by Lina Beard
These two suggestions will no doubt be sufficient to show what the tableaux should be like and we need give no further illustrations.
Fig. 248.—Manner of Holding Card.
Living Christmas Cards.
To impart seeming life to the little figures painted on the Christmas cards, is a performance intensely amusing to the little ones. A moving toy whose actions are life-like is always of great interest; but when a little flesh-and-blood head is seen nodding and twisting upon the shoulders of a figure painted on a card, the children fairly shout with delight.
Here is the method of bringing life into the bits of pasteboard.
Select cards with pretty or comical figures, whose faces are the size of the ends of your first or second finger. Carefully cut the face out of a card; then with ink mark the features on your finger, and put it through the opening, as in Fig. 248. Place on this little live head a high peaked tissue-paper cap, and the effect will be exceedingly ludicrous (Fig. 249). A little Santa Claus who can really nod and bow to the children will be very amusing, and there are quite a number of Christmas cards which portray the funny, jolly little fellow.
Floral cards may have nodding fairies peeping out from among the petals of the flowers, whose heads are crowned with queer little fairy caps, as in Fig. 250. If among your collection you have a card with a picture of a house on it, it will be amusing to thrust a little head wearing a night-cap, out of one of the windows. Round holes will, of course, have to be cut in the cards wherever the heads are to appear.
Fig. 249.—Live Head with Peaked Cap.
Still another way of managing these living puppets is to cut in a piece of cardboard, five inches long and two inches wide, three round holes a little more than half an inch apart. Sew around the edge of the cardboard a gathered curtain of any soft material six inches deep.. Sketch faces on three of your fingers, pass them under the curtain and through the holes in the cardboard. The curtain will fall around and conceal your hand, leaving the three heads appearing above (Fig. 251). On these heads place any kind of head-dress you choose, making them of paper; or caps of white swiss look quaint, and wee doll hats may be worn.
Fig. 250.—Nodding Fairies.
It is best to use a little mucilage or paste in fastening the hats on, that there may be no danger of their falling off with the movement of the fingers.
The hair may be inked, or little wigs made of cotton can be used.
Fig. 251.—Living Puppets.
If the little faces are painted with water colors, giving color to the cheeks and lips, the life-like appearance will be enhanced.
These little personages can be made to carry on absurd conversations, and a great deal of expression be given to the bobbing and turning of their heads. One person can easily manage the whole thing, and entertain a roomful with the performance of the living puppets.
CHAPTER XXXI.
NEW YEAR’S AND A LEAP YEAR PARTY.
MY earliest recollection of New Year’s day is of being awakened at midnight by the clangor of the fire bells, and the ringing of the church bells, as they swung and rocked in their high steeples and cupolas, shouting, Happy New Year! from their brazen throats to all the sleeping town. Not being thoroughly conversant with bell language, I was very much alarmed because they seemed to say “Come, get up—Come, get up—House on fire—House on fire!” but, upon opening my eyes, I was assured that they were ringing in the New Year, and, as I again fell asleep, the bells were saying distinctly, “Wish you Happy New Year—Wish you Happy New Year.”
Next day the table was decked with flowers, and was laden with roast turkey, fruits, salads, and mince-pies. Oh, my! what delicious mince-pies they were! None since have ever tasted as good as those made and baked by my grandmother.
I often wonder if the next generation of grandmammas will make such cookies, mince pies, and doughnuts as ours did; but this was in Kentucky, and you know that we still observed the old-fashioned customs, and all day long the gentlemen came dropping in by twos and fours, and such handshaking and laughing, and such courtly compliments, and such a bowing and a wishing of Many Happy New Years, it does me good to think of. Who knows but that so many kind wishes of a long and happy life, sincerely given, may really help to bring it to pass.
Small as I was at the time, and little as I understood the customs or conversation, the spirit of the whole day was intelligible and appealed to the little child, perhaps more forcibly than to the grown-up people.
It is really too bad that the crowded states of our large cities tend to lead to the gradual decline of the custom of New Year’s calls, so that now many people confine themselves to sending and receiving cards, making the always stiff and formal bits of engraved pasteboard, do all the calling and receiving; but
New Year’s Parties
are not out of date, so we will have one on New Year’s Eve, because then young and old are privileged to sit up all night, that is, until after twelve o’clock midnight, and have all the fun possible. Let us begin our frolic with a
Pantomime of an Enchanted Girl.
For this a damp sheet must be fastened up across the room or between the folding doors of the parlor. First, fasten the corners of the sheet, next, the centre of each of the four sides, in order that the cloth may be perfectly smooth; then place a lighted candle on the floor, about four or five feet from the centre of the curtain. When the lights in the room occupied by the audience are turned out, leaving it in total darkness, so the shadows of the actors behind the curtain may be seen on the screen, someone, standing outside of the curtain and facing the audience, should explain or relate the story of the play: of how a young girl, while walking out on the last day in November, meets Halloween, who presents her with three gifts to try her fortune, and how, when she is about to do so, a witch enchants her, etc. After the story is finished, and a lively overture has been performed on some musical instrument, the pantomime is played as follows:
The young girl personating the enchanted one, comes gayly forward from the side, when almost across the curtain she meets Halloween, who approaches from the opposite side, arrayed in short dress, with wings made of newspaper folded fan fashion, and fastened on the shoulders; in her hand she carries a cane with a silhouette of a cat, or two or three stars and a crescent cut of stiff, brown paper and pasted on the end; the cane is so held that the profiles of the figures are kept toward the curtain. Seeing this queer being the young girl clearly demonstrates, by her actions, that she is alarmed. When Halloween quiets her fears, by surely and plainly indicating with slow movements of the head, and downward motions of the arms that no harm is intended, they shake hands; then Halloween shows the maiden three gifts, an apple, a hand-mirror, and an unlighted candle. Before presenting them she illustrates by gestures, the use to be made of each. Holding the mirror in front of her face, she bites the apple, then looks quickly around, as if expecting to see someone, and, again holding up the mirror in one hand and the candle in the other, she takes a few steps backward, when a boy enters by jumping over the light, which gives the appearance of his having fallen down from the sky, Halloween looks around, and the boy quickly disappears in the same manner as he came.
All this time the girl stands transfixed, with her hands raised and all the fingers spread out in astonishment; she receives the presents which are given with many nods and gestures. As Halloween walks away the fortune-seeker turns and watches her with a telescope made of a roll of paper she finds at her feet on the floor. The maiden then proceeds to examine the gifts; as she takes up the apple and mirror, her hand is stayed by a witch with flowing hair, who has approached unperceived, carrying under one arm a broom, and wearing on her head an ordinary hat with a piece of newspaper rolled up and pinned on to form a peaked crown. She motions to the girl to be seated; then stands over her and makes passes in the air, and taking up her broom from the floor makes grand flourishes and departs walking back towards the candle, which causes her shadow to grow larger and larger. The poor girl looks a
nxiously around and discovers she has been enchanted, for there are three girls instead of one; this effect is produced by two more lighted candles being placed on the floor on either side of the first candle, and every movement the girl makes is mimicked by her other selves. The candles are removed and the Old Year instantly appears, his figure bent, a piece of fringed paper pasted on his chin for a flowing beard, and carrying in his hand a cane with a piece of stiff paper fastened on to represent a scythe. Discovering him the girl runs forward to tell her sorrows, and finds that it is only when alone that she is enchanted, for when she attempts to point out her other selves they have disappeared; making many gestures she looks here and there for them, but in vain, then as the Old Year leaves she bids him a sorrowful adieu. Again alone, the facsimiles reappear and she grows desperate, so do the other two selves, she throws her arms about, skips, jumps, and dances wildly around, the other selves do likewise, and at the same time they are made to pass and repass her, by two persons taking up the two extra lights, and, keeping the lights facing the curtain, walking back and forth, passing, and repassing each other but never stepping in front of the candle on the floor. In the midst of the dancing the two extra candles are taken away and immediately the little New Year enters, crowned with a paper star and wearing wings of paper. The young girl rushes to meet the New Year with a hearty greeting, she then tells him of her enchantment, counting the three selves by holding up the first finger of the right hand three times in succession, and while the New Year makes gestures that indicate advice the maiden listens with her hand to her ear, and, promising by signs to be a good girl, she kneels down, and the little New Year raises both hands above her head, then, kissing her hand to the maiden, departs.
The glad New Year has disenchanted her, she carefully looks this way and that, but seeing all is well she tosses her head, dances around, makes a courtesy, kisses both hands to the audience and disappears.
When the play is over, and just as the clock strikes twelve, the party can instantly change its character if it is leap-year and become a
Leap-Year Party
for the remaining hour or so, thereby creating a great deal more merriment and sport; the novelty of the fact that the girls exchange places with the boys makes everything appear strange. And when the music commences for dancing the girls look from one to another, no one at first having the courage to invite a partner to dance, so unaccustomed are they to even the thought of such a thing. The boys of course laugh, and make no move to assist their timid, would-be partners in the part they must play, but quietly await the expected invitation. When, however, someone takes the initiative step, the others follow, and all goes merrily.
The supper presents a new phase, but here the girls do their part perfectly, providing all the boys with a plentiful repast, and each one is made to feel that his presence is necessary to the success of the party, thereby insuring a happy, pleasant time for all.
In giving a leap-year party it is very essential that all the guests understand perfectly that the idea of the entertainment is to have the girls take upon themselves all the duties and courtesies properly belonging to the boys, and that the boys shall wait for an invitation before dancing, promenading, or partaking of refreshments, and that a boy should not cross the floor unattended, but wait for some fair friend to escort him. The girls are at liberty to go and come as they like, though they must remember not to leave a partner standing after the dance is over, but politely conduct him to a seat, and the girls must also endeavor to make the party pleasant and agreeable to all. The chaperons, of course, should have charge of the boys during the entertainment.
The leap-year party need not necessarily be a dancing party, as any social gathering can take the form of a leap-year party.
When an entertainment is given on the eve of a new leap-year, with a view to dancing the old year out and the new year in, just as the clock strikes twelve the party can immediately change into a leap-year party as described, or should the New Year be a common year, then as the time flies and the hands of the clock approach the hour of twelve all are on the qui vive to be the first to have the pleasure of greeting their friends with a Happy New Year.
CHAPTER XXXII.
HOME GYMNASIUM.
EVERYONE must exercise to keep healthy and strong, for life is motion and activity. It is natural to be well and happy, and to keep so we must exercise all our muscles, as well as our moral and intellectual faculties, or they will dwindle and wither. The arm of the Hindoo devotee, not being used, at length becomes completely paralyzed, and fish in the Mammoth Cave having no use for eyes pass their life without them; so we find that use is the foundation of all things, otherwise they would cease to exist; then, girls, it lies within your power to become stronger and more graceful each day by regular and graduated bodily exercise, which will bring life and energy to every part of your system by causing the blood to circulate freely through all the body.
There are some simple methods of carrying this into effect in the most agreeable and salutary manner, but the exercises must be very light at first, and as you advance they may be increased a little each time, but always stop before you feel fatigued, for when the calisthenics cease to give pleasure it is doubtful if they are beneficial.
The best time for exercising is in the morning after having partaken of some light refreshments, though any time will do except directly after hearty meals. Try and have a regular time set apart each day for your physical culture. Commence by exercising five or ten minutes, then for a little longer period next time, and so on until you can exercise with ease for half an hour or longer. You will feel refreshed, invigorated, and better prepared for the duties and pleasures which await you. Your clothing must not incommode the free action of the body, and it is essential that it be comfortable. What is suitable for lawn tennis is also well adapted for the gymnasium. An ordinary bathing-dress answers the purpose very well, as it is made for exercise.
The Egyptian water-carrier, with the jug of water poised so prettily on her head, and her figure so straight and beautiful, has always challenged admiration; her carriage is dignified, erect, and graceful, something worth striving for, especially when we have the certainty of success if we will only be faithful and persevering. The peasantry of foreign countries who carry all their burdens balanced on their heads have their reward in healthy, strong, straight figures, even in old age they do not stoop. Witness the emigrants landing at Castle Garden who carry their possessions done up in huge bundles on their heads with the utmost ease; of this class, three generations—a grandmother, mother, and grown daughter—with baggage of the same weight on their heads, were lately seen at a New York ferry, each equally upright, strong, and vigorous.
A good straight back is an excellent thing; and when the head is properly carried and all the movements are buoyant and elastic, then we may walk as it was intended we should, every step bringing a glow to the cheek and a sparkle to the eye. It requires only a few minutes’ regular daily exercise for any girl to attain a carriage equal to that of the Egyptian water-carrier, and the only apparatus needed for
Exercise First
is a roll of paper. Now stand with your heels together, toes out, and shoulders well back; then place on your head the roll of paper; if your position is not perfectly erect the roll will fall off; keep your chin straight and back against your neck, for it is the chin which determines the poise of the body. You cannot stand straight unless the chin is straight; throw out your chin and your shoulders will stoop forward, have your chin straight and your back will be straight; bear this in mind in all your exercises. Now walk, keeping the roll balanced on your head (Fig. 252). Practice this walking back and forth until you can do so without the paper rolling off; then try a tin cup full to the brim with water. Walk erect or the water will wash over, down on your head, and it will feel cold as it trickles through your hair; soon, however, you will be able to carry the cup of water with ease and no danger of its spilling. But do not discontinue the practice
on that account; try something else in its place, until you are able to carry anything you wish on your head with no fear of it falling. The exercise affords amusement, and at the same time you will be acquiring a beautiful, dignified, and graceful carriage.
Fig. 252.—Balancing a Roll of Paper.
Exercise Second
is for gaining agility, suppleness, quickness of eye, hand, and foot. Standing as far from the wall as possible, take a common rubber hand-ball and toss it against the wall, catching it as it rebounds (see illustration), and again toss it against the wall. Vary this by allowing the ball to strike the floor, catching it on the rebound; then try keeping the ball in constant motion by using first one hand and then the other as a bat for returning the ball to the wall. The exercise can also be changed by striking the ball against the floor, and on its return bound again striking it, thus keeping it in motion. You will find that activity is necessary, and the work so quick that it will keep you on the jump all through the exercise.
Fig. 253.—Broom-handle Exercise.
Exercise Third
is with a broom-handle. Saw or cut off the broom and smooth down the sharp ends of the handle, and it will be ready for use. Stand erect, heels together, toes out, chin well back and straight, so as to throw out and expand the chest. Now grasp firmly each end of the broomstick and bring it up over the head (Fig. 253); repeat this motion six or seven times; then change by carrying the broomstick over back of the head down across and back of the shoulders; then up above the head again, repeating this, and all other motions in your calisthenics, half a dozen times. Another exercise is holding the stick down in front of you with both hands and bringing it up over the head and down back of the shoulders without stopping.
