Traditional Indoor And Outdoor Games - online book

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Special Dinners, Dances and Luncheons 531
limit had been reached, and the one whose score was the best received a Japanese fan as a prize—wrapped in white tissue-paper, tied with a red-and-white string, with a tiny red-and-white paper kite attachment, that in Japan marks an article as a gift.
With the Japanese the fan is the emblem of life. The rivet end is regarded as the starting-point, and as the rays of the fan expand, so the road of life widens out towards a prosperous future. The fan's rivet has also for them the signification of security.
A FROLIC COTILLION
In circles where the social conventions are habitually observed, the following manner of dancing the cotillion will not degenerate into a romp, but be found an amusing and enjoyable frolic. It is especially adapted to Leap-Year parties and very informal little dances among friends.
Partners are determined by lot. Cockades of various shades are drawn from two baskets, much beribboned and adorned with folly-bells and flowers—symbolic of gaiety. The men draw from one, the girls from the other basket, and the pair matching colours dance together.
The music plays alternately loud and low, in slow and stately measure and then fast and yet faster, until a furious pace is reached, when suddenly comes a loud crash and then silence. The dancers, of course, must follow the time.
All are supposed to know each other, and may choose to favour strangers as well as acquaintances, according to the European custom, where it is considered that "the roof is an introduction." All, as friends of the hostess, may be regarded as at least one's social equals
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