The Art of Amusing Part 21

To which we might add a paraphrase of our own:

"Encourage the amusing, the dreary will take care of itself."

For our own part we have serious ideas of organizing a SOCIETY FOR THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF AMUs.e.m.e.nT. We firmly believe that judicious and rational amus.e.m.e.nt tends more to make men _healthy_, _wealthy_, _and wise_, than ever did early rising, for which, nevertheless, we have profoundest respect.

CHAPTER XXVII.

To those who are fond of charades, and indeed to all those good people who love to be merry, we commend what the French call _charades en action_, or pantomime charades. These charades, as the name indicates, are acted, not spoken. The great rule to be observed is silence, nothing more than an exclamation being allowed. In extreme cases, where it is utterly impossible to convey the idea by actions, a placard may be introduced bearing some helpful inscription, as in the case of Mr. Cuffy (in the charade on carpet which we shall presently give), who draws from his bosom a monster letter from Mr. Swab, which he displays to the audience. In addition to the information it conveys, the production of this preposterously large note is calculated to create a laugh.

The chief merit in a charade actor is inventive ingenuity in so, adapting the domestic adjuncts of an ordinary household as to supply the place of necessary theatrical properties and wardrobe. We have seen a very respectable Richard Coeur de Lion made up of the tinware of an ordinary cooking-range; and Queen Elizabeth, frill, hair and all, out of a few copies of the _Daily Tribune_. We have known a steam fire-engine to be manufactured out of a baby's crib and a tea-kettle; and Bunker Hill monument from two chairs, a fis.h.i.+ng-rod, and a sheet. Those who have followed us so far through these pages, have gone through a good course of study, and will start with great advantages in the pursuit of charade-acting.

For the convenience of our clients we add a list of words which may be acted as charades.

LIST OF CHARADE WORDS.

Accent Axe--cent.

Accident Axe--sigh--dent.

Altar Awl--tar.

Artful Art--full.

Apex Ape--X.

Bagpipe Bag--pipe.

Bandage Band--age.

Bedlam Bed--lamb.

Bustard Bust--tarred.

Behead Bee--head.

Blacksmith Black--smith.

Bulrush Bull--rush.

b.u.t.tress b.u.t.t--tress.

Catsup Cat--sup.

Carboy Car--boy.

Corselet Course--let.

Cribbage Crib--age.

Crossbow Cross--beau.

Cutla.s.s Cut--la.s.s.

Cartel Car--Tell (William).

Cartoon Cart--tune!

Cas.h.i.+er Cash--ear.

Dolphin Doll--fin.

Donkey Don--key.

Ductile Duck--tile.

Definite Deaf--inn--night Footpad Foot--pad.

Flatten Flat--ten.

Gastric Gas--trick.

Gallic Gall--lick.

Hamlet Ham--let.

Handcuff Hand--cuff.

Hartshorn Hearts--horn.

Hemlock Hem--lock.

Henpeck Hen--peck.

Humbug Hum--bug.

Humdrum Hum--drum.

Idol Eye--doll.

Ill-bred Ill--bread.

Instep Inn--step.

Implore Imp--lore.

Invest Inn--vest.

Incite Inn--sight.

Jackal Jack--awl.

Jury Jew--rye.

Sappet Sap--pet.

Linch-pin Linch--pin.

Loadstone Load--stone.

Mastiff Ma--stiff.

Messmate Mess--mate.

Mistake Miss--take.

m.u.f.fin m.u.f.f--fin.

Nightmare Night--mare.

Nightshade Night--shade.

Outfit Out--fit.

Pardon Pa--don.

Payday Pay--dey.

Phantom Fan--tom.

Picnic Pick--nick.

Pilot Pie--lot.

Pollute Poll--lute.

Puppet Pup--pet.

Prior Pry--oar.

Ringlet Wring--let.

Sauce-box Sauce--box.

Seesaw Sea--sore.

Shamrock Sham--rock.

Spinster Spin--stir.

Surtout Sir--tout, or Sir--two.

Toilet Toy--let.

Waistcoat Waste--coat.

Welcome Well--come.

Wilful Will--full.

Yellow Yell--low.

CARPET.