LAWN + + +A girl who lived in a small town and had a big lawn chose to be +married outdoors in August. The blossoming hydrangea hedge in front of +the house was made thicker with small evergreen branches stuck down +into the ground. One corner of the yard where there was a natural +alcove curving in among the shrubs, she picked out for the wedding +itself. + +The porch was decorated with Japanese lanterns and flowers, and +beforehand the guests gathered in groups there or on the lawn. + +When it was time for the ceremony, some girl friends of the bride +marshalled the guests to the chosen place and then returned to the +house to act as ribbon girls. There were about a dozen of them in +light summer dresses, and the first couple, holding the ends of long +white ribbons, preceded the bridal groups, roping off an aisle across +the lawn and among the spectators. + +A chorus of young musical friends came first, singing the words and +music of Lohengrin. + + + + +FALL WEDDINGS + + + + +A BLUE AND GOLD WEDDING + + +September and October weddings are always popular, partly perhaps +because of the decorating possibilities of the autumn season. + +Goldenrod and wild asters one thinks of for early fall. At one evening +home wedding where this blue and gold color scheme was used, the +stalks of plumey golden rod seemed to be growing naturally along the +stair rail; they were held in place at the uprights. + +The rooms were hung with blue and golden globes of lights--in reality +paper lanterns--sheltering electric bulbs. The fireplace held masses +of goldenrod, and blue jars holding wild asters crowned the mantel, +the tables, the piano, and the wide window sills. + +The bridesmaids wore gowns of yellow organdy and the maid of honor an +aster blue costume. + +In the dining-room a dull gilt basket of blue asters occupied the +center of the table set for a buffet repast, and a bow of blue and +golden tulle fluttered from the handle of the basket. + +The favors were tiny kewpie dolls, wearing frilly skirts and caps, +some of blue and others of yellow. The blue were for the men, the +yellow for the girls. + + + + +OAK LEAVES AND COSMOS + + +When oak leaves begin to glow with tawny splendor, another girl +celebrated her wedding. The house was a bower of rich, deep red and +brown foliage, and the "bridey" touch came in with the pale pink +garden cosmos that was used. + +Cosmos made the background for the wedding group, and was arranged in +feathery masses wherever it might contrast with the dark oak leaves. + +The wedding was in the late afternoon, and after the sunset light had +faded the pink candles began to glow rosily under soft pink shades. + +The dining-room table was lovely with pink candle-light and pink +cosmos as a centerpiece on a mat of oak leaves. There were pink and +white candies and raspberry ice was served with the tiniest of pink +and white and green _petites fours_. + + + + +THREE WINTER WEDDINGS + + + + +A CHRISTMAS WEDDING + + +The first girl lived in a country town and evergreens in the woods +near by were plentiful. The wedding was a Christmas one, and took +place in the late afternoon. Garlands of graceful ground pine were +wound over the banisters in the hall, and draped over the doorways to +hang down halfway on each side against the ivory white wood-work. In +the living-room, two little Christmas trees, lighted with tiny white +candles, formed an alcove where the bridal group could stand. + +The table in the dining-room was decorated for a buffet luncheon in +holiday red and green. There was a centerpiece of red roses, red silk +candle shades shading white candles in clear glass candlesticks, and +tiny green Christmas ferns scattered on the white cloth. + +The menu had the same color harmony, and consisted of consommé, salted +crackers, oyster patties, chicken jelly salad with green mayonnaise, +salad rolls, olives, pistachio ice-cream in holly-decked cases, little +cakes with green icing and silver bonbons stuck on top, and coffee, +with green mints. + + + + +A RAINBOW WEDDING + + +The second bride lived in the city and had a rainbow wedding. The +usual green of potted ferns and palms formed the background of +decorations, but over the rounded archway which opened into a small +alcove a "rainbow" of tulle--rose, pale pink, yellow, green, blue, and +lavender--was arranged. Pink and yellow roses with green foliage were +supplemented in the living-room by blue and lavender tulle on the +vases. The six bridesmaids wore gowns which matched the tulle rainbow +and they carried pink roses. + +On the table in the dining-room was a bowl of pink roses, and from the +table dome a myriad of baby ribbon streamers in the same varied colors +came down at six points, and were held in place by six fluffy favor +dolls, dressed in tulle to match the six bridesmaids, to whom they +were afterward given as souvenirs. + +The menu consisted of chicken à la King, small sandwiches, olives, +Neapolitan ice-cream, fancy frosted cakes, and coffee. + + + + +A COLONIAL WEDDING + + +The third girl, with a delight for old-fashioned ways, was followed by +six maids in quaint Colonial gowns of plain or flowered silk, no +two costumes alike, save for soft white lace fichus. Black velvet +neckbands, powdered curls, and "nosegays" of small pink carnations in +lace paper holders quite carried out the lovely effect. + +The old-fashioned rooms were hung with smilax and asparagus fern, and +in every window stood a pot of flowering fuchsias. + + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Entertaining Made Easy, by Emily Rose Burt + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 11883 *** diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2374ece --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #11883 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/11883) diff --git a/old/11883-8.txt b/old/11883-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1a0cfb3 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/11883-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3305 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Entertaining Made Easy, by Emily Rose Burt + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Entertaining Made Easy + +Author: Emily Rose Burt + +Release Date: April 3, 2004 [EBook #11883] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ENTERTAINING MADE EASY *** + + + + +Produced by Janet Kegg, Josephine Paolucci and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team. + + + + + +Made Easy Series + + + + + +ENTERTAINING MADE EASY + +BY + +EMILY ROSE BURT + + +1919 + + + + +_Acknowledgment is made to Woman's Home Companion, The Ladies' Home +Journal, Farm and Fireside, and the Designer for their courteous +permission to reprint certain material in this book_. + + + + +TABLE OF CONTENTS + +SOCIALS AND PARTIES + A SMILES SOCIAL + AN AVIATION MEET + A MOCK CANTEEN + A PROGRESSIVE MARCH PARTY + AN AUTUMN LEAF DANCE + A HARVEST HOME PARTY + A NUTTY PARTY FOR OCTOBER + A MAY POLE PARTY FOR CHILDREN + +OUTDOOR AFFAIRS + A BACON BAT + A CHILDREN'S DAISY PARTY + A HAWAIIAN PORCH LUNCHEON + A WATERMELON FROLIC + A JAPANESE GARDEN PARTY + A COMMENCEMENT PICNIC + A PROGRESSIVE MOTOR PARTY + +BIRTHDAYS AND OTHER ANNIVERSARIES + A BACHELOR SUPPER + MOTHER'S BIRTHDAY TEA + A PUSSY CAT PARTY + A GIRL'S BIRTHDAY LUNCHEON + THE WOODEN WEDDING + THE TIN WEDDING + A MOCK WEDDING + A SILVER WEDDING SHOWER + A CAPE COD LUNCHEON + +ANNOUNCEMENTS AND SHOWERS + "A LITTLE BIRD TOLD ME" LUNCHEON + A HAPPINESS TEA + A HELLO PARTY + AN APPLE SHOWER + AN OLD ROSE SHOWER + A KITTY SHOWER + A CAMP FIRE SHOWER + A "ONE I LOVE" SHOWER + AN INDIAN SUMMER SHOWER + A CHRISTMAS TREE SHOWER + +WEDDINGS + SUMMER WEDDING DECORATIONS + THE TABLE DECORATIONS + MENUS FOR THE BUFFET LUNCHEON + THE FAVORS + TWO SUMMER WEDDINGS + A Wild Rose Wedding + A Field Flower Wedding + OUTDOOR WEDDINGS + An Orchard Pageant + A Wedding on the Lawn + FALL WEDDINGS + A Blue and Gold Fall Wedding + Oak Leaves and Cosmos + THREE WINTER WEDDINGS + A Christmas Wedding + A Rainbow Wedding + A Colonial Wedding + + + + +_INTRODUCTION_ + + +It is fun to entertain--if you don't make hard work of it. + +And why make hard work of it when there are ways to entertain easily? + +Besides you know that the more easily you do it, the more successful +you'll be, and there's hardly a woman in the world--is there?--who +wouldn't like to be known as a good hostess. + +"But," says one of you, "I haven't the knack." + +And another says, "I haven't the time or money." + +And yet another, "Oh, I never have any ideas." + +Nonsense! + +It's not a question of knack or money or ideas. All you need is to +know the secret, and it's an open secret at that! + +First, ask yourself what you mean by a successful hostess. Your answer +will be, "One whose guests have so good a time that they want to come +again." + +Sure enough! The secret is out then--entertaining successfully is +giving the guests a good time. + +"More easily said than done," you say. "What must I _do_ to give the +guests a good time?" + +And the answer to that is in a nutshell. "Make your entertainment fit +the folks to be entertained." + +You wouldn't, for instance, think of inviting your grandmother's +friends in of an afternoon in honor of the old lady's birthday and +playing stagecoach or blindman's buff. + +And if you have your Sunday School class of lively boys in for the +evening, you won't expect them to play paper and pencil games from +eight to ten. + +It's really just a matter of common sense coupled with some +imagination and forethought to choose the right kind of entertainment. + +Along with choosing the right variety of amusement, remember that +folks generally like the simple things best and if there's a touch of +originality in addition, you've won their hearts. For you see you've +made them feel that you took the trouble to plan something "different" +in their honor. + +Because it's different, it isn't necessarily hard to prepare--there +are lots of novelties in decoration, amusement and "eats" that +are perfectly simple and inexpensive. They are what help to make +entertaining easy, in fact. And just at this point you see comes in +the reason for the writing of this little book. + +It aims to make entertaining easy by suggesting plans that are simple +and a little out-of-the-ordinary to fit the most frequent occasions +when you wish to entertain or perhaps _must_ do so. Special care has +been taken to consider time and expense, but at the same time to bring +in a touch of the unusual. + +Don't miss the fun of entertaining because you've always thought it +hard work! This book has been prepared to show you how easily, +after all, it can be done. And may you have the reward of joy and +satisfaction that comes with successful hospitality! + + + + +SOCIALS AND PARTIES + + +Perhaps you're appointed chairman of the social committee of your +young people's church society of or some club. Or maybe you want to +entertain for a friend who is visiting you so that she may meet +your circle of friends. Anyway it's up to you to plan an evening's +amusement for a big crowd of people. If it's a mixed crowd--young and +old and in-between (as church socials often are)--you need one kind +of plan; if it's a bunch of young folks, or a school class party, or +something for the children, you need other plans. + +But the secret of all good times for big crowds is to choose +entertainment that draws the individuals together in some kind of +comradeship, gives them all something in common, and puts them on a +friendly footing. + + + + +A SMILES SOCIAL + + +On the door of the parish house as well as in the post-office window +appeared a poster adorned with a big smiling face--the kind made by +drawing a circle and putting inside of it two eye dots, a nose line, +and a cheerful curve for a mouth. + +Beneath it the invitation urged everybody to come to a Smiles Social, +wearing a smile and bringing an extra one in the pocket. Admission, +one smile. + +The parish house parlors were decorated with all the laughing or +smiling pictures that could be found by the committee in charge. "Mona +Lisa" was there with her inscrutable smile, "The Laughing Cavalier," +as well as less famous characters, such as smiling girls on calendars +and magazine covers. An amusing display of newspaper cartoons also +filled one portion of the wall space. Smilax was appropriately enough +used for trimming. + +At the door was stationed a smiling admission collector, who insisted +on an entering smile from everyone. The extra one was not demanded at +this point. + +With such a beginning and the gallery of smiles about the room to +break the ice, the social was assured of the success that followed. + +The first stunt tried was called "Throwing Smiles," not a new +amusement but always a fun-maker. + +One person starts the game by smiling broadly and then pretending to +wipe off the smile and throw it to somebody else. As soon as it lands +on the next person's face, that person must in turn wipe it off and +fling it at a third player. As soon as a smile is supposedly wiped +off, the owner of it must maintain a perfectly sober expression. + +The company was in screams of laughter before this game had gone very +far. + +Another amusing game for a large number which goes under various +names was called on this occasion "The Smile Factory." The company is +divided into two groups which line up opposite each other. Someone +is appointed to stand between the two lines with a man's soft hat in +hand. If upon being tossed in the air, the hat lands right side up, +one group has to laugh while the opposite one remains absolutely +sober. When the hat lands upside down, the first group remains solemn +and the other group laughs. A member of either side who fails to +follow this rule goes over to the opposite side. The side which wins +all the members of the other side is announced victorious. + +The old-fashioned game of "Poor Pussy" was also played because the +point of it is trying not to smile. The younger folk will enjoy it. +You may remember that a ring is formed and the person within the ring +who is "it," kneels before someone in the circle and mews or purrs +appealingly three times successively. Each time the person confronted +must answer sternly or calmly "Poor Pussy," never smiling. In case of +a smile or a laugh, this person takes the place of "Poor Pussy." + +Midway of the evening the extra smiles brought to the social were +asked for. Jokes and funny rhymes or sayings were read in turn. If +various persons dislike the publicity of such a procedure, all the +"smiles" may be collected and presented by two or three clever persons +in the form of a minstrel show. This can be called "Smiles in Black +and White." + +The popular song "Smiles" was in order as well as the older favorite," +Pack up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag and Smile, Smile, Smile." + +The following conundrum was also propounded: What is the longest word +in the English language? The answer is "Smiles" because there's a mile +between the first and last syllables. + +Humorous recitations and others relating to smiles were given by some +good readers. + +Just before the refreshments came a smile-measuring contest. All stood +in line and grinned broadly while a girl with a tape measure took +account of each one in turn. The winner received as a prize a grinning +little china darky. + +The refreshments were enough to make everyone smile--they consisted of +pink lemonade and ginger cookies with features marked on them in white +icing. The most conspicuous feature was of course the grin. + + + + +AN AVIATION MEET + + +Try this plan for recruiting attendance at your next church social. +It would also "fill the bill" for a jolly midwinter school party. The +invitations are made to look like tickets of admission; the men's of +red pasteboard and the girls' of blue. They read this way: + + _Admit Two + To an Aviation Meet + In the ---- Church parlors + Friday evening + February 21 8 o'clock_ + +Each member who receives a ticket must make a point of inviting +somebody else, and should conduct the guest personally to the social. + +The hall or assembly rooms may be decorated with American and Allied +colors, and it would be appropriate and effective to suspend in +each window a trio of toy balloons, red, white, and blue in color, +respectively. Miniature airplanes hung overhead at intervals down the +length of the room would add realism. + +In different places on the walls fasten conspicuously large posters +boldly lettered with the program of events, as follows: + +1. TESTS: + Ground work + Control + Balance + +2. FLIGHTS + +3. STUNTS AND TRICKS: + Hands Up + Spiral + Reverse speed + Low speed + Spin + Nose dives + Loop the loop + +4. AIR RACES + +5. ARRIVAL OF AIR MAIL + +To promote fun, put up a few placards featuring certain well-known +members in some of the events. For instance: + + "_See Charlie Hays loop the loop_!" + +or + + "_Mildred Brown's control is wonderful_!" + +A good leader can make this program go off well by calling on +volunteers for the various contests. Sometimes people like better to +take part in teams. + +The first test, which is called "ground work," is a hopping stunt. The +contestants hop on one foot to a given goal, and the one who does it +most easily and gracefully and holds out best is declared victorious +by the judges. Blue ribbon badges are pinned on the successful +persons. + +Next comes "control," which turns out to be facial control under +difficulties. No matter what the funny, teasing, or pseudo-insulting +remarks or performances of the onlookers, the contestants must retain +calm and unmoved expressions as they stand in line. + +"Balance" proves who best can poise an apple on the head and walk +across the room. All the "balancers" start at the same moment, and the +first successful ones are awarded the blue ribbon. Balancing peanuts +on a knife blade and carrying them thus from one end of the room to +the other is another way to execute the test. + +When it is time for "flights" everybody is handed a paper aviation cap +to put on. Then paper and pencils are passed and all are invited to +take flights of fancy. These, it may be explained, may be rhymes, +romances, or the biggest lies that can be recalled. A flight of +oratory may also be offered. A committee of three appointed on the +spot promises to report on the winners at the close of the evening. If +preferred, a program of poems and short, comic, exaggerated stories +may be prepared beforehand, and fill in this space with apparent +impromptu. + +The stunts and tricks follow in detail: + +1. _Hands Up_. Only one person knows the stunt and she quite mystifies +everyone who presents himself and obeys her, till some one guesses the +secret or she finally tells it. + +She begins by ordering her student on trial to raise one hand and +keep the other at his side while her own back is turned. Upon turning +around she is able to specify the hand which was raised. The secret +is, of course, that the hand which hangs at the side, because of its +position, becomes redder than the raised hand. At a glance she notes +the difference in color and so knows which hand has been raised. + +2. _Spiral_. This is a good mixer. All are asked to form in line, one +behind another, each one's hands on the shoulders of the person ahead. +The leader then starts the line winding around and round the room into +a spiral and then unwinding it--the well-known gymnasium class stunt +which carried through in a sprightly way is bound to make everybody +feel better acquainted. + +3. _Reverse Speed_. Any number line up for a backward race. They go as +fast as they can backward to an appointed goal. + +4. _Low Speed_. Any number may enter. This is a "slow" race, that is +to say, all contestants progress as slowly as possible to a certain +goal. + +5. _Spin_. A supply of children's tops is provided and the ability to +spin them properly is demonstrated. A few musical tops among them will +add to the hilarity. + +6. _Nose Dives_. This is a stunt which will probably appeal most to +the boys or the more adventurous girls. It consists of pushing apples +or peanuts along given chalk marks on table or floor by means of the +nose only. + +7. _Loop the Loop_. To those who know how to tie different kinds of +knots, the announcement of this contest gives a chance to show what +they can do. + +The "air races" are of two sorts: the "hot air" race and the balloon +race. In the "hot air" race the contestants are timed as to the number +of words each can say in three minutes with the eyes shut. For the +balloon race several strings are stretched from one side of the room +to the other, and the same number of toy balloons is supplied. The +object is for the contestants to blow their respective balloons across +the room, following as nearly as possible the courses of string. The +choice of different colored balloons makes for interest and consequent +"rooting." + +The arrival of the air mail is heralded by the entrance of someone +dressed in aviator's garments--warm helmet, goggles, gloves and +all--carrying a mail sack (if real, a new one: but an imitation one +suffices). + +The aviator then proceeds to take out numerous packets which he hands +to the guests as far as they go. There should be at least half as many +packages as persons present. Each bundle is marked + + "_Owner unknown. + Find another to share this_." + +The explanation is that each recipient of a parcel must immediately +seek a partner and, upon doing so, open the parcel. Enough sandwiches +for two are revealed. Meanwhile, hot coffee or chocolate is being +passed by pretty waitresses with Japanese fans stuck in their hair +airplane-wise. + +The evening may end with a "musical flight," or, in other words, a +rousing "sing." + + + + +A MOCK CANTEEN + + +For one boy who wanted to entertain a few of the fellows who had been +in camp with him, his hospitable sister planned a jolly supper party +which undoubtedly owed its success to its "homeiness." Certainly its +friendly informality accomplished much more than any large outlay in +money could have done. There were to be half a dozen boys, so five +other girls were invited to make an equal number of girls and men. + +To begin with, the hostess passed around to the girls slips of paper +and duplicate slips to the men. + +Each slip contained the name of some article of food for supper and +the man and girl who drew duplicate slips were thus delegated to +prepare that particular dish together. + +When all had matched up partners they repaired to the kitchen, a big +old-fashioned room with plenty of space for all of them. The hostess +and her partner did no cooking, but announced that they would manage +this cafeteria. + +While all the others were in the kitchen, they arranged on a side +table in the dining-room stacks of tin trays, knives, forks, spoons, +and paper napkins. Over it they posted a bulletin board in good +imitation of a real cafeteria. There were listed on it the five dishes +which were being prepared and as a joke a number of others--quite +impossible to cook at such a time, as roast beef, mince pie, frozen +pudding--all of which were then heavily crossed off in black ink. + +When the cooks had finished their tasks (and the cheerful uproar that +accompanied their occupations may be easily imagined) the food was +arranged on a long kitchen table. Thereupon each person, after +possessing him or herself of a tray and the required silver and +scanning the menu posted, passed on and pretended to select from the +counter. In reality, of course, everyone took everything, and received +a check from the hostess with a punch against some "stunt" written on +it. + +The menu as prepared read as follows: + + Scalloped salmon + Fruit salad + Lettuce sandwiches + Chocolate pudding with whipped cream + Tea or coffee + +Two tables were left bare in the dining-room and the company chose +seats where they wished. + +A great deal of additional fun was gained upon finding that someone +had surreptitiously set up a placard on one of the tables reading +"Reserved for Ladies." Over the cold water faucet was a sign reading +"Water" and glasses were grouped near it. + +After supper the various stunts registered on the checks and some +rollicking songs filled the remainder of a merry evening in which +there had been absolutely no chance for stiffness from beginning to +end. + +These were some of the stunts: + +_For the Men_ + +1. Show in five different ways how reveille affected your friends. + +2. Give an imitation of a lady and her pet "Peke." + +3. Go around the room without touching your feet to the floor. + +4. Do a ballet act. + +5. Dig a trench (in pantomime). + +6. Sing a Mother Goose rhyme through your nose. + + +_For the Girls_ + +1. Give a military salute to every man in the room in turn. + +2. Choose a partner to walk around the "chimney" with you ten times. + +3. Count to fifty, substituting the words "Oh, fudge!" for fives and +every multiple of five. + +4. Pretend to eat a bunch of grapes. + +5. Represent your favorite movie actress till the others guess her +correctly. + +6. Flirt in three different ways. + + + + +A PROGRESSIVE MARCH PARTY + + +A group of high school friends, a social club of boys and girls, or a +church society of young people will enjoy giving the following party +in March. + +Send out invitations written on cards reading as follows: + + _March is the month of all the year + When lamb and lion do appear, + When pussy willow comes anew + And March hare scampers into view. + If you would meet these creatures four + And maybe several others more, + Then come prepared for work and play + To Grangers' hall, March first, the day_. + +On the invitation cards, tiny hares, lions, lambs, or sprays of pussy +willows can be outlined or traced by means of carbon paper from +pictures. + +The guests upon arrival draw from a basket containing tiny toy or +cracker lions, lambs, rabbits and cats, whichever kind of favor they +wish. + +According to the favor each one draws, the guests take their places +respectively at the March hare table, the lion table, the lamb table, +or the pussy willow table. Each table is marked by a distinguishing +centerpiece: at the March hare table is a plaster rabbit, at the lion +table, a toy lion; the lamb table has a woolly lamb on wheels, and the +pussy willow table, a bunch of pussy willows or a stuffed cat. + +The fun is now ready to begin, for with the implements and materials +provided at each table the guests are required to produce a facsimile +of the animal for which the table is named. Different materials +are provided at each table, so there is no monotony, as the guests +progress from table to table after half an hour's stay at each one in +turn. + +Modeling clay is the medium in which the March hares are to be done, +and no implements except fingers are supposed to be used, though if +a boy slyly makes use of his jack-knife, there are no embarrassing +questions asked. + +The lions are to be carved from potatoes with the aid of little +kitchen vegetable knives, and the lambs are to be fashioned from +cotton wool, matches, and mucilage. + +At the pussy willow table the guests must show how expert they can be +at cutting cats, free hand, from flannel. Beads for eyes, and floss +and bristles for whiskers, are also furnished. + +Prizes are given for the best and the worst specimen at each table. + +A rabbit's foot charm, a small reproduction of the Barye lion, or +the well-known Perry picture of a lion, a Dresden-china lamb or +shepherdess, and a pussy-cat plate, pincushion, or paper weight are +suggestions for first prizes, and four little tin horns painted green +may be given as booby prizes to the four "greenhorns" who have the +worst showing. + + + + +AN AUTUMN LEAF DANCE + + +In the fall, after school has opened, some class often likes to give +a reception to the entering class. An autumn leaf dance in October is +the prettiest kind of one to have. + +Decorate the school hall with branches of scarlet and yellow maple +leaves, or deep red and russet oak boughs. + +For the dance programs make covers from water-color paper cut and +painted to look like oak or maple leaves. The inside pages can be of +thin white paper in the same shape. Attach little red pencils. + +Plan one autumn leaf dance in which each girl receives a wreath of +autumn leaves from her partner. For refreshments have orange or +raspberry ice with vanilla ice-cream, and serve it on plates covered +with leaf-shaped paper doilies. + + + + +A HARVEST HOME PARTY + + +A "RED EAR" party is what they called it in the invitations. It was +the opening party of the year in the high school and the seniors +planned it. + +The cards they sent out said: + + _Oh, this time o' the year + You'll recall the red ear + (It will never go out o' date); + So the members of "twenty" + Have planned fun a-plenty + At a regular Harvest Home f�te-- + You're invited_! + +The school hall was delightfully decorated emphasizing the autumn +colors. Bright tawny leaves banked the platform where the orchestra +sat, and along the side walls globes of red and orange balloons glowed +among the soft tans and browns of cornstalks. From the ceiling, +myriads of red and orange paper lanterns swayed brilliantly. + +The dance programs were "red ears" cut from cardboard, and tiny red +pencils dangled from them. Some of the names of the dances to excite +curiosity were: + + The Corn Stalk + The Scarecrow Skitter + Farmerettes Fancy + Popcorn Waltz + Orchard One-step + Pumpkin Pie Walk + Red Ear Dance + Harvest Home Revue + +The Corn Stalk was in the nature of a grand march--everybody "stalking +stiffly" round and round in time to the music, which ended in a +rollicking one-step. + +Then followed the Scarecrow Skitter. A dilapidated old cornfield +character in all the crudity of flapping black was brought in and +established in the center of the floor. In his shabby hat fluttered a +handful of rusty crow feathers, and the feature of the dance was for +each boy to secure one of them in passing for his partner. The poor +old fellow was nearly torn to bits in the process. + +The Farmerettes Fancy was another name for "ladies choice." All +the girls were given tiny toy rakes, hoes, spades, or other farm +implements which they used as favors in choosing partners. + +For the Popcorn Waltz, the favors were popcorn chains for the boys to +hang around their partners' necks. There was a temptation to devour +these adornments as well as to use them for decorative purposes, and +on the whole they were a source of much fun. + +The orchestra at intervals in this dance made use of some contrivance +which sounded like corn popping briskly over the fire. + +A shower of snowy white confetti from the balcony still further +emphasized the popcorn idea. + +In the Orchard One-step the boys were asked to pick peaches. The girls +stood behind a high screen and thrust their right hands above it. The +boys reached up, touched the "peaches" they chose and thereupon the +girls thus designated one-stepped away with their partners. + +Instead of a cake walk, a Pumpkin Pie Walk was announced. The +contestants could indulge in just as crazy, funny or pretty dance +steps as they liked. The reward to the most original, entertaining and +clever couple was a big pumpkin pie. + +Then came the Red Ear Dance. Everybody was blindfolded and asked to +pick an ear of corn from a big basket. When vision was restored the +girl holding the red ear (an ordinary ear with a red crepe paper +wrapping) was acclaimed queen of the carnival, and was presented +with a bouquet of red roses. During the dance a red glow by means of +special lighting arrangements filled the hall. + +The Harvest Home Dance came just before supper, and lived up to its +name, in that paper costume caps designating fruits and vegetables +were given out and worn, so that the whole room seemed to be filled +with the "harvest." + +Tomato, carrot, corn, apple, wheat, squashes, grapes, popcorn, +watermelon and blackberry were all represented. + +The supper dance occurred midway in the evening, and the other novelty +dances described were interspersed before and after it. + +The supper consisted merely of peach ice cream with sugared popcorn +on top, served on grape leaves, nut macaroons, tiny pumpkin tarts and +fruit punch. + + + + +COSTUME HATS FOR THE RED EAR PARTY + + +_Tomato_: Turkey red crepe paper or cotton skull cap with pointed +green paper calyx and green upstanding stem of wire covered over with +paper or cloth. + +_Carrot_: Orange crepe paper or cloth conical cap. This may be made +on heavy paper or cardboard foundation. Characteristic lines may be +marked on the carrot. + +_Corn_: Green paper or cloth toboggan cap falling gracefully to one +side With a long green or gold-colored silk tassel. + +_Apple_: Little round bowl-like cap of glossy red paper with a brown +stem of paper-covered wire. + +_Wheat_: A wreath of natural or artificial wheat ears. + +_Squash_: Cardboard or stiff paper cut to make a "crook neck" effect, +covered with yellow paper. + +_Grapes_: A graceful floppy green hat of straw or paper with a crown +entirely made of artificial or real grape bunches--blue or purple as +desired.--A filet of green ribbon with a real or artificial bunch of +grapes depending on each side to hang over the ears. + +_Popcorn_: A close-fitting little toque covered with tiny pieces of +cotton batting to resemble popped corn. + +_Watermelon_: A crescent-shaped hat to be worn broadside suggesting a +slice of watermelon from green paper border (fitting on hair) to pink +center dotted with tiny bits of black court plaster to suggest seeds. + +_Blackberry_: Close-fitting little black quilted or puffed bonnet to +tie under chin. + + + + +A NUTTY PARTY FOR OCTOBER + + +A girl who wanted to give an inexpensive jolly little party in honor +of a visiting friend in October issued invitations to a nut gathering. + +At the top of each correspondence card which served as an invitation, +she glued half an almond shell upon which a face was marked in ink. +Below this nut head the rest of the figure was drawn in ink on the +card, and the inscription read: + + _Pretend you're a squirrel for once + And join my nut-gathering stunts, + Friday, October the eleventh + at half-past eight_. + +The first amusement of the evening was introduced by suspending from +the chandelier in the center of the room a cocoanut decorated with a +comical face and a pointed paper cap perched on top. + +Each person from a distance of ten feet was allowed three throws at +this cap with a little light rubber ball, the object being to knock +Mr. Cocoanut's cap off. The best marksman won a prize. + +This first nut stunt caused so much fun that no one wanted to be lured +away to a Nut Exhibit. Ten varieties of nuts were represented by +pictures or objects and little slips of paper and pencil were +distributed for recording guesses. + +The display was as follows: + +1. A bit of butter on a plate + +2. A stout, old-fashioned stick + +3. A can of canned peas with indicating label + +4. A single pea + +5. A map of South America with the outlines of Brazil especially +prominent + +6. A picture of typical English stone or brick wall + +7. A can or cup of cocoa + +8. A photograph of Hazel Dawn, the movie star + +9. A beetle specimen (dead or alive) + +10. Three ears of corn arranged to form the letter A + + _Answers_ + + 1. Butternut + 2. Hickory nut + 3. Pecan nut + 4. Peanut + 5. Brazil nut + 6. English walnut + 7. Cocoanut + 8. Hazel nut + 9. Betel nut + 10. Acorn + +The winner of this contest also had a prize. Of course a nut party +would hardly be complete without a peanut hunt and there was also a +peanut race in which the object was to transfer the peanuts from one +end of the room to another on the blade of a table knife. + +In still another peanut contest the object was to pitch ten peanuts +into a narrow-necked jar at a distance of about twelve feet. + +To choose partners for refreshments a basket of English walnuts was +passed, each little nut with a painted face and a paper cap of some +sort. Blue sailor caps, soldier caps, Red Cross nurse head-dresses, +Scotch Tam o' Shanters, babies' bonnets, girls' gay garden hats, +were all represented. There were only two of a kind, and the two +individuals who selected them were of course partners. + +In addition each nut proved to be only a hollow nut shell; in one was +a conundrum, in its mate the answer. + +The refreshments were nut-bread sandwiches, peanut butter sandwiches, +hot cocoa, cocoanut macaroons, vanilla ice-cream with chocolate nut +sauce, and peanut brittle. + + + + +A MAY POLE PARTY FOR CHILDREN + + +One teacher planned a very happy May party for her little boy and girl +pupils. There was no chance to set up a big May pole out-of-doors for +the children to wind, but her idea turned out to be more original and +maybe even more jolly. + +There were eighteen children included in the party, which was held in +the park. On arriving, each child was given a little peaked paper cap +of bright colored tissue paper. The boys liked these as well as the +girls did, although they found them harder to keep in place on their +heads. As soon as the children had donned their caps, three of the +tallest children were appointed to "help teacher." This helping +consisted in marching proudly out from behind a screen of bushes, +carrying three gay little May poles, decked with flowers and colored +paper streamers. They had been made by swinging a barrel hoop from +a broomstick handle, by means of a number of ribbon-like strips of +cloth. Of course the hoops were wound with the cloth, and besides that +were trimmed with apple blossoms and lilacs. + +From the rim of each hoop the cloth strips hung straight down for two +or three feet. The colors on the May pole matched the colored caps +that the children wore. + +There proved to be just fifteen streamer, and each child was allowed +to pick out a streamer to correspond with the color of the cap worn. +Thus a little girl with a pink cap would pick out a pink streamer; a +little boy with a green cap, a green streamer, and so on. The children +who held the May poles were then asked to stand at some distance apart +out in the open space of the park, and each little group of five +danced round and round, and back and forth, holding and twisting their +colored streamers. + +Somehow this amused them almost all the long spring afternoon. +Different children took turns holding the May poles and sometimes they +would even form a procession and hippity-hop around the park. They +paraded down Main Street for a little way, but came back to the park +in time to play "Drop the Handkerchief," "Hide and Seek," and "Tag," +before refreshments were served. + +They were perfectly delighted, of course, with strawberry lemonade, +brown bread sandwiches, and little frosted cup cakes, which their +teacher's mother had made and on which she had outlined in pink +candies the individual initials of the children. + + + + +OUTDOOR AFFAIRS + + +Out-of-door entertaining is perhaps the easiest kind of all--if you +live in the country or the near-country. Anything elaborate in the +arrangements would be quite out of keeping and there's something about +being outdoors that takes away constraint. That's probably why outdoor +parties, because they are simple and natural, bring people together in +a spirit of good fellowship and are certain of success. + +Children especially love them and young people always find an evening +garden party entrancing. + +One of the jolliest kinds of outdoor parties is a bacon bat. It may be +a breakfast or a luncheon or a supper, but there is always bacon and +an open fire. + +Now that automobiles are so abundant, the possibilities for motor +picnics and progressive motor parties are many and various. + + + + +A BACON BAT + + +A girl who lived in the country and had some city friends visiting +her gave them the time of their lives at a bacon bat. She telephoned +around to some of the young people and invited them to appear about +five o'clock in picnic clothes. The hike wouldn't be long, she +announced. + +At the specified time a jolly bunch assembled to squabble +good-naturedly over the various packages and bundles assigned to them +to be carried. Under the hostess's direction they betook themselves +via footpath and trail to a stone-walled pasture spicy with sweet +fern. + +Long toasting switches were readily cut by the boys from the trees in +the vicinity and wood was collected for two fires. Over one the coffee +was set to boil, and over the other the young folks proceeded to toast +bacon. Rolls were provided in which to insert the crisp juicy morsels +after toasting, and each person ate his or her own bacon sandwiches +broiling hot without further ceremony. + +Cucumber pickles and mustard proved popular accompaniments and the +coffee was appreciated--drunk from tin cups. + +There followed some huckleberry turnovers and homemade cookies, but on +top of the bacon and rolls they were almost superfluous. + +Instead of bacon, chops, steak, or Frankfurters may be roasted, as +well as corn in season, but bacon is the least messy to eat. + +Following the supper came stories and songs around the bonfire till +late in the evening. The city guests enjoyed it all because to them it +was so great a novelty. For the hostess it was a much easier way to +introduce her guests to her friends than a more formal affair would +have been. + +A bacon bat is especially fun in spring or fall, but is also very +enjoyable on the beach in summer vacation time. + +A marshmallow roast in the evening is first cousin to a bacon bat. + + + + +A CHILDREN'S DAISY PARTY + + +Let the children make the invitations they send out for their own +daisy party. On heavy water color paper they may draw and cut out +simple outlines of daisies--about ten petals around a center which is +then colored yellow with crayons. Each petal may hold one or two +words of the invitation, thus: +Will--you--come--to--our--daisy--party--on--Saturday--at--three?--Betty +and John. + +Of course there should be some outdoor games, and a good one to play +is "Daisy in the Dell." For this the children form in a circle, +joining hands, and one is chosen to be daisy-picker. The daisy-picker +runs around the outside of the circle, chanting: + +"Daisy in the Dell, Daisy in the Dell, I don't pick you, I don't pick +you, I _do_ pick you." + +The child whom the daisy-picker touches upon reaching, the last word +must try to run entirely around the circle and back to his place +before the daisy-picker catches him. If he succeeds, he need not be +"it"; but if he is caught, he must be the daisy-picker. + +"Are You a Daisy?" is another jolly game. The players stand in a line +facing one child, who is chosen to be "it." This child asks each one +in turn the question, "Are you a daisy?" Each child answers by naming +the flower he chooses to be. Thus one may say, "I am a rose"; another, +"I am a pansy." If any child chooses to say, "I am a daisy," he is +immediately chased by the questioner, and if caught, he must take the +place of the questioner. The game then proceeds as before. One rule is +that a child must not repeat the name of a flower that another child +has given. + +A game that is based on the Mother Goose rhyme, "Rich Man, Poor Man, +Beggar Man, Thief," etc., is called "Rich Man, Poor Man." One child is +chosen to whisper to each of the players some word of the rhyme. The +named children then stand in a circle, and another child who is "it" +may call for any character in the rhyme that he wishes; the child +who has been given that name must respond by saying "Here," and then +running away. For instance, the one who is "it" may call for "lawyer," +and the child to whom that name has been whispered calls out "Here," +and is immediately chased by the leader. If he is caught within a +reasonable length of time, he is "it," and the former leader drops +out. This should be played until only two are left. + +The refreshments carry out the daisy idea, and should be served +outdoors, either on the piazza or on the lawn. The centerpiece at +the supper-table is a big bunch of daisies, and each child has a +place-card on which is painted or drawn a daisy face, the petals +forming a cap frill. The sandwiches are bread and butter, and some +"good-to-eat" daisies can be made from hard-boiled eggs, by cutting +the whites petal-shaped, and by mixing the yellow with salad +mayonnaise to form the centers. Marguerites and little cakes frosted +in yellow and white may be served with vanilla ice cream. + + + + +A HAWAIIAN PORCH LUNCHEON + + +One woman entertained her club at their last meeting of the year with +a little porch luncheon. Hawaii had been one of the subjects of study, +so the Hawaiian note was dominant throughout. + +Each guest was welcomed with a _lei_, the Hawaiian paper flower +garland which signifies friendship. Hung about the neck, these +decorations excited much fun. + +The Hawaiian features of the refreshments were Hawaiian pineapple +salad and little imitation volcanoes which were in reality cones of +vanilla ice-cream in the center of which holes had been scooped and +then filled with hot caramel sauce, which of course overflowed the +sides in true lava fashion. + +The favors were tiny dolls, each dressed in a short bright-fringed +paper skirt, orange, green, blue or pink, to match the color of the +_lei_ which each lady had already received as a souvenir. + +During the luncheon the hostess played several Hawaiian musical +selections on her phonograph. If any of her friends had owned or +played a ukelele, doubtless the plaintive music would have been a +feature. + + + + +A WATERMELON FROLIC + + +When watermelons were ripe and plentiful, big pink posters cut oval +with a painted border of green and black lettering on the pink +startled the village with the notice of a watermelon frolic. + +They read: + + _Do you like watermelon? + Anyway + Be sure to come to a watermelon party + on the local fairgrounds + next Tuesday evening + Admission 25 cents + This entitles you to see the minstrel show + Proceeds for the Epworth League + of ---- Church_ + +Long plank tables on wooden horses were improvised for serving the +watermelons which were contributed by the members of the society. Some +of the men acted as carvers of the melons, and the girls served the +portions, which were sold for ten cents each. + +The grounds were lighted with strings of electric lights in pink and +green paper lanterns. + +Besides the main attraction there were several booths and side shows, +arranged country fair fashion, which drew well. One was labeled THE +WATERMELON PATCH. For this, real watermelon vines had been obtained +from somebody's garden and placed naturally on the ground. To the +vines were tied any number of artificial melons made of green paper +stuffed with cotton wadding which concealed tiny favors. + +On payment of ten cents any person had the privilege of picking a +melon. The prize inside was supposed to be worth the fee. + +At another booth, "watermelon cake" was served at five cents a slice. +The secret of this was that in making a plain cake the batter had been +colored with pink sugar and sprinkled with raisins. The cake was then +baked in a round tin and when sliced resembled the pink of watermelon +filled with black seeds. + +As it was sweet corn season, and as corn is also typical of the South, +there was a hot corn vender, who sold steaming ears straight from +kettle to buyer. + +One feature of the evening was a watermelon contest among the boys. +Volunteers were called for and lined up at a table. They were then +supplied with large wedges of melon and at the sound of the referee's +whistle the race began. + +The prize was a whole watermelon. + +There was also a watermelon hurdle race. The course was laid out with +big watermelons and time was kept for each hurdler. + +The main attraction of the evening, however, was the minstrel show. On +a raised wooden platform sat the performers with blackened hands +and faces. They wore grotesque garb and each one fingered a guitar, +mandolin, or banjo. + +First they gave a number of well-known Southern melodies such as _Old +Black Joe, Swanee Riber, Dixie, Massa's in de Cold, Cold Ground_. Some +whistling numbers were much appreciated and _My Alabama Coon_, with +its humming and strumming, proved a great success. As a special item +of their musical program they sang a parody of _Apple Blossom Time_ +called _It's Watermelon Time in Dixie_. + +The watermelon frolic was a great success and is recommended to any +organization in town or country at watermelon time as a fun--and +funds--producing social. + + _Parody_ + + "When It's Watermelon Time in Dixie"[1] + + After + + "When It's Apple Blossom Time in + Normandie" + + (_Sing with appropriate motions_) + + _Repeat_: + + When it's watermelon time in Dixie Land[1] + Ah wants to be + Right dher[2] you see + In dat dear old melon patch + To eat a batch! + When it's watermelon time in Dixie Land + Dat's de time of all de year + When Ah grin[3] with cheer from ear to ear + Watermelon's jes' GRAND!!! + +[Footnote 1: Sway heads and bodies] + +[Footnote 2: Jerk thumbs backward over shoulder] + +[Footnote 3: Grin broadly--stretch hands from corners of mouth to +ears.] + + + + +A JAPANESE GARDEN PARTY + + +A girl who wished to entertain for a visiting school friend one +evening in midsummer sent out invitations to a Japanese Garden Party. +She wrote them on the pretty little hand-decorated place-cards which +are to be found in most shops now. The Japanese writing paper which +comes in rolls is another possibility for them. + +She had a wide porch and a big lawn which she decorated for the +occasion with strings of pink, yellow and green Japanese lanterns with +electric bulbs inside. Settees and wicker chairs were scattered in +cosy groups through the shrubbery, and there was a faint odor of +burning incense. + +For entertainment there was dancing on the porch to the tune of a +phonograph and a program of Japanese music, including some selections +from "Butterfly" and "The Mikado." + +A clever reader gave one of the Hashimura Togo stories, and also the +hostess had arranged some artistic tableaux in Japanese fashion. + +When it was refreshment time, cunning little girl friends of the +hostess appeared in Japanese kimonos, hair done high and stuck full +of tiny fans or flowers. They bore Japanese lacquer trays with tiny +sandwiches (filled with preserved ginger), cherry ice and rice wafers. +A wee Japanese flag was stuck in each portion of cherry ice. + +The favors were wee Japanese doilies which the guests were bidden to +hunt for under a certain group of trees. While doing so, a sudden +surprise shower of seeming cherry blossoms covered them with pink and +white petals. These were really confetti petals obligingly scattered +by the nimble little waitresses perched in the branches above. + + + + +A COMMENCEMENT PICNIC + + +Instead of giving the usual banquet and reception to the seniors, +the juniors in a small school might well plan an outdoor picnic and +supper. It has the possibility of being jollier than the regulation +affair, and is certainly less expensive. + +Individual invitations may be sent out to the senior class--quite +unusual and mysterious invitations--for each one may consist of a +colored feather quill with a message written on a slip of paper +wrapped about the end. This reads: + + _Greetings from the Tribe of Twenteequas + To the Tribe of Nyneteenwas: + Will the Tribe of Nyneteenwas + Smoke the pipe of friendship + Round the camp-fire of the Twenteequas + On the sixteenth day of the Moon of Roses + One hour before waysawi (sunset)? + One of the Twenteequas will act as your guide_. + +As soon as the two classes have gathered at the picnic ground, the +juniors, already decked in head bands of ribbon in their own class +colors, may present the seniors with similar ribbons. The boys may +have feathers stuck in theirs--if they don't object to head bands. + +The chief of the Twenteequas may announce the first stunt as a Hunt +for Game, and all must hunt in pairs, matching partners by means of +selecting, blindfolded, colored beads from a basket. Pasteboard bows +and arrows are supplied, and everyone is told to return at the summons +of a beaten tom-tom. + +The couples then scatter into the surrounding woods, and hunt for +animal crackers which have previously been hidden by a committee of +juniors. + +The prize for the couple getting the most game might be an animal toy. + +Next, volunteers to "Run the Gauntlet" may be called for. The others +form in two parallel lines facing each other, armed with pieces of +chalk. The victims must run down between the lines to a goal at the +end, while the cruel Indians on each side reach out to put a chalk +mark on them. The victim who gets the least chalk marks is permitted +to select five of his tormentors to perform a series of stunts, +previously planned by the junior entertainment committee. + +Appropriate ones are these: 1. Give an Indian war whoop. 2. Do an +Indian war dance. 3. Give Indian names to five people here. 4. Make a +speech in sign language. 5. Tell an Indian story. + +Supper should be eaten around a big camp-fire, and should consist of +coffee cooked over the fire, nut-bread sandwiches, cold chicken and +potato chips, and chocolate ice-cream under individual miniature +tepees of brown paper. + +Paint on each tepee in black some symbol apparently mysterious but in +reality characteristic of the owner. Thus, a girl with a beautiful +voice and a talent for singing may have a quaint bird on hers; an +athlete, a pair of Indian clubs; a domestic science girl, a bowl and +spoon or a kettle, and so on. + +Redskins and Palefaces complete the menu, Palefaces being cookies with +white icing and features marked in candies, and Redskins being apples. + +Toasting marshmallows over the fire and singing school ditties and old +favorites will end this unique party delightfully. + + + + +A PROGRESSIVE MOTOR PARTY + + +A group of girls who lived in the country gave a delightful farewell +party for one of their number who was to move out of town to another +part of the world. They called it a Progressive Rainbow. + +At four o'clock one Saturday afternoon they all met at one of the +homes. + +The porch was decorated in a red color scheme. A row of red Japanese +lanterns hung from the roof all around. Red cushions were scattered +about in the chairs and on the steps, and a jar of crimson rambler +roses adorned the table. + +Everybody sat about and gossiped for a little while, and then fruit +cocktails, to which strawberries gave the touch of red, were served. + +A tray of red ribbon streamers was passed, and each girl pinned one on +her blouse, as the beginning of her rainbow badge. + +The guest of honor found with her favor a package tied with red tulle, +which she was requested not to open till the end of the afternoon. + +After this, two automobiles, owned by members of the group or their +families, whisked the party along two miles of fresh country road to +the home of another girl in the group. + +Little tables had been set on the lawn with a bouquet of old-fashioned +marigolds in the center of each one, and a toy orange balloon tied +to the back of each chair by a long string. Here were served jellied +orange soup in cups, and saltines. + +The girls received orange-colored favor ribbons to pin next to their +red ones, and the guest of honor received another prize packet, this +time tied with orange tulle. + +From there they all jumped again into the waiting cars and were +transported to the home of a third girl for the third course. + +This time it was served in the dining-room, which was decorated with +yellow snapdragons. A basket of them filled the center of the table, +and at each place was a scalloped shell containing deviled crab meat +garnished with lemon quarters and accompanied by tartar sauce. Cubes +of hot yellow cornbread were delicious with the crab. + +Again the passing of the yellow ribbons to the girls and the +presenting of the yellow-tied package to the guest of honor were the +signals for leaving to go to the next house. + +The automobiles quickly took them there, where the main course of the +dinner was to be eaten. Maidenhair ferns were lovely in a green bowl +on the table, and tiny wood ferns were scattered over the white +tablecloth. + +The menu consisted of broiled chicken, fresh green peas, small boiled +potatoes with parsley, and rye rolls. + +By this time the girls were getting interested in their rainbow of +ribbons, to which the green was now added, and the guest of honor +received her fourth package, green-tied. + +Motoring to the salad course, the group found the dining-room lighted +by blue candles, though the guests were begged not to feel blue. +Ragged robins were arranged as a centerpiece, and fluttering blue +tissue butterflies marked the places. + +The salad was prunes stuffed with peanuts in hearts of lettuce, served +with French dressing and Dutch cheese balls. + +By the time the sixth stop was reached the sun had set and the moon +was coming up, so that the girls sat on the veranda in the moon-light +and sipped grape-juice ice to the music of romantic ditties. Lavender +streamers were added next to the blue ones, and their badges were +complete. + +As they finally drove up to the last house, they were greeted by a +rainbow of tulle which arched the entrance to the porch. + +With their fluttering rainbow ribbon badges and the armful of rainbow +packages belonging to the guest of honor, they felt very much at home +with the rainbow, and the guest of honor was not even surprised to be +asked to seek the pot of gold at the foot. + +In the yellow pottery jar which she discovered were as many +gold nuggets as there were girls, and each nugget was a little +gilt-paper-wrapped joke for the trip. + +The real, sure-enough farewell gifts to keep were in the packages +progressively received, and there was a jolly time opening them under +the rainbow. + + + + +BIRTHDAYS AND OTHER ANNIVERSARIES + + +Birthdays you particularly wish to celebrate happily and successfully. +There's your mother's birthday or your brother's or your little son's +or daughter's birthday or the birthday of the popular president of +your special club. + +Then there are the various wedding anniversaries that call for +suitable recognition, especially the five, ten, and twenty-five year +ones. + +Besides these there are countless other events that you want to +commemorate pleasantly in some way afterward. These various occasions +offer fascinating possibilities for the most delightful of social +affairs. + + + + +A BACHELOR SUPPER + + + "_When I was a bachelor I lived by myself + And all the bread and cheese I got, I put upon the shelf; + The rats and the mice, they made such a strife + I was forced to go to London to buy me a wife. + The streets were so broad and the lanes were so narrow + I was forced to bring my wife home in a wheelbarrow_." + +This old Mother Goose rhyme was the keynote of a bachelor supper +which one girl gave for her brother and a few of his friends on his +birthday. + +The centerpiece on the table was an arrangement of bachelors' buttons +and at every place was a tiny toy wheelbarrow filled with candies, a +wee dressed-up dolly dame perched atop of each load. + +The rhyme also furnished the reason for the first course, which was +most suitably bread and cheese, only the bread was in the form of +buttered rounds of toast and the cheese was a delicious Welsh rarebit, +accompanied by coffee or gingerale. + +Ice-cream in cantaloupes with a chocolate mouse nibbling at the +rind followed, to be eaten with those most delicious of all +cookies--home-made "hermits." + + + + +MOTHER'S BIRTHDAY TEA + + +A pleasant way for a daughter to entertain for her mother is to give a +little informal afternoon tea, asking the mother's friends and their +daughters and thus making it a kind of mother and daughter affair. + +Send out the invitations on your calling card, writing your mother's +name at the top. If your mother likes surprises, arrange the party to +be one if possible, but if she is like most mothers she will prefer to +know what's going on and so be prepared. + +The rooms should be decorated with flowers of the season. The country +girl will find it easy in spring, summer, or fall. + +During the afternoon a little program of previously arranged "mother" +songs, lullabies and readings by some of the guests may agreeably +interrupt the chat. + +Tea, sandwiches and little cakes may be served in the dining-room +from a festive birthday table. The centerpiece may be a bowl of pink +roses--to match in number the years of the guest of honor. Candles +from under rose-colored paper or silk shades may light the room, and +if desired each guest may be presented with a miniature band-box +covered with rose-sprigged paper or chintz--filled with wee pink and +white candies. + + + + +A PUSSY CAT PARTY + + +When Billy's mother decided to give him a birthday party, she pounced +upon the pussy cat plan, partly because pussy-willows are still +flourishing in April, but mostly because she knew that kittens and +cats are favorites with nine and ten year olds. + +The invitations were folded kitty-cornered and inside of each appeared +a fat fuzzy little gray puss taken from a real pussy-willow branch. +"Puss" had pen and ink ears, whiskers and tail, and likewise a tiny +red-painted fence post upon which to sit. + +The first game was a good romp at "Puss-in-the-Corner." That was +followed by the foolish but funny "Poor Pussy." + +While the children were still in a circle for that, Billy's mother +explained a new game. It was called "Kitty Kitty" and was carried +out on the lines of "Spin the Platter." In every child's ear Billy +whispered the name of some sort of cat, as for instance, tiger, +"yaller," green-eyes, double-toes, maltese, Angora, black and white, +gray. + +He then occupied the center of the circle and spun a tin pieplate. As +he did so he called out one of the names he had assigned and counted +rapidly out loud up to ten. Thus, "Green-eyes, one, two, three, four, +five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten." + +The child who had been given the name "green-eyes" was supposed to +jump up and snatch the pie tin before Billy had finished counting to +ten. If "green-eyes" failed, then he had to take Billy's place. Billy, +too, of course, had a pussy cat label. + +Another circle game that was fun was called "Pussy's Prowlings." It +was on the order of stage-coach. Billy's mother told the story of a +kitty's wanderings and before she started to tell it, she whispered to +each child the name of something which was to appear in the story. For +instance, she gave out "haymow," "milk dish," "mouse hole," "catnip." + +Every time she mentioned any such name in the process of telling the +story, the child who had it was expected to rise from his chair, +turn around three times and sit down again. When the words "pussy's +prowlings" were mentioned, all the players jumped up and exchanged +seats. The story teller also tried to get a seat, and if she succeeded +the child who was finally left without one had to continue the story. + + +PUSSY'S PROWLINGS + +Once there was a PUSSYCAT named BLINKY who said to herself one day, +"I'm tired of MILK to drink and I'm oh, so hungry for MOUSE. I must go +on a MOUSE hunt." + +So BLINKY stole out of the red BRICK HOUSE where she lived very +happily with the JONES FAMILY. She pattered down the back DOORSTEPS +where her MILK SAUCER was set and she scampered along the winding PATH +to the BARN. + +(That's the way PUSSY'S PROWLINGS began.) + +Up the LADDER to the HAYMOW she crept and through the heaps of sweet +clover HAY to a HOLE IN THE WALL. There BLINKY knew lived a MOUSE. So +she crouched close to the MOUSE HOLE, as still as still could be and +watched, and she watched and she watched and she watched. + +But that MOUSE must have been away from home or else very busy down in +its HOLE, for it never once stuck its little NOSE out. And when BLINKY +had watched there in the HAYMOW for three long, long hours, she was so +hungry that she couldn't watch for that MOUSE a single minute more. + +She thought of the MILK SAUCER by the back DOORSTEPS and she said to +herself, "If I can't have MOUSE, MILK won't taste so bad after all." + +So BLINKY made her way back through the heaps of HAY and scrambled +down the LADDER to the HAYMOW and ran along the winding PATH to the +back DOORSTEPS. And there, sure enough, was a SAUCER full of MILK all +ready for her to drink. So BLINKY lapped it up very hungrily and was +perfectly happy! + +(And that's the way PUSSY'S PROWLINGS ended.) + + +The next game was called "Hunt the Mouse." Billy had hidden a +chocolate mouse somewhere in the room and the children were asked to +be kitties and try to find it. Whenever anyone came very near the +hiding place, Billy miaowed loudly, or if everyone was very far from +it, Billy would mew only faintly. The "kitty" who found the mouse kept +it for a reward. + +In another room the children had a chance to hunt for those mittens +which the "naughty kittens" once lost. Many tiny red paper mittens +were scattered throughout the room and were much more easily found +than the mouse. + +The supper table delighted the children. In the center of it sat a +big stuffed toy cat surrounded by chocolate mice, and at each child's +place a tiny white plush cat with the child's name on a paper tied to +the neck had been placed. Such toys can usually be bought in five and +ten cent stores. + +Pussy-willow sprays laid flat on the tablecloth decorated the table +gracefully. The napkins were the paper ones which feature black cats +at Hallowe'en. + +Little ramekins of creamed chicken pleased the children. With the +chicken, Billy's mother served "kitty-cornered" sandwiches of brown +bread filled with cream cheese and chopped nuts. There was hot cocoa +too, and for the last course individual molds of chocolate blanc mange +with whipped cream and a candied cherry on top. Needless to say there +was a birthday cake which was brought in ablaze with candles and set +before Billy to cut. + +Each guest received a souvenir chocolate mouse and was ready to +declare upon departure at six that the pussy cat party had been, oh, +so jolly! + + + + +A GIRL'S BIRTHDAY LUNCHEON + + +Once a mother gave a little birthday luncheon for her daughter who was +a freshman in high school. It pleased the fourteen-year-old and her +friends because of the novelty in decorations and menu. + +The class colors were green and white, so that scheme was used +throughout. In the center of the table was a green bowl with a few +paper narcissi arranged in a flower holder, Japanese fashion. + +Around each plate was a wreath of smilax--any small green vine would +do perfectly well--and above each plate a tiny green candle burning in +a wee holder. The place-cards were tied to the handles of the holders. + +Glass dishes of lime drops and wintergreen candies added to the +general green and white effect. + +The menu consisted of fruit cocktail with a sprig of mint atop of each +portion, followed by a second course of chicken � la King generously +sprinkled with capers, and accompanied by hot rolls and olives. +Then came hot chocolate with a marshmallow floating in each cup and +milestone salad, which consisted of oblongs of cream cheese into which +numerals cut out of green peppers were pressed. The milestones stood +erect on fresh lettuce leaves and were served with French dressing. + +After that a birthday cake was borne in ablaze with fourteen green +tapers and set before the little hostess to cut. Great was the fun +when the fortune favors, baked in the cake, were found by the guests. + +Pistachio ice-cream accompanied the cake, but vanilla ice-cream or a +green gelatine dessert would be equally fitting. + +The favors were little green vanity bags made from ribbon by the +fourteen-year-old's mother. + + + + +THE WOODEN WEDDING + + +An informal evening party is perhaps the jolliest way to celebrate the +fifth wedding anniversary. + +After everybody has arrived, try a wooden smile contest. There will +be any number of humorous attempts, but few will be wooden. The +contestant who smiles most woodenly may receive as a prize a gaily +painted wooden jumping jack or any other wooden toy. + +The next amusement can be a progressive one, consisting of putting +together at tables wooden puzzles of all sorts, including jig-saw +puzzles. + +Puzzles make good prizes for this contest. One of the carefully packed +wooden boxes of candy is another possibility. + +Another occupation that is appropriate and fun-making is a pea and +tooth-pick contest. Wooden tooth-picks and dried peas soaked up are +provided. Each person is then assigned to construct one member of +a tooth-pick wedding party properly. The tooth-pick persons when +finished should form in a parade down the center of the library table. + +A light buffet supper or simply ice-cream and coffee may be served +in the dining-room. Decorate the table with a central wooden bowl +containing some simple flowers such as daisies, honeysuckles, +snapdragons, nasturtiums, or whatever flowers are in season. + +There may be wooden candlesticks with candles to match the color +scheme and small wooden plates and bowls for candies and nuts. + +Serve the ice-cream on wooden plates covered with lace paper doilies, +and give as favors tiny wooden household articles such as dolls' +rolling-pins, clothespins, barrels, washtubs, spinning wheels, and the +like. + + + + +THE TIN WEDDING + + +The tenth wedding anniversary has many possibilities for fun. An +informal social evening or a dinner followed by some jolly stunts are +in order. + +In any case, arrange for the dining table a centerpiece of a shiny tin +funnel filled with bright garden or wild flowers surrounded by a frill +of lace paper to represent an old-fashioned, formal bouquet. Use tin +candlesticks with bayberry candles for illumination and scatter tiny +new patty pans with crinkly edges over the table to hold candies and +nuts. + +The salad may be served on shiny tin plates covered with lace paper +doilies, the ice-cream in individual patty pans, and the coffee or +punch in tin cups. + +At each place put a tiny funnel bouquet, a miniature of the central +one or else some tiny tin toy. + +Tin whistles for everybody would promote the hilarity. + +The old-fashioned game of "Spin the Platter" would be good to start +the entertainment of the evening. Then may come a "tin" minute paper +and pencil contest to see who can write the most words beginning or +ending with TIN in the allotted ten minutes. + +Ten "reel" years of married life may next be shown. This feature is +simply a series of movie-like pantomimes showing humorous events, real +or imaginary, in the life of the host and hostess--given, of course, +by their friends. + +A tin band concert will also provide a good time. Those who are in the +band perform on instruments contrived from kitchen utensils or the tin +noise-making novelties which can be obtained in the shops. + + + + +A MOCK WEDDING + + +A mock wedding is a funny way to celebrate one of the numerous early +wedding anniversaries, especially if a group of young married women +friends want to join in a surprise. + +The bride may be invited to a chum's house and presently the +procession may appear before her. + +The bride should have a cheesecloth or mosquito netting veil with +dried orange peel to hold the folds in place, and she should carry a +bouquet of white chicken feathers tied with white tape--the shower +part can be little bows of rags. + +The bridesmaids might all wear the cheapest of farmers' hats, with +huge bunches of goldenrod or asters on them or else such things as +little kitchen utensils sewed on the front in place of flowers. +Bouquets of burdock tied with colored cretonne would be attractive +for them, or possibly as a substitute for the conventional shepherds' +crooks they could carry umbrellas with big bows on the handles. A +third suggestion for the bridesmaids is that they carry grape baskets +filled with none too choice outdoor flowers and weeds. + +There should be a flower girl, of course, who can wear an abbreviated +costume. Her hair should be in ringlets with a big ribbon tied around +her head, and she may carry a market basket filled with scraps of +paper, or flowers if you prefer, to scatter in front of the bride. + +The ring bearer may carry a curtain ring on a sofa cushion. + +At the ceremony, of course, you must omit all the really solemn parts, +but you may let someone make up some questions for the minister to +use. For instance, he may say to the mock bridegroom, "Do you promise +to obey this woman?" Instead of saying, "I will" and "I do," they may +say, "I wilt" and "I doth." + +For a wedding breakfast, you might serve creamed codfish in heavy +crockery, and follow it with helpings of cream of wheat either cold or +hot, which can be served to resemble ice cream in little paper cases. +There should be a wedding cake which may be only ginger-bread, and +some kind of grotesque motto may be inscribed in the frosting. + + + + +A SILVER WEDDING SHOWER + + +A little group, girlhood friends of more than twenty-five years +standing, recently planned a pleasant shower for a popular friend, the +president, as it happened, of their fortnightly sewing club, on her +silver wedding anniversary. + +None of the ladies was rich and the gifts were planned to cost not +over fifty cents each. Many of them were less than that. + +Silver fittings for a work basket were chosen and included a silver +needle case, a silver thimble case, a silver hem gauge, a unique +tatting shuttle, a little silver ripping knife, a cunning strawberry +emery with a silver hull and a wee wax cherry with a silver stem. + +The gifts were wrapped in white tissue paper, tied with silver cord +with a tiny shining bell inserted in the center of each knot. They +were presented in a lovely sweet grass sewing basket, which in turn +was wrapped and tied with silver ribbon. + +This was not given, however, till the close of the afternoon's +sewing, which had gone on as usual, though there was an atmosphere of +ill-concealed expectation. + +Simple refreshments were brought in and served in buffet style. +Home-made ice-cream was passed in little ice cups which had as +decorations around the rim a circlet of glittering silvery tinsel. +"Silver Cake" and bonbons in silver wrappings accompanied the ice +cream. + +Last of all, the "shower" was borne in on a silver tray and set before +the surprised guest of honor. A little rhyme explained this turn of +events to the delightfully mystified recipient: + + _Because of many a happy hour + With you, well spent, we give this shower, + Just to remember in a way + With love, your silver wedding day_. + +As an amusing little contest each lady was asked to write down ten +things she had learned in the last twenty-five years. The replies made +good reading and furnished plenty of conversation till home-going +time. + + + + +A CAPE COD LUNCHEON + + +In remembrance of a happy two weeks spent in a little bungalow on Cape +Cod, one of the girls of the "bunch" gave a quaint luncheon for the +others during the year following. + +The invitations bore a tiny spray of bayberry sketched in one corner +and read like this: + + _May the bayberry dip and the odor of pine + At this little reunion luncheon of mine, + Bring back all our fun in the house by the sea, + Where we were as jolly as jolly could be_. + +On the luncheon table homespun runners were used, crossed in the +center where a brown wicker basket filled with the gray green of +bayberry branches, brightened by the orange of bittersweet, stood on a +mat of fragrant pine. + +Green bayberry dips in the simplest of low tin candlesticks lighted +the table and at each cover the place-card was a little outline map of +Cape Cod with the situation of the summer camp conspicuously marked. + +The menu consisted of clam cocktails, codfish cakes and tiny pots +of baked beans, hot steamed brown bread cut in small round slices, +blueberry tarts, and coffee. + +The favors were wee bayberry "waxes" for the sewing basket, each with +a bit of a bayberry twig peeping from its top. + + + + +ANNOUNCEMENTS AND SHOWERS + + +"How shall I announce my engagement?" The engaged girl we have always +with us, and the next step after the engagement is the announcement +of it. Most girls like to have some kind of little social function to +break the news to their special circle of friends. Usually a mother or +a sister or a chum does the entertaining, though a girl herself may +perfectly well plan and carry out such a party. + +There are several sorts of affairs which may serve as a setting for +an announcement. A favorite kind is a luncheon for a group of girl +friends. Even less work is an afternoon tea and to that a girl's men +friends may be asked also, though it's really easier to have girls +only. Another kind of announcement party is the evening affair +to which both men and girl friends are invited and at which the +announcement should be "sprung" as a total surprise as in all other +announcement affairs. + +After the engagement is known, immediately the friends of the +bride-to-be begin to think of showers for her. One friend or a group +of friends or her club may be hostesses and give such an affair. + +There are different ways of planning them. For instance, they may be +appropriate to the month, like a Christmas Tree Shower in December or +an Indian Summer Shower in November or a Rainy Day Shower in April. Or +they may take as keynotes the engaged girl's special likes, as in the +case of an apple shower, a kitty shower or an old rose shower. And +then again, they may be just plain, ordinary, handkerchief showers, or +linen showers, or kitchen showers, with an original touch somewhere. + + + + +"A LITTLE BIRD TOLD ME" LUNCHEON + + +At a recent engagement luncheon the announcement was made in a unique +way. + +A large wooden embroidery hoop was hung from the ceiling over the +table and in the ring perched a gaily painted wooden parrot, the kind +that rocks back and forth when touched. + +From the parrot streamers of colored baby ribbon led to the different +places, and tied to the ends of the ribbons were tiny notes in +envelopes. These on being opened showed the names of the engaged +couple and a short rhyme reading thus: + + _A little bird told me + A very nice thing, + That Randolph gave Sally + A diamond ring_. + +The refreshments followed somewhat the parrot color scheme, with +halves of grapefruit garnished with cherries, chicken � la King, +pimento, walnut and cream cheese salad, orange ice, and little cakes +with colored frosting. + +Small celluloid parrots perched on the rims of the glasses were +appropriate souvenirs. + + + + +A HAPPINESS TEA + + + _Sing a song of sixpence, + A pocket full o' rye, + Four and twenty bluebirds + Baked in a pie; + + When the pie was opened + The birds began to sing, + About a certain couple here + Who have some news to spring_. + +Thus did one girl announce her engagement in the month of May. She had +asked twenty-four of her best friends to come to a bluebird tea one +Saturday afternoon, and nobody suspected her secret, although they did +remember that the bluebird stands for happiness. + +The party was held out on the hostess's big porch, which was decorated +with jars of pink and white apple blossoms. Everybody had a very good +time dancing to the music of the phonograph until it was time for the +tea to be served. The waitresses were Betty's two little sisters, who +wore as insignia big blue bows on their hair and cunning little aprons +made of bluebird cretonne. + +The tea was iced and served with lemon and mint in tall glasses. The +sandwiches were tiny and round and filled with pink strawberry jam +which made them seem like delectable apple-blossom petals. Betty +happened to have bluebird plates and she used paper napkins with a +bluebird motif. + +After the sandwiches came little pink and green and white frosted +cakes and last of all the surprise. It appeared to be a great pie with +bluebird heads peeking through the crust. In reality the crust was +just brown paper touched up with a bit of water color paint and pasted +across the top of a big open pan. The bluebirds soon showed what they +were when the guests in turn pulled them out of the pie by means of +the narrow white ribbon attached to each one. They were really flat +pasteboard bluebirds and served as the excuse for the rhyme announcing +Betty's engagement. + +As a souvenir each guest had a tiny bluebird May basket filled +with pink and white Jordan almonds. Small square boxes formed the +foundations of the May baskets, the sides were then covered with +bluebird crepe paper and the corners tied with wee blue bows. Little +cut-out bluebirds hung from the slender handles and bore the names of +the individual guests. + +When they said good-by, the guests all declared that they had had a +bluebirdy time, which in other words meant that Betty had planned very +happily. + + + + +A HELLO PARTY + + +The invitations to this party read as follows: + + _Hello! hello! hello! + A party's on the wire; + And you must surely go + Or else arouse my ire! + Friday evening + Eight o'clock_ + +The affair was planned by one girl to announce the engagement of a +chum, and of course the object of the party was not revealed in the +invitations. + +All kinds of jolly games were played to pass the evening, and one +pleasant feature was "A Telephonic Conversation" by Mark Twain +rendered by a good reader. + +The telephone was the keynote of the evening and played a prominent +part in the table decorations. A big blue paper bell such as one +sees in front of telephone booths hung over the center of the table. +Beneath it was a low bowl of forget-me-nots of which the guests did +not see the significance till later. + +The candles were white with blue bell-shaped shades, and at each +person's plate as a favor stood one of the tiny glass telephones seen +in candy stores, full of candies. + +The place-cards each bore a mock telephone number, such as Sing 1236, +Circle 6320, Joke 5156, Shiver 9315, Groan 231. + +The menu was mostly white and served on blue dishes. It consisted of +chicken patties, hot rolls, cream cheese and white grape salad, and +vanilla ice-cream in blue frilled paper cases. + +Toward the end of the ice-cream course the hostess asked the guests to +announce their telephone numbers, in turn. Whereupon, each person was +requested to rise from the table and act out his number. This was +comparatively simple and made everyone quite hilarious. + +When it came the turn of the hostess, she said that her number was +Springit 42. The two (2), she said, were Elizabeth and John, and +this was the time she had chosen to spring the announcement of their +engagement. + +Another way in which the announcement could be made is to prepare +telephone messages of the news and tie them to the ends of blue +ribbons hanging from the tongue of the bell. The hostess may announce +that the "bell tolled" when the guests are allowed to open and read +their messages. + + + + +AN APPLE SHOWER + + +A girl who was very fond of apples in every form, so much so that all +her friends knew about it, was given a clever shower after she became +engaged. + +The invitations were cut in apple shape and tinted a little with red +and green water colors. The following verses voiced the plan of the +party and notified the guests: + + _Invitation to a Shower_ + + _Apples, apples everywhere + Will doubtless make up half the fare + On Elsie's future menu pad, + As they are Elsie's greatest fad. + So if you'd keep that fact in mind + In shower presents--'twould be kind; + Send it to me the day before + And come on Saturday at four_. + + _January the twentieth + At Mary's house_. + +The first amusement of the afternoon was an apple-guessing contest, +the names of different varieties of apples to be guessed from literal +definitions, thus: The Royal Apple--. King. After that there was an +apple-peeling contest in Hallowe'en fashion and each girl threw the +peeling over her left shoulder to discover the initial of her future +husband. + +Immediately following this, the hostess, with the help of one of the +other girls, brought in a big bushel basket apparently filled with +huge rosy apples, and set it down before the guest of honor. + +When the green ribbon around the stem of each make-believe apple was +untied, the red crepe paper opened out, disclosing, in wrappings of +soft cotton, a variety of gifts for the apple-loving girl. + +There was an up-to-date corer and a plate for baking apples, a fat +plush apple pincushion for the kitchen, a red apple "bank" with a slit +for savings, one of the beautiful Wallace Nutting photographs of a New +England apple tree in full pink and white bloom, an artistic brown +basket for apples to be kept on the buffet or used for the breakfast +table, and a delightful fruit bowl with an apple border. + +One girl had contributed a little booklet of choice apple recipes, a +jar of apple butter and another of home-made apple sauce. One artistic +member of the group had stenciled a crash table runner for the porch +table with a conventional apple design in yellow and orange and green, +and another girl put the same design very decoratively on a round box +of painted tin. + +Two of the prettiest gifts were a cunning sports handkerchief with a +cluster of apples stamped in one corner, and a smart flat silk hat +ornament in the shape of three apples. + +Before the happy bride-to-be had finished exclaiming over her gifts, +the hostess served buffet refreshments that were as pretty as they +were delicious. There were little individual molds of pink apple +tapioca, topped with whipped cream and accompanied by small home-made +cakes, frosted uniquely. Each one had in the center of its white icing +a miniature apple bough as a decoration, made from two red maraschino +cherries, two leaf-shaped pieces of green angelica and a bit of +citron. + +As a surprise for each girl, the hostess had provided a tiny bunch of +apple sachets, easily made from scraps of apple-colored silks. + +"I like apples more than ever now that I've begun to see their +possibilities," the guest of honor declared. + + + + +AN OLD ROSE SHOWER + + +For a girl who was very fond of everything rose-colored, her friends +planned an "old-rose" shower on Valentine's Day. + +As a result, among the gifts were rose-colored silk stockings, a +rose-flowered silk party bag, an old-rose boudoir cap, slippers to +match, and towels with old-rose initials. Each gift was wrapped in +white tissue paper and tied with old-rose ribbon, and they were +all presented on a big tray, the bottom of which was rose-flowered +cretonne under glass. + +The refreshments were raspberry ice and tiny cakes frosted in rose and +white, and each guest carried away as a favor a wee glove handkerchief +with an old-rose border. + + + + +A KITTY SHOWER + + +It sounds odd, but the engaged girl for whom it was given was so very +fond of pussy cats that her chum knew that a kitty shower would just +exactly suit her. + +The invitations, written on cats cut from heavy paper, read this way: + + _Since Elizabeth Ann is so fond of the kitty + Don't you agree that 'twould be a great pity + If we missed a good chance now for making a hit + By each bringing her some kind of a kit_? + +The bride-to-be suspected nothing when she was asked to a kitty +luncheon at her chum's house. + +The table had as decorations a centerpiece of pussy willows and yellow +tulips, and the candle shades were made of yellow parchment paper with +black silhouettes of cats running around them. + +At each girl's place was a tiny china cat with a yellow ribbon bow on +its neck to which was tied the place-card. + +There was no attempt to carry out the kitty idea in the menu, but it +was yellow throughout. The first course was grapefruit, then followed +scalloped oysters garnished with lemon slices, chicken and mayonnaise +salad, individual baked custards, and sunshine cake. + +Upon withdrawing from the table, it was announced that "Pussy was in +the well," and forthwith a deep cylindrical waste-basket trimmed with +pussy willows was brought in and set before the guest of honor, who +was requested to be the one to "pull pussy out." + +With a dawning understanding of the meaning of this, the bride-to-be +reached in and drew one by one from the waste-basket the "kits" which +had been placed there for her. Each one was tied with yellow ribbon +and had a black cat pasted on it. + +The gifts were all very clever. There was a traveler's sewing kit, +a small blacking kit, a wee laundry kit for motoring, a handy kit +containing baggage tags, rubber bands, and the like, an emergency kit +with safety pins and threaded needle for her handbag, a guest towel +with a cross-stitch kitty on one end, a cream pitcher and sugar bowl +with a kitten border, a quaint kitten door stop, a painted wooden +kitten twine holder, a pair of Angora skating gloves, an odd little +sewing apron with linen cats appliqued on the corners, and a knitting +bag of cretonne which pictured Puss-in-Boots prominently among other +Mother Goose People. + +When the excitement of the shower was over, a guessing contest was +played, each answer being a word in which the syllable "cat" figured. +This very jolly afternoon ended with a really hilarious game of +Puss-in-the-corner. + + + + +A CAMP FIRE SHOWER + + +A jolly crowd of young people who had been camping together a great +deal gave a lively shower to two of their number who were announcing +their engagement. + +The affair took place in the city in the winter time and was very +informal. + +After the "bunch" had gathered, someone suggested that they play +charades, one of their favorite diversions. + +The engaged persons were chosen to sit with the hostess before the +open fire and pretend they were in camp. The word selected was not +made known to them, however. + +The others all retired into the next room and came back shortly, +wrapped in raincoats and sou'westers, each one carrying a knobby +package. + +"Shower!" they shouted in chorus, throwing their bundles at the group +by the fire. The parcels contained all kinds of camp conveniences. +There was a camp kit containing knives and forks and spoons, a +collapsible drinking cup, a thermos bottle, a pocket compass, an +electric flashlight, a folding mirror, a pocket corkscrew, a folding +camp grate, a folding camp stool, a folding alcohol stove with a pot, +and a pocket camera. + +The engaged couple were taken entirely by surprise, for they had +supposed the party to be only one of many sociable evenings which the +crowd were in the habit of having. + +The refreshments were reminiscent of camp and were served on wooden +plates around the fire in picnic fashion. The menu consisted of hot +bacon and roll sandwiches, dill pickles, coffee, and marshmallows +toasted over the flames. + + + + +A "ONE I LOVE" SHOWER + + +The invitations were made of white water color paper cut in the shape +of daisies, with centers tinted yellow. Scattered over the petals were +the following lines: + + "_One I love, two I love, + Three I love I say, + Come and see if this is true + On St. Valentine's Day." + (or "Friday next, I pray_") + +On all the invitations but the guest of honor's was added: "In honor +of Marion's engagement. Please send your remembrance to me the day +before." + +This direction was put on so that the gifts could all be wrapped in +advance by the hostess in white tissue paper, tied with yellow baby +ribbon and a big artificial daisy tucked into the knot. Piled on a +tray they were brought to the surprised little bride-to-be on the +afternoon of the party. The entertainment fulfilled the promise of the +invitation in this way: A large paper daisy with many petals was hung +against the wall and each guest was given a pointer and asked to +select a petal at random. On the back of each petal was written a +little fortune rhyme somewhat on the order of this one: + + "_Five! he loves--good pumpkin pie, + So learn to cook it--thus say I_." + +The refreshments were served in buffet style in the dining room. In +the center of the table was a blossoming pot of marguerites. There +were individual daisy salads, formed by little mounds of chicken salad +covered with yellow mayonnaise and surrounded by a fringe of petals +cut from the whites of hard-boiled eggs. With the salad simple bread +and butter sandwiches were eaten. + +As a second course, frozen custard in paper cups with borders of white +paper petals was served with squares of angel cake, frosted in yellow, +and squares of sunshine cake, frosted in white. + +The principal feature, however, and the final one, was the favor pie. +A big imitation daisy was made from a round basket, by covering the +top with yellow paper and surrounding the edge with as many petals +as there were guests. Each guest was asked to pull a petal from the +daisy, and in so doing drew from the basket a tiny doll dressed like +a "rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief, doctor, lawyer, merchant or +chief." The girl whose fate was already assured had been guided to +choose a particular petal and her favor doll proved to be dressed in +the garb of her fianc�'s profession. + + +FORTUNE RHYMES FOR A "ONE I LOVE" SHOWER + + 1. If you'll only wait a while + Some one nice will make you smile. + + 2. You will have to choose between + Walking or a limousine. + + 3. If you only ONLY knew + Who was thinking much of you. + + 4. At a motion picture show + From the screen your fate you'll know. + + 5. Something nice you'll sure know + In about a week or so. + + 6. Don't despise + Hazel eyes. + + 7. Far across the briny sea + Comes thy lover now to thee. + + 8. Your career you'll surely ship + And substitute a wedding trip. + + 9. A dance, a ride, a moonlit lawn, + Your heart will be completely gone. + + 10. One--two--three-- + The third it will be. + + 11. Beware, beware the eyes of blue + Or they'll surely capture you. + + 12. Your intellect will meet its equal, + Happy though will be the sequel. + + 13. A word, a smile, a bow, + Married in a year from now. + + 14. Try a smile + For a while + To beguile. + + 15. You will travel far away + Sixteen years from yesterday. + + + + +AN INDIAN SUMMER SHOWER + + +For the girl who is to be married in the winter, an Indian Summer +Shower might be given some November evening. The cards of invitation +can have a little brown Indian wigwam painted in one corner, or cut +out of brown paper and pasted on; or the invitations can be written on +pieces of white birch bark, if you happened to have gathered and saved +any from the summer vacation. Paper imitation of birch bark might also +be used. + +Put all the gifts, wrapped in brown tissue paper and tied with gay +ribbons, in a toy wigwam which you can make with three sticks and a +piece of brown burlap. When the right time comes, the engaged girl is +led up to the wigwam and asked to receive the gifts. If there is a +small brother or cousin who can be dressed up in an Indian suit to +hand out the presents, so much the better. + +The hostess may make this any kind of shower she wishes. + +After the wigwam has been sacked, it would be fun if you could sit +around the open fire to pop corn or toast marshmallows and play the +Indian Summer game of "Pipe Dreams." Each girl writes out an imaginary +dream of the bride's future. The dreams are read by the hostess, and +then each dream paper is consigned to the fire. + +The refreshments ought to be very simple, and may consist of hot +chocolate and little chocolate cakes, cone-shaped to simulate wigwams, +or they may be merely apples, nuts, popcorn, and sweet cider. Serve +the nuts and apples in Indian baskets. + + + + +A CHRISTMAS TREE SHOWER + + +For the bride who announces her engagement in December, a Christmas +tree shower might be given Christmas week. Send out cards of +invitation in the shape of small Christmas trees, or else paste or +paint little evergreen trees on white cards. Ask the guests to bring +something small enough to be hung on a little Christmas tree. The +bride should be asked to come a little later than the others, so that +they may have time to hang their gifts on the tree. + +The tree may be as elaborate as you wish to make it. Where trees +are hard to procure, a cunning little one on a table is quite large +enough. It can be decked with gold and silver hearts and candy kisses, +and on its branches should hang the shower gifts, prettily wrapped and +tied. + +When the bride arrives, she must strip the tree. Among its treasures +may be English walnut shells, gilded and tied together, with fortune +verses inside.--The hostess provides one of these for each guest. + +The refreshments may consist of sandwiches cut in the shape of +Christmas trees and filled with green pepper and cream cheese; caraway +cookies cut in the shape of Christmas trees; and hot chocolate, with a +sprig of evergreen tied by a tiny bow of red to each cup-handle. + +This affair could be planned specifically as a handkerchief, hosiery +or kitchen shower. + + + + +WEDDINGS + + +Following naturally on the engagement announcement and bridal showers +come the wedding plans. + +If the bride's house is small, a church wedding may be the solution +for her, or else she may plan a house wedding with just a few chosen +friends and relatives present. + +Very often, if a church wedding is planned, there is a reception +afterward at the bride's home. If only a few guests are invited to it, +a wedding breakfast or dinner may be served, but if a large number of +people are asked, buffet refreshments are sufficient. + +According to the different seasons of the year, the weddings may take +on varying characters. Spring, summer, fall and winter weddings, +indoor and outdoor weddings, all have their own special charms. + + + + +SUMMER WEDDING DECORATIONS + + +Every girl can have a pretty wedding--especially if she lives within +reach of the free woods and fields or in a place of gardens and +shrubbery. + +Wild roses and wild clematis vines with ferns from the woods are +lovely in a country church where festoons and garlands are often +needed to adorn the bare walls. + +Banks of black-eyed Susans with outdoor ferns, bowers of snowy dogwood +in season and the fluffy wild pink azalea are very decorative, and so +are the spring and early summer shrubs: syringa, deutzia, flowering +almond and Japanese snowball. + +Mountain laurel, with its exquisite pink flowers and glossy green +leaves, lends itself particularly to church decoration. Ropes of the +leaves may be looped from the roof to the side walls; and the blossoms +massed in the front of the church make a fitting background for a +bride and her pink-clad attendants. + +In the South, Cape jasmine, in the Far West, the golden California +poppies and carnations, are beautiful to use. Of course, nothing is +lovelier than roses--pink and white--and should they prove scarce +they can be successfully supplemented with pink and white peonies, +especially for church decoration purposes. + +Meadow rue in great misty clumps as it grows, arranged with tawny +field lilies and dark green wood ferns, is remarkably striking in a +church. + +At one home wedding, big loose bunches of feathery grass, buttercups, +daisies, and clover in brown earthern jars filled the corners of the +living-room, and in the bay window, where the ceremony took place, +tall graceful sprays of Queen Anne's lace arranged with plenty of +green, made an artistic background. Glass vases filled with it stood +on the window sills and on the floor, the tops of the floor bouquets +hiding the window receptacles. + +In the dining-room a bowl of pink and white clover occupied the center +of the table and there were window boxes of the same sweet flower. + + + + +THE TABLE DECORATIONS + + +Whatever color scheme is used in the other parts of the house, an +entirely different one may be carried out in the dining-room. Some +suggestions for simple table decorations in various colors follow: + +1. Large low bowl of blue and pink forget-me-nots in the center of the +table, with candle shades of white, painted with forget-me-not sprays. + +2. Garden basket or glass basket of yellow roses and honeysuckle with +graceful sprays of honeysuckle vines trailing to the corners of the +table, yellow candle shades. + +3. Old-fashioned bouquet of garden flowers in old-fashioned +vase--snapdragons, lark-spur, coreopsis, babies' breath, +mignonette--old-fashioned stiff little artificial bouquets in white +lace paper for favors. + +4. Hanging basket of pink and lavender sweet peas and smilax over the +table, with smilax reaching to the corners of the table and caught +with pink and lavender tulle bows. + +5. Wood maidenhair ferns and pink garden roses, tiny ferns scattered +over the tablecloth, and rose-colored candle shades. + +6. Wild clematis vines from ceiling over table to four corners, and +low bowl of wild roses in center beneath sprays. + +7. Bachelors' buttons and mignonette in the center of the table +connected with small baskets of mignonette at the corners of the table +by ribbon matching the blue bachelors' buttons, tied on the handle of +each basket. + +8. Scarlet poppies in silver vase, silver candlesticks and shades. + +9. Large bowl of "Jack" roses in the center on a table mirror, with a +single large Jack rose in a slim flower holder at each corner of the +table. + +10. Wicker basket of June garden pinks (white and pink) with shower +of tiny bells hung on pink ribbons above them from the chandelier or +ceiling. + + + + +MENUS FOR THE BUFFET LUNCHEON + + +Many dining-rooms are too small to have a wedding breakfast served at +the table, and for that reason buffet luncheons are most popular. + +The dining table is decorated with flowers and often lighted with +candles under colored shades, and on it are placed extra supplies of +silver and small dishes of olives, nuts and bonbons. + +As the guests leave the receiving line, they move informally toward +the dining-room, where they stand to be served. If the wedding +reception takes place directly after a ceremony in the morning, or at +high noon, the refreshments are more elaborate than at an afternoon +affair and the guests may be seated to be served in the different +rooms. + +When a caterer is not employed, and the serving of the refreshments is +managed by the hostess herself, it is a pretty and practical plan to +ask several young girls to help in the dining-room. They should see +that the guests are promptly supplied, and can relieve them of their +plates when they have finished. + +Below are half a dozen good menus for buffet wedding breakfasts and +receptions, varying in degree of formality to suit individual needs. + + I + + BOUILLON + SALTED CRACKERS + CHICKEN PATTIES + OLIVES + PINEAPPLE SALAD + SMALL LETTUCE SANDWICHES + NEAPOLITAN ICE CREAM WITH FRESH STRAWBERRIES + COFFEE + CAKE + + + II + + CREAMED SWEETBREADS + CHERRY SALAD + WATERCRESS SANDWICHES + RASPBERRY ICE + MACAROONS + + + III + + CHICKEN SALAD + FINGER ROLLS + FROZEN CUSTARD + SUNSHINE CAKE + + IV + + SCALLOPED CRAB MEAT + BREAD AND BUTTER SANDWICHES + STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM + ANGEL CAKE + + V + + ICED CLAM BROTH WITH WHIPPED CREAM + SALTED CRACKERS + COLD VEAL LOAF + SARATOGA CHIPS + OLIVES + PINEAPPLE ICE + SMALL CAKES + + VI + + ICED CONSOMM� + SALTED CRACKERS + CHICKEN CROQUETTES + ROLLS + FRUIT SALAD + UNSWEETENED CRACKERS + LEMON CREAM SHERBET + SMALL HOME-MADE COOKIES + + + + +THE FAVORS + + +For wedding favors at a wedding breakfast or reception a number of +interesting little souvenirs can be inexpensively prepared. For +instance, there are wee fans (bought at the doll department) with the +date lettered on each; tiny straw baskets that look like the one +the flower girl carries and are filled with very small artificial +forget-me-nots and rose-buds; airy butterflies of white and pale +yellow silk, to be fastened to fine threads above the table in the +dining-room, where they flutter realistically over the flowers +beneath. + +More frivolous are very diminutive bridesmaid's hats, and at the +wedding of a bride who is going to travel far away there may be small +boats, either real or of cardboard, with a flying flag of matrimony at +the masthead. + +The old-fashioned posy gift cards with clasped hands are quaint; so +are the little nosegays in white paper frills, and every guest will +like a box of bride's cake. + + + + +TWO SUMMER WEDDINGS + + + + +A WILD ROSE WEDDING + + +A wild-rose wedding which one bride planned was wonderfully +attractive. In one corner of the living-room an arch of woven wire was +erected, and covered with graceful wild clematis vines and wild roses. +On each window-sill stood a jar of wild roses, and the mantel was +banked with them. + +The two bridesmaids wore pale green dresses, and carried baskets +overflowing with wild roses; the maid of honor wore a gown of +wild-rose pink, and carried an arm bouquet of wood maidenhair ferns +and wild clematis. + +The dining-table was decorated effectively. A crystal bowl filled with +wild-rose sprays which trailed over the sides and along the table was +placed in the center on a mat of hardy sword ferns. From above the +middle of the table four garlands of wild clematis were looped down to +the edge of the round table and held with bows of green tulle. + +Glass dishes of olives and pink, green, and white candies on the table +still further carried out the color scheme. + +The menu, which was served in buffet style, was pink and white. It +consisted of strawberry and pineapple cocktail, with a sprig of green +mint in each glass, sliced ham and pressed chicken, potato chips, hot +rolls, raspberry ice, white-frosted cakes cut in the shape of bells, +pink-frosted cakes in the shape of hearts. + +Fruit punch, pink with strawberry juice and green with mint, was +served on the rose-bowered porch by a pretty girl in a rose-flowered +frock. + + + + +A FIELD FLOWER WEDDING + + +Another country bride used the field flowers for decorating. + +Big jars of daisies, buttercups, wild carrot, red clover, and tasseled +grasses stood in the corners of all the rooms and filled the empty +fireplace. + +Four little girls, dressed in white with yellow sashes and hair +fillets, carried a daisy chain to form an aisle for the bride and her +attendants, and the ceremony took place under a big bell of field +daisies. + +The bridesmaids wore pale yellow georgette gowns, and carried bouquets +of black-eyed Susans, the maid of honor wore old-gold georgette, +lightened with white, and carried a loose bunch of daisies and +buttercups. + +In the center of the dining table a high-handled white-enameled basket +held a natural arrangement of sweet white clovers, grasses, and yellow +buttercups, and was linked by several streamers of yellow baby ribbon, +with four smaller white baskets at the corners which held smaller +bouquets of the same flowers. A fluffy yellow bow was tied to the +handle of each basket. + +The menu was also yellow and white and consisted of hot bouillon, +sprinkled with grated hard-boiled egg yolks; chicken jelly salad with +mayonnaise; tiny bread and butter sandwiches; frozen custard in ice +cups trimmed with white paper petals, so that each individual serving +looked like a daisy; small squares of sponge cake, and angel food iced +in yellow; yellow and white candies. + +The boxes of wedding cake were piled on the hall table, and each one +had a wee daisy blossom tied into the knot of white ribbon on top. + + + + +OUTDOOR WEDDINGS + + + + +AN ORCHARD PAGEANT + + +There's no wedding quite so picturesque as the outdoor one. Famous is +the orchard wedding beneath a blossoming apple tree, where the air is +filled with fragrance and the bridal party comes winding through +the trees to the trysting place. It needn't be only a poetic fancy, +either--it's entirely practical, and if you have a comparatively small +house, why not give your guests the beautiful freedom of outdoors +instead of cooping them up in the house? + +Mark out the path beforehand by mowing the grass in the chosen +direction. Select plenty of ushers to conduct the guests to the spot +and provide benches and settees for the older folk, who may find it +tiring to stand till the wedding party arrives. + +There need be no decorations except the natural ones of the orchard; +preparations may consist of raking out dead leaves and branches. + +A victrola may be arranged in the proper place to furnish the wedding +processional--or perhaps some musical friend may be found to play the +violin. + +The simpler the pageant, the more effective it will be. First may come +a tiny flower girl in a white frock, swinging a cretonne flowered +sunbonnet from which she tosses apple blossom sprays. + +If there are bridesmaids, they should wear the simplest of pink +dresses with pink fillets on their hair or else wide straw hats +trimmed only with a tiny wreath of flowers. + +Possibly the maid of honor may add a note of contrast by wearing +forget-me-not blue. + +Last of all appear the bride and bridegroom, together, for in an +old-fashioned orchard wedding that is less awkward than for the +bridegroom to come from some other direction. The bride should wear a +simple white gown--formal satin would be out of place. + +The wedding breakfast may be served picnic fashion on a long table of +boards decked with apple blossoms. Toasts in strawberry punch are in +order while an orchestra of robins and bluebirds sing in the apple +trees round about--unless the noise drives them away. The little +waiting maids should wear white aprons and white caps with an apple +blossom sprig stuck in the top. + +Following them came a flock of flower children, tiny girls and boys +scattering flower petals from the high-handled baskets swinging in +their chubby little hands. + +Last of all, four abreast, came the bride and bridegroom, with the +bride's mother, who gave her away, on the right of the bride, and +the best man on the left of the bridegroom. The ribbon girls had +accompanied the procession at the proper intervals holding the aisle +ribbon, and the last two brought up the rear, winding up the ribbon as +they came. + +The reception took place immediately afterward on the lawn, and the +guests were served with ice-cream and cake wherever they chanced to be +by the attentive ribbon girls. + +In the back yard at a long table a colored caterer superintended the +service. + +Altogether it was a most successful wedding and at the same time a +fairly easy one to plan since there was no question of overcrowding in +the house, although in case of rain it could have been managed there. + + + + +A WEDDING ON THE LAWN + + +A girl who lived in a small town and had a big lawn chose to be +married outdoors in August. The blossoming hydrangea hedge in front of +the house was made thicker with small evergreen branches stuck down +into the ground. One corner of the yard where there was a natural +alcove curving in among the shrubs, she picked out for the wedding +itself. + +The porch was decorated with Japanese lanterns and flowers, and +beforehand the guests gathered in groups there or on the lawn. + +When it was time for the ceremony, some girl friends of the bride +marshalled the guests to the chosen place and then returned to the +house to act as ribbon girls. There were about a dozen of them in +light summer dresses, and the first couple, holding the ends of long +white ribbons, preceded the bridal groups, roping off an aisle across +the lawn and among the spectators. + +A chorus of young musical friends came first, singing the words and +music of Lohengrin. + + + + +FALL WEDDINGS + + + + +A BLUE AND GOLD WEDDING + + +September and October weddings are always popular, partly perhaps +because of the decorating possibilities of the autumn season. + +Goldenrod and wild asters one thinks of for early fall. At one evening +home wedding where this blue and gold color scheme was used, the +stalks of plumey golden rod seemed to be growing naturally along the +stair rail; they were held in place at the uprights. + +The rooms were hung with blue and golden globes of lights--in reality +paper lanterns--sheltering electric bulbs. The fireplace held masses +of goldenrod, and blue jars holding wild asters crowned the mantel, +the tables, the piano, and the wide window sills. + +The bridesmaids wore gowns of yellow organdy and the maid of honor an +aster blue costume. + +In the dining-room a dull gilt basket of blue asters occupied the +center of the table set for a buffet repast, and a bow of blue and +golden tulle fluttered from the handle of the basket. + +The favors were tiny kewpie dolls, wearing frilly skirts and caps, +some of blue and others of yellow. The blue were for the men, the +yellow for the girls. + + + + +OAK LEAVES AND COSMOS + + +When oak leaves begin to glow with tawny splendor, another girl +celebrated her wedding. The house was a bower of rich, deep red and +brown foliage, and the "bridey" touch came in with the pale pink +garden cosmos that was used. + +Cosmos made the background for the wedding group, and was arranged in +feathery masses wherever it might contrast with the dark oak leaves. + +The wedding was in the late afternoon, and after the sunset light had +faded the pink candles began to glow rosily under soft pink shades. + +The dining-room table was lovely with pink candle-light and pink +cosmos as a centerpiece on a mat of oak leaves. There were pink and +white candies and raspberry ice was served with the tiniest of pink +and white and green _petites fours_. + + + + +THREE WINTER WEDDINGS + + + + +A CHRISTMAS WEDDING + + +The first girl lived in a country town and evergreens in the woods +near by were plentiful. The wedding was a Christmas one, and took +place in the late afternoon. Garlands of graceful ground pine were +wound over the banisters in the hall, and draped over the doorways to +hang down halfway on each side against the ivory white wood-work. In +the living-room, two little Christmas trees, lighted with tiny white +candles, formed an alcove where the bridal group could stand. + +The table in the dining-room was decorated for a buffet luncheon in +holiday red and green. There was a centerpiece of red roses, red silk +candle shades shading white candles in clear glass candlesticks, and +tiny green Christmas ferns scattered on the white cloth. + +The menu had the same color harmony, and consisted of consomm�, salted +crackers, oyster patties, chicken jelly salad with green mayonnaise, +salad rolls, olives, pistachio ice-cream in holly-decked cases, little +cakes with green icing and silver bonbons stuck on top, and coffee, +with green mints. + + + + +A RAINBOW WEDDING + + +The second bride lived in the city and had a rainbow wedding. The +usual green of potted ferns and palms formed the background of +decorations, but over the rounded archway which opened into a small +alcove a "rainbow" of tulle--rose, pale pink, yellow, green, blue, and +lavender--was arranged. Pink and yellow roses with green foliage were +supplemented in the living-room by blue and lavender tulle on the +vases. The six bridesmaids wore gowns which matched the tulle rainbow +and they carried pink roses. + +On the table in the dining-room was a bowl of pink roses, and from the +table dome a myriad of baby ribbon streamers in the same varied colors +came down at six points, and were held in place by six fluffy favor +dolls, dressed in tulle to match the six bridesmaids, to whom they +were afterward given as souvenirs. + +The menu consisted of chicken � la King, small sandwiches, olives, +Neapolitan ice-cream, fancy frosted cakes, and coffee. + + + + +A COLONIAL WEDDING + + +The third girl, with a delight for old-fashioned ways, was followed by +six maids in quaint Colonial gowns of plain or flowered silk, no +two costumes alike, save for soft white lace fichus. Black velvet +neckbands, powdered curls, and "nosegays" of small pink carnations in +lace paper holders quite carried out the lovely effect. + +The old-fashioned rooms were hung with smilax and asparagus fern, and +in every window stood a pot of flowering fuchsias. + + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Entertaining Made Easy, by Emily Rose Burt + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ENTERTAINING MADE EASY *** + +***** This file should be named 11883-8.txt or 11883-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/1/8/8/11883/ + +Produced by Janet Kegg, Josephine Paolucci and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team. + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Each eBook is in a subdirectory of the same number as the eBook's +eBook number, often in several formats including plain vanilla ASCII, +compressed (zipped), HTML and others. + +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks replace the old file and take over +the old filename and etext number. The replaced older file is renamed. +VERSIONS based on separate sources are treated as new eBooks receiving +new filenames and etext numbers. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + +EBooks posted prior to November 2003, with eBook numbers BELOW #10000, +are filed in directories based on their release date. If you want to +download any of these eBooks directly, rather than using the regular +search system you may utilize the following addresses and just +download by the etext year. For example: + + https://www.gutenberg.org/etext06 + + (Or /etext 05, 04, 03, 02, 01, 00, 99, + 98, 97, 96, 95, 94, 93, 92, 92, 91 or 90) + +EBooks posted since November 2003, with etext numbers OVER #10000, are +filed in a different way. The year of a release date is no longer part +of the directory path. The path is based on the etext number (which is +identical to the filename). The path to the file is made up of single +digits corresponding to all but the last digit in the filename. For +example an eBook of filename 10234 would be found at: + + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/0/2/3/10234 + +or filename 24689 would be found at: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/4/6/8/24689 + +An alternative method of locating eBooks: + https://www.gutenberg.org/GUTINDEX.ALL + + diff --git a/old/11883-8.zip b/old/11883-8.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..2bc691d --- /dev/null +++ b/old/11883-8.zip diff --git a/old/11883.txt b/old/11883.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9f79049 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/11883.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3305 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Entertaining Made Easy, by Emily Rose Burt + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Entertaining Made Easy + +Author: Emily Rose Burt + +Release Date: April 3, 2004 [EBook #11883] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ENTERTAINING MADE EASY *** + + + + +Produced by Janet Kegg, Josephine Paolucci and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team. + + + + + +Made Easy Series + + + + + +ENTERTAINING MADE EASY + +BY + +EMILY ROSE BURT + + +1919 + + + + +_Acknowledgment is made to Woman's Home Companion, The Ladies' Home +Journal, Farm and Fireside, and the Designer for their courteous +permission to reprint certain material in this book_. + + + + +TABLE OF CONTENTS + +SOCIALS AND PARTIES + A SMILES SOCIAL + AN AVIATION MEET + A MOCK CANTEEN + A PROGRESSIVE MARCH PARTY + AN AUTUMN LEAF DANCE + A HARVEST HOME PARTY + A NUTTY PARTY FOR OCTOBER + A MAY POLE PARTY FOR CHILDREN + +OUTDOOR AFFAIRS + A BACON BAT + A CHILDREN'S DAISY PARTY + A HAWAIIAN PORCH LUNCHEON + A WATERMELON FROLIC + A JAPANESE GARDEN PARTY + A COMMENCEMENT PICNIC + A PROGRESSIVE MOTOR PARTY + +BIRTHDAYS AND OTHER ANNIVERSARIES + A BACHELOR SUPPER + MOTHER'S BIRTHDAY TEA + A PUSSY CAT PARTY + A GIRL'S BIRTHDAY LUNCHEON + THE WOODEN WEDDING + THE TIN WEDDING + A MOCK WEDDING + A SILVER WEDDING SHOWER + A CAPE COD LUNCHEON + +ANNOUNCEMENTS AND SHOWERS + "A LITTLE BIRD TOLD ME" LUNCHEON + A HAPPINESS TEA + A HELLO PARTY + AN APPLE SHOWER + AN OLD ROSE SHOWER + A KITTY SHOWER + A CAMP FIRE SHOWER + A "ONE I LOVE" SHOWER + AN INDIAN SUMMER SHOWER + A CHRISTMAS TREE SHOWER + +WEDDINGS + SUMMER WEDDING DECORATIONS + THE TABLE DECORATIONS + MENUS FOR THE BUFFET LUNCHEON + THE FAVORS + TWO SUMMER WEDDINGS + A Wild Rose Wedding + A Field Flower Wedding + OUTDOOR WEDDINGS + An Orchard Pageant + A Wedding on the Lawn + FALL WEDDINGS + A Blue and Gold Fall Wedding + Oak Leaves and Cosmos + THREE WINTER WEDDINGS + A Christmas Wedding + A Rainbow Wedding + A Colonial Wedding + + + + +_INTRODUCTION_ + + +It is fun to entertain--if you don't make hard work of it. + +And why make hard work of it when there are ways to entertain easily? + +Besides you know that the more easily you do it, the more successful +you'll be, and there's hardly a woman in the world--is there?--who +wouldn't like to be known as a good hostess. + +"But," says one of you, "I haven't the knack." + +And another says, "I haven't the time or money." + +And yet another, "Oh, I never have any ideas." + +Nonsense! + +It's not a question of knack or money or ideas. All you need is to +know the secret, and it's an open secret at that! + +First, ask yourself what you mean by a successful hostess. Your answer +will be, "One whose guests have so good a time that they want to come +again." + +Sure enough! The secret is out then--entertaining successfully is +giving the guests a good time. + +"More easily said than done," you say. "What must I _do_ to give the +guests a good time?" + +And the answer to that is in a nutshell. "Make your entertainment fit +the folks to be entertained." + +You wouldn't, for instance, think of inviting your grandmother's +friends in of an afternoon in honor of the old lady's birthday and +playing stagecoach or blindman's buff. + +And if you have your Sunday School class of lively boys in for the +evening, you won't expect them to play paper and pencil games from +eight to ten. + +It's really just a matter of common sense coupled with some +imagination and forethought to choose the right kind of entertainment. + +Along with choosing the right variety of amusement, remember that +folks generally like the simple things best and if there's a touch of +originality in addition, you've won their hearts. For you see you've +made them feel that you took the trouble to plan something "different" +in their honor. + +Because it's different, it isn't necessarily hard to prepare--there +are lots of novelties in decoration, amusement and "eats" that +are perfectly simple and inexpensive. They are what help to make +entertaining easy, in fact. And just at this point you see comes in +the reason for the writing of this little book. + +It aims to make entertaining easy by suggesting plans that are simple +and a little out-of-the-ordinary to fit the most frequent occasions +when you wish to entertain or perhaps _must_ do so. Special care has +been taken to consider time and expense, but at the same time to bring +in a touch of the unusual. + +Don't miss the fun of entertaining because you've always thought it +hard work! This book has been prepared to show you how easily, +after all, it can be done. And may you have the reward of joy and +satisfaction that comes with successful hospitality! + + + + +SOCIALS AND PARTIES + + +Perhaps you're appointed chairman of the social committee of your +young people's church society of or some club. Or maybe you want to +entertain for a friend who is visiting you so that she may meet +your circle of friends. Anyway it's up to you to plan an evening's +amusement for a big crowd of people. If it's a mixed crowd--young and +old and in-between (as church socials often are)--you need one kind +of plan; if it's a bunch of young folks, or a school class party, or +something for the children, you need other plans. + +But the secret of all good times for big crowds is to choose +entertainment that draws the individuals together in some kind of +comradeship, gives them all something in common, and puts them on a +friendly footing. + + + + +A SMILES SOCIAL + + +On the door of the parish house as well as in the post-office window +appeared a poster adorned with a big smiling face--the kind made by +drawing a circle and putting inside of it two eye dots, a nose line, +and a cheerful curve for a mouth. + +Beneath it the invitation urged everybody to come to a Smiles Social, +wearing a smile and bringing an extra one in the pocket. Admission, +one smile. + +The parish house parlors were decorated with all the laughing or +smiling pictures that could be found by the committee in charge. "Mona +Lisa" was there with her inscrutable smile, "The Laughing Cavalier," +as well as less famous characters, such as smiling girls on calendars +and magazine covers. An amusing display of newspaper cartoons also +filled one portion of the wall space. Smilax was appropriately enough +used for trimming. + +At the door was stationed a smiling admission collector, who insisted +on an entering smile from everyone. The extra one was not demanded at +this point. + +With such a beginning and the gallery of smiles about the room to +break the ice, the social was assured of the success that followed. + +The first stunt tried was called "Throwing Smiles," not a new +amusement but always a fun-maker. + +One person starts the game by smiling broadly and then pretending to +wipe off the smile and throw it to somebody else. As soon as it lands +on the next person's face, that person must in turn wipe it off and +fling it at a third player. As soon as a smile is supposedly wiped +off, the owner of it must maintain a perfectly sober expression. + +The company was in screams of laughter before this game had gone very +far. + +Another amusing game for a large number which goes under various +names was called on this occasion "The Smile Factory." The company is +divided into two groups which line up opposite each other. Someone +is appointed to stand between the two lines with a man's soft hat in +hand. If upon being tossed in the air, the hat lands right side up, +one group has to laugh while the opposite one remains absolutely +sober. When the hat lands upside down, the first group remains solemn +and the other group laughs. A member of either side who fails to +follow this rule goes over to the opposite side. The side which wins +all the members of the other side is announced victorious. + +The old-fashioned game of "Poor Pussy" was also played because the +point of it is trying not to smile. The younger folk will enjoy it. +You may remember that a ring is formed and the person within the ring +who is "it," kneels before someone in the circle and mews or purrs +appealingly three times successively. Each time the person confronted +must answer sternly or calmly "Poor Pussy," never smiling. In case of +a smile or a laugh, this person takes the place of "Poor Pussy." + +Midway of the evening the extra smiles brought to the social were +asked for. Jokes and funny rhymes or sayings were read in turn. If +various persons dislike the publicity of such a procedure, all the +"smiles" may be collected and presented by two or three clever persons +in the form of a minstrel show. This can be called "Smiles in Black +and White." + +The popular song "Smiles" was in order as well as the older favorite," +Pack up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag and Smile, Smile, Smile." + +The following conundrum was also propounded: What is the longest word +in the English language? The answer is "Smiles" because there's a mile +between the first and last syllables. + +Humorous recitations and others relating to smiles were given by some +good readers. + +Just before the refreshments came a smile-measuring contest. All stood +in line and grinned broadly while a girl with a tape measure took +account of each one in turn. The winner received as a prize a grinning +little china darky. + +The refreshments were enough to make everyone smile--they consisted of +pink lemonade and ginger cookies with features marked on them in white +icing. The most conspicuous feature was of course the grin. + + + + +AN AVIATION MEET + + +Try this plan for recruiting attendance at your next church social. +It would also "fill the bill" for a jolly midwinter school party. The +invitations are made to look like tickets of admission; the men's of +red pasteboard and the girls' of blue. They read this way: + + _Admit Two + To an Aviation Meet + In the ---- Church parlors + Friday evening + February 21 8 o'clock_ + +Each member who receives a ticket must make a point of inviting +somebody else, and should conduct the guest personally to the social. + +The hall or assembly rooms may be decorated with American and Allied +colors, and it would be appropriate and effective to suspend in +each window a trio of toy balloons, red, white, and blue in color, +respectively. Miniature airplanes hung overhead at intervals down the +length of the room would add realism. + +In different places on the walls fasten conspicuously large posters +boldly lettered with the program of events, as follows: + +1. TESTS: + Ground work + Control + Balance + +2. FLIGHTS + +3. STUNTS AND TRICKS: + Hands Up + Spiral + Reverse speed + Low speed + Spin + Nose dives + Loop the loop + +4. AIR RACES + +5. ARRIVAL OF AIR MAIL + +To promote fun, put up a few placards featuring certain well-known +members in some of the events. For instance: + + "_See Charlie Hays loop the loop_!" + +or + + "_Mildred Brown's control is wonderful_!" + +A good leader can make this program go off well by calling on +volunteers for the various contests. Sometimes people like better to +take part in teams. + +The first test, which is called "ground work," is a hopping stunt. The +contestants hop on one foot to a given goal, and the one who does it +most easily and gracefully and holds out best is declared victorious +by the judges. Blue ribbon badges are pinned on the successful +persons. + +Next comes "control," which turns out to be facial control under +difficulties. No matter what the funny, teasing, or pseudo-insulting +remarks or performances of the onlookers, the contestants must retain +calm and unmoved expressions as they stand in line. + +"Balance" proves who best can poise an apple on the head and walk +across the room. All the "balancers" start at the same moment, and the +first successful ones are awarded the blue ribbon. Balancing peanuts +on a knife blade and carrying them thus from one end of the room to +the other is another way to execute the test. + +When it is time for "flights" everybody is handed a paper aviation cap +to put on. Then paper and pencils are passed and all are invited to +take flights of fancy. These, it may be explained, may be rhymes, +romances, or the biggest lies that can be recalled. A flight of +oratory may also be offered. A committee of three appointed on the +spot promises to report on the winners at the close of the evening. If +preferred, a program of poems and short, comic, exaggerated stories +may be prepared beforehand, and fill in this space with apparent +impromptu. + +The stunts and tricks follow in detail: + +1. _Hands Up_. Only one person knows the stunt and she quite mystifies +everyone who presents himself and obeys her, till some one guesses the +secret or she finally tells it. + +She begins by ordering her student on trial to raise one hand and +keep the other at his side while her own back is turned. Upon turning +around she is able to specify the hand which was raised. The secret +is, of course, that the hand which hangs at the side, because of its +position, becomes redder than the raised hand. At a glance she notes +the difference in color and so knows which hand has been raised. + +2. _Spiral_. This is a good mixer. All are asked to form in line, one +behind another, each one's hands on the shoulders of the person ahead. +The leader then starts the line winding around and round the room into +a spiral and then unwinding it--the well-known gymnasium class stunt +which carried through in a sprightly way is bound to make everybody +feel better acquainted. + +3. _Reverse Speed_. Any number line up for a backward race. They go as +fast as they can backward to an appointed goal. + +4. _Low Speed_. Any number may enter. This is a "slow" race, that is +to say, all contestants progress as slowly as possible to a certain +goal. + +5. _Spin_. A supply of children's tops is provided and the ability to +spin them properly is demonstrated. A few musical tops among them will +add to the hilarity. + +6. _Nose Dives_. This is a stunt which will probably appeal most to +the boys or the more adventurous girls. It consists of pushing apples +or peanuts along given chalk marks on table or floor by means of the +nose only. + +7. _Loop the Loop_. To those who know how to tie different kinds of +knots, the announcement of this contest gives a chance to show what +they can do. + +The "air races" are of two sorts: the "hot air" race and the balloon +race. In the "hot air" race the contestants are timed as to the number +of words each can say in three minutes with the eyes shut. For the +balloon race several strings are stretched from one side of the room +to the other, and the same number of toy balloons is supplied. The +object is for the contestants to blow their respective balloons across +the room, following as nearly as possible the courses of string. The +choice of different colored balloons makes for interest and consequent +"rooting." + +The arrival of the air mail is heralded by the entrance of someone +dressed in aviator's garments--warm helmet, goggles, gloves and +all--carrying a mail sack (if real, a new one: but an imitation one +suffices). + +The aviator then proceeds to take out numerous packets which he hands +to the guests as far as they go. There should be at least half as many +packages as persons present. Each bundle is marked + + "_Owner unknown. + Find another to share this_." + +The explanation is that each recipient of a parcel must immediately +seek a partner and, upon doing so, open the parcel. Enough sandwiches +for two are revealed. Meanwhile, hot coffee or chocolate is being +passed by pretty waitresses with Japanese fans stuck in their hair +airplane-wise. + +The evening may end with a "musical flight," or, in other words, a +rousing "sing." + + + + +A MOCK CANTEEN + + +For one boy who wanted to entertain a few of the fellows who had been +in camp with him, his hospitable sister planned a jolly supper party +which undoubtedly owed its success to its "homeiness." Certainly its +friendly informality accomplished much more than any large outlay in +money could have done. There were to be half a dozen boys, so five +other girls were invited to make an equal number of girls and men. + +To begin with, the hostess passed around to the girls slips of paper +and duplicate slips to the men. + +Each slip contained the name of some article of food for supper and +the man and girl who drew duplicate slips were thus delegated to +prepare that particular dish together. + +When all had matched up partners they repaired to the kitchen, a big +old-fashioned room with plenty of space for all of them. The hostess +and her partner did no cooking, but announced that they would manage +this cafeteria. + +While all the others were in the kitchen, they arranged on a side +table in the dining-room stacks of tin trays, knives, forks, spoons, +and paper napkins. Over it they posted a bulletin board in good +imitation of a real cafeteria. There were listed on it the five dishes +which were being prepared and as a joke a number of others--quite +impossible to cook at such a time, as roast beef, mince pie, frozen +pudding--all of which were then heavily crossed off in black ink. + +When the cooks had finished their tasks (and the cheerful uproar that +accompanied their occupations may be easily imagined) the food was +arranged on a long kitchen table. Thereupon each person, after +possessing him or herself of a tray and the required silver and +scanning the menu posted, passed on and pretended to select from the +counter. In reality, of course, everyone took everything, and received +a check from the hostess with a punch against some "stunt" written on +it. + +The menu as prepared read as follows: + + Scalloped salmon + Fruit salad + Lettuce sandwiches + Chocolate pudding with whipped cream + Tea or coffee + +Two tables were left bare in the dining-room and the company chose +seats where they wished. + +A great deal of additional fun was gained upon finding that someone +had surreptitiously set up a placard on one of the tables reading +"Reserved for Ladies." Over the cold water faucet was a sign reading +"Water" and glasses were grouped near it. + +After supper the various stunts registered on the checks and some +rollicking songs filled the remainder of a merry evening in which +there had been absolutely no chance for stiffness from beginning to +end. + +These were some of the stunts: + +_For the Men_ + +1. Show in five different ways how reveille affected your friends. + +2. Give an imitation of a lady and her pet "Peke." + +3. Go around the room without touching your feet to the floor. + +4. Do a ballet act. + +5. Dig a trench (in pantomime). + +6. Sing a Mother Goose rhyme through your nose. + + +_For the Girls_ + +1. Give a military salute to every man in the room in turn. + +2. Choose a partner to walk around the "chimney" with you ten times. + +3. Count to fifty, substituting the words "Oh, fudge!" for fives and +every multiple of five. + +4. Pretend to eat a bunch of grapes. + +5. Represent your favorite movie actress till the others guess her +correctly. + +6. Flirt in three different ways. + + + + +A PROGRESSIVE MARCH PARTY + + +A group of high school friends, a social club of boys and girls, or a +church society of young people will enjoy giving the following party +in March. + +Send out invitations written on cards reading as follows: + + _March is the month of all the year + When lamb and lion do appear, + When pussy willow comes anew + And March hare scampers into view. + If you would meet these creatures four + And maybe several others more, + Then come prepared for work and play + To Grangers' hall, March first, the day_. + +On the invitation cards, tiny hares, lions, lambs, or sprays of pussy +willows can be outlined or traced by means of carbon paper from +pictures. + +The guests upon arrival draw from a basket containing tiny toy or +cracker lions, lambs, rabbits and cats, whichever kind of favor they +wish. + +According to the favor each one draws, the guests take their places +respectively at the March hare table, the lion table, the lamb table, +or the pussy willow table. Each table is marked by a distinguishing +centerpiece: at the March hare table is a plaster rabbit, at the lion +table, a toy lion; the lamb table has a woolly lamb on wheels, and the +pussy willow table, a bunch of pussy willows or a stuffed cat. + +The fun is now ready to begin, for with the implements and materials +provided at each table the guests are required to produce a facsimile +of the animal for which the table is named. Different materials +are provided at each table, so there is no monotony, as the guests +progress from table to table after half an hour's stay at each one in +turn. + +Modeling clay is the medium in which the March hares are to be done, +and no implements except fingers are supposed to be used, though if +a boy slyly makes use of his jack-knife, there are no embarrassing +questions asked. + +The lions are to be carved from potatoes with the aid of little +kitchen vegetable knives, and the lambs are to be fashioned from +cotton wool, matches, and mucilage. + +At the pussy willow table the guests must show how expert they can be +at cutting cats, free hand, from flannel. Beads for eyes, and floss +and bristles for whiskers, are also furnished. + +Prizes are given for the best and the worst specimen at each table. + +A rabbit's foot charm, a small reproduction of the Barye lion, or +the well-known Perry picture of a lion, a Dresden-china lamb or +shepherdess, and a pussy-cat plate, pincushion, or paper weight are +suggestions for first prizes, and four little tin horns painted green +may be given as booby prizes to the four "greenhorns" who have the +worst showing. + + + + +AN AUTUMN LEAF DANCE + + +In the fall, after school has opened, some class often likes to give +a reception to the entering class. An autumn leaf dance in October is +the prettiest kind of one to have. + +Decorate the school hall with branches of scarlet and yellow maple +leaves, or deep red and russet oak boughs. + +For the dance programs make covers from water-color paper cut and +painted to look like oak or maple leaves. The inside pages can be of +thin white paper in the same shape. Attach little red pencils. + +Plan one autumn leaf dance in which each girl receives a wreath of +autumn leaves from her partner. For refreshments have orange or +raspberry ice with vanilla ice-cream, and serve it on plates covered +with leaf-shaped paper doilies. + + + + +A HARVEST HOME PARTY + + +A "RED EAR" party is what they called it in the invitations. It was +the opening party of the year in the high school and the seniors +planned it. + +The cards they sent out said: + + _Oh, this time o' the year + You'll recall the red ear + (It will never go out o' date); + So the members of "twenty" + Have planned fun a-plenty + At a regular Harvest Home fete-- + You're invited_! + +The school hall was delightfully decorated emphasizing the autumn +colors. Bright tawny leaves banked the platform where the orchestra +sat, and along the side walls globes of red and orange balloons glowed +among the soft tans and browns of cornstalks. From the ceiling, +myriads of red and orange paper lanterns swayed brilliantly. + +The dance programs were "red ears" cut from cardboard, and tiny red +pencils dangled from them. Some of the names of the dances to excite +curiosity were: + + The Corn Stalk + The Scarecrow Skitter + Farmerettes Fancy + Popcorn Waltz + Orchard One-step + Pumpkin Pie Walk + Red Ear Dance + Harvest Home Revue + +The Corn Stalk was in the nature of a grand march--everybody "stalking +stiffly" round and round in time to the music, which ended in a +rollicking one-step. + +Then followed the Scarecrow Skitter. A dilapidated old cornfield +character in all the crudity of flapping black was brought in and +established in the center of the floor. In his shabby hat fluttered a +handful of rusty crow feathers, and the feature of the dance was for +each boy to secure one of them in passing for his partner. The poor +old fellow was nearly torn to bits in the process. + +The Farmerettes Fancy was another name for "ladies choice." All +the girls were given tiny toy rakes, hoes, spades, or other farm +implements which they used as favors in choosing partners. + +For the Popcorn Waltz, the favors were popcorn chains for the boys to +hang around their partners' necks. There was a temptation to devour +these adornments as well as to use them for decorative purposes, and +on the whole they were a source of much fun. + +The orchestra at intervals in this dance made use of some contrivance +which sounded like corn popping briskly over the fire. + +A shower of snowy white confetti from the balcony still further +emphasized the popcorn idea. + +In the Orchard One-step the boys were asked to pick peaches. The girls +stood behind a high screen and thrust their right hands above it. The +boys reached up, touched the "peaches" they chose and thereupon the +girls thus designated one-stepped away with their partners. + +Instead of a cake walk, a Pumpkin Pie Walk was announced. The +contestants could indulge in just as crazy, funny or pretty dance +steps as they liked. The reward to the most original, entertaining and +clever couple was a big pumpkin pie. + +Then came the Red Ear Dance. Everybody was blindfolded and asked to +pick an ear of corn from a big basket. When vision was restored the +girl holding the red ear (an ordinary ear with a red crepe paper +wrapping) was acclaimed queen of the carnival, and was presented +with a bouquet of red roses. During the dance a red glow by means of +special lighting arrangements filled the hall. + +The Harvest Home Dance came just before supper, and lived up to its +name, in that paper costume caps designating fruits and vegetables +were given out and worn, so that the whole room seemed to be filled +with the "harvest." + +Tomato, carrot, corn, apple, wheat, squashes, grapes, popcorn, +watermelon and blackberry were all represented. + +The supper dance occurred midway in the evening, and the other novelty +dances described were interspersed before and after it. + +The supper consisted merely of peach ice cream with sugared popcorn +on top, served on grape leaves, nut macaroons, tiny pumpkin tarts and +fruit punch. + + + + +COSTUME HATS FOR THE RED EAR PARTY + + +_Tomato_: Turkey red crepe paper or cotton skull cap with pointed +green paper calyx and green upstanding stem of wire covered over with +paper or cloth. + +_Carrot_: Orange crepe paper or cloth conical cap. This may be made +on heavy paper or cardboard foundation. Characteristic lines may be +marked on the carrot. + +_Corn_: Green paper or cloth toboggan cap falling gracefully to one +side With a long green or gold-colored silk tassel. + +_Apple_: Little round bowl-like cap of glossy red paper with a brown +stem of paper-covered wire. + +_Wheat_: A wreath of natural or artificial wheat ears. + +_Squash_: Cardboard or stiff paper cut to make a "crook neck" effect, +covered with yellow paper. + +_Grapes_: A graceful floppy green hat of straw or paper with a crown +entirely made of artificial or real grape bunches--blue or purple as +desired.--A filet of green ribbon with a real or artificial bunch of +grapes depending on each side to hang over the ears. + +_Popcorn_: A close-fitting little toque covered with tiny pieces of +cotton batting to resemble popped corn. + +_Watermelon_: A crescent-shaped hat to be worn broadside suggesting a +slice of watermelon from green paper border (fitting on hair) to pink +center dotted with tiny bits of black court plaster to suggest seeds. + +_Blackberry_: Close-fitting little black quilted or puffed bonnet to +tie under chin. + + + + +A NUTTY PARTY FOR OCTOBER + + +A girl who wanted to give an inexpensive jolly little party in honor +of a visiting friend in October issued invitations to a nut gathering. + +At the top of each correspondence card which served as an invitation, +she glued half an almond shell upon which a face was marked in ink. +Below this nut head the rest of the figure was drawn in ink on the +card, and the inscription read: + + _Pretend you're a squirrel for once + And join my nut-gathering stunts, + Friday, October the eleventh + at half-past eight_. + +The first amusement of the evening was introduced by suspending from +the chandelier in the center of the room a cocoanut decorated with a +comical face and a pointed paper cap perched on top. + +Each person from a distance of ten feet was allowed three throws at +this cap with a little light rubber ball, the object being to knock +Mr. Cocoanut's cap off. The best marksman won a prize. + +This first nut stunt caused so much fun that no one wanted to be lured +away to a Nut Exhibit. Ten varieties of nuts were represented by +pictures or objects and little slips of paper and pencil were +distributed for recording guesses. + +The display was as follows: + +1. A bit of butter on a plate + +2. A stout, old-fashioned stick + +3. A can of canned peas with indicating label + +4. A single pea + +5. A map of South America with the outlines of Brazil especially +prominent + +6. A picture of typical English stone or brick wall + +7. A can or cup of cocoa + +8. A photograph of Hazel Dawn, the movie star + +9. A beetle specimen (dead or alive) + +10. Three ears of corn arranged to form the letter A + + _Answers_ + + 1. Butternut + 2. Hickory nut + 3. Pecan nut + 4. Peanut + 5. Brazil nut + 6. English walnut + 7. Cocoanut + 8. Hazel nut + 9. Betel nut + 10. Acorn + +The winner of this contest also had a prize. Of course a nut party +would hardly be complete without a peanut hunt and there was also a +peanut race in which the object was to transfer the peanuts from one +end of the room to another on the blade of a table knife. + +In still another peanut contest the object was to pitch ten peanuts +into a narrow-necked jar at a distance of about twelve feet. + +To choose partners for refreshments a basket of English walnuts was +passed, each little nut with a painted face and a paper cap of some +sort. Blue sailor caps, soldier caps, Red Cross nurse head-dresses, +Scotch Tam o' Shanters, babies' bonnets, girls' gay garden hats, +were all represented. There were only two of a kind, and the two +individuals who selected them were of course partners. + +In addition each nut proved to be only a hollow nut shell; in one was +a conundrum, in its mate the answer. + +The refreshments were nut-bread sandwiches, peanut butter sandwiches, +hot cocoa, cocoanut macaroons, vanilla ice-cream with chocolate nut +sauce, and peanut brittle. + + + + +A MAY POLE PARTY FOR CHILDREN + + +One teacher planned a very happy May party for her little boy and girl +pupils. There was no chance to set up a big May pole out-of-doors for +the children to wind, but her idea turned out to be more original and +maybe even more jolly. + +There were eighteen children included in the party, which was held in +the park. On arriving, each child was given a little peaked paper cap +of bright colored tissue paper. The boys liked these as well as the +girls did, although they found them harder to keep in place on their +heads. As soon as the children had donned their caps, three of the +tallest children were appointed to "help teacher." This helping +consisted in marching proudly out from behind a screen of bushes, +carrying three gay little May poles, decked with flowers and colored +paper streamers. They had been made by swinging a barrel hoop from +a broomstick handle, by means of a number of ribbon-like strips of +cloth. Of course the hoops were wound with the cloth, and besides that +were trimmed with apple blossoms and lilacs. + +From the rim of each hoop the cloth strips hung straight down for two +or three feet. The colors on the May pole matched the colored caps +that the children wore. + +There proved to be just fifteen streamer, and each child was allowed +to pick out a streamer to correspond with the color of the cap worn. +Thus a little girl with a pink cap would pick out a pink streamer; a +little boy with a green cap, a green streamer, and so on. The children +who held the May poles were then asked to stand at some distance apart +out in the open space of the park, and each little group of five +danced round and round, and back and forth, holding and twisting their +colored streamers. + +Somehow this amused them almost all the long spring afternoon. +Different children took turns holding the May poles and sometimes they +would even form a procession and hippity-hop around the park. They +paraded down Main Street for a little way, but came back to the park +in time to play "Drop the Handkerchief," "Hide and Seek," and "Tag," +before refreshments were served. + +They were perfectly delighted, of course, with strawberry lemonade, +brown bread sandwiches, and little frosted cup cakes, which their +teacher's mother had made and on which she had outlined in pink +candies the individual initials of the children. + + + + +OUTDOOR AFFAIRS + + +Out-of-door entertaining is perhaps the easiest kind of all--if you +live in the country or the near-country. Anything elaborate in the +arrangements would be quite out of keeping and there's something about +being outdoors that takes away constraint. That's probably why outdoor +parties, because they are simple and natural, bring people together in +a spirit of good fellowship and are certain of success. + +Children especially love them and young people always find an evening +garden party entrancing. + +One of the jolliest kinds of outdoor parties is a bacon bat. It may be +a breakfast or a luncheon or a supper, but there is always bacon and +an open fire. + +Now that automobiles are so abundant, the possibilities for motor +picnics and progressive motor parties are many and various. + + + + +A BACON BAT + + +A girl who lived in the country and had some city friends visiting +her gave them the time of their lives at a bacon bat. She telephoned +around to some of the young people and invited them to appear about +five o'clock in picnic clothes. The hike wouldn't be long, she +announced. + +At the specified time a jolly bunch assembled to squabble +good-naturedly over the various packages and bundles assigned to them +to be carried. Under the hostess's direction they betook themselves +via footpath and trail to a stone-walled pasture spicy with sweet +fern. + +Long toasting switches were readily cut by the boys from the trees in +the vicinity and wood was collected for two fires. Over one the coffee +was set to boil, and over the other the young folks proceeded to toast +bacon. Rolls were provided in which to insert the crisp juicy morsels +after toasting, and each person ate his or her own bacon sandwiches +broiling hot without further ceremony. + +Cucumber pickles and mustard proved popular accompaniments and the +coffee was appreciated--drunk from tin cups. + +There followed some huckleberry turnovers and homemade cookies, but on +top of the bacon and rolls they were almost superfluous. + +Instead of bacon, chops, steak, or Frankfurters may be roasted, as +well as corn in season, but bacon is the least messy to eat. + +Following the supper came stories and songs around the bonfire till +late in the evening. The city guests enjoyed it all because to them it +was so great a novelty. For the hostess it was a much easier way to +introduce her guests to her friends than a more formal affair would +have been. + +A bacon bat is especially fun in spring or fall, but is also very +enjoyable on the beach in summer vacation time. + +A marshmallow roast in the evening is first cousin to a bacon bat. + + + + +A CHILDREN'S DAISY PARTY + + +Let the children make the invitations they send out for their own +daisy party. On heavy water color paper they may draw and cut out +simple outlines of daisies--about ten petals around a center which is +then colored yellow with crayons. Each petal may hold one or two +words of the invitation, thus: +Will--you--come--to--our--daisy--party--on--Saturday--at--three?--Betty +and John. + +Of course there should be some outdoor games, and a good one to play +is "Daisy in the Dell." For this the children form in a circle, +joining hands, and one is chosen to be daisy-picker. The daisy-picker +runs around the outside of the circle, chanting: + +"Daisy in the Dell, Daisy in the Dell, I don't pick you, I don't pick +you, I _do_ pick you." + +The child whom the daisy-picker touches upon reaching, the last word +must try to run entirely around the circle and back to his place +before the daisy-picker catches him. If he succeeds, he need not be +"it"; but if he is caught, he must be the daisy-picker. + +"Are You a Daisy?" is another jolly game. The players stand in a line +facing one child, who is chosen to be "it." This child asks each one +in turn the question, "Are you a daisy?" Each child answers by naming +the flower he chooses to be. Thus one may say, "I am a rose"; another, +"I am a pansy." If any child chooses to say, "I am a daisy," he is +immediately chased by the questioner, and if caught, he must take the +place of the questioner. The game then proceeds as before. One rule is +that a child must not repeat the name of a flower that another child +has given. + +A game that is based on the Mother Goose rhyme, "Rich Man, Poor Man, +Beggar Man, Thief," etc., is called "Rich Man, Poor Man." One child is +chosen to whisper to each of the players some word of the rhyme. The +named children then stand in a circle, and another child who is "it" +may call for any character in the rhyme that he wishes; the child +who has been given that name must respond by saying "Here," and then +running away. For instance, the one who is "it" may call for "lawyer," +and the child to whom that name has been whispered calls out "Here," +and is immediately chased by the leader. If he is caught within a +reasonable length of time, he is "it," and the former leader drops +out. This should be played until only two are left. + +The refreshments carry out the daisy idea, and should be served +outdoors, either on the piazza or on the lawn. The centerpiece at +the supper-table is a big bunch of daisies, and each child has a +place-card on which is painted or drawn a daisy face, the petals +forming a cap frill. The sandwiches are bread and butter, and some +"good-to-eat" daisies can be made from hard-boiled eggs, by cutting +the whites petal-shaped, and by mixing the yellow with salad +mayonnaise to form the centers. Marguerites and little cakes frosted +in yellow and white may be served with vanilla ice cream. + + + + +A HAWAIIAN PORCH LUNCHEON + + +One woman entertained her club at their last meeting of the year with +a little porch luncheon. Hawaii had been one of the subjects of study, +so the Hawaiian note was dominant throughout. + +Each guest was welcomed with a _lei_, the Hawaiian paper flower +garland which signifies friendship. Hung about the neck, these +decorations excited much fun. + +The Hawaiian features of the refreshments were Hawaiian pineapple +salad and little imitation volcanoes which were in reality cones of +vanilla ice-cream in the center of which holes had been scooped and +then filled with hot caramel sauce, which of course overflowed the +sides in true lava fashion. + +The favors were tiny dolls, each dressed in a short bright-fringed +paper skirt, orange, green, blue or pink, to match the color of the +_lei_ which each lady had already received as a souvenir. + +During the luncheon the hostess played several Hawaiian musical +selections on her phonograph. If any of her friends had owned or +played a ukelele, doubtless the plaintive music would have been a +feature. + + + + +A WATERMELON FROLIC + + +When watermelons were ripe and plentiful, big pink posters cut oval +with a painted border of green and black lettering on the pink +startled the village with the notice of a watermelon frolic. + +They read: + + _Do you like watermelon? + Anyway + Be sure to come to a watermelon party + on the local fairgrounds + next Tuesday evening + Admission 25 cents + This entitles you to see the minstrel show + Proceeds for the Epworth League + of ---- Church_ + +Long plank tables on wooden horses were improvised for serving the +watermelons which were contributed by the members of the society. Some +of the men acted as carvers of the melons, and the girls served the +portions, which were sold for ten cents each. + +The grounds were lighted with strings of electric lights in pink and +green paper lanterns. + +Besides the main attraction there were several booths and side shows, +arranged country fair fashion, which drew well. One was labeled THE +WATERMELON PATCH. For this, real watermelon vines had been obtained +from somebody's garden and placed naturally on the ground. To the +vines were tied any number of artificial melons made of green paper +stuffed with cotton wadding which concealed tiny favors. + +On payment of ten cents any person had the privilege of picking a +melon. The prize inside was supposed to be worth the fee. + +At another booth, "watermelon cake" was served at five cents a slice. +The secret of this was that in making a plain cake the batter had been +colored with pink sugar and sprinkled with raisins. The cake was then +baked in a round tin and when sliced resembled the pink of watermelon +filled with black seeds. + +As it was sweet corn season, and as corn is also typical of the South, +there was a hot corn vender, who sold steaming ears straight from +kettle to buyer. + +One feature of the evening was a watermelon contest among the boys. +Volunteers were called for and lined up at a table. They were then +supplied with large wedges of melon and at the sound of the referee's +whistle the race began. + +The prize was a whole watermelon. + +There was also a watermelon hurdle race. The course was laid out with +big watermelons and time was kept for each hurdler. + +The main attraction of the evening, however, was the minstrel show. On +a raised wooden platform sat the performers with blackened hands +and faces. They wore grotesque garb and each one fingered a guitar, +mandolin, or banjo. + +First they gave a number of well-known Southern melodies such as _Old +Black Joe, Swanee Riber, Dixie, Massa's in de Cold, Cold Ground_. Some +whistling numbers were much appreciated and _My Alabama Coon_, with +its humming and strumming, proved a great success. As a special item +of their musical program they sang a parody of _Apple Blossom Time_ +called _It's Watermelon Time in Dixie_. + +The watermelon frolic was a great success and is recommended to any +organization in town or country at watermelon time as a fun--and +funds--producing social. + + _Parody_ + + "When It's Watermelon Time in Dixie"[1] + + After + + "When It's Apple Blossom Time in + Normandie" + + (_Sing with appropriate motions_) + + _Repeat_: + + When it's watermelon time in Dixie Land[1] + Ah wants to be + Right dher[2] you see + In dat dear old melon patch + To eat a batch! + When it's watermelon time in Dixie Land + Dat's de time of all de year + When Ah grin[3] with cheer from ear to ear + Watermelon's jes' GRAND!!! + +[Footnote 1: Sway heads and bodies] + +[Footnote 2: Jerk thumbs backward over shoulder] + +[Footnote 3: Grin broadly--stretch hands from corners of mouth to +ears.] + + + + +A JAPANESE GARDEN PARTY + + +A girl who wished to entertain for a visiting school friend one +evening in midsummer sent out invitations to a Japanese Garden Party. +She wrote them on the pretty little hand-decorated place-cards which +are to be found in most shops now. The Japanese writing paper which +comes in rolls is another possibility for them. + +She had a wide porch and a big lawn which she decorated for the +occasion with strings of pink, yellow and green Japanese lanterns with +electric bulbs inside. Settees and wicker chairs were scattered in +cosy groups through the shrubbery, and there was a faint odor of +burning incense. + +For entertainment there was dancing on the porch to the tune of a +phonograph and a program of Japanese music, including some selections +from "Butterfly" and "The Mikado." + +A clever reader gave one of the Hashimura Togo stories, and also the +hostess had arranged some artistic tableaux in Japanese fashion. + +When it was refreshment time, cunning little girl friends of the +hostess appeared in Japanese kimonos, hair done high and stuck full +of tiny fans or flowers. They bore Japanese lacquer trays with tiny +sandwiches (filled with preserved ginger), cherry ice and rice wafers. +A wee Japanese flag was stuck in each portion of cherry ice. + +The favors were wee Japanese doilies which the guests were bidden to +hunt for under a certain group of trees. While doing so, a sudden +surprise shower of seeming cherry blossoms covered them with pink and +white petals. These were really confetti petals obligingly scattered +by the nimble little waitresses perched in the branches above. + + + + +A COMMENCEMENT PICNIC + + +Instead of giving the usual banquet and reception to the seniors, +the juniors in a small school might well plan an outdoor picnic and +supper. It has the possibility of being jollier than the regulation +affair, and is certainly less expensive. + +Individual invitations may be sent out to the senior class--quite +unusual and mysterious invitations--for each one may consist of a +colored feather quill with a message written on a slip of paper +wrapped about the end. This reads: + + _Greetings from the Tribe of Twenteequas + To the Tribe of Nyneteenwas: + Will the Tribe of Nyneteenwas + Smoke the pipe of friendship + Round the camp-fire of the Twenteequas + On the sixteenth day of the Moon of Roses + One hour before waysawi (sunset)? + One of the Twenteequas will act as your guide_. + +As soon as the two classes have gathered at the picnic ground, the +juniors, already decked in head bands of ribbon in their own class +colors, may present the seniors with similar ribbons. The boys may +have feathers stuck in theirs--if they don't object to head bands. + +The chief of the Twenteequas may announce the first stunt as a Hunt +for Game, and all must hunt in pairs, matching partners by means of +selecting, blindfolded, colored beads from a basket. Pasteboard bows +and arrows are supplied, and everyone is told to return at the summons +of a beaten tom-tom. + +The couples then scatter into the surrounding woods, and hunt for +animal crackers which have previously been hidden by a committee of +juniors. + +The prize for the couple getting the most game might be an animal toy. + +Next, volunteers to "Run the Gauntlet" may be called for. The others +form in two parallel lines facing each other, armed with pieces of +chalk. The victims must run down between the lines to a goal at the +end, while the cruel Indians on each side reach out to put a chalk +mark on them. The victim who gets the least chalk marks is permitted +to select five of his tormentors to perform a series of stunts, +previously planned by the junior entertainment committee. + +Appropriate ones are these: 1. Give an Indian war whoop. 2. Do an +Indian war dance. 3. Give Indian names to five people here. 4. Make a +speech in sign language. 5. Tell an Indian story. + +Supper should be eaten around a big camp-fire, and should consist of +coffee cooked over the fire, nut-bread sandwiches, cold chicken and +potato chips, and chocolate ice-cream under individual miniature +tepees of brown paper. + +Paint on each tepee in black some symbol apparently mysterious but in +reality characteristic of the owner. Thus, a girl with a beautiful +voice and a talent for singing may have a quaint bird on hers; an +athlete, a pair of Indian clubs; a domestic science girl, a bowl and +spoon or a kettle, and so on. + +Redskins and Palefaces complete the menu, Palefaces being cookies with +white icing and features marked in candies, and Redskins being apples. + +Toasting marshmallows over the fire and singing school ditties and old +favorites will end this unique party delightfully. + + + + +A PROGRESSIVE MOTOR PARTY + + +A group of girls who lived in the country gave a delightful farewell +party for one of their number who was to move out of town to another +part of the world. They called it a Progressive Rainbow. + +At four o'clock one Saturday afternoon they all met at one of the +homes. + +The porch was decorated in a red color scheme. A row of red Japanese +lanterns hung from the roof all around. Red cushions were scattered +about in the chairs and on the steps, and a jar of crimson rambler +roses adorned the table. + +Everybody sat about and gossiped for a little while, and then fruit +cocktails, to which strawberries gave the touch of red, were served. + +A tray of red ribbon streamers was passed, and each girl pinned one on +her blouse, as the beginning of her rainbow badge. + +The guest of honor found with her favor a package tied with red tulle, +which she was requested not to open till the end of the afternoon. + +After this, two automobiles, owned by members of the group or their +families, whisked the party along two miles of fresh country road to +the home of another girl in the group. + +Little tables had been set on the lawn with a bouquet of old-fashioned +marigolds in the center of each one, and a toy orange balloon tied +to the back of each chair by a long string. Here were served jellied +orange soup in cups, and saltines. + +The girls received orange-colored favor ribbons to pin next to their +red ones, and the guest of honor received another prize packet, this +time tied with orange tulle. + +From there they all jumped again into the waiting cars and were +transported to the home of a third girl for the third course. + +This time it was served in the dining-room, which was decorated with +yellow snapdragons. A basket of them filled the center of the table, +and at each place was a scalloped shell containing deviled crab meat +garnished with lemon quarters and accompanied by tartar sauce. Cubes +of hot yellow cornbread were delicious with the crab. + +Again the passing of the yellow ribbons to the girls and the +presenting of the yellow-tied package to the guest of honor were the +signals for leaving to go to the next house. + +The automobiles quickly took them there, where the main course of the +dinner was to be eaten. Maidenhair ferns were lovely in a green bowl +on the table, and tiny wood ferns were scattered over the white +tablecloth. + +The menu consisted of broiled chicken, fresh green peas, small boiled +potatoes with parsley, and rye rolls. + +By this time the girls were getting interested in their rainbow of +ribbons, to which the green was now added, and the guest of honor +received her fourth package, green-tied. + +Motoring to the salad course, the group found the dining-room lighted +by blue candles, though the guests were begged not to feel blue. +Ragged robins were arranged as a centerpiece, and fluttering blue +tissue butterflies marked the places. + +The salad was prunes stuffed with peanuts in hearts of lettuce, served +with French dressing and Dutch cheese balls. + +By the time the sixth stop was reached the sun had set and the moon +was coming up, so that the girls sat on the veranda in the moon-light +and sipped grape-juice ice to the music of romantic ditties. Lavender +streamers were added next to the blue ones, and their badges were +complete. + +As they finally drove up to the last house, they were greeted by a +rainbow of tulle which arched the entrance to the porch. + +With their fluttering rainbow ribbon badges and the armful of rainbow +packages belonging to the guest of honor, they felt very much at home +with the rainbow, and the guest of honor was not even surprised to be +asked to seek the pot of gold at the foot. + +In the yellow pottery jar which she discovered were as many +gold nuggets as there were girls, and each nugget was a little +gilt-paper-wrapped joke for the trip. + +The real, sure-enough farewell gifts to keep were in the packages +progressively received, and there was a jolly time opening them under +the rainbow. + + + + +BIRTHDAYS AND OTHER ANNIVERSARIES + + +Birthdays you particularly wish to celebrate happily and successfully. +There's your mother's birthday or your brother's or your little son's +or daughter's birthday or the birthday of the popular president of +your special club. + +Then there are the various wedding anniversaries that call for +suitable recognition, especially the five, ten, and twenty-five year +ones. + +Besides these there are countless other events that you want to +commemorate pleasantly in some way afterward. These various occasions +offer fascinating possibilities for the most delightful of social +affairs. + + + + +A BACHELOR SUPPER + + + "_When I was a bachelor I lived by myself + And all the bread and cheese I got, I put upon the shelf; + The rats and the mice, they made such a strife + I was forced to go to London to buy me a wife. + The streets were so broad and the lanes were so narrow + I was forced to bring my wife home in a wheelbarrow_." + +This old Mother Goose rhyme was the keynote of a bachelor supper +which one girl gave for her brother and a few of his friends on his +birthday. + +The centerpiece on the table was an arrangement of bachelors' buttons +and at every place was a tiny toy wheelbarrow filled with candies, a +wee dressed-up dolly dame perched atop of each load. + +The rhyme also furnished the reason for the first course, which was +most suitably bread and cheese, only the bread was in the form of +buttered rounds of toast and the cheese was a delicious Welsh rarebit, +accompanied by coffee or gingerale. + +Ice-cream in cantaloupes with a chocolate mouse nibbling at the +rind followed, to be eaten with those most delicious of all +cookies--home-made "hermits." + + + + +MOTHER'S BIRTHDAY TEA + + +A pleasant way for a daughter to entertain for her mother is to give a +little informal afternoon tea, asking the mother's friends and their +daughters and thus making it a kind of mother and daughter affair. + +Send out the invitations on your calling card, writing your mother's +name at the top. If your mother likes surprises, arrange the party to +be one if possible, but if she is like most mothers she will prefer to +know what's going on and so be prepared. + +The rooms should be decorated with flowers of the season. The country +girl will find it easy in spring, summer, or fall. + +During the afternoon a little program of previously arranged "mother" +songs, lullabies and readings by some of the guests may agreeably +interrupt the chat. + +Tea, sandwiches and little cakes may be served in the dining-room +from a festive birthday table. The centerpiece may be a bowl of pink +roses--to match in number the years of the guest of honor. Candles +from under rose-colored paper or silk shades may light the room, and +if desired each guest may be presented with a miniature band-box +covered with rose-sprigged paper or chintz--filled with wee pink and +white candies. + + + + +A PUSSY CAT PARTY + + +When Billy's mother decided to give him a birthday party, she pounced +upon the pussy cat plan, partly because pussy-willows are still +flourishing in April, but mostly because she knew that kittens and +cats are favorites with nine and ten year olds. + +The invitations were folded kitty-cornered and inside of each appeared +a fat fuzzy little gray puss taken from a real pussy-willow branch. +"Puss" had pen and ink ears, whiskers and tail, and likewise a tiny +red-painted fence post upon which to sit. + +The first game was a good romp at "Puss-in-the-Corner." That was +followed by the foolish but funny "Poor Pussy." + +While the children were still in a circle for that, Billy's mother +explained a new game. It was called "Kitty Kitty" and was carried +out on the lines of "Spin the Platter." In every child's ear Billy +whispered the name of some sort of cat, as for instance, tiger, +"yaller," green-eyes, double-toes, maltese, Angora, black and white, +gray. + +He then occupied the center of the circle and spun a tin pieplate. As +he did so he called out one of the names he had assigned and counted +rapidly out loud up to ten. Thus, "Green-eyes, one, two, three, four, +five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten." + +The child who had been given the name "green-eyes" was supposed to +jump up and snatch the pie tin before Billy had finished counting to +ten. If "green-eyes" failed, then he had to take Billy's place. Billy, +too, of course, had a pussy cat label. + +Another circle game that was fun was called "Pussy's Prowlings." It +was on the order of stage-coach. Billy's mother told the story of a +kitty's wanderings and before she started to tell it, she whispered to +each child the name of something which was to appear in the story. For +instance, she gave out "haymow," "milk dish," "mouse hole," "catnip." + +Every time she mentioned any such name in the process of telling the +story, the child who had it was expected to rise from his chair, +turn around three times and sit down again. When the words "pussy's +prowlings" were mentioned, all the players jumped up and exchanged +seats. The story teller also tried to get a seat, and if she succeeded +the child who was finally left without one had to continue the story. + + +PUSSY'S PROWLINGS + +Once there was a PUSSYCAT named BLINKY who said to herself one day, +"I'm tired of MILK to drink and I'm oh, so hungry for MOUSE. I must go +on a MOUSE hunt." + +So BLINKY stole out of the red BRICK HOUSE where she lived very +happily with the JONES FAMILY. She pattered down the back DOORSTEPS +where her MILK SAUCER was set and she scampered along the winding PATH +to the BARN. + +(That's the way PUSSY'S PROWLINGS began.) + +Up the LADDER to the HAYMOW she crept and through the heaps of sweet +clover HAY to a HOLE IN THE WALL. There BLINKY knew lived a MOUSE. So +she crouched close to the MOUSE HOLE, as still as still could be and +watched, and she watched and she watched and she watched. + +But that MOUSE must have been away from home or else very busy down in +its HOLE, for it never once stuck its little NOSE out. And when BLINKY +had watched there in the HAYMOW for three long, long hours, she was so +hungry that she couldn't watch for that MOUSE a single minute more. + +She thought of the MILK SAUCER by the back DOORSTEPS and she said to +herself, "If I can't have MOUSE, MILK won't taste so bad after all." + +So BLINKY made her way back through the heaps of HAY and scrambled +down the LADDER to the HAYMOW and ran along the winding PATH to the +back DOORSTEPS. And there, sure enough, was a SAUCER full of MILK all +ready for her to drink. So BLINKY lapped it up very hungrily and was +perfectly happy! + +(And that's the way PUSSY'S PROWLINGS ended.) + + +The next game was called "Hunt the Mouse." Billy had hidden a +chocolate mouse somewhere in the room and the children were asked to +be kitties and try to find it. Whenever anyone came very near the +hiding place, Billy miaowed loudly, or if everyone was very far from +it, Billy would mew only faintly. The "kitty" who found the mouse kept +it for a reward. + +In another room the children had a chance to hunt for those mittens +which the "naughty kittens" once lost. Many tiny red paper mittens +were scattered throughout the room and were much more easily found +than the mouse. + +The supper table delighted the children. In the center of it sat a +big stuffed toy cat surrounded by chocolate mice, and at each child's +place a tiny white plush cat with the child's name on a paper tied to +the neck had been placed. Such toys can usually be bought in five and +ten cent stores. + +Pussy-willow sprays laid flat on the tablecloth decorated the table +gracefully. The napkins were the paper ones which feature black cats +at Hallowe'en. + +Little ramekins of creamed chicken pleased the children. With the +chicken, Billy's mother served "kitty-cornered" sandwiches of brown +bread filled with cream cheese and chopped nuts. There was hot cocoa +too, and for the last course individual molds of chocolate blanc mange +with whipped cream and a candied cherry on top. Needless to say there +was a birthday cake which was brought in ablaze with candles and set +before Billy to cut. + +Each guest received a souvenir chocolate mouse and was ready to +declare upon departure at six that the pussy cat party had been, oh, +so jolly! + + + + +A GIRL'S BIRTHDAY LUNCHEON + + +Once a mother gave a little birthday luncheon for her daughter who was +a freshman in high school. It pleased the fourteen-year-old and her +friends because of the novelty in decorations and menu. + +The class colors were green and white, so that scheme was used +throughout. In the center of the table was a green bowl with a few +paper narcissi arranged in a flower holder, Japanese fashion. + +Around each plate was a wreath of smilax--any small green vine would +do perfectly well--and above each plate a tiny green candle burning in +a wee holder. The place-cards were tied to the handles of the holders. + +Glass dishes of lime drops and wintergreen candies added to the +general green and white effect. + +The menu consisted of fruit cocktail with a sprig of mint atop of each +portion, followed by a second course of chicken a la King generously +sprinkled with capers, and accompanied by hot rolls and olives. +Then came hot chocolate with a marshmallow floating in each cup and +milestone salad, which consisted of oblongs of cream cheese into which +numerals cut out of green peppers were pressed. The milestones stood +erect on fresh lettuce leaves and were served with French dressing. + +After that a birthday cake was borne in ablaze with fourteen green +tapers and set before the little hostess to cut. Great was the fun +when the fortune favors, baked in the cake, were found by the guests. + +Pistachio ice-cream accompanied the cake, but vanilla ice-cream or a +green gelatine dessert would be equally fitting. + +The favors were little green vanity bags made from ribbon by the +fourteen-year-old's mother. + + + + +THE WOODEN WEDDING + + +An informal evening party is perhaps the jolliest way to celebrate the +fifth wedding anniversary. + +After everybody has arrived, try a wooden smile contest. There will +be any number of humorous attempts, but few will be wooden. The +contestant who smiles most woodenly may receive as a prize a gaily +painted wooden jumping jack or any other wooden toy. + +The next amusement can be a progressive one, consisting of putting +together at tables wooden puzzles of all sorts, including jig-saw +puzzles. + +Puzzles make good prizes for this contest. One of the carefully packed +wooden boxes of candy is another possibility. + +Another occupation that is appropriate and fun-making is a pea and +tooth-pick contest. Wooden tooth-picks and dried peas soaked up are +provided. Each person is then assigned to construct one member of +a tooth-pick wedding party properly. The tooth-pick persons when +finished should form in a parade down the center of the library table. + +A light buffet supper or simply ice-cream and coffee may be served +in the dining-room. Decorate the table with a central wooden bowl +containing some simple flowers such as daisies, honeysuckles, +snapdragons, nasturtiums, or whatever flowers are in season. + +There may be wooden candlesticks with candles to match the color +scheme and small wooden plates and bowls for candies and nuts. + +Serve the ice-cream on wooden plates covered with lace paper doilies, +and give as favors tiny wooden household articles such as dolls' +rolling-pins, clothespins, barrels, washtubs, spinning wheels, and the +like. + + + + +THE TIN WEDDING + + +The tenth wedding anniversary has many possibilities for fun. An +informal social evening or a dinner followed by some jolly stunts are +in order. + +In any case, arrange for the dining table a centerpiece of a shiny tin +funnel filled with bright garden or wild flowers surrounded by a frill +of lace paper to represent an old-fashioned, formal bouquet. Use tin +candlesticks with bayberry candles for illumination and scatter tiny +new patty pans with crinkly edges over the table to hold candies and +nuts. + +The salad may be served on shiny tin plates covered with lace paper +doilies, the ice-cream in individual patty pans, and the coffee or +punch in tin cups. + +At each place put a tiny funnel bouquet, a miniature of the central +one or else some tiny tin toy. + +Tin whistles for everybody would promote the hilarity. + +The old-fashioned game of "Spin the Platter" would be good to start +the entertainment of the evening. Then may come a "tin" minute paper +and pencil contest to see who can write the most words beginning or +ending with TIN in the allotted ten minutes. + +Ten "reel" years of married life may next be shown. This feature is +simply a series of movie-like pantomimes showing humorous events, real +or imaginary, in the life of the host and hostess--given, of course, +by their friends. + +A tin band concert will also provide a good time. Those who are in the +band perform on instruments contrived from kitchen utensils or the tin +noise-making novelties which can be obtained in the shops. + + + + +A MOCK WEDDING + + +A mock wedding is a funny way to celebrate one of the numerous early +wedding anniversaries, especially if a group of young married women +friends want to join in a surprise. + +The bride may be invited to a chum's house and presently the +procession may appear before her. + +The bride should have a cheesecloth or mosquito netting veil with +dried orange peel to hold the folds in place, and she should carry a +bouquet of white chicken feathers tied with white tape--the shower +part can be little bows of rags. + +The bridesmaids might all wear the cheapest of farmers' hats, with +huge bunches of goldenrod or asters on them or else such things as +little kitchen utensils sewed on the front in place of flowers. +Bouquets of burdock tied with colored cretonne would be attractive +for them, or possibly as a substitute for the conventional shepherds' +crooks they could carry umbrellas with big bows on the handles. A +third suggestion for the bridesmaids is that they carry grape baskets +filled with none too choice outdoor flowers and weeds. + +There should be a flower girl, of course, who can wear an abbreviated +costume. Her hair should be in ringlets with a big ribbon tied around +her head, and she may carry a market basket filled with scraps of +paper, or flowers if you prefer, to scatter in front of the bride. + +The ring bearer may carry a curtain ring on a sofa cushion. + +At the ceremony, of course, you must omit all the really solemn parts, +but you may let someone make up some questions for the minister to +use. For instance, he may say to the mock bridegroom, "Do you promise +to obey this woman?" Instead of saying, "I will" and "I do," they may +say, "I wilt" and "I doth." + +For a wedding breakfast, you might serve creamed codfish in heavy +crockery, and follow it with helpings of cream of wheat either cold or +hot, which can be served to resemble ice cream in little paper cases. +There should be a wedding cake which may be only ginger-bread, and +some kind of grotesque motto may be inscribed in the frosting. + + + + +A SILVER WEDDING SHOWER + + +A little group, girlhood friends of more than twenty-five years +standing, recently planned a pleasant shower for a popular friend, the +president, as it happened, of their fortnightly sewing club, on her +silver wedding anniversary. + +None of the ladies was rich and the gifts were planned to cost not +over fifty cents each. Many of them were less than that. + +Silver fittings for a work basket were chosen and included a silver +needle case, a silver thimble case, a silver hem gauge, a unique +tatting shuttle, a little silver ripping knife, a cunning strawberry +emery with a silver hull and a wee wax cherry with a silver stem. + +The gifts were wrapped in white tissue paper, tied with silver cord +with a tiny shining bell inserted in the center of each knot. They +were presented in a lovely sweet grass sewing basket, which in turn +was wrapped and tied with silver ribbon. + +This was not given, however, till the close of the afternoon's +sewing, which had gone on as usual, though there was an atmosphere of +ill-concealed expectation. + +Simple refreshments were brought in and served in buffet style. +Home-made ice-cream was passed in little ice cups which had as +decorations around the rim a circlet of glittering silvery tinsel. +"Silver Cake" and bonbons in silver wrappings accompanied the ice +cream. + +Last of all, the "shower" was borne in on a silver tray and set before +the surprised guest of honor. A little rhyme explained this turn of +events to the delightfully mystified recipient: + + _Because of many a happy hour + With you, well spent, we give this shower, + Just to remember in a way + With love, your silver wedding day_. + +As an amusing little contest each lady was asked to write down ten +things she had learned in the last twenty-five years. The replies made +good reading and furnished plenty of conversation till home-going +time. + + + + +A CAPE COD LUNCHEON + + +In remembrance of a happy two weeks spent in a little bungalow on Cape +Cod, one of the girls of the "bunch" gave a quaint luncheon for the +others during the year following. + +The invitations bore a tiny spray of bayberry sketched in one corner +and read like this: + + _May the bayberry dip and the odor of pine + At this little reunion luncheon of mine, + Bring back all our fun in the house by the sea, + Where we were as jolly as jolly could be_. + +On the luncheon table homespun runners were used, crossed in the +center where a brown wicker basket filled with the gray green of +bayberry branches, brightened by the orange of bittersweet, stood on a +mat of fragrant pine. + +Green bayberry dips in the simplest of low tin candlesticks lighted +the table and at each cover the place-card was a little outline map of +Cape Cod with the situation of the summer camp conspicuously marked. + +The menu consisted of clam cocktails, codfish cakes and tiny pots +of baked beans, hot steamed brown bread cut in small round slices, +blueberry tarts, and coffee. + +The favors were wee bayberry "waxes" for the sewing basket, each with +a bit of a bayberry twig peeping from its top. + + + + +ANNOUNCEMENTS AND SHOWERS + + +"How shall I announce my engagement?" The engaged girl we have always +with us, and the next step after the engagement is the announcement +of it. Most girls like to have some kind of little social function to +break the news to their special circle of friends. Usually a mother or +a sister or a chum does the entertaining, though a girl herself may +perfectly well plan and carry out such a party. + +There are several sorts of affairs which may serve as a setting for +an announcement. A favorite kind is a luncheon for a group of girl +friends. Even less work is an afternoon tea and to that a girl's men +friends may be asked also, though it's really easier to have girls +only. Another kind of announcement party is the evening affair +to which both men and girl friends are invited and at which the +announcement should be "sprung" as a total surprise as in all other +announcement affairs. + +After the engagement is known, immediately the friends of the +bride-to-be begin to think of showers for her. One friend or a group +of friends or her club may be hostesses and give such an affair. + +There are different ways of planning them. For instance, they may be +appropriate to the month, like a Christmas Tree Shower in December or +an Indian Summer Shower in November or a Rainy Day Shower in April. Or +they may take as keynotes the engaged girl's special likes, as in the +case of an apple shower, a kitty shower or an old rose shower. And +then again, they may be just plain, ordinary, handkerchief showers, or +linen showers, or kitchen showers, with an original touch somewhere. + + + + +"A LITTLE BIRD TOLD ME" LUNCHEON + + +At a recent engagement luncheon the announcement was made in a unique +way. + +A large wooden embroidery hoop was hung from the ceiling over the +table and in the ring perched a gaily painted wooden parrot, the kind +that rocks back and forth when touched. + +From the parrot streamers of colored baby ribbon led to the different +places, and tied to the ends of the ribbons were tiny notes in +envelopes. These on being opened showed the names of the engaged +couple and a short rhyme reading thus: + + _A little bird told me + A very nice thing, + That Randolph gave Sally + A diamond ring_. + +The refreshments followed somewhat the parrot color scheme, with +halves of grapefruit garnished with cherries, chicken a la King, +pimento, walnut and cream cheese salad, orange ice, and little cakes +with colored frosting. + +Small celluloid parrots perched on the rims of the glasses were +appropriate souvenirs. + + + + +A HAPPINESS TEA + + + _Sing a song of sixpence, + A pocket full o' rye, + Four and twenty bluebirds + Baked in a pie; + + When the pie was opened + The birds began to sing, + About a certain couple here + Who have some news to spring_. + +Thus did one girl announce her engagement in the month of May. She had +asked twenty-four of her best friends to come to a bluebird tea one +Saturday afternoon, and nobody suspected her secret, although they did +remember that the bluebird stands for happiness. + +The party was held out on the hostess's big porch, which was decorated +with jars of pink and white apple blossoms. Everybody had a very good +time dancing to the music of the phonograph until it was time for the +tea to be served. The waitresses were Betty's two little sisters, who +wore as insignia big blue bows on their hair and cunning little aprons +made of bluebird cretonne. + +The tea was iced and served with lemon and mint in tall glasses. The +sandwiches were tiny and round and filled with pink strawberry jam +which made them seem like delectable apple-blossom petals. Betty +happened to have bluebird plates and she used paper napkins with a +bluebird motif. + +After the sandwiches came little pink and green and white frosted +cakes and last of all the surprise. It appeared to be a great pie with +bluebird heads peeking through the crust. In reality the crust was +just brown paper touched up with a bit of water color paint and pasted +across the top of a big open pan. The bluebirds soon showed what they +were when the guests in turn pulled them out of the pie by means of +the narrow white ribbon attached to each one. They were really flat +pasteboard bluebirds and served as the excuse for the rhyme announcing +Betty's engagement. + +As a souvenir each guest had a tiny bluebird May basket filled +with pink and white Jordan almonds. Small square boxes formed the +foundations of the May baskets, the sides were then covered with +bluebird crepe paper and the corners tied with wee blue bows. Little +cut-out bluebirds hung from the slender handles and bore the names of +the individual guests. + +When they said good-by, the guests all declared that they had had a +bluebirdy time, which in other words meant that Betty had planned very +happily. + + + + +A HELLO PARTY + + +The invitations to this party read as follows: + + _Hello! hello! hello! + A party's on the wire; + And you must surely go + Or else arouse my ire! + Friday evening + Eight o'clock_ + +The affair was planned by one girl to announce the engagement of a +chum, and of course the object of the party was not revealed in the +invitations. + +All kinds of jolly games were played to pass the evening, and one +pleasant feature was "A Telephonic Conversation" by Mark Twain +rendered by a good reader. + +The telephone was the keynote of the evening and played a prominent +part in the table decorations. A big blue paper bell such as one +sees in front of telephone booths hung over the center of the table. +Beneath it was a low bowl of forget-me-nots of which the guests did +not see the significance till later. + +The candles were white with blue bell-shaped shades, and at each +person's plate as a favor stood one of the tiny glass telephones seen +in candy stores, full of candies. + +The place-cards each bore a mock telephone number, such as Sing 1236, +Circle 6320, Joke 5156, Shiver 9315, Groan 231. + +The menu was mostly white and served on blue dishes. It consisted of +chicken patties, hot rolls, cream cheese and white grape salad, and +vanilla ice-cream in blue frilled paper cases. + +Toward the end of the ice-cream course the hostess asked the guests to +announce their telephone numbers, in turn. Whereupon, each person was +requested to rise from the table and act out his number. This was +comparatively simple and made everyone quite hilarious. + +When it came the turn of the hostess, she said that her number was +Springit 42. The two (2), she said, were Elizabeth and John, and +this was the time she had chosen to spring the announcement of their +engagement. + +Another way in which the announcement could be made is to prepare +telephone messages of the news and tie them to the ends of blue +ribbons hanging from the tongue of the bell. The hostess may announce +that the "bell tolled" when the guests are allowed to open and read +their messages. + + + + +AN APPLE SHOWER + + +A girl who was very fond of apples in every form, so much so that all +her friends knew about it, was given a clever shower after she became +engaged. + +The invitations were cut in apple shape and tinted a little with red +and green water colors. The following verses voiced the plan of the +party and notified the guests: + + _Invitation to a Shower_ + + _Apples, apples everywhere + Will doubtless make up half the fare + On Elsie's future menu pad, + As they are Elsie's greatest fad. + So if you'd keep that fact in mind + In shower presents--'twould be kind; + Send it to me the day before + And come on Saturday at four_. + + _January the twentieth + At Mary's house_. + +The first amusement of the afternoon was an apple-guessing contest, +the names of different varieties of apples to be guessed from literal +definitions, thus: The Royal Apple--. King. After that there was an +apple-peeling contest in Hallowe'en fashion and each girl threw the +peeling over her left shoulder to discover the initial of her future +husband. + +Immediately following this, the hostess, with the help of one of the +other girls, brought in a big bushel basket apparently filled with +huge rosy apples, and set it down before the guest of honor. + +When the green ribbon around the stem of each make-believe apple was +untied, the red crepe paper opened out, disclosing, in wrappings of +soft cotton, a variety of gifts for the apple-loving girl. + +There was an up-to-date corer and a plate for baking apples, a fat +plush apple pincushion for the kitchen, a red apple "bank" with a slit +for savings, one of the beautiful Wallace Nutting photographs of a New +England apple tree in full pink and white bloom, an artistic brown +basket for apples to be kept on the buffet or used for the breakfast +table, and a delightful fruit bowl with an apple border. + +One girl had contributed a little booklet of choice apple recipes, a +jar of apple butter and another of home-made apple sauce. One artistic +member of the group had stenciled a crash table runner for the porch +table with a conventional apple design in yellow and orange and green, +and another girl put the same design very decoratively on a round box +of painted tin. + +Two of the prettiest gifts were a cunning sports handkerchief with a +cluster of apples stamped in one corner, and a smart flat silk hat +ornament in the shape of three apples. + +Before the happy bride-to-be had finished exclaiming over her gifts, +the hostess served buffet refreshments that were as pretty as they +were delicious. There were little individual molds of pink apple +tapioca, topped with whipped cream and accompanied by small home-made +cakes, frosted uniquely. Each one had in the center of its white icing +a miniature apple bough as a decoration, made from two red maraschino +cherries, two leaf-shaped pieces of green angelica and a bit of +citron. + +As a surprise for each girl, the hostess had provided a tiny bunch of +apple sachets, easily made from scraps of apple-colored silks. + +"I like apples more than ever now that I've begun to see their +possibilities," the guest of honor declared. + + + + +AN OLD ROSE SHOWER + + +For a girl who was very fond of everything rose-colored, her friends +planned an "old-rose" shower on Valentine's Day. + +As a result, among the gifts were rose-colored silk stockings, a +rose-flowered silk party bag, an old-rose boudoir cap, slippers to +match, and towels with old-rose initials. Each gift was wrapped in +white tissue paper and tied with old-rose ribbon, and they were +all presented on a big tray, the bottom of which was rose-flowered +cretonne under glass. + +The refreshments were raspberry ice and tiny cakes frosted in rose and +white, and each guest carried away as a favor a wee glove handkerchief +with an old-rose border. + + + + +A KITTY SHOWER + + +It sounds odd, but the engaged girl for whom it was given was so very +fond of pussy cats that her chum knew that a kitty shower would just +exactly suit her. + +The invitations, written on cats cut from heavy paper, read this way: + + _Since Elizabeth Ann is so fond of the kitty + Don't you agree that 'twould be a great pity + If we missed a good chance now for making a hit + By each bringing her some kind of a kit_? + +The bride-to-be suspected nothing when she was asked to a kitty +luncheon at her chum's house. + +The table had as decorations a centerpiece of pussy willows and yellow +tulips, and the candle shades were made of yellow parchment paper with +black silhouettes of cats running around them. + +At each girl's place was a tiny china cat with a yellow ribbon bow on +its neck to which was tied the place-card. + +There was no attempt to carry out the kitty idea in the menu, but it +was yellow throughout. The first course was grapefruit, then followed +scalloped oysters garnished with lemon slices, chicken and mayonnaise +salad, individual baked custards, and sunshine cake. + +Upon withdrawing from the table, it was announced that "Pussy was in +the well," and forthwith a deep cylindrical waste-basket trimmed with +pussy willows was brought in and set before the guest of honor, who +was requested to be the one to "pull pussy out." + +With a dawning understanding of the meaning of this, the bride-to-be +reached in and drew one by one from the waste-basket the "kits" which +had been placed there for her. Each one was tied with yellow ribbon +and had a black cat pasted on it. + +The gifts were all very clever. There was a traveler's sewing kit, +a small blacking kit, a wee laundry kit for motoring, a handy kit +containing baggage tags, rubber bands, and the like, an emergency kit +with safety pins and threaded needle for her handbag, a guest towel +with a cross-stitch kitty on one end, a cream pitcher and sugar bowl +with a kitten border, a quaint kitten door stop, a painted wooden +kitten twine holder, a pair of Angora skating gloves, an odd little +sewing apron with linen cats appliqued on the corners, and a knitting +bag of cretonne which pictured Puss-in-Boots prominently among other +Mother Goose People. + +When the excitement of the shower was over, a guessing contest was +played, each answer being a word in which the syllable "cat" figured. +This very jolly afternoon ended with a really hilarious game of +Puss-in-the-corner. + + + + +A CAMP FIRE SHOWER + + +A jolly crowd of young people who had been camping together a great +deal gave a lively shower to two of their number who were announcing +their engagement. + +The affair took place in the city in the winter time and was very +informal. + +After the "bunch" had gathered, someone suggested that they play +charades, one of their favorite diversions. + +The engaged persons were chosen to sit with the hostess before the +open fire and pretend they were in camp. The word selected was not +made known to them, however. + +The others all retired into the next room and came back shortly, +wrapped in raincoats and sou'westers, each one carrying a knobby +package. + +"Shower!" they shouted in chorus, throwing their bundles at the group +by the fire. The parcels contained all kinds of camp conveniences. +There was a camp kit containing knives and forks and spoons, a +collapsible drinking cup, a thermos bottle, a pocket compass, an +electric flashlight, a folding mirror, a pocket corkscrew, a folding +camp grate, a folding camp stool, a folding alcohol stove with a pot, +and a pocket camera. + +The engaged couple were taken entirely by surprise, for they had +supposed the party to be only one of many sociable evenings which the +crowd were in the habit of having. + +The refreshments were reminiscent of camp and were served on wooden +plates around the fire in picnic fashion. The menu consisted of hot +bacon and roll sandwiches, dill pickles, coffee, and marshmallows +toasted over the flames. + + + + +A "ONE I LOVE" SHOWER + + +The invitations were made of white water color paper cut in the shape +of daisies, with centers tinted yellow. Scattered over the petals were +the following lines: + + "_One I love, two I love, + Three I love I say, + Come and see if this is true + On St. Valentine's Day." + (or "Friday next, I pray_") + +On all the invitations but the guest of honor's was added: "In honor +of Marion's engagement. Please send your remembrance to me the day +before." + +This direction was put on so that the gifts could all be wrapped in +advance by the hostess in white tissue paper, tied with yellow baby +ribbon and a big artificial daisy tucked into the knot. Piled on a +tray they were brought to the surprised little bride-to-be on the +afternoon of the party. The entertainment fulfilled the promise of the +invitation in this way: A large paper daisy with many petals was hung +against the wall and each guest was given a pointer and asked to +select a petal at random. On the back of each petal was written a +little fortune rhyme somewhat on the order of this one: + + "_Five! he loves--good pumpkin pie, + So learn to cook it--thus say I_." + +The refreshments were served in buffet style in the dining room. In +the center of the table was a blossoming pot of marguerites. There +were individual daisy salads, formed by little mounds of chicken salad +covered with yellow mayonnaise and surrounded by a fringe of petals +cut from the whites of hard-boiled eggs. With the salad simple bread +and butter sandwiches were eaten. + +As a second course, frozen custard in paper cups with borders of white +paper petals was served with squares of angel cake, frosted in yellow, +and squares of sunshine cake, frosted in white. + +The principal feature, however, and the final one, was the favor pie. +A big imitation daisy was made from a round basket, by covering the +top with yellow paper and surrounding the edge with as many petals +as there were guests. Each guest was asked to pull a petal from the +daisy, and in so doing drew from the basket a tiny doll dressed like +a "rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief, doctor, lawyer, merchant or +chief." The girl whose fate was already assured had been guided to +choose a particular petal and her favor doll proved to be dressed in +the garb of her fiance's profession. + + +FORTUNE RHYMES FOR A "ONE I LOVE" SHOWER + + 1. If you'll only wait a while + Some one nice will make you smile. + + 2. You will have to choose between + Walking or a limousine. + + 3. If you only ONLY knew + Who was thinking much of you. + + 4. At a motion picture show + From the screen your fate you'll know. + + 5. Something nice you'll sure know + In about a week or so. + + 6. Don't despise + Hazel eyes. + + 7. Far across the briny sea + Comes thy lover now to thee. + + 8. Your career you'll surely ship + And substitute a wedding trip. + + 9. A dance, a ride, a moonlit lawn, + Your heart will be completely gone. + + 10. One--two--three-- + The third it will be. + + 11. Beware, beware the eyes of blue + Or they'll surely capture you. + + 12. Your intellect will meet its equal, + Happy though will be the sequel. + + 13. A word, a smile, a bow, + Married in a year from now. + + 14. Try a smile + For a while + To beguile. + + 15. You will travel far away + Sixteen years from yesterday. + + + + +AN INDIAN SUMMER SHOWER + + +For the girl who is to be married in the winter, an Indian Summer +Shower might be given some November evening. The cards of invitation +can have a little brown Indian wigwam painted in one corner, or cut +out of brown paper and pasted on; or the invitations can be written on +pieces of white birch bark, if you happened to have gathered and saved +any from the summer vacation. Paper imitation of birch bark might also +be used. + +Put all the gifts, wrapped in brown tissue paper and tied with gay +ribbons, in a toy wigwam which you can make with three sticks and a +piece of brown burlap. When the right time comes, the engaged girl is +led up to the wigwam and asked to receive the gifts. If there is a +small brother or cousin who can be dressed up in an Indian suit to +hand out the presents, so much the better. + +The hostess may make this any kind of shower she wishes. + +After the wigwam has been sacked, it would be fun if you could sit +around the open fire to pop corn or toast marshmallows and play the +Indian Summer game of "Pipe Dreams." Each girl writes out an imaginary +dream of the bride's future. The dreams are read by the hostess, and +then each dream paper is consigned to the fire. + +The refreshments ought to be very simple, and may consist of hot +chocolate and little chocolate cakes, cone-shaped to simulate wigwams, +or they may be merely apples, nuts, popcorn, and sweet cider. Serve +the nuts and apples in Indian baskets. + + + + +A CHRISTMAS TREE SHOWER + + +For the bride who announces her engagement in December, a Christmas +tree shower might be given Christmas week. Send out cards of +invitation in the shape of small Christmas trees, or else paste or +paint little evergreen trees on white cards. Ask the guests to bring +something small enough to be hung on a little Christmas tree. The +bride should be asked to come a little later than the others, so that +they may have time to hang their gifts on the tree. + +The tree may be as elaborate as you wish to make it. Where trees +are hard to procure, a cunning little one on a table is quite large +enough. It can be decked with gold and silver hearts and candy kisses, +and on its branches should hang the shower gifts, prettily wrapped and +tied. + +When the bride arrives, she must strip the tree. Among its treasures +may be English walnut shells, gilded and tied together, with fortune +verses inside.--The hostess provides one of these for each guest. + +The refreshments may consist of sandwiches cut in the shape of +Christmas trees and filled with green pepper and cream cheese; caraway +cookies cut in the shape of Christmas trees; and hot chocolate, with a +sprig of evergreen tied by a tiny bow of red to each cup-handle. + +This affair could be planned specifically as a handkerchief, hosiery +or kitchen shower. + + + + +WEDDINGS + + +Following naturally on the engagement announcement and bridal showers +come the wedding plans. + +If the bride's house is small, a church wedding may be the solution +for her, or else she may plan a house wedding with just a few chosen +friends and relatives present. + +Very often, if a church wedding is planned, there is a reception +afterward at the bride's home. If only a few guests are invited to it, +a wedding breakfast or dinner may be served, but if a large number of +people are asked, buffet refreshments are sufficient. + +According to the different seasons of the year, the weddings may take +on varying characters. Spring, summer, fall and winter weddings, +indoor and outdoor weddings, all have their own special charms. + + + + +SUMMER WEDDING DECORATIONS + + +Every girl can have a pretty wedding--especially if she lives within +reach of the free woods and fields or in a place of gardens and +shrubbery. + +Wild roses and wild clematis vines with ferns from the woods are +lovely in a country church where festoons and garlands are often +needed to adorn the bare walls. + +Banks of black-eyed Susans with outdoor ferns, bowers of snowy dogwood +in season and the fluffy wild pink azalea are very decorative, and so +are the spring and early summer shrubs: syringa, deutzia, flowering +almond and Japanese snowball. + +Mountain laurel, with its exquisite pink flowers and glossy green +leaves, lends itself particularly to church decoration. Ropes of the +leaves may be looped from the roof to the side walls; and the blossoms +massed in the front of the church make a fitting background for a +bride and her pink-clad attendants. + +In the South, Cape jasmine, in the Far West, the golden California +poppies and carnations, are beautiful to use. Of course, nothing is +lovelier than roses--pink and white--and should they prove scarce +they can be successfully supplemented with pink and white peonies, +especially for church decoration purposes. + +Meadow rue in great misty clumps as it grows, arranged with tawny +field lilies and dark green wood ferns, is remarkably striking in a +church. + +At one home wedding, big loose bunches of feathery grass, buttercups, +daisies, and clover in brown earthern jars filled the corners of the +living-room, and in the bay window, where the ceremony took place, +tall graceful sprays of Queen Anne's lace arranged with plenty of +green, made an artistic background. Glass vases filled with it stood +on the window sills and on the floor, the tops of the floor bouquets +hiding the window receptacles. + +In the dining-room a bowl of pink and white clover occupied the center +of the table and there were window boxes of the same sweet flower. + + + + +THE TABLE DECORATIONS + + +Whatever color scheme is used in the other parts of the house, an +entirely different one may be carried out in the dining-room. Some +suggestions for simple table decorations in various colors follow: + +1. Large low bowl of blue and pink forget-me-nots in the center of the +table, with candle shades of white, painted with forget-me-not sprays. + +2. Garden basket or glass basket of yellow roses and honeysuckle with +graceful sprays of honeysuckle vines trailing to the corners of the +table, yellow candle shades. + +3. Old-fashioned bouquet of garden flowers in old-fashioned +vase--snapdragons, lark-spur, coreopsis, babies' breath, +mignonette--old-fashioned stiff little artificial bouquets in white +lace paper for favors. + +4. Hanging basket of pink and lavender sweet peas and smilax over the +table, with smilax reaching to the corners of the table and caught +with pink and lavender tulle bows. + +5. Wood maidenhair ferns and pink garden roses, tiny ferns scattered +over the tablecloth, and rose-colored candle shades. + +6. Wild clematis vines from ceiling over table to four corners, and +low bowl of wild roses in center beneath sprays. + +7. Bachelors' buttons and mignonette in the center of the table +connected with small baskets of mignonette at the corners of the table +by ribbon matching the blue bachelors' buttons, tied on the handle of +each basket. + +8. Scarlet poppies in silver vase, silver candlesticks and shades. + +9. Large bowl of "Jack" roses in the center on a table mirror, with a +single large Jack rose in a slim flower holder at each corner of the +table. + +10. Wicker basket of June garden pinks (white and pink) with shower +of tiny bells hung on pink ribbons above them from the chandelier or +ceiling. + + + + +MENUS FOR THE BUFFET LUNCHEON + + +Many dining-rooms are too small to have a wedding breakfast served at +the table, and for that reason buffet luncheons are most popular. + +The dining table is decorated with flowers and often lighted with +candles under colored shades, and on it are placed extra supplies of +silver and small dishes of olives, nuts and bonbons. + +As the guests leave the receiving line, they move informally toward +the dining-room, where they stand to be served. If the wedding +reception takes place directly after a ceremony in the morning, or at +high noon, the refreshments are more elaborate than at an afternoon +affair and the guests may be seated to be served in the different +rooms. + +When a caterer is not employed, and the serving of the refreshments is +managed by the hostess herself, it is a pretty and practical plan to +ask several young girls to help in the dining-room. They should see +that the guests are promptly supplied, and can relieve them of their +plates when they have finished. + +Below are half a dozen good menus for buffet wedding breakfasts and +receptions, varying in degree of formality to suit individual needs. + + I + + BOUILLON + SALTED CRACKERS + CHICKEN PATTIES + OLIVES + PINEAPPLE SALAD + SMALL LETTUCE SANDWICHES + NEAPOLITAN ICE CREAM WITH FRESH STRAWBERRIES + COFFEE + CAKE + + + II + + CREAMED SWEETBREADS + CHERRY SALAD + WATERCRESS SANDWICHES + RASPBERRY ICE + MACAROONS + + + III + + CHICKEN SALAD + FINGER ROLLS + FROZEN CUSTARD + SUNSHINE CAKE + + IV + + SCALLOPED CRAB MEAT + BREAD AND BUTTER SANDWICHES + STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM + ANGEL CAKE + + V + + ICED CLAM BROTH WITH WHIPPED CREAM + SALTED CRACKERS + COLD VEAL LOAF + SARATOGA CHIPS + OLIVES + PINEAPPLE ICE + SMALL CAKES + + VI + + ICED CONSOMME + SALTED CRACKERS + CHICKEN CROQUETTES + ROLLS + FRUIT SALAD + UNSWEETENED CRACKERS + LEMON CREAM SHERBET + SMALL HOME-MADE COOKIES + + + + +THE FAVORS + + +For wedding favors at a wedding breakfast or reception a number of +interesting little souvenirs can be inexpensively prepared. For +instance, there are wee fans (bought at the doll department) with the +date lettered on each; tiny straw baskets that look like the one +the flower girl carries and are filled with very small artificial +forget-me-nots and rose-buds; airy butterflies of white and pale +yellow silk, to be fastened to fine threads above the table in the +dining-room, where they flutter realistically over the flowers +beneath. + +More frivolous are very diminutive bridesmaid's hats, and at the +wedding of a bride who is going to travel far away there may be small +boats, either real or of cardboard, with a flying flag of matrimony at +the masthead. + +The old-fashioned posy gift cards with clasped hands are quaint; so +are the little nosegays in white paper frills, and every guest will +like a box of bride's cake. + + + + +TWO SUMMER WEDDINGS + + + + +A WILD ROSE WEDDING + + +A wild-rose wedding which one bride planned was wonderfully +attractive. In one corner of the living-room an arch of woven wire was +erected, and covered with graceful wild clematis vines and wild roses. +On each window-sill stood a jar of wild roses, and the mantel was +banked with them. + +The two bridesmaids wore pale green dresses, and carried baskets +overflowing with wild roses; the maid of honor wore a gown of +wild-rose pink, and carried an arm bouquet of wood maidenhair ferns +and wild clematis. + +The dining-table was decorated effectively. A crystal bowl filled with +wild-rose sprays which trailed over the sides and along the table was +placed in the center on a mat of hardy sword ferns. From above the +middle of the table four garlands of wild clematis were looped down to +the edge of the round table and held with bows of green tulle. + +Glass dishes of olives and pink, green, and white candies on the table +still further carried out the color scheme. + +The menu, which was served in buffet style, was pink and white. It +consisted of strawberry and pineapple cocktail, with a sprig of green +mint in each glass, sliced ham and pressed chicken, potato chips, hot +rolls, raspberry ice, white-frosted cakes cut in the shape of bells, +pink-frosted cakes in the shape of hearts. + +Fruit punch, pink with strawberry juice and green with mint, was +served on the rose-bowered porch by a pretty girl in a rose-flowered +frock. + + + + +A FIELD FLOWER WEDDING + + +Another country bride used the field flowers for decorating. + +Big jars of daisies, buttercups, wild carrot, red clover, and tasseled +grasses stood in the corners of all the rooms and filled the empty +fireplace. + +Four little girls, dressed in white with yellow sashes and hair +fillets, carried a daisy chain to form an aisle for the bride and her +attendants, and the ceremony took place under a big bell of field +daisies. + +The bridesmaids wore pale yellow georgette gowns, and carried bouquets +of black-eyed Susans, the maid of honor wore old-gold georgette, +lightened with white, and carried a loose bunch of daisies and +buttercups. + +In the center of the dining table a high-handled white-enameled basket +held a natural arrangement of sweet white clovers, grasses, and yellow +buttercups, and was linked by several streamers of yellow baby ribbon, +with four smaller white baskets at the corners which held smaller +bouquets of the same flowers. A fluffy yellow bow was tied to the +handle of each basket. + +The menu was also yellow and white and consisted of hot bouillon, +sprinkled with grated hard-boiled egg yolks; chicken jelly salad with +mayonnaise; tiny bread and butter sandwiches; frozen custard in ice +cups trimmed with white paper petals, so that each individual serving +looked like a daisy; small squares of sponge cake, and angel food iced +in yellow; yellow and white candies. + +The boxes of wedding cake were piled on the hall table, and each one +had a wee daisy blossom tied into the knot of white ribbon on top. + + + + +OUTDOOR WEDDINGS + + + + +AN ORCHARD PAGEANT + + +There's no wedding quite so picturesque as the outdoor one. Famous is +the orchard wedding beneath a blossoming apple tree, where the air is +filled with fragrance and the bridal party comes winding through +the trees to the trysting place. It needn't be only a poetic fancy, +either--it's entirely practical, and if you have a comparatively small +house, why not give your guests the beautiful freedom of outdoors +instead of cooping them up in the house? + +Mark out the path beforehand by mowing the grass in the chosen +direction. Select plenty of ushers to conduct the guests to the spot +and provide benches and settees for the older folk, who may find it +tiring to stand till the wedding party arrives. + +There need be no decorations except the natural ones of the orchard; +preparations may consist of raking out dead leaves and branches. + +A victrola may be arranged in the proper place to furnish the wedding +processional--or perhaps some musical friend may be found to play the +violin. + +The simpler the pageant, the more effective it will be. First may come +a tiny flower girl in a white frock, swinging a cretonne flowered +sunbonnet from which she tosses apple blossom sprays. + +If there are bridesmaids, they should wear the simplest of pink +dresses with pink fillets on their hair or else wide straw hats +trimmed only with a tiny wreath of flowers. + +Possibly the maid of honor may add a note of contrast by wearing +forget-me-not blue. + +Last of all appear the bride and bridegroom, together, for in an +old-fashioned orchard wedding that is less awkward than for the +bridegroom to come from some other direction. The bride should wear a +simple white gown--formal satin would be out of place. + +The wedding breakfast may be served picnic fashion on a long table of +boards decked with apple blossoms. Toasts in strawberry punch are in +order while an orchestra of robins and bluebirds sing in the apple +trees round about--unless the noise drives them away. The little +waiting maids should wear white aprons and white caps with an apple +blossom sprig stuck in the top. + +Following them came a flock of flower children, tiny girls and boys +scattering flower petals from the high-handled baskets swinging in +their chubby little hands. + +Last of all, four abreast, came the bride and bridegroom, with the +bride's mother, who gave her away, on the right of the bride, and +the best man on the left of the bridegroom. The ribbon girls had +accompanied the procession at the proper intervals holding the aisle +ribbon, and the last two brought up the rear, winding up the ribbon as +they came. + +The reception took place immediately afterward on the lawn, and the +guests were served with ice-cream and cake wherever they chanced to be +by the attentive ribbon girls. + +In the back yard at a long table a colored caterer superintended the +service. + +Altogether it was a most successful wedding and at the same time a +fairly easy one to plan since there was no question of overcrowding in +the house, although in case of rain it could have been managed there. + + + + +A WEDDING ON THE LAWN + + +A girl who lived in a small town and had a big lawn chose to be +married outdoors in August. The blossoming hydrangea hedge in front of +the house was made thicker with small evergreen branches stuck down +into the ground. One corner of the yard where there was a natural +alcove curving in among the shrubs, she picked out for the wedding +itself. + +The porch was decorated with Japanese lanterns and flowers, and +beforehand the guests gathered in groups there or on the lawn. + +When it was time for the ceremony, some girl friends of the bride +marshalled the guests to the chosen place and then returned to the +house to act as ribbon girls. There were about a dozen of them in +light summer dresses, and the first couple, holding the ends of long +white ribbons, preceded the bridal groups, roping off an aisle across +the lawn and among the spectators. + +A chorus of young musical friends came first, singing the words and +music of Lohengrin. + + + + +FALL WEDDINGS + + + + +A BLUE AND GOLD WEDDING + + +September and October weddings are always popular, partly perhaps +because of the decorating possibilities of the autumn season. + +Goldenrod and wild asters one thinks of for early fall. At one evening +home wedding where this blue and gold color scheme was used, the +stalks of plumey golden rod seemed to be growing naturally along the +stair rail; they were held in place at the uprights. + +The rooms were hung with blue and golden globes of lights--in reality +paper lanterns--sheltering electric bulbs. The fireplace held masses +of goldenrod, and blue jars holding wild asters crowned the mantel, +the tables, the piano, and the wide window sills. + +The bridesmaids wore gowns of yellow organdy and the maid of honor an +aster blue costume. + +In the dining-room a dull gilt basket of blue asters occupied the +center of the table set for a buffet repast, and a bow of blue and +golden tulle fluttered from the handle of the basket. + +The favors were tiny kewpie dolls, wearing frilly skirts and caps, +some of blue and others of yellow. The blue were for the men, the +yellow for the girls. + + + + +OAK LEAVES AND COSMOS + + +When oak leaves begin to glow with tawny splendor, another girl +celebrated her wedding. The house was a bower of rich, deep red and +brown foliage, and the "bridey" touch came in with the pale pink +garden cosmos that was used. + +Cosmos made the background for the wedding group, and was arranged in +feathery masses wherever it might contrast with the dark oak leaves. + +The wedding was in the late afternoon, and after the sunset light had +faded the pink candles began to glow rosily under soft pink shades. + +The dining-room table was lovely with pink candle-light and pink +cosmos as a centerpiece on a mat of oak leaves. There were pink and +white candies and raspberry ice was served with the tiniest of pink +and white and green _petites fours_. + + + + +THREE WINTER WEDDINGS + + + + +A CHRISTMAS WEDDING + + +The first girl lived in a country town and evergreens in the woods +near by were plentiful. The wedding was a Christmas one, and took +place in the late afternoon. Garlands of graceful ground pine were +wound over the banisters in the hall, and draped over the doorways to +hang down halfway on each side against the ivory white wood-work. In +the living-room, two little Christmas trees, lighted with tiny white +candles, formed an alcove where the bridal group could stand. + +The table in the dining-room was decorated for a buffet luncheon in +holiday red and green. There was a centerpiece of red roses, red silk +candle shades shading white candles in clear glass candlesticks, and +tiny green Christmas ferns scattered on the white cloth. + +The menu had the same color harmony, and consisted of consomme, salted +crackers, oyster patties, chicken jelly salad with green mayonnaise, +salad rolls, olives, pistachio ice-cream in holly-decked cases, little +cakes with green icing and silver bonbons stuck on top, and coffee, +with green mints. + + + + +A RAINBOW WEDDING + + +The second bride lived in the city and had a rainbow wedding. The +usual green of potted ferns and palms formed the background of +decorations, but over the rounded archway which opened into a small +alcove a "rainbow" of tulle--rose, pale pink, yellow, green, blue, and +lavender--was arranged. Pink and yellow roses with green foliage were +supplemented in the living-room by blue and lavender tulle on the +vases. The six bridesmaids wore gowns which matched the tulle rainbow +and they carried pink roses. + +On the table in the dining-room was a bowl of pink roses, and from the +table dome a myriad of baby ribbon streamers in the same varied colors +came down at six points, and were held in place by six fluffy favor +dolls, dressed in tulle to match the six bridesmaids, to whom they +were afterward given as souvenirs. + +The menu consisted of chicken a la King, small sandwiches, olives, +Neapolitan ice-cream, fancy frosted cakes, and coffee. + + + + +A COLONIAL WEDDING + + +The third girl, with a delight for old-fashioned ways, was followed by +six maids in quaint Colonial gowns of plain or flowered silk, no +two costumes alike, save for soft white lace fichus. Black velvet +neckbands, powdered curls, and "nosegays" of small pink carnations in +lace paper holders quite carried out the lovely effect. + +The old-fashioned rooms were hung with smilax and asparagus fern, and +in every window stood a pot of flowering fuchsias. + + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Entertaining Made Easy, by Emily Rose Burt + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ENTERTAINING MADE EASY *** + +***** This file should be named 11883.txt or 11883.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/1/8/8/11883/ + +Produced by Janet Kegg, Josephine Paolucci and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team. + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Each eBook is in a subdirectory of the same number as the eBook's +eBook number, often in several formats including plain vanilla ASCII, +compressed (zipped), HTML and others. + +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks replace the old file and take over +the old filename and etext number. The replaced older file is renamed. +VERSIONS based on separate sources are treated as new eBooks receiving +new filenames and etext numbers. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + +EBooks posted prior to November 2003, with eBook numbers BELOW #10000, +are filed in directories based on their release date. If you want to +download any of these eBooks directly, rather than using the regular +search system you may utilize the following addresses and just +download by the etext year. For example: + + https://www.gutenberg.org/etext06 + + (Or /etext 05, 04, 03, 02, 01, 00, 99, + 98, 97, 96, 95, 94, 93, 92, 92, 91 or 90) + +EBooks posted since November 2003, with etext numbers OVER #10000, are +filed in a different way. The year of a release date is no longer part +of the directory path. The path is based on the etext number (which is +identical to the filename). The path to the file is made up of single +digits corresponding to all but the last digit in the filename. For +example an eBook of filename 10234 would be found at: + + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/0/2/3/10234 + +or filename 24689 would be found at: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/4/6/8/24689 + +An alternative method of locating eBooks: + https://www.gutenberg.org/GUTINDEX.ALL + + diff --git a/old/11883.zip b/old/11883.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..d41c7b6 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/11883.zip |