GAMES FOR WINTER NIGHTS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XIII, Issue VII, 18 August 1894, Page 166

GAMES FOR WINTER NIGHTS.

‘ IT ’ —A PUZZLING SOCIAL PLAY.

The guessers in this play must be those only who have never seen it or been told the secret of it. The others may act as players, and should keep the secret as long as possible. One of the guessers is sent from the room, while the company of players form by seating themselves in a row, which may consist of boys, girls, adults, and old people. The guesser is to come in and ask each player in turn, * hat is it?' Now the ‘lt’ in this play is always to be the person at the left band of the person replying, and the last person is to answer, •It is nothing.' Thus, as the ‘lt ’ is in one case a man, and in another case a woman, or boy or girl, the truthful answers of the players are very contradictory. For example, the guesser says to the first person in the row : ‘ What is it ?’ * Ask me questions.’ ‘ Is it a man ?’

* Yes.’ (A man sits at the player's left hand.) The guesser asks the next person the same questions : * Is it a man ?’ * No.’ ‘ Is it a woman ?’ ‘ Y es. ’ * But,’ says the guesser, ■ the first player said it was a man.’ ‘ It was.’ A third player, at whose left sits a child, correctly says that it is neither a man nor a woman. The guesser may ask where it came from, how old it is, etc., and the answers may all be truthful, yet seemingly contradictory. THE POET’S PARTY. This is a South American pastime. The Spanish language is a very musical one, and in some parts of South America the children learn to talk very fluently and picturesquely, in rhyme, at their holiday and birthday parties. They are experts in giving impromptu toasts in rhyme. The Poet’s Party consists of impromptu rhymesters. Each may assume the name of some favourite poet, when the conversation will begin. All that is said must be in rhyme, and the questions may be answered in rhyme. The humour of the play consists of the evidences of confusion in the mind of the inexperienced in trying to find rhymes. Rhyming dictionaries may be used. A young lady who had such an unpoetic mind and want of rhythmic sense as to take the party name of ‘ Eliza the Cook,’ accomplished the following, as a maiden effort : How do you do. Mr Brown I Hem, hem, hem, hem ! Take a chair and sit down ; Hem, hem, hem, hem ! Tis a long time since I see you. Hem, hem, hem, hem ! How docs your wife and children do ? Hem, hem, hem, hem !