Albert Bigelow Paine

“ THE SHEET-AND-PILLOW PARTY
A pillow-case party the Gobolinks gave,
And it proved a right merry carouse:
But I'm sure you'd have laughed at their attitudes grave
As they made their ridiculous bows.
[Pg 46]
MOSS-BACKS
Here are two scraggle-de-racks
With moss on their beautiful backs—
The sort that you'll find
On such of mankind
As fail to keep up with the facts.
[Pg 47]
A WHAT-IS-IT
There was an old man of high feather,
Who said, "I can't really tell whether
I'm a man or a mouse,
Or the roof of a house,
So much may depend on the weather." ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”