I went out the other night to an evening party, a thoroughly enjoyable one of the old-fashioned type, where we played games, did what we liked, and were not afraid of being thought silly because we were amused by simple things. One of the games struck me as peculiarly pretty and not too difficult for anyone to join in, and as it was new to me I write it down in case our girls have not heard of it before.

It was started during supper by one of the two hostesses remarking, “I have a little garden and in it I buried a private soldier. What flower did he come up?”

As we none of us guessed it she gave us the answer, “A scarlet runner!” but carefully explained that he ran towards the foe, not away from him!

Then someone next her went on, “I, too, have a little garden and in it I buried my lover wounded in the wars. What flower did he come up?”

The answer to this was, “Love lies bleeding.”

A young lady present whose father is a well-known editor, and is called John, covered herself with glory by burying him and announcing that he came up a “Jon-quil!”

She also buried her youngest brother Willie, who strongly objected to the process, but was mollified when he found he came up as “Sweet William!”

I personally “buried my lover in a London fog,” so that he came up “Love in a Mist.”

The fun grew fast and furious till trees and vegetables came into play, and one girl paid a pretty compliment by asking, “I buried a pretty person. What tree did she come up?” but no one must guess it as the answer is “Yew!”

Below I give a few questions and answers to make it clear.

Of course these are only a few, but anyone could easily find out as many more, and it is surprising how readily suitable symbols come to your mind and how interesting the game becomes.

It can also be amplified into buried cities, but the floral form is the prettiest of any.

Question.Answer.

I buried a satin shoe, and it came up asA lady’s slipper.

I buried a race-horse, and it came up asSpeed-well.

I buried a tramp, and he came up asRagged Robin.

I buried my sorrows, and they came up asSweet peas (peace).

I buried a kiss, and it came up asTulips (two lips).

I buried a colt, and it came upA peony (pony).

I buried a special dog, and it came upA cauliflower (collie).

I buried the sea-shore, and it came upA beech (beach).

I buried a secret, and it came upInviolate (violet).

I buried the Union Jack and Stars and Stripes, and they came up asFlags!

I buried a well-dressed Society hero, and he came upA dandelion.

I buried a bird and a piece of metal, and they came up asLark-spur.

I buried a pony’s hoof, and it came up asColt’s-foot.

I buried two invalid bachelors, and they came up asCyclamen (sickly men).