WINTER GAMES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XVII, Issue I, 4 July 1896, Page 6

WINTER GAMES.

A BUNDLE PARTY. On returning from school one day I found a dainty little note awaiting me. It had arrived by private messenger. Upon the upper right-hand corner of the envelope, in the place usually occupied by the postage stamp, was a neat pen-and-ink sketch of a collection of bundles of various shapes and sizes. On removing the envelope I found the same unique device heading the sheet of heavy notepaper, while beneath it was the following neatly-written invitation : —

Miss Ethel Rood presents her compliments to Miss Ella Matburn and requests the pleasure of her company at a ‘ Bundle Party’ on Saturday afternoon, June 27th.

I studied the pen-and-ink drawing carefully, but failed to gather from it any hints as to the nature of a ‘ Bundle Party.’ So a great deal of curiosity was blended with

my anticipation of a good time as I entered my friend’s room on the designated afternoon. There I found many guests, but nothing at all in the shape of bundles. But very soon a portiere was drawn aside and our hostess led the way into the adjoining room, where, upon a large table, reposed packages of all shapes and sizes. On the wrapper of each was very distinctly marked a number. To each guest was then handed a slip of blank paper and a lead pencil. And then our hostess gave us the following explanation :—• There are thirty bundles upon this table ; each bundle is numbered. Each one of you may handle any or all of the bundles as long and as much as you please, provided that you do not open them nor tear the wrappers. When you have used your sense of tonch to your entire satisfaction you must write down the name of the article that you think is in the bundle, and number your guess as the bundle is numbered. Should you find a package, on the contents of which you cannot decide definitely, put its number on your list and make a dash after it. When you have examined all the bundles and recorded your guesses I will open each package and hold the contents up to your view. Yon will then consult your lists, and those who have hit on the article will hold up their right hands, and I will mark opposite each girl’s name the numbers that she guesses correctly. To the one whose name has the most numbers attached will be given a prize.’ As there were only fifteen guests and thirty bundles there was no lack of employment for our fingers, and more than an hour had elapsed before all the bundles had been examined and the guesses recorded. Then our hostess took up a bundle, announced its number, and after giving us time to examine our lists she opened the package and held its contents up to view. When she had credited the number to those who had raised their right hands she asked each unsuccessful guesser to read out the name of the article she had assigned to that particular number. She had opened first what she considered a very puzzling bundle. It was a peacock feather, and as only two of the girls had hit on the right article, while the other guesses were very wide of the mark, the reading of these not only made much amusement but gave the unsuccessful ones confidence to read their failures aloud.

It is possible to vary this ‘ Bundle Party ’ by making of it an auction sale instead of a guessing contest, and this entertainment may prove quite as enjoyable as those already described. To do this it is necessary to appoint one of the elders of the company auctioneer, and it is well in doing this to select a person having a ready wit and who is an easy speaker. Provide the auctioneer with a mallet, and place on a wooden table in front of him an assortment of bundles and parcels of varying sizes and shapes. To each guest must be given, on arrival, a small bag, box or basket containing either fifty or one hundred beans. If there are many parcels and a limited number of guests it will be better to give each guest one hundred beans, as they will then have plenty of currency for their purchases. The only point to be especially observed is that each guest must receive the same number of beans, so that there may be no advantage given any individual. The auctioneer, after the guesses have been registered and before the parcels have been opened, will hold the packages up for bids from the assembled guests, the package in each case being awarded to the highest bidder. The opening of the parcels later will add greatly to the merriment and amusement of the guests, who will then discover how wise their bids have been.