We had tea over early so as to get the School room ready for the tea and coffee. We were all dressed by half past seven. I wore my pale blue satin with coffee lace in the neck and sleeves and a bunch of mountain ash berries on the left side on a band of black velvet, and Irish crystals round my neck and a cut steel band round my head.
Felix and Banks were the first to arrive and the other people came soon after. Young Silletoe from Sudbury played the piano and Browne the violin. The first dance was begun and as the Martys had not come I sat it out. I wouldn't dance as Charlie was not there. They came about the end of the second dance.
I was full up to the eleventh dance. It was the first I could give Charlie. He looked awfully sweet. I stood next to him in the Lancers, and he whispered to me that I looked awfully nice, also if I had got a nice place on the back stairs. After the sixth dance wh. I had danced with Lancelot, Charlie came up to me and asked if I would not let him have on before the eleventh. I was engaged to Banks for the next so he asked me to get out of it and dance it with him. I was wicked enough to give way to the temptation. I went up to Banks and said I was awfully sorry but I found I was half engaged to dance the seventh with someone else, but I had forgotten to put it down, would he excuse me and dance the next, the Highland Schottische instead. Wasn't it wicked? So I danced it with dear Charlie and we went up the back stairs. There was a candle alight on the window. He asked me to blow it out. I did so. Then he put both his arms round me and kissed me lots of times. Oh, it was so sweet. He squeezed his leg against mine and held me so tight and kissed me on my lips and cheeks. Oh heaven, it was delicious. Then we went downstairs again. I danced an Extra with him, at least we danced round the room and went upstairs to the front stairs this time. We found lots of couples sitting about. We told them an extra was going one, so they flew downstairs, just what we wanted.
We went into the nursery and shut the door. He sat down in the armchair and I in another close beside him. He put his arm round my waist, asked me to kiss him. I did so of course. Then he asked me to come and sit on his knee. I pretended to hesitate, but did so. He put his arm round my waist and drew my head down on to his shoulder and laid his cheek on mine so our lips touched. . . . . [untranslated German] In the middle of this, footsteps approached the door. With one bound I was off his knee in the middle of the room. Arthur Trapmann popped his head in at the door but seeing us he hastily withdrew. I said, "Hang it." Charlie said, "Damnit, that fellow is always poking about where he is not wanted." I would not sit on his knee again but sat beside him. He put his arm round and said, "Kiss me darling..... [German.] .....My dear child, don't make a row but give me a kiss............."[German]
Then we went downstairs. I danced again with him. He wanted awfully to go up the backstairs again but I refused. We might get caught and people would talk. I had a delightful slow valse with Arthur Trapmann. I sat by Lancelot at supper, he was very sweet. Oh, delicious party. How too quickly you were over. My darling I love you awfully much. C. love me a little. I went to get some claret cup with him. He said in drinking, "My love to you and a kiss." The last guests left about one o'clock and our party was over. I enjoyed it too much.
(To me this whole thing is not only enchanting, but completely normal and healthy - perhaps she inherited a good deal of her father's apparent boundless sexuality - and if it happened again in the summer but with Percy Shaw Jeffrey, so what? But never the same intensity of description, although she did give various details of almost the whole of a summer night in one of the summerhouses but with Harry and Freda making up the four, Freda trying to get Percy to dally with her, but Caroline most neatly preventing it; while the shrubbery was also much in demand for kissing. Of this love affair, or probably no more than a hot flirtation of which I remember many from my youth, she did write however she gave him all he asked for - but I still maintain, particularly given P. Shaw Jeffries later career and general ethos, this simply meant at the most that she let him, perhaps encouraged him, to fondle her. But this is no ignorant miss at all. Moreover, she always managed to stop short and not be found out by Papa or mama, ergo they did not have their hands on the reigns as far as parents of such a large family could have. Very much a man's world though, with Papa and one or another boy sometimes going up to London, or going to those endless shooting parties - cricket and boating - I suppose on the Stour - in the summer, and this felt by Caroline. But none of that extreme repression of which I got the strong impression, but how or why I am not now clear. In fact, Papa himself wrote on her behalf in answer to an advertisement in the "Morning Post" for a lady companion with fluent German and French to go abroad with someone for 6 months. Caroline wrote dismally that she was dead certain she would not get it, she never got what she wanted most of all, and travel as we have seen was one thing - and supposedly she did not, since no further mention of it. References twice to parcels of foreign books coming to the rectory - and Caroline read quite a lot otherwise, current but reasonable fiction such as Bulwer Lytton. Then too, mention of Gordon and Khartoum when a neighbor meets her, gives her a newspaper to take back to her father with the Fall of Khartoum in it, and already the expectation of Gordon's death, later confirmed in the diary with suitable but not mawkish period sentiments. When once Caroline and her sisters went away for a little - staying quite locally - it would appear that their mother took over the education of the younger ones, so it was not by those days any hit or miss affair. Caroline felt it was unfair for her mother to have to bear the 'fag' of taking over the schoolroom even for this relatively short time.)
Feb. 24th. A lovely day. Quite springlike. Saw two beautiful butterflies in the garden. Mother drove over to Pentlow to leave the present (pretty red glass vase bought the previous day in Sudbury) at Bunny's and took the three little ones. We went for a walk alone by the waterfall and got some lovely moss.
Feb. 25th. Mr. Coker's funeral. A wet morning. Mother made some nice wreaths for the grave and a pretty cross of violets and snowdrops for Mrs.Cocker's grave. Several people at the funeral. Wrote to Edie.
Feb. 26th. Mother, Freda and Constance drove to Sudbury in the afternoon. We went for a walk.
Feb. 27th Friday. Went to church in the morning. Walked in the afternoon.
Feb. 28th. Fine morning. In the afternoon Freda and I started for a jolly long walk and mother, Ethel and Mabel drove to Sudbury. We had got a good long way when down came the rain and as we had no umbrellas we got just soaked. The Youngs of Clare came to call. Mother was still out but I told Poucher (parlourmaid?) to ask them in as they had come such a long way. They brought the two Hinchcliff girls with them. They had tea when Mother came back.
March 1st, Sunday. Stewy came to late dinner, was very wooden. I only wish it had been C.H.M.
March 2nd. Went for a walk towards Belchamp.
March 3rd. Rained all day.
March 4th. Freda, Ethel and I drove to Sudbury in the afternoon.I got some peacock blue velvet to trim my old spring dress.......
March 5th. Walked along Foxearth way and came back by Brand's. Saw Sam.. Write to Gerald.
March 6th, Friday. Service. Father went by the 2 o'clock to Buryto Glemstone Owen's place to preach for him in the evening. . . . . Basil comes back tomorrow.
March 7th. A jolly day. Freda and I walked down to the station to meet Basil by the Cambridge train. He had breakfasted with Ally and Henryat Emmanuel. Mrs. Trapmann called in the afternoon and stayed some time. She looked awfully nice. Rose comes back on the 1st of August. They go to town for the Season on the 7th of April. Father came back about 6 o'clock.
March 8th. Fine day. After church in the afternoon, Basil walked up to Uncle Edward's to thank him for the splendid knife he sent him.
March 9th. Finished my stockings and sent them off to Harry by parcel post.
March 11th, Wednesday. Bessie and Lionel are coming to dinner here on Thursday. I heard from Marie. She fears she will have to leave Mote as the two girls are going to be presented on the 7th of April. I hope she won't leave.
March 10th. Had a post card from Bunny asking me if I had forgotten the scraps of silk and satin we had promised her for an old woman who is making a patchwork quilt. I had. Basil went down to Sudbury to Jennings to learn carpentry, and in the afternoon after his lunch, which he took with him, he went to Worther's to learn to kill sheep. We four and mother walked over to Pentlow with the scraps. Bunny was in. Mother and I went in. She was very pleased to see us and wants to give Basil something before he leaves. Father walked over to Belchamp. Basil killed four sheep and saw two bullock being killed and skinned.
March 11th. Father walked over to lunch at Stanstead Rectory. Basil and I drove down to Sudbury at a quarter to two. Basil went to the blacksmiths to arrange about going there tomorrow, and then to Worther's to see a calf killed and to cut up a sheep. I had a letter from Harry. He was very pleased with the stockings. I went for a walk after I got home. Father and Mother went to church at St. Peter's to hear Mr. Slater preach. Father asked Agnes Head, who is staying at the Sheens, to dine here tomorrow and Hall. Danis also going to be asked. We had French when Father and Mother came back.
March 12th. Basil went to Sudbury directly after breakfast to the carpenters and farriers. Mother sent a note to Hall Dare asking him to dine tonight. He will be very pleased to come. We went for a walk by Hayden Wood in the afternoon. The dinner went off all right except that both Poucher and Lizzie waited very badly. Hall Dare looked awfully handsome. He is a very jolly fellow and wasn't at all shy. After dinner we played nap.Agnes was very jolly. Bessie seemed rather cross. Lionel was all right. He got the two fellows to write their names in out birthday books. Lent Agnes some books. Hall Dare stayed after the others went and smoked with Father.
March 13th, Friday. Church. Walked in the afternoon along the Holm Lane and got some primroses. Basil ploughing with Byeford....
March 14th. Bail went to Shell's the farrier in the morning but came home to lunch. After lunch he went down to Sudbury to play football. Freda and I got a silver parcel case for Ethel, Mabel and Gerald to give Mother. They drove to Melford with Mother.
March 15th, Sunday. Bright and Fine.
March 16th. Basil went to Sudbury early and was there all day. There was a stag hunt about here, the meet being at Bulmer. We saw some of the hunters going along Payne's field but owing to the absence of red coats, we though they were only coursing. Walked by Foxearth and came home by Brand's. Got a good many primroses.
March 17th. Father went early this morning to a Convocation of something at Mr. Lake's at Sible Hedingham. Tyler went also to drive him, he then went on the Maplestead to see his brother who is very ill. Father walked back. Basil went to Vickers this morning to do horseshoing, etc. This afternoon he went to Woolers. Freda and I walked to Sudbury to see about the photobook we are going to give Mother. There is an awfully nice one at 15/ so I wrote off Harry when I got home to ask if he would give it with us. We saw Sammy and his wife and Mrs. Colborne in Sudbury.
March 18th. Basil came to Sudbury in the afternoon with Father and Mother to get some clothes. They have got him some jolly thick socks, vests, pants of flannel, shirts, etc. We went for a walk.
March 19th. Freda and I drove to Sudbury. Mabel went also. I got a letter from Harry enclosing 4/ of stamps for his share in the photo book. Father went to a clerical meeting at Mrs. Green's. Had an invitation from Aunt Mary. They are going to have dance on the 16th of April. How jolly.
March 20th. Father went to lunch at Felix's. We went for a walk.
March 21st. Ally came home by the 3.8 train. We three went to meet him. We afterwards went for a walk, he and I went by Belchamp Hall and back by the fields. We met Katie and Ada Gardiner. I asked Katie to sit in the choir with me tomorrow as Mary is away. She was very pleased to do so. Ally has given me "Flowers I Need" by Miss Braddon for my birthday.
March 22nd, Sunday. This morning when we got up there was snow on the ground but it soon disappeared.
March 23rd. Went for a walk. I quite forgot to say that Aunt Saissy sent Basil a beautiful leather writing desk on Friday, and Uncle Brereton and Aunt Anna a very nice pocket dressing case.
March 24th. Mother's birthday. She was awfully pleased with the photobook, pencil and vase. The bonnet Father gave her did not come till the morning train. Ally went to the station to fetch it. It is very pretty brown with a bunch of primroses in front. The straw is gold and brown. We went for a long walk in the afternoon along the Holm Lane and got a lot of primroses. Mrs. Bull and Felix came to dinner. Bunny gave Mother a pretty bottle of scent. Felix was very ill- tempered. There is a stag hunt on tomorrow. The stag is let out at Skillet's farm. Some of us will go.
March 25th. Ally, Freda, and I walked over to Pentlow to see the stag. There found the Youngs, Ruggles, Lyall, etc. at Skillet's with Bunny and Felix. Bessie and Connie Martyn came also in the M's pony cart. We saw the stag let off. It was a mean wretched little beast. We then all went up the Lanes to watch the run. We saw it for a good long way. After that we had lunch as did all the other people. Got home about five. Mother and the others went to Sudbury.
March 26th. Mother, Basil, and I went to the dentists in the afternoon. Basil to have a tooth pulled out which was very hard to get out and which hurt him very much but he was plucky about it, and I had one stopped.
March 27th, Friday. Church in the morning. Walked in the afternoon.
March 28th. Oxford and Cambridge boat race. In the afternoon Ally and Basil walked to Sudbury to hear the result of the race. Freda and I drove to Stanstead with some books for Agnes Head. Called at Falkland House on our way back to borrow 'Phantom Fortunes' for Basil to read. Bessie very kindly sent it to him for a present. Aunt Mary gave me a pinkish silk polonnaise. It will be very useful for an evening fress with tulle overit. Oxford won the boat race by two and a half lengths.
March 29th. We practised the psalms and anthem for Easter.
March 30th. Ally, Freda, and I walked to Sudbury on the afternoon. I had my hair cut. Church in the morning.
March 31st. Had a nice letter from Marie. Church. Basil went in the afternoon to Allen's to kill pigs. We walked down Brands and got some primroses. Mother and the kids drove to Sudbury.
April 1st. Freda, Mabel and I drove in the afternoon to Twinstead Woods to get primrose but found very few. In returning we went to Brundon Woods where mother and the others had gone. We soon got sent out by an ugly old man who said Mr. Walford wouldn't allow anyone to go to the woods this year. He said he had just set out Mrs. Bull, etc., so we hooked it. Harry came back this afternoon. He gave me a lovely parasol, cream lace lined with red for my birthday.
April 2nd. In the afternoon, we four girls and Ally went for a long walk along the Holxxxx Lanes and got lots of primroses. We did not get home till nearly seven. Mother, Harry and Basil drove to Sudbury.
April 3rd. Good Friday. An invitation from Aunt Mary for Father, Mother, Basil, and I to dine there on Monday. Father, Basil and I are going. In the afternoon, Harry, Ally, and Basil walked over to church at Belchamp. I sent cards to Marie and Fanny. After church we picked violets in the field. Little Sidney Felton brought me a lovely lot of violets, primroses, and daffodils.
April 4th. Very busy all day decorating the church. The screen was done with ivy and daffodils, it looked very pretty. Drove to Sudbury in the afternoon and got myself some evening shoes.
Easter Day. The church looked very nice. The chanting of the psalms and anthem went off very well.
April 6th. Basil and I dined at Falkland House. I wore my blue satin. Lionel came in late for dinner. He had been playing tennis at the Rectory. Agnes Head and her mother and brother are staying there. We had a very nice little dinner. After I had a good chat with Aunt Mary and Bessie before the men came in. After a bit, Uncle Ted and Father went off to smoke, and then we had a little dance. Lionel and I had some capital valses, the new valse, also a polka or two. Aunt Mary played.
April 7th. Poor old Sweep seems very seedy. Felton has given him a dose of castor oil. We five went in the evening to see the Dramatic Performance at Sudbury. It was awfully good, especially the "Two Pots" which made us all roar. There was also a very good string band whc. played during the intervals. Hall Dare, Inge, Perry, etc., were at the back of the room so we didn't get to talk to them. Lionel was to go this evening to a fancy ball at Braintree with the Warburtons and tomorrow he, Uncle Ted, and Hall Dare, to go up to London for a day or two, then to see the "Private Secretary." I should like to go!
April 8th. Poor old Sweep was found dead this morning. He was buried by the greenhouse. It rained a little. Mother, Harry, and Basil went to Sudbury. Cousin Emily sent Basil a present of a five pound note. They went to the Magic Lantern at the school in the evening. I didn't care to go. It was very good they say....
April 9th. Father went to the Clerical Meeting at Felix's. Harry, Ally, and I drove to Sudbury in the afternoon and ordered "Vanity Fair" wh. we are going to give Basil. Harry gave him a couple of jolly pipes. Mrs. Bull and Felix sent Basil by Father a very handsome silver and crocodile skin flask.
April 10th. Gerald and Hubtert came back this afternoon. Harry and Basil walked over to Pentlow to thank them for the flask and to say goodbye.
April 11th. Ethel and Mabel's holidays began yesterday afternoon, so we have more time on our hands now. Very busy finishing Basil's socks. Harry and Basil drove to Sudbury in the afternoon. Ally and I walked. Got the proof of Basil's photo, and a very good one. Gave him the book this evening. He was very pleased.
April 12th. Sunday. Same as usual.
April 13th. Played tennis in the afternoon. Harry and Basil went to call on the Gardiners and the Paynes to say 'good bye.' Harry went
April 14th. Harry and Basil went to say good bye to Anna, Miss Ward, and Felton. Freda and I walked to Sudbury this afternoon. Got Basil some cigarettes and got myself some red and cream striped stuff for a tennis skirt. Very busy packing for Basil. Saw Mr. Colbourne in the Walford's meadow preparing for the sports tomorrow. He is very sorry we can none of us go to them.
April 15th. Father went up to London by the ten o'clock train. Basil is to go up by the twenty to five train to St. Pancras, where Father will meet him, take him to supper somewhere, and then perhaps to some theatre,and they go down to Liverpool by the night rain wh. leaves St. Pancrasat 12 o'clock. He gets to Liverpool about six I think. Everyone rather low spirited at breakfast. All very busy packing until dinner time. Freda and I walked down to the station. Mother, Basil, Harry, and Ally drove. Poor Basil kept up very well till just the last when the train was going to start, then we all broke down. Dear old boy, may he have health, strength,and prosperity in his new life an undertaking in the far West. God bless him, dear boy.
April 16th. A wet morning. The little pigs and calf sent to Sudbury market did not make a very good price. Harry walked to Sudbury in the afternoon. Ally rather seedy so can't go to the dance this evening. We started about ten to nine. The Hall was quite turned into a drawing room and the dancing room was very prettily decorated with flowers and ivy. Charles and G. Bennett didn't come until about ten o'clock as they had only just come from Ipswich races by the last trains. Charlie looked awfully sweet. (Can't be the Charlie of the Rectory dance since diarist referred to him by his initials "C.H.M." when staying at Pentlow on February 15.)
April 27th. . . . . Harry went to drill. He goes back to Oxford on Wednesday to be coached in Law by Alred instead of History.
April 29th. Harry went up to Oxford by Cambridge. He lunched at Ally's rooms. Mother, Gerald, and I went to Sudbury in the afternoon and bought some stuff for tennis dresses - Navy blue serge for bodices, and draperies,and Navy and gold strip for skirts, waistcoats, and cuffs.
May 1st. At tea cutting bread for toast, Mabel sliced the top clean off her thumb. It bled awfully. I had to bind the thumb tightly at first to stop the blood before I could put the lily leaves and rag on. The piece of thumb and nail were found sticking to the bread knife. Mabel buried it in a flower pot.
May 5th. Gerald and Hubert went back to school in the afternoon.. . . Bessie looked too rum. Her hair was quite red today. What does she do to it.
May 11th. . . . .The foreign books came from Roland's today.
May 13th. Letter from Basil saying a man from Chelmsford called Hilliard is going on to Brandon. Tullock only ill two days. They are going an by train to Quebec as the "Samaritan" was iced up in Halifax Harbour. A postcard from Quebec saying they had got there all right and would start at 12 for Griswold and go by ordinary train which could take two days and a half to get there, whereas the emigrant train takes five days.
May 14th, Ascension Day. Went to church in the morning, played tennis in the afternoon, church in the evening. The old stick old Yelloly preached awfully mild sermon.
May 16th. Inge Perry looked awfully jolly and grins no end. I wonder if it would be worth while trying to hook him. I'm afraid it wouldn't do as Rose Fisher or some pretty noisy girl would soon get hold of him. Why wasn't I pretty and fascinating. Damn my ugly face it won't attract anyone, worse luck.
May 18th. In the afternoon Mother and I went to pay visits at Melford. The Bences, Parkers, Edens, were out, the Kilpacks, Falkners, and E. Fishersin.
May 28th. Dined at Boxted, Melford fair. We are going to it tomorrow with the E. Fishers.
May 29th. Long letter from Basil from Griswold. He likes Herb very much. They sleep in two beds in the parlour. An old Indian squaw comes once a week to help clean the house. She smokes a pipe all the time. This afternoon Freda and I went up to Aunt Mary's to go with them to the fair. It was great fun. . . . . We went on the merry-go-rounds and to the waxworks, bought rock, gingerbread, and penny tops. Lots of people there - all the Parkers, Edens, some Barnadistons, Ruggles.
June 7th. Father sent an advertisement up to the Morning Post for me to try and get a place as a traveling companion to speak French and German. Of course I won't get anything - I never do - but it would be luscious to travel for two months or so for nothing. He is also trying to get a traveling tutorship for Harry.
June 15th. . . . . Had a postcard from Harry saying he was very uncertain of passing but in the evening when we were playing tennis a telegram came to say to his great surprise he had passed and would take his degree on Saturday. We are all awfully glad.
June 19th. . . . . Harry is coming back with [our parents] this afternoon and is going to bring Jeffrey of Queen's with him which will be jolly.. . . . J. is not very tall, fair hair and moustache, very good features, lovely dark gray eyes and long dark lashes and eyebrows and splendid teeth and sunburnt complexion.
June 21st, Sunday. I walked about the garden with him before church. I gave him a ride in the perambulator, he wanted to give me one but it was lucky I refused for Father came down the garden that minute. . . .I had a squabble with Harry about something I said about the Gardiners but we made it up at night and he is going to be awfully poppy and let me have a lot of Jeffrey. (Walked a good deal in the shrubbery during Jeffrey's visit - called the second gate the "shrubbery gate" - sometimes sat in one or other summerhouse - rivalry between Dodie and Freda overhim - haymaking, petting, etc.)
July 1st. (Shaw Jeffries went.)
July 4th. Harry and I drove to Sudbury in the morning in the gig he took Juvenal with us. I had a letter from Marie from Switzerland.
August 17th. Father and Harry went off in the cause up to Bures and from there walked to Assington where Father's cousin Charles Bull is staying with the Brownes. . . . .
August 24th. Father, Harry, and I drove over to Stradishall, the Morgan Kirbys to lunch and tennis. It's about fourteen miles. We had a pleasant drive. It is a jolly old place with lots of china, etc.
Sept. 10th. Mother leaves Gerald at Felstead.
September 23rd. Harry and Stewy Fisher stayed early this morning to walk to Felstead to see Gerald. They are going on by train to Bishops Stortford tonight and walk back from there tomorrow.
Sept. 24th. Harry came back about 11 tonight, he didn't seem at all tired but said poor old Stewy was quite knocked up.
Oct. 1. Went to meet Marie who had been in Switzerland.
(About four to five references throughout the diary, kept in increasing desultory fashion until just about the next December to playing "the letter game," but I still have to identify that. Leslie Deakin's standard work on games will help there.
But the vital entry is this...)
Hard to give an example of someone similar, unless you read Regency/Victorian novels of that period. He's heavy going these days, mostly incomprehensible as he wrote of his society, his time, his period's values. He wrote novels Last Days of Pompeii; Pelham or The LastDays of a Gentleman. He was also in politics and wrote political papers. Very verbose style with sentences that could go on for a many-lined paragraph. He wrote at the same time as Sir Walter Scott, in a similar style, though his work isn't as well known. - Pat Cody
Could mean nothing more than taking a nap. "Play at" was often a 19th century form for "doing"--"What do you think you're playing at?" for example. In this usage, it might also have meant playing at cards. From the book Slang Through the Ages (Jonathon Green, 1997 NTC PublishingGroup, Lincolnwood IL): "Nap is another gambling term, taken from the eponymous game: each player receives five cards, and calls the number of tricks he or she expects to win; one who calls five is said to go nap, and a nap hand, which will probably take all five tricks, is the strongest." - Pat Cody
Could indeed have been a local militia drill. Especially nearest the coast, towns had groups of local men prepare to defend home turf in case of invasion. Another possible meaning would be the same sense as "you know the drill"--routine. "Drill" has a sexual connotation going far back into verbal history, but that probably isn't what's meant! A 17th century use of the word "drill" meant to "run hither and thither." I suspect that this phrasing just means Harry went to Sudbury to run around at bit. - PatCody
"Old stick" is an uncomplimentary term. Most uses of "stick" in the history of language are sexual in meaning, and this could be interpreted as calling Yelloly an "old prick." Written by a woman, it more likely meant "old stick-in-the-mud" or a humorless, severe person. - Pat Cody
Two possibilities: Harry was going to pop in and out, leaving her alone with Jeffrey rather than sitting with them constantly as chaperone. Or perhaps the word is actually "Popsy," as old handwriting can be difficult to decipher. "Popsy" was a nursery-age endearment. - Pat Cody
Probably "in the business" or "matter". Earlier use of "cause" had this meaning from its use in law. - Pat Cody
Planchette? This reference could mean simply a playful exchange of letters, or it could refer to a jumble game, in which letters were presented in no particular order, rather like scrabble, to be made sense of by players. Another game played with letters was to make as many words as possible from a certain word of given letters. "A game of letters" could refer to a number of "paper games" or word games and may not be the name of one specific amusement, but rather, refer to a generic type of entertainment. - Pat Cody