The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1858-03-05
Philopena.

We believe this pleasant amusement for
boys and girls, and sometimes those of more
mature age, Originated in Germany, where
1t Is called rici Ecbchcn, which. as it is spo
ken, has the sound of 1,h;Hphm-which
| may have been the origin of orr word. to
which we have given Il Latin termination
p"n"-bcranSc it inf"rs "A penalty or C,rfci-
| turc cXacted or won by the tact of ,nanapc
m"nt of the winning party. With us the
things is managed, however, excessively
clumsy. and quite without skill. A person
in company chances to find donhle mea,cd
almond, aud hands half the meat not TO
another, and SAYS. or rather should saw,
"Will YOU "ata philorcna with me 2" The
| other may say, 81 am atrail,n and refuse, or
may arcrp, one Of the nuts, and eat it at
the same time the challenging party eats the
other.
Thus they separate; but when they meet
again. the one that can think to saw "pl,ilo-
p"na' first to the other wins the forfeit. auI
has a right to name what it shall hc--,gene-
rally. among children, some trihr; or among
young folks, some little present. suitable. to
the condition of the parties. Thus. vounn
lady WHO wins a phlopcna of gentleman,
may Immediately add, 81 wear No. 6 ID
kids Ii the parties meet in the street,
the lady may say, ooh, yes; | see von no.
tice that my parasol is getting old Well,
then, ! accept" But the gentleman must
never allude to her want an article, but
exercise his Judgment as to what would be
acceptable. Generally, IN our hot llasts to
win phil"penas, we forget proprictv, and be-
come rude, in this land of thrift and hurry.
The thing is far better and more pleasant
rs it exists in Germany, and calls into cycr-
else some of the most useful faculties of the
mind. When a couple meet the next time
after having eaten phopenas together, no
advantage is taken of the other. until one of
them pron"unccs the word "philopena. -
This is the warning ,l,a; now the sport is to
begin. Let us suppose that Il gentleman
calls upon a laiy; she invites him to walk
in, but at the same time speaks the taliSman.
ic word. lfhe accepts the offer to walk in.
he is lost, unless she removes the ban bv
telling him to 60 away. If she asks him
TO tax" off his hat, he must rcsuuteIy keep.
it on: If to he seated, he must stand or if
at the table she should hand himany article
which he accepts, $ wins the forfeit. At
the same time he is watching to catch her
off her guar1-for the first acceptance of
any offer from the other ends the game
Both are constantly exercising their wits to
prevent being caught, aud the sport often
goes on all the evening.
Perhaps the gentleman brings little pre-
sent, and saving: "Knowing that shall
lose my philopcna, have brought it along
here it is" Ifs!,c :s caught off her guard
by his smooth speech, she loses, for he i'm
mc,liately claims forfeit. Ifnci,hcr wins at
the first meeting. the sport is continued to
the second; and it may happen that half a
dozen parties meet ut the same time, all anx-
ious to win Of their phiI"Pena partners, so
tha, the scene often becomes lndicrouslv
amusing. How preferable is this German
play to our own! And as the sports de.
rived from phi!opena "re very innocent and
pretty, We commend it to the "young folks
of America.