rry heart doeth good like a medicine:" it keeps off gray hairs and
wrinkles, better than any cosmetic that ever was invented. The ancient
Greeks realized its value, when they placed a jester in the society of
their gods upon Olympus: as their deities were clothed with human
attributes, they did not omit to provide for their amusement.

The young ladies were not too dignified and fastidious, nor Aunt Lucy
too wise to join in the sports, and the old lady's spectacles and cap
did not feel at all insulted when the handkerchief was tied round them
in "Blind Man's Buff," and the hall rang with the jocund shouts of the
children, whose greater activity eluded her grasp. When even the
youngest acknowledged that they had enjoyed enough romping for one day,
Mary proposed a new amusement of a quieter character, which she had just
heard of, entitled "the Rhyming Game." As it was found very pleasant, I
will give a specimen, that the reader may try it of a winter's evening.
One person thinks of a word, but instead of naming it, mentions another
with which it rhymes; the next thinks of another rhyme, which is to be
_described_, not spoken, and then the leader of the game, guessing from
the description what word is meant, says it is, or it is not, such a
thing. And so all round the circle.

"I've thought of a word that rhymes with _sat_," said Mary.

"Is it that sly animal of the tiger species which is domesticated by
man, and delights to steal the cream and to torture poor little mice?"
said Amy.

"No, it is not a _cat_."

"Is it that useful article which covers the floor in summer, that is on
the dinner-table every day in the year, and may be seen behind or before
almost every front door?" said Cornelia.

"No, it is not a _mat_."

"Is it that nondescript winged quadruped, something like a bird,
something like a mouse, something like a kangaroo, which troubles us
sometimes of a summer's evening, by flying about the room and entangling
itself in our hair?" said Ellen.

"No, it is not a _bat_."

"Is it that other agreeable creature, which infests old houses, but is
prudent enough to leave them when they begin to fall down: that is very
voracious, and sometimes eats babies' noses off?" said Tom.

"No, it is not a _rat_."

"Is it a very gentle slap, indicative of love?"

"No, it is not a _pat_."

"Is it one of the wooden pieces of which blinds are composed?"

"No, it is not a _slat_."

"Is it a manly covering for the hea