Thanksgiving
Reading edition
AFTER DINNER GAMES FOR THANKSGIVING DAY
The game of enigmatical menus, as its name implies, is not only especially appropriate for Thanksgiving Day, but has the further merit of not requiring a great deal of preparation beforehand, and is therefore not too great a tax upon a busy woman's time. Before this greatest feast day of the year, the hostess is usually so fully occupied in planning the actual bill of fare, that a game which requires nothing more than pencils, and sheets of paper with the following riddles either plainly written or typewritten upon them, will be found a boon indeed. An hour's time is usually allowed for guessing the names of the guests, and of the viands suggested upon any one of the menus which are given together with the correct answers.
A DINNER FOR HISTORIC CELEBRITIES
The Guests
He who refused the crown of England.—Cromwell.
The conqueror of Napoleon I.—The Duke of Wellington.
He who escaped from his foes by reversing his horse's shoes.—Israel O. Putnam.
He who owed his good fortune to his cat.—Dick Whittington.
The inventor of printing.—Guttenberg.
The captive king whose hiding place was discovered by his troubadour.—Richard Coeur de Leon.
A sly one.—Fox.
The kernel of the peach.—Pitt.
Minister to George II.—Walpole.
The author of Poor Richard's Almanac.—Benjamin Franklin.
The Menu
Soup—The mainstay of the Chinese. Rice.
Fish—A color. Blue Fish.
Roast—The pride of Old England. Roast Beef.
Vegetable—A porridge and an apartment. Mushroom.
Game—A nut cracker.—Squirrel.
Salad—Part of a house and a letter. Celery.
Pudding—A summer residence. Cottage.
Cake—What variety gives to life. Spice.
Fruit—From an historic tree. Cherries.
Wine—The kind of invitation one likes to receive. Cordial.
A DINNER FOR LITERARY CELEBRITIES
The Guests
A barrel maker.—Cooper.
A mixture of black and white.—Gray.
The baby of the flock.—Lamb.
A disagreeable fellow to have on one's foot.—Bunyan.
Joyous hardness.—Gladstone.
A country in Europe.—Holland.
A lion's abode, free from dampness.—Dryden.
A head covering.—Hood.
Small talk and a cask.—Chatterton.
Absence of all color.—Black.
The Menu
Soup—What a ship sometimes springs. Leek.
Fish—All colors combined. White Fish.
Roast—A red hot bar of iron. Pig.
Vegetable—To steal mildly. Cabbage.
Game—Chinese English. Pigeon.
Relish—Dreadful predicaments. Pickles.
Pudding—The mantle of winter. Snow.
Cake—Brightest and best of all. Sunshine.
Fruit—A church dignitary and a fruit. Elderberry.
Wine—An island in the Atlantic. Madeira.
NUTS TO CRACK
Pass pencils and paper to each guest with the following written upon it:—
(A Dairy product.)
(A Vegetable.)
(A Country.)
(A Girl's name.)
(A structure.)
(A name often applied to one of our presidents.)
(Every Ocean has one.)
(That which often holds a treasure.)
(The names of two boys.)
(A letter of the alphabet and an article made of tin.)
Explain that the above describes ten different nuts, which they are to guess. The nuts described are (1) butternut; (2) peanut; (3) brazil nut; (4) hazel nut; (5) walnut; (6) hickory nut; (7) beechnut; (8) chestnut; (9) filbert; (10) pecan. A prize may be awarded to the one first having correct answers.
Thanksgiving originated with the pilgrims who came from England in the Mayflower. What other ships were they acquainted with? Provide the guests with pencils and paper having the following questions written upon it:
What they met for on Sunday?
What feeling existed among them?
What ship was popular with the young folks?
What did it lead up to?
What was one of the young women fond of?
What was unpleasant for them?
What caused them to leave England?
What interfered with their peace?
What would have aided them?
What increased their number?
A prize may be awarded to the one who correctly answers the questions first. The answers are: 1. Worship; 2. Friendship; 3. Courtship; 4. Partnership; 5. Fellowship; 6. Hardship; 7. Rulership; 8. Leadership; 9. Airship; 10. Heirship.