Page:Peterson's Magazine 1867 a.pdf/472

 PARLOR AMUSEMENTS. which they are to be run. This explains itself without comment. The " improved" arrangement, as it is called, is set out in much the same way; but the hoops 4 and 11 are taken out, and at the central point of the ground a hoop, cage, or stick is placed. (See diagram.) Here the order of running is three hoops and a stick, four times repeated. The game, played in this way, has the disadvantage of being longer than the other; but it is more scientific, and more in accordance with the spirit of the game, as it brings the balls more frequently together at the middle of the ground, leads to more Croqueting, and gives the players who are behind a better chance of improving their position. The disadvantage of this plan is, that it lengthens a game which is already too long. Popular games, such as whist and billiards, derive a portion of their interest from the rapidity with which they are brought to a conclusion. The excitement culminates toward the finish of the game. If a player knows it will be three hours before he reaches the winning-stick " in order," it naturally follows that his interest in the game is not so great at starting as it would be were the result less distant. For this reason it is, perhaps, best to give up " stick in the middle," at all events in domestic play, and even further to shorten the game by removing some of the hoops, At all events, try with fewer hoops, and if you do not like it, return to the old plan. With a view to shortening the game, a series of experiments were instituted, and it was found that a most interesting game results from six hoops, or even four. For four balls, two being partners against two, six hoops, thus disposed, are recommended :

OUR NEW COOK- BOOK.

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PARLOR AMUSEMENTS. " RUSSIAN SCANDAL" is the name of a new parlor, evening game. It is played as follows : Somebody writes down on paper a very short account of something that has, or is supposed to have taken place. The paper is folded up and put aside. The writer then leaves the room, taking with him one of the party. When the scribe is a young gentleman, it frequently happens that the one selected to go out is a young lady. We shall call the writer A, and the person who left the room with him B. A tells B, to the best of his belief, the story as he wrote it down, then he comes in again, leaving B outside. Some one else, called C, then goes out, and B gives her (or his) version of the story to C, leaving C behind. D then hears C's version, and in like manner passes it on to E, till, perhaps, a dozen or more have been alternately auditors and informants. The last recipient comes back, and once more writes down the story after it has percolated through these various strata of confusion, forgetfulness, imagination, flurry, stupidity, and other every-day virtues. Then the original document is opened, and the two papers read aloud to a breathless audience, as identical accounts of the same occurrence.

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OUR NEW COOK- BOOK. Every receipt in this Cook-Book has been tested by a practical housekeeper. SOUPS. Green Pea-Soup.-A peck of peas will make a tureen of very good soup. In shelling them, put the old ones in one basin, and the young ones in another, and keep out a pint of them, and boil them separately to put into your soup when it is finished. Put a saucepan on the fire with a Stick. little water; when it boils, put the peas in, with a little salt, and let them boil till they are done enough, i. e., from twenty to thirty minutes, according to their age and size. Then drain them in a colander, and put them into a clean gallon stewpan, add three quarts of plain veal or mutton(9) broth, (drawn from meat, without any spices or herbs, etc, which would overpower the flavor of the soup ;) cover the stewpan close, and set it over a slow fire to stew gently (9) for an hour; add a teacupful of bread-crumbs, and then rub it through a tamis into another stewpan; stir it with a wooden spoon, and, if it is too thick, add a little more (2) broth; have ready boiled, as for eating, a pint of young peas, and put them into the soup. Season with a little 1 salt and sugar. Some cooks, while this soup is going on, slice a couple of cucumbers, (as you would for eating,) take (8) out the seeds, lay them on a cloth to drain, and then flour them, and fry them a light brown in a little butter; put them into the soup the last thing before it goes to table. Stick. Asparagus-Soup.-Make a good stock of three quarts of liquor, in which a leg of mutton, or beef, not oversalted, has been boiled, to which add a few beef-bones, and any Te game played on this plan by four good players aver- pieces of cold meat, from which all fat and skin has been 3 three-quarters of an hour, which is quite long enough. removed-the remains of a cold tongue form a most charmThis plan, too, has an advantage where the ground is ing addition to your stock, as do also fowl-bones. Then small, and especially where it is short, as the length of break off all the tender part of a bundle of green asparagus, six strings (see explanation of setting out the hoops on the take half a peck of fresh-gathered spinach, a large handful of parsley, the same of spring onions, and, having well preceding page) suffices in the place of ten. For six balls a capital game may be played with only washed them in two waters, drain, and proceed to boil four hoops, hoops 2 and 3 (see last diagram) being taken them in more than a quart of water, with a little salt, and out, and a hoop placed half-way between them; the same a tiny bit of butter. When the asparagus is done, strain with hoops 6 and 7 ; so that the four hoops correspond to off this liquor till wanted, bruise the asparagus well, add the four corners of a diamond. And, where time presses, it to the liquor, and pass all through a hair-sieve. Pour it or where others are waiting to play, this plan is well into a soup-pot, and add your cold stock, from which all adapted for four balls, the game lasting about half an hour. fat has, of course, been removed; season with salt, white Having thus, so to speak, cleared the way for the laws pepper. or Cayenne, according to taste ; mix a small quanpropounded by this English committee, we shall proceed, { tity of flour, and a spoonful of white sugar, into a smooth paste, add it to the soup, stir well till quite hot. When in our next number, to give those laws in full.

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