The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, December 17, 1899, Page 16

nd Loreny had been to the ne errands and were back to the almshouse e ey liv The light was & g low western #ky 3 nt file down " ad besn a . ¢ fore, and it - there was > between the a s. 4 was . her brother 1 girl Her thin, e Kipp over the snow as SpATT She wore an old br platd shawl . we hat?’ she cried, in an excited T sat down the asses jug and ol around r shoulder. A brown r package lay in the roed before 1o it asked Loreny re laia un- nothing, but his 1 and his eyes with axen a beautiful hatr. She ame. Into ou goin’ to do with clot the other " nt Tom- X » molasses jug and P else,” & the kerosene can also ndo it sald Loreny, trembling. whispe S and brushed past his sis- Tommy's clt f rs t ed at T set the jug down. ter. He picked up the Pink string. 1ty o b t sald Le parcel, which was a ni d a ren d set white one. down quick, up again, Tommy ndy in on a mite of it of the pockets of “Mind you, d “‘One fan,” replies the first speaker, commencing to wave his rigat hand backward and forward. His neigh- bor copies the action, and, turning to the person on his right, makes the same an- fous netghbor Copyrighted. ways like to play “Old Maid,” but little HICH do the boys hatae it are dreadfully afraid of hildren like best, r old? I am in- fate. nouncement. k the old games my son” is as old_as the Soon the whole circle Is waving one they are played is almost always succes: hand, and when this is accomplished the proper spirit—the prenticed my son to a . and the leader commences thus: *“A ship came ich have stood the first th e sold was A. and R.” Bo savs from India “What did it bring?" asks test of time u always be made new the person who starts the game, and the the blue-eyed neighbor, still painstakingly when they are led with enthusiasm. magiclan who can produce “almonds and waggling his chubby right hand. *“Two “ Maid"—oldest & primmest of ' from his inner consciousness IS fans,” replies the first player, waving s be successful it » one who has to set the n, both hands with animation, whilst this who can infuse the A shon came from India” is a goud action is gradually repeated by the circle. t of animation into the game for tiny children. They must all sit “Three fans,” is the next turn, and neces- r who call he Queen around in a circle and the one who starts sitates that two hands and one foot the “good old lady” and visibly shivers at the game save: “A ship came from In- should wave. “Four fans” sets the other the approach of doom. Little girls al- dia.” “What did it bring?” asks his anX- foot ‘going, and “five fans" necessitates the wagging of the head and then the game stops. For working off superfluous energy nothing. better could be recom- mended, and this requires to be followed by a ‘“‘quiet” game. “‘Celebrities” is an amusing game if there are a limited number of players. One of the company leaves the room and the rest settle on the nams of some well- charged Loreny, sharply. “No, I won't,” promised Tommy, gath- ering up the jug and can They went on, then suddenly Loreny stopped again. “Tommy Wood,” she gasped, “there’s another Tommy set down the jug and can and sprang forward. Where , flat thlessly books w package. Tommy There were books th handsome cov- ers, and one beautiful picture book. Tom- my turned the leaves and Loreny looked er his shoulder. 't they handsome?” she s all I do with them? mmy, breathing hard. “I dunno, unless you can put them in known person. Supposing they think of the Sirdar, six people could play, and each would think of the name of a well-known person beginning with one of the letters contained in his name. The first player thinks of Sheridan, the second of Irving, the third of Romeo, making an acrostic of the name. The one who has gone out is now called in, and.she may ask each person six questions in turn (twenty if they are young players), like this: “Are you a man?" “Are you allve -now?’ “Used you to write?” “Was it a novel? “Was “Was it ‘The School for The players omly answer and “No.” She now knows that “8” Is the first letter, and she goes on to the next player until she has guessed each word ip turn. Six people can choose a name of more than six letters, if some of the players take a double turn. If it is a very large party it can be divided into two, and two players must go out instead of one. il i ™ i your pocket. It won't do to leave them laying under foot."” Tommy tied up the books carefully, and they just slipped Into a pocket of Mr. Palmer’s great coat. Then he took up the jug and can, and he and Loreny went on. In a minute Loreny stopped again. “I'm scart most to pleces,” sald she. “There’s another!” She and Tommy looked at each other. Loreny was quite pal “I s'pose you had better pick it up,” she sald faintly. Tommy picked up the parcel, and his hands shook when he unrolled it. “Oh!” he cried. It was a beautiful little concertina. He pulled it out gently, and there was a soft musical wheeze. “Don’t! Somebody will hear,” cried Lo- reny. ‘‘Put it up, quick!" A’ stubborn expression came over Tom- face. *You've got the doll,” sald he, 'm going to have this."” t it up, quick!* n't I have it?" “Mrs. Paimer won't let us have any of ‘em wher sees ‘em."” Tommy .stowed the concertina into a pocket of Mr. Palm coat with a reso- lute air. “I can hide this jest as well as you can that dol «aid he Tommy pleked molasses jug and but this time he il he had Loreny no more long the mysterious road. The almsh white f not many fact men Loreny The the almsho blew in their to get into the zr the five old and Mrs Mr. Paim in use Iy a large There w River; rmhouse pauper in » old wo- 1d men, besides Tommy and hill on which children went up t Palme out stro’ “Take out and And yo shawl an mer. Mrs and fretful ring ard. set the table,” said Mrs. Pal- Palmer was a thin little woman ad a rked | not as ener- | work came It was fortunate that Tommy and | Loreny were expected to leave their outs | of-docr garments in the T They | shut the kitchen d tered up- | atairs in wi mer called after them n. Tommy flew | d certina the candy and books b fle Loreny g tween the rer did not questi was Ther, dinner. a widow In tw two chic . The old me and chuckled The th of kindling. ticipation of had o 3 t were full of guilty delis over their treasures upstairs, terror lest Mrs. Palmer should go up and find them After Loreny had washed the dishes, then she and Tommy pared apples and ins. t eat more than you narged Mrs. Palmer. She was too worn out to consider what a few | raisins on Christmas Eve might mean to a little girl Howev ; think much anxious to get weni to bed ez nd Loreny did not | ., they were too The old people the children we 1y, but | can play at being many apples to be pared and pounds of ralsins to be picked over. At 9 o'clock they hurried up to thelir chambers, each had a little candle In a tin candlestick. Loreny’'s room Wwas op- posite Tommy's. She was just taking the doll out of the bed, when she he :ud. a sweet wheeze from the ronf--rllna., 8 flaw across the entry: “Tommy “nm!,' she whispered, “you stop this minute! ‘1l be up here."" P s"ll"enml’l'ly h?mself looked frightened. .l won't do it again,’ sald he, “1 eouldn’t help it.” X Finally Tommy went to sleep with the concertina in his arms and Loreny with the doll. Once in the night she ;\\\‘nlf.: suddenly, for she heard the concertina. She listened In a panic, but she daid not hear It again, and went to sleep. The next morning there was a sort of feeble merriment about the almshouse, There were no Christmas presents, but the dinner, that meant a great deal. Mrs Palmer even smiled wearily as she stir- red the plum pudding. Tommy and Lo- reny were kept very busy all the morn- fng, but after the grand wnner, when they had eaten the roast turkey and chicken ‘and plum pudding and all the paupers had feasted, they had a little time to themselves. Loreny stole upstairs to her own room. Bhe got a pink calico apron in which her heart delighted out of her bureau draw- er, and she dressed the doll in it It was a cold Christmas and the window was thick with frost, but she stayed there with the doll all the afternoon. She got her best blue halr-ribbon and tied vth pink apron round tue doll's walst. Sh kissed its pretty face. “Ain’t going to let you freeze this cold weather, dear chiid, she whispered As for Tommy, he was out in the snowy pasture behind the almshouse, sitting or a rock which plerced a drift, playing concertina In the ing Rec He actually picke he had heard sung in he was In a rag the coid, but could scarcely walk whe the concertina in the turned to the almshouse. When he had hidden away er ., where [ She was warming her the stove he went down to the kitch, eny had j lttle bl gone. ds over s you right for old so long his snowy feet. He had been down to the village and had some news “Deacon Alden's hir 1 heay of things out of his cart noon 1 he plit then back. The horse was kind of he never knew till he got home n went right back, but the thing gone. Somebody had p! “It's just as bad te mer, y; Loreny tv oyes ¢ sever wneast We must go do ach still, after they we was half-past 9 o'clock en_ twe dark r v atmd coat pockets bulging, | wrapped it pr It was a mil x A as bitter ¢ and the snow ~some Fascmeting Christmas Tobs. NCE more Santa is the most im- portant person in the whole wide world, in the minds of the men and women to-day truth, he occupies no small plac in the minds of the grown vp pe K toys this ye are almost perfect. T lollfes of to-day are truly ve and s in their way, and their t yettes, trunks, Jewelry and e as complete in thelr way as those of eir little mothers mechamcal to: very new, as in most prominent 50 that the driver ¢ all the pl proudly handles the The hobby horses are so lifellke be almost real. A stall is shown just as perfect In its appoint papa’s stable. There are the har pegs on which to hang it, just as stall. There are blankets and cov v and straw, and all the comf« 1 stable, Then there wagons, and wit child enjoy coal and are are irénm, these wagons tce aded h coal and blocks of ice, and my lad the Iceman to his heart’s content. And the coal—it Is real coal—is of such substance that it will not soil the hands, and the fce will not melt Many a mamma will wish that her icebox Deacon Alden's house they ing at the gate “You go In Tommy a little pu No, you,” eny marc rang th the door lookir at them. Loreny spoke: Ve found these things in the road yes- terday,” she. held out the doll and Tommy began remov- ing the con- certina from pocket. “Well, T nav- exclaimed D eacon “Lou- isa,- do come her this minute! you come ,“you Tommy and Loreny; you are freezing out there.” Tommy and Lo- ny were bewild 4. They had nk it all sald h whis hed u Mrs. Deacon and stood amazedly A She his terward order to T 1 : ALK shails 7 PN v.4 be b k wa wi 1 ep, W b b perhaps the ic ¥ ohil De houses elaborate this speak eloquently young Is and furnit year than ever be xury lace, all nicely phol- tered in rich brocade, in truth, up until § o'clock. There were a gre could be filled with this same ice, and former assistant becomes the peddler. He well by in his turn gives his place to tk or aduits . who divines that his bangle is made of A sixpenc ““The Peddler” is a good game for tiny children. Tt is played as follows: The leader-of the game is called the peddler, and she chooses an assistant, to whom she tells the metal of which her locket or bracelet is made. All the children sit round in a circle, with the peddler and his peddler says: W Any one who likes may answer: “I will.” “Tell me what it is made of, s the peddler. The player has only one chanc 3 glves a sort of gasp and cries: “Gold with an anxious glance at the peddler. The peddler's face is expression- less, but hfs assistant says: “We must find another purchaser,” and then the player knows he has made a wrong shot. The peddler continues to offer his wares until some one guesses what they are made of. He must then pay a forfeit and become the peddler's assistant, while his aluminum or some other out thing, and the new peddler a new man. Any one who makes a wrong guess must pay a forfeit. “Judge and Jury” Is another game. The judge sits in a lar chair at the head, and the twel f-the-way jury- men (of either sex and any age) in two rows of chairs facing one another. The judge asks a question of one of the jury- men, addressing him by the name of his opposite neighbor. “Do you ltke this game, Harry?" says the judge. ‘‘Not at all, my lud,” replies Harry's v vis, Nellle, promptly jumping up 1 sit B down again. *“Do you think your halr suits you, Nellle?”’” asks the judge, with a critical glance. This Is too much for Nellle, who replies promptly: “Yes, I think it does!” thereby breaking every rule at once. must say “Yes” or ‘““No,”” no one must omit to say “my lud,” no one must reply for himself, but only for his opposite neighbor. It Is also necessary to jump up and make a bow every time one is addressed by the judge. All these things has Nellie omitted, therefore it 18 necessary that she should herself assume the responsible position of judge. She must stay in the judge's chair till; she can catch somebody out, asking questions which are likely to put them off their guard. Here is another game which is popular at Christmas parties, and can be played the playe blindf o 1de and pro- vided with a lon wand. He is.then placed at one end of the chalk line and told to go stralght to the other end and to thump the ground with his stick as ne the point where the in is as possible. The person who touches the cofn with the stick is the win- ner. A toy may be substituted for the sixpence, but most people like the six- pence best.