Children Delight in Dressings - A Fancy-dress Tea-party, with a Prize for the Best Costume - An

Ideal Frolic - Some Simple Suggestions for Dresses

Children love nothing better than to be allowed to "dress up," and an impromptu fancy-dress tea-party is an ideal frolic for a winter afternoon. Hall a dozen little guests will make a large enough addition to the home nursery or schoolroom party. They should be asked to arrive early, in order to allow time to think out good characters to portray, and to prepare themselves before tea.

The contents of the piece-box, rag-bag, and toy-cupboard should be put at the masqueraders' disposal, and definite directions given as to what may and may not be borrowed to carry out some sudden brilliant idea for a novel fancy-dress !

A few old muslin curtains and narrow cotton sheets always prove invaluable, and paste, gum, safety-pins, a pair of big cutting-out scissors, some sheets of gold and silver paper, and a few penny rolls of both plain and crinkled coloured tissue paper should be put in readiness on the nursery or schoolroom table.

Santa Claus is easily impersonated with the aid of a red flannel dressing-gown, and a beard, and long flowing locks made of white wadding. If he wears a red paper cap, his hair can be fastened in it with a touch of paste, and the whole head-gear be put on together. A few picture books, a big ball, a wooden horse from the toy cupboard, and a long black stocking stuffed with all sorts of odds and ends complete the disguise.

A Witch must have a high pointed cap, and this is easily made from a sheet of shiny black paper and a little paste. A big cambric pocket-handkerchief with the ends folded in, put on under the cap, makes a white snood, and a small shawl is folded crosswise and pinned in crossover fashion over her bodice. A garden broom as a horse completes a most hag-like figure.

If a black velvet cat is amongst the nursery possessions, it can be pinned on one shoulder, or if the household cat happens to be black and friendly, he can be carried in to tea.

To make a schoolboy into a fine Scarecrow all that is required is a man's coat and breeches, a straw bottle-cover or two, a long walking stick, and a very old bowler or top hat. The boy, having put' on the knickers, must thrust the stick across the back and through the sleeves of the coat, which he must button round his neck. * He will then need assistance, as, after he has put. his-hands into his knickers' pockets; a waistcoat must be buttoned over his arms, and a handful of straw stuffed into every opening - at the top of his boots, peeping from beneath" his waistcoat, - his hat, and so forth.

A Cowboy need only turn back his shirt at the neck, and knot a coloured handkerchief round-his throat, put a slouch- hat at the back of his head, carry a clothes-line oh his arm for a lasso, and grasp a big riding-whip in his hand. The addition of a pointed1 beard made of burnt cork would further transform him into Buffalo Bill !

A Fireman means gaiters, a toy helmet, and, if possible, a tin breastplate. Over his arm or shoulder he must carry a garden-hose and a red seaside pail in one hand, and in the other a big doll for the "rescued child.

A Pirate King relies chiefly upon a sash - of red silk for choice - stuck with all the available nursery weapons - toy pistols, swords, daggers, and knives. On his head he should wear a fisherman's cap.

The Fishwife carries a shrimping-net - the relic of a past visit to the sea. Her skirt should be pinned up over, a striped cotton petticoat, and she should wear a cap made of white paper or stiff muslin, ' and no shoes or, stockings.

Cinderella should wear her hair plaited into two pigtails, wound round her head, and tied with a a bit of cotton rag. Her legs should be bare, and her feet thrust into a pair of very old slippers. A big patch of some widely contrasting colour must be sewn on to her oldest morning overall, and, of course, she must carry a broom.

Peter Pan merely needs to take off his shoes and stockings, his coat and collar, and to put on a nightshirt over the rest of his clothes.

A Charity Girl is a very pretty impersonation. A big white linen apron - borrowed from cook! - and a cap and collar manufactured from a bit of stiff white book muslin are all the accessories which are necessary, and can be worn over any plain, dark-coloured dress.

Nell Gwynne can easily be attired. She can wear a tabbed bodice hastily cut out of a bit of art serge from the piece-box. A small tablecloth or curtain to match can be converted into a skirt with the help of a box of safety-pins. A sash round her waist, into which a big posy is tucked.

Z and a lace sailor-collar put on back to front complete her attire. Her hair should be worn in ringlets if possible.

A Prehistoric Man requires but little more than the perambulator-rug, and a piece of tape to tie it on with over his nursery suit. His belt can be made from brown paper, and a cardboard sword or dagger covered with brown paper should be thrust through it. His legs should be bare, and the cardboard sandals on his feet can be secured to his legs with criss-cross bands of wide green tape.

A Red Indian will require a head-dress, anklets, and armlets of feathers. These can be fastened between double bands of wide red tape, or strips of red Turkey twill, over his morning overall. He must also carry a bow and arrow.

A Spook is easily garbed with the help of a pocket handkerchief, to make a forehead band, and a sheet!

Summer can wear her own pretty muslin frock, and carry a garden-hat with long blue ribbon strings and a basket filled with roses or other summer flowers. She can also wear a wreath of tiny blossoms.

Dolly Varden should be clad in a sun-bonnet and her own little white frock.

Two Pirates can wear brown Jaeger dressing-gowns, red and blue sashes, and tall caps, and carry beer-bottles in their hands, and every imaginable weapon should be stuck in their belts. Beards and whiskers of crepe hair give a splendid touch of ferocity to their appearance.

Cupid, or St. Valentine, must have wings; these can be made of white paper. Also he will require a wreath of roses, and a little quiver of gold paper filled with silver arrows. St. Valentine will want a scroll and a huge quill pen made of silver paper, and Cupid a golden paper covered cardboard bow.

A Dunce can wear a high paper dunce's cap with his nursery suit, and carry a big slate with a sum done all wrong - "2 and 2 makes 5," or something of the sort.

Henry V. can be attired in a suit of armour cut from very thin cardboard, covered with silver paper. The various parts can be fastened together with brass paper clips. He also wants a pair of grown-up black stockings with the toes run into long points in mediaeval fashion. Three lions in red paper must adorn his shield.

Mercia, the Christian maiden from the "Sign of the Cross," is garbed in a couple of small sheets draped with the help of safety-pins and a length of cord. Her cross is made of two rough pieces of wood.

Brunhilda wears a helmet and breastplate made of cardboard covered with silver paper, and her shield is a silver one, with devices cut from red paper upon it. Her flowing white robe is contrived from a muslin curtain, and her mantle is either a scarlet shawl or a short red art serge curtain.

The young masqueraders should march twice round the room to music before sitting down to tea, and, directly after tea, voting-papers should be handed round, and a small prize awarded to the wearer of the fancy dress which is voted to be the best.