Shadow-Pictures

For Young and Old by Ruth McEnery Stuart And Albert Bigelow Paine

New York The Century Co. 1896 Copyright, 1896, by The Century Co. [Pg vii]

DEDICATION

TO OLD FRIENDS WITH YOUNG HEARTS AND YOUNG HEARTS GROWING OLD.

[Pg ix]

THE GOBOLINK AND HOW TO MAKE HIM.

Drop a little ink on a sheet of white paper. Fold the sheet in the center and press the ink-spots together with the fingers. All of the pictures in this book were made in this manner——none of them having been touched with a pen or brush.

A great deal of practice will only go to show that the Gobolink, as his name implies, is a veritable goblin of the ink-bottle, and the way he eludes the artist's design proves him a self-made eccentric creature of a superior imagination.

It is hardly to be expected that the animals and birds of prey referred to under more or less familiar names in the accompanying rhymes will be strikingly correct as to anatomy; and because, as upon page 15, the elephants, or whatever they may be, happen to have each a row of interesting tails continuing along the full length of the spinal column, no unkind criticism should be made upon the ability of the overworked and conscientious artists, who would have made fewer tails if they could, and have added nothing to the price of the book on account of undue liberality in the matter of caudal appendages.

In fact the most unexpected and startling results will often occur—results grotesquely and strangely beautiful, well worthy of preservation. The authors of this book will be glad to receive a few examples of some of the more unusual Gobolinks or Shadow-Pictures that may occur to those interested in the amusement. They may be sent care of The Century Co.[Pg x]

[Pg xi]

THE GAME OF GOBOLINK.

Persons of all ages may obtain amusement out of Gobolinks, or Shadow-Pictures, as they are also called.

The following is a very good method for playing the game:

Let three of the company be selected by the hostess as judges. To each of the others she then distributes from five to ten sheets of paper, from which they must produce at least one completed picture and rhyme in a given length of time, say five minutes, at the end of which the hostess rings a bell and the judges proceed at once to take up the pictures. These are then passed upon by them while the hostess is distributing a fresh round of paper, and the best two and the worst one are laid aside.

Those whose pictures have been selected now act as judges, surrendering their places at the tables to their predecessors, and another lot of pictures and rhymes are made.

The game is continued in this manner until the hostess announces the arrival of the time for final judgment, or until a certain hour specified in the beginning.

The three judges then in office now select one of the company as "reader," and such person selected shall take up his position in strong light, and after reading the verses on each picture shall display it in full view of all present. It should then be pinned to a suspended sheet or screen where it may be easily examined by the company.

This shall be continued until all the pictures selected by the judges have been so treated and displayed. The reader then acts as chairman, and the company proceed to vote on them for first, second, and booby prizes.[Pg xii]

The Gobolink receiving second largest number of votes for first prize is awarded second. The ballot for booby should be, of course, taken separately. Pictures should be signed or otherwise identified.

Where a number are making the pictures, it is well to seat them around a large table with the ink-supply in the center.

Jet-black ink should be used, and a good quality of unglazed paper. The ink should not be too thin.

The table should be protected from accident with several thicknesses of newspaper.

A filled pen or tincture-dropper may be used for supplying the ink.

For a specially invited Gobolink party the company may dress in any grotesque fashion, remembering only that both sides of their costume shall be the same, this being a feature peculiar to Gobolink attire.

No game could be more productive of amusement than Gobolink.

[Pg xiii]

CONTENTS.

Gobolinks

[Pg 1]

THE DRUM MAJOR

[Pg 2]

THE SOMETHINGS

[Pg 3]

THE BUBBLERS

THE JACK-O-MY-GOBLIN

[Pg 4]