Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-10-23
The First tPlaying of Whist

The origin and date of the first play
ing Of whist have of late been much
discussed, particularly in England,
where the game receives a degree of
attention and study well-nigh religious
Edmond Hoyle, the earliest writer of
any note on whist, commonly called the
father of the game. published his first
Short Treatise about l742, in his
seventeenth year. Though educated
for the law, he loved cards passion
ately, and was so skillful a player that
he used to receive guinea lesson
for teaching different games. He
spent his days and nights at the card
table, which so agreed with him that
he lived to be 81. Whist is thought
to be development of the game of
trump or triumph, played in England
at least as early as the reign of Henry
VIII. Trump is mentioned in a SER
mon by Latimer, the Sunday before
Christmas l529), and by Shakespeare,
punn;ng on the word triumph, in
Antony and Cleopatra. Whist,
however, is not named by any writer
of the Elizabethan era. The earliest
reference to whist is in 1921, in the
poems Of John Taylor, the water poet.
In the first edition of Cotton's Com
plete Gamester I67D, no allusion
is made to whist, but in the second
edition. issued six years later, it is
mentioned as game "commonly known
in England" Cotton's saying that the
game gets It's name from the silence
observed in playing it, albeit generally
received, is by many regarded as in
correct. The proper name is probably
whisk.-New York Times.
REMARKABLE WoMEN.-There is
now residing in Grafton an aged lady
Mrs. Mary Simmons, who has seen 81
years of life, and who, dnring the past
Summer, took the entire charge of
gardGn of about an acre in extent, in
which she did all the work unaided,
and raised vegetables enough to sup
ply the household during the Winter
This remarkable woman is the mother
Of thirteen children, of whom eleven
are yet living, but scattered ali over
the world. In the same town, distant
about two miles from the residence OF
Mrs Simmons. lives her cousin, Mrs.
l.. Fl. McChesney. who has seen sc
years, but who Is yet as sprightly as
she was twenty years ago. This lady,
although presiding over large house,
steadfastly refuses to have any domes.
tics to assist in the household duties,
and, besides doing the ordinary house.
work, she manages rather extensive
dairy. These certainly are remarkable
cases. which are seldom equaled.-
Troy Times.
HEwAs FOR HARD MoNEY.-"Well,
Michael, how is it?" said an acquaint-
ance to an Irishman, yesterday. re.
ferring to the election. "Well," said
Michael, II am a Democrat, but [ pro.
pose to vote for honest money at this
time. [ sent some monoy to my
friends in Ireland some time ago, and
on every dollar 1 had to pay a heavy
premium in order to get draft. Now
the paper dollar will bring me dollar
in gold. want that Kind of money
and no other. Besides, that's the
kind of money the Democratic party
were in favor of when [ joined the
party. They tell us wages will advance
if We have initiation Of paper money,
but what good would that do if We
have to pay still higher prices for every
thing we buy?"
That's the way Michael reasoned
Cincinnati Gazette.
SOCIALISM IN GERMANY.-BERLIN,
Oct. l5.--Tne Reichstag, to day, re
jected Paragraph l6 of the Socialist
bill, authorizing the explosion of agita-
tors from towns; the rejection is in
consequence Of the the difference be-
Conservatives, the latter endeavoring
to introduce amendments increasing
the stringency of the paragraph. The
paragraph authorizing the refusal of
licenses to publishers and booksellers.
forbidding the circulation of periodicals
under certain circumstances, and con.
stituting the Court of Appeal proposed
by the committee. namely, fonr Coun-
sel!ors and five Judges, with Presi-
dent appointed by the Emporer, were
adopted. The Conservative amend.
ment giving the Emperor an unrestrct-
ed right to the selection of the Court
was rejected.
REDSKIN RAIDERS -C1rY OF MEX
100, Oct. l5.-The campaign ordered
by the Mexican Government against
the Lippan and Kickapoo Indians,
whose border raids were especially
annoying to the United States. has