A GAME FOR CHANUKAH"THE SHAMOTH."
Place a good-sized bread board over a dishpan of water.
Cover this board with a white cloth, and on the cloth lay nine candles: eight all alike, and one different in shape and color for the "Shamoth."
The room should be dimly lit, and the whole' effect as mysterious and weird as possible.
The hostess then calls in one of the guests, and tells her of a deep secret into which she is to be initiated if she can accomplish the task the hostess intends to assign to her.
The hostess then instructs her victim, saying something to the effect:
"You will be blindfolded, and given eight chances to touch the "Shamoth" five times. I shall guide your hand the first three times, and then you must do it by yourself. The candles will be re-arranged after you are blindfolded. Now, come!"
The guest is duly blindfolded, and the hostess twice guides her hand, palm flat, to the candles.
At this stage, an assistant quietly removes the board; and the third time the guest’s hand is brought down, it of course comes flat into the water.
The victim is bound to enjoy the joke on herself, and to be eager to watch its effect on the others.
After "initiation" the guest must remain quietly in the room, and try to look deeply impressed with the great secret that has been imparted to her.
After that, each of the guests in turn is treated like the first one, and there is no end of fun.
The effect is particularly good if the hostess can contrive to go very seriously about the business, and if she can enlist a confederate to read or tell thrilling stories of the Maccabaean times and hold the victim's attention during their "initiation."
THE BANNER OF THE LAW
Wake, Israel, wake! Recall to-dayThe glorious Maccabaean rage,The sire heroic, hoary gray,
His five-fold lion lineage ; The Wise, the Elect, the Help of God, The Burst of Sprirg, the Avenging Rod. From Mispeh’s mountain-ridge they saw Jerusalem’s empty streets, her shrine Laid waste where Greeks profaned the Law, With idol and with pagan sign. Mourners in tattered black were there, With ashes sprinkled on their hair.
Then from the strong peak there rang A blast to ope the graves; down poured The Maccabaean clan, who sang The battle anthem of the Lord. Five heroes lead, and following, see, Ten thousand rush to victory!
Oh! for Jerusalem's trumpet now,To blow a blast of shattering power,To wake the sleepers high and low,And rouse them to the urgent hour!No hand for vengeance—but to save,A million naked swords should wave.
Oh, deem not dead the martial fire,Say not the mystic flame is spent!With Moses' law and David's lyre,Your ancient strength remains unbent.Let but an Ezra rise anew,To lift the BANNER OF THE JEW!
A rag, a mock at first—ere long,When men have bled and women wept,To guard its precious folds from wrong,Even they who shrunk, even they whoslept,Shall leap to bless it, and to save.Strike! for the brave revere the brave!
THE STORY OF CHANUKAH
(GRAETZ, VoL. I, Ce. 23.)
Three years and a half had passed since the beginning of the religious persecution and the desecration of the Temple (Tammuz 168—Marheshvan 165), and, just as the Book of Daniel had prophesied, peace had followed the disastrous excitement of this period. Maccabaeus and his followers took advantage of this favorable moment to march into Jerusalem, and put an end to the desecration which had hitherto held sway there. The condition of the holy city was deeply distressing to her faithful sons, who had shed their