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Prizes and Penalties 243 |
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until a certain time agreed upon, when prizes were given, appropriate to the subjects that had won distinction for those who had proved themselves best informed upon them.
For example, the one who knew about fishes received a globe of gold fish; he who contributed interesting facts about beasts and cattle was given a framed picture of a noble lion's head. The girl who knew about birds was made happy by the gift of a canary, and the one who had informed herself about "Angels of the Lord," having read Geo. Macdonald's interesting essay, and, being the only one not taken unawares by the subject, had told much that was new and interesting, received as her reward one of Fra Angelico's angels, set in the usual little shrine of gilt wood.
The children thought the questions had all the charm of conundrums, and the fun for the parents came in when the young folk esteemed it a privilege to "study up" for the game.
PRIZES AND PENALTIES
In playing games, while the interest and pleasure of winning should be sufficient reward in itself, a simple prize to mark the little victory and make it more conspicuous certainly adds much to the eclat of the occasion and makes an effective climax to the fun.
The etiquette of giving prizes—according to the present dicta of those who make a fashion by adopting it— requires that they are not seen until the moment of their bestowal by the hostess. They are usually wrapped very daintily and tied with ribbons, that the moment of impatient curiosity may be shared by all the players and the pleasure to the victor be enhanced by the little delay. Where there is a ladies' prize and one |
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