Games for Hallow-e'en — Part Three
APPLE PARING
Each guest, receiving apple and knife, is requested to peel apple without breaking; then swing paring around head, and let it drop to floor.
The letter formed is initial of future mate's name.
Or, you may hang your paring over door--the first of opposite sex to pass under will be your mate.
THE FARMYARD
This game, if carried out properly, will cause great amusement.
One of the party announces that he will whisper to each person the name of some animal, which, at a given signal, must be imitated as loudly as possible.
Instead, however, of giving the name of an animal to each, he whispers to all the company, with the exception of one, to keep perfectly silent.
To this one he whispers that the animal he is to imitate is the donkey.
After a short time, so that all may be in readiness, the signal is given.
Instead of all the party making the sounds of various animals, nothing is heard but a loud bray from the one unfortunate member of the company.
MELTING LEAD
Each person melts some lead and pours it through a wedding-ring or key into a dish of water.
The lead will cool in various shapes, supposed to be prophetic.
Any ingenious person will interpret the shapes, and furnish much amusement for the listeners; thus, a bell-shaped drop indicates a wedding within a year; a drop resembling a torch or lamp signifies fame; a pen or ink-bottle, that the future companion is to be an author; a horn of plenty, wealth; a bag or trunk, travel; etc. FORTUNE TELLING
The Fortune Teller must provide the person who is to have his or her fortune told with a piece of paper and a pencil and then proceed to say: 1. Write "Yes" or "no." 2. "State a gentleman's or a lady's name."
(If a lady's fortune is to be told she must write a gentleman's name and vice versa.
) 3. "Give a number."
4. "Length of time."
5. "Yes or no." 6. "Yes or no." 7. "Yes or no." 8. "A color."
9. "A color."
10. "Yes or no." 11. "Yes or no." 12. "A shape."
13. "A measure."
14. "A sum of money."
15. "A sum of money."
16. "A virtue."
17. "A profession."
18. "The name of a place."
19. "A lady's or gentleman's name."
20. "The name of a place."
21. "A number."
22. "Yes or no." When these have all been written down, the Fortune Teller proceeds to read out the list of questions he has, with the answers corresponding in number.
Below is appended the list of questions, which, of course, must not be shown to the person whose fortune is being told until he or she has written the answers.
1. Have you a lover?
2. What is his or her name?
3. How old is he or she?
4. How long have you known him or her?
5. Does he or she know you love him or her?
6. Is your affection returned?
7. Have you or has he proposed?
8. What color is his or her hair?
9. What color are his or her eyes?
10. Is he or she handsome?
11. Is he or she conceited?
12. What shape is his or her nose?
13. What size is his or her mouth?
14. What is his or her fortune?
15. How much will he or she allow you?
16. What is his or her chief virtue?
17. What is his or her profession?
18. Where did you first meet?
19. What is your rival's name?
20. Where do you intend to live?
21. How many other proposals have you had, or made?
22. Will the marriage be a happy one?
LOVE'S DISPENSARY
A cozy corner or a convenient part of the room may be converted into an impromptu dispensary with the addition of the Love potions and receptacles containing them, presided over by Dr. Dopem and his assistants.
There are a number of pill boxes containing different colored pills, which are nothing but little round candies.
The powders, composed of powdered sugar or brown sugar are folded in the regulation way, only in paper of various colors.
Plasters, court plaster cut in small pieces of different design.
The directions for taking the powders, etc. , may be read or told to each patient, as they are prescribed for, or a copied prescription could be given with each remedy.
Tell the guests that you understand they are all more or less inoculated with the Love germ in some form and this condition, if neglected, may prove serious--so for their benefit, Dr. Dopem will prescribe for each, according to his need, a remedy which is guaranteed to have the desired effect.
REMEDIES AND THEIR USE.
Red pills--six, take one every two and a half minutes.
Will cause your ideal to reciprocate your love.
Pink pills--four at once.
Will renew your fading love.
White pills--three, taken with eyes closed.
Will cure jealousy.
Black pills--three--take one between each breath.
Will vanquish your rival.
Yellow pills--sneeze, take three pills and sneeze again--repeat if necessary.
Will make you love the one who loves you.
Lavender pills--stand on left foot, place right hand on heart, take two pills, reverse position, stand on right foot, left hand on heart, take two pills.
Will bring about a proposal--or consent to your proposal.
White powder--take with fingers crossed and eyes shut.
Will make you fall in love with the first one of the opposite sex you see.
Pink powder--take with feet crossed.
Will gain consent for a kiss from the right party.
Blue powder--take with right hand holding left ear.
Will bring about an introduction to Miss or Mr. Right.
Red powder--take with right hand on stomach and standing on right foot.
Will bring your heart's desire, providing you tell what it is.
Yellow powder-take while kneeling.
Will make your rival jealous.
Purple powder--take with right hand and arm extended forward, left foot and limb extended backward.
Will bring a speedy marriage.
Black powder--take while on left knee, with left hand on top of head.
Will cause unwelcome attentions to cease.
The plasters worn conspicuously--have the following meaning:-- Worn on the right cheek--I love you.
On the left cheek--I dislike you.
On the forehead--I will be your friend.
On the nose--I am looking for a partner.
On the chin--I wish to speak to you.
At the corner of the mouth--I am willing to be kissed.
Prescriptions may be paid for with some trinket which may be redeemed as a forfeit.
A forfeit may be demanded if directions are not faithfully carried out.
Forfeits may be demanded or omitted as desired by the hostess.
Suggestions for redeeming forfeits will be found under heading "Forfeits" in this book.
APPLES AND FLOUR
Suspend horizontally from ceiling a stick three feet long.
On one end stick an apple, upon other tie small bag of flour.
Set stick whirling.
Each guest takes turn in trying to bite apple-end of stick.
It is amusing to see guests receive dabs of flour on face.
Guest who first succeeds in biting apple gets prize.
WEB OF FATE
Long bright colored strings, of equal length are twined and intertwined to form a web.
Use half as many strings as there are guests.
Remove furniture from center of a large room--stretch a rope around the room, from corner to corner, about four feet from the floor.
Tie one end of each string to the rope, half at one end and half at one side of the room; weave the strings across to the opposite end and side of the room and attach to rope.
Or leave furniture in room and twine the strings around it.
Each guest is stationed at the end of a string and at a signal they begin to wind up the string until they meet their fate at the other end of it.
The lady and gentleman winding the same string will marry each other, conditions being favorable; otherwise they will marry someone else.
Those who meet one of their own sex at the other end of the string will be old maids or bachelors.
The couple finishing first will be wedded first.
A prize may be given the lucky couple, also to the pair of old maids and the pair of bachelors finishing first.
PARTNERS
Partners for different games or for the midnight spread may be decided by the fates.
Write a number on one side of a small slip of paper, on the reverse side write a bit of "fortune."
Place the folded papers in empty peanut or English walnut shells; the shells may be slightly glued together or tied with colored ribbons or string, or a narrow band of paper pasted at the ends will hold the two halves together.
If the paper band is used, the numbers may be written on them and partners drawn before the nuts are cracked and fortunes read.
There should be two portions of nuts and two sets of numbers, one for the ladies and one for the gentlemen.
The lady and gentleman drawing corresponding numbers are partners.
A FEW SUGGESTIONS FOR FORTUNES.
You will meet your future husband (or wife) to-night.
Prosperity and love await you.
A lap full of money and a lap full of children.
Change your mind before it is too late.
You have made the right choice.
Your love is not returned.
She is tired of Taffy, try chocolates.
Thee does not love him as much the(e)auto.
You have too many beaux to your string.
Your face is your fortune, but poverty is no crime.
Fate has deceived you; you will be left in the lurch, waiting at the Church.
Your mate is true blue; what color are you?
Press your suit again; it needs it.
A kiss in time may save nine others taking a chance.
Dame Fortune says, "A good wife, Happy days, a long life."
You are well bred, but doomed to travel in single harness.
Your better half will be a silver one.
Your heart is like a street car--carries many passengers and always room for one more.
The fates decree You shall married be In the year of 1923. Ask her--two can live as cheap as one, in fact cheaper, on the same salary.
BLIND NUT SEEKERS
Let several guests be blindfolded.
Then hide nuts or apples in various parts of room or house.
One finding most nuts or apples wins prize.
TO TRY ONE'S LUCK
In a dish of mashed potatoes place a ring, a dime, and a thimble.
Each guest is provided with a spoon with which to eat the potatoes; whoever gets the ring is to be married within a year; the thimble signifies single blessedness, while the dime prophesies riches or a legacy.
Some canny lassies have been known to get the ring into one of their very first spoonfuls, and have kept it for fun in their mouths, tucked snugly beneath the tongue, until the dish was emptied.
Such a lass was believed to possess the rare accomplishment of being able to hold her tongue, but nevertheless tricky.
THE LOAF CAKE
A loaf cake is often made, and in it are placed a ring and a key.
The former signifies marriage, and the latter a journey, and the person who cuts the slice containing either must accept the inevitable.
CYNIVER
Each girl and boy seeks an even-leaved sprig of ash; first of either sex that finds one calls out cyniver, and is answered by first of opposite sex that succeeds; and these two, if omen fails not, will be joined in wedlock.
NAMING CHESTNUTS
Roast three chestnuts before the fire, one of which is named for some lady (or gentleman); the other two, for gentlemen (or ladies).
If they separate, so will those for whom they are named; those jumping toward the fire are going to a warmer climate; those jumping from the fire, to a colder climate; if two gentlemen jump toward one another, it means rivalry.
THE MIRROR
Walk backward several feet out of doors in moonlight with mirror in your hand, or within doors with candle in one hand and mirror in the other, repeating following rhyme, and face of your future companion will appear in glass: "Round and round, O stars so fair!
Ye travel and search out everywhere;
I pray you, sweet stars, now show to me This night who my future husband (wife) shall be."
BARREL-HOOP
Suspend horizontally from ceiling a barrel-hoop on which are fastened alternately at regular intervals apples, cakes, candies, candle-ends.
Players gather in circle and, as it revolves, each in turn tries to bite one of the edibles; the one who seizes candle pays forfeit.
JUMPING LIGHTED CANDLE
Place a lighted candle in middle of floor, not too securely placed;
each one jumps over it.
Whoever succeeds in clearing candle is guaranteed a happy year, free of trouble or anxiety.
He who knocks candle over will have a twelve-month of woe.
RING AND GOBLET
Tie wedding-ring or key to silken thread or horsehair, and hold it suspended within a glass; then say the alphabet slowly; whenever ring strikes glass, begin over again and in this way spell name of future mate.
MIRROR AND APPLE
Stand in front of mirror in dimly lighted room and eat an apple.
If your lover reciprocates your love he will appear behind you and look over your right shoulder and ask for a piece of apple.
APPLE-SEED TEST
Cut an apple open and pick out seeds from core.
If only two seeds are found, they portend early marriage; three, legacy; four, great wealth;
five, a sea voyage; six, great fame as orator or singer; seven, possession of any gift most desired.
NEEDLE GAME
Each person floats greased needle in basin of water.
Impelled by attraction of gravitation, needles will act very curiously; some cling together, others rush to margin and remain.
The manner in which one person's needle behaves towards another's causes amusement, and is supposed to be suggestive and prophetic.
WINDING YARN
