which is to grace the centre of the table. Buy a number of cheap toys, such as little china dolls (both black and white), whistles, rattles, etc., and to each one you attach a card with some comic verse or sentence written on it; then you roll the toy up in a number of pieces of soft paper until the bundle assumes a ball-like form. The outside wrapper of each bundle should be of the brightest-colored tissue-paper which can be found. After securely binding the bundles with twine attach a bright piece of tape or silk ribbon to each, as in Fig. 284. [Illustration: FIG. 284.--Attach a Bright Piece of Ribbon.] When all the Knick-knacks and Jokes are bundled up, and the ribbons attached, place them in a large earthen dish or wooden bread-bowl, and arrange them so that the ribbon to each parcel hangs outside. Then fill the bowl with bran and pat into a rounded surface, as shown in Fig. 285. The Ribbons Must be Loosely Knotted at the sides, to keep them from harm, after which the surface of the “fake” cake is covered with a layer of wheat flour, to represent frosting, and the flour is ornamented with raisins, as in the illustration, while the top is decorated with a few sprigs of green or the ornaments from the top of a real cake, and the “fake” cake is then ready to serve. Don’t Disappoint the Boys. While both the boys in knickerbockers and the boys in long-tailed coats like fun, neither the old nor the young boys enjoy being disappointed. You must, therefore, have some real pie, cake, and good things to serve, besides the make-believe cake, so as to keep all the guests good-humored. The Shooting. When all the lads have assembled and the target is in place, give one prepared tack and the blow-gun to one boy, and let him have a shot at the target, and keep account of the number he comes nearest to with the dart. When all the boys have had their turn at firing a shot, and The Numbers are All Recorded, show them a list, with a penalty opposite each number; for instance, number one must wear two feathers in his hair; number two must have his face decorated with black circles; number three, face decorated with black stripes; number four, hair powdered white, with flour; number five, half face black, etc. Then tell them the list was made out by the Mad March Hare. When All the Boys are Properly Decorated, with blackened or whitened faces, coats wrong side out, etc., let them march to the table in the order of their numbers, and take the numbered seat which corresponds with the number they struck on the target. When the boys are seated the maid should bring in Great Trays, Heaped with Raw Garden-Stuff. This will cause a shout of surprise and disappointment; but after some lad has laboriously cut a great turnip in half, and discovered the concealed sweets, the fun will begin anew. After this first course of vegetables The Regular Spread May Be Served,