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A. Camp Fire Shower
A JOLLY crowd of young people who had been camping together a great deal gave a lively shower to two of their number who were announcing their engagement.
The affair took place in the city in the winter time and was very informal.
After the "bunch" had gathered, someone suggested that they play charades, one of their favorite diversions.
The engaged persons were chosen to sit with the hostess before the open fire and pretend they were in camp. The word selected was not made known to them, however.
The others all retired into the next room and came back shortly, wrapped in raincoats and sou'westers, each one carrying a knobby package. "Shower!" they shouted in chorus, throwing their bundles at the group by the fire. [125] The parcels contained all kinds of camp conveniences. There was a camp kit containing knives and forks and spoons, a collapsible drinking cup, a thermos bottle, a pocket compass, an electric flashlight, a folding mirror, a pocket corkscrew, a folding camp grate, a folding camp stool, a folding alcohol stove with a pot, and a pocket camera.
The engaged couple were taken entirely by surprise, for they had supposed the party to be only one of many sociable evenings which the crowd were in the habit of having.
The refreshments were reminiscent of camp and were served on wooden plates around the fire in picnic fashion. The menu consisted of hot bacon and roll sandwiches, dill pickles, coffee, and marshmallows toasted over the flames. [126] A "ONE I LOVE" SHOWER THE invitations were made of white water color paper cut in the shape of daisies, with centers tinted yellow. Scattered over the petals were the following lines: "One I love, two I love, Three I love I say," Come and see if this is true On St. Valentine's Day." (or "Friday next, I pray.") On all the invitations but the guest of honor's was added: "In honor of Marion's engagement. Please send your remembrance to me the day before."
This direction was put on so that the gifts could all be wrapped in advance by the hostess in white tissue paper, tied with yellow baby ribbon and a big artificial daisy tucked into the knot. Piled on a tray they were brought [127] to the surprised little bride-to-be on the afternoon of the party. The entertainment fulfilled the promise of the invitation in this way: A large paper daisy with many petals was hung against the wall and each guest was given a pointer and asked to select a petal at random. On the back of each petal was written a little fortune rhyme somewhat on the order of this one: "Five! he loves - good pumpkin pie, So learn to cook it - thus say I."
The refreshments were served in buffet style in the dining room. In the center of the table was a blossoming pot of marguerites.
There were individual daisy salads, formed by little mounds of chicken salad covered with yellow mayonnaise and surrounded by a fringe of petals cut from the whites of hardboiled eggs. With the salad simple bread and butter sandwiches were eaten.
As a second course, frozen custard in paper cups with borders of white paper petals was served with squares of angel cake, frosted in [128] yellow, and squares of sunshine cake, frosted in white.
The principal feature, however, and the final one, was the favor pie. A big imitation daisy was made from a round basket, by covering the top with yellow paper and surrounding the edge with as many petals as there were guests.
Each guest was asked to pull a petal from the daisy, and in so doing drew from the basket a tiny doll dressed like a "rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief, doctor, lawyer, merchant or chief." The girl whose fate was already assured had been guided to choose a particular petal and her favor doll proved to be dressed in the garb of her fiancé's profession.
FORTUNE RHYMES FOR A "ONE I LOVE" SHOWER 1. If you'll only wait a while Some one nice will make you smile. 2. You will have to choose between Walking or a limousine. [129] 3. If you only ONLY knew Who was thinking much of you. 4. At a motion picture show From the screen your fate you'll know. 5. Something nice you'll sure know In about a week or so. 6. Don't despise Hazel eyes. 7. Far across the briny sea Comes thy lover now to thee. 8. Your career you'll surely ship And substitute a wedding trip. 9. A dance, a ride, a moonlit lawn, Your heart will be completely gone. 10. One two three - The third it will be. 11. Beware, beware the eyes of blue Or they'll surely capture you. [130] 12. Your intellect will meet its equal, Happy though will be the sequel. 13. A word, a smile, a bow, Married in a year from now. 14. Try a smile For a while To beguile. 15. You will travel far away Sixteen years from yesterday. [131]