The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-12-31
INNOCENT GAMES.
How Wicked Small Boy Introduced Cards
into Pious Household.

How Wicked Small Boy introduced Cards
into Pious Household.
The motives of the man who devised
q modification of the pattern of playing
cards by substituting colonies and God
desses Of Liberty fer kings and queens,
and supplying the place of spades, dla-
monds, clubs, and hearts with stars and
other novel figures, may have been pure.
but his conduct was not wholly above
suspicion. He may not have intended
to assist mendacious boys to play cards
and yet with seeming truth to allege that
they were playing some entirely new
and thoroughly evangelical game, but
at least one conspicuous case has been
the result of his invention, and it is
difficult to acquit i'm of a large share
OF the blame
The Rev. Mr.. Thompson is a much
respected clergyman Of Clinton, III. For
many years he has been local leader of
the extreme Low Church Party, and, in
private life, without the surplice and
prayer-book, and other devotional i'm
plements, he could with difficulty be dis
tinguished from Presbyterian.
Mr.. Thompson was particularly earn
est n his opposition to card playing. He
held that it was scarcely distinguishable
from gambling, and that it was nearly
as Objectionable as ritualism. He never
failed to preach a yearly sermon on the
wlckedness of card playing, and his IN
cidental illusions to poker players who
value four aces or three of kind more
than virtue and sobriety, and to euchre
players who make it next" were bellev-
ed by the ladies of the congregation to
show mastery knowledge of the nitric
acies of those wicked games. He always
said that there were many innocent and
amusing games, such as checkers, cro-
quet, and "Dr> Busby," which devout
people could play without immortality,
aud that It was, therefore, an unneces-
sary piece of wickedness to play immoral
games with the corrupt and debasing
cards used by professional gamblers. Mr..
Thompson has son of about fourteen
years of age who is not as good and inno-
cent as his father. In fact, he is regard
ed by the public as the kind of boy in
whose neighborhood it would be unwise
to attempt to cultivate an orchard or to
raise watermelens. His Gather, however,
has the utmost confidence in him, and
never dreamed that his sons views of
property in fruit are in conflict with
those of his neighbors.
One evening last winter, Master Charles
brought home with him pack of the So
called "National cards." and exhibited
them to his father.
''Thishyer," he remarked 'sis a first
rate game, not a bit like cards. I wouldn' t
play cards no sooneride steal apples: but
thishyer game was give to me oy the Pres
byterian Sunday school superintendent
and he wants you to see how you like it,"
Good Mr.. Thompson laid aside his
newspaper, and examining the cards
with much interest, asked how they were
used. This wicked son thereupon ex-
planned to him the principles of a game
which he called the "Natioual game y
but which was simply the VIGOROUSLY
wicked game of euchre. .es;''s~*'-
Mr.. Thompson was greatly pleased
with 1t, and in the course of the evening
more than once "went it alone" and beat
Master Charles badly. Not satisfied with
this achievement, Master Charles pro-
ceeded to teach his trusting father :, the
game Of whist, inducing both his mother
and his sister to innocently join in the
carnival of crime.
To whist he gave the flimsy name of
"family delight and under that name
the Thompson household played hun
dreds Of games OF whist-Mr. Thompson
himself developing real genius tor the
game, and at times rebuk1ng his partner
tor refusing to return lead or taking
his own trick with severity that veter.
an English whist-matron might have en-
We'd. Only once was the suspicion of
the true character of the game aroused.
Miss Thompson, who occasionally read
novels, once remarked, "Charlie, isn't
family delight something like whistY
I was reading the other day about some
people who were playing whist, and they
had trumps and tricks and long suits.
just as we d."
Master Charles, however, did not lose
his presence of mind, but replied: "Wot
OF ltS Amt trumps spoken Of in the BIZ
ble1 You amt a-going to believe that
Peter and Balaam and the rest Of 'em
played cards, are you2"
This argument allayed suspicion, and
the games went on without further scru-
pies on the part Of the bad boys sister.
Though Mr.. Thompson liked Whist,
and had no objection to "high low Jack
when disguised as "up~down- and-across, u
his affections were chiefly conferred upon
euchre. With the exception of Saturday
and Sunday nights, he played euchre
with Master Charles every evening and
often said to him, my son, hope YOU
see how much more real pleasure an IN
nocent and improvislng game affords
than can be derived from card-playing.' -
Master Charles greatly enjoyed bis de-
ception Of his venerable father, and had
but one regret in connection with it.
This was his inability to introduce
poker in any respectable guise. AS that
game is inseparably connected with bet
ting, its true character could not be con-
cealed, and Master Charley was COMPEL.
ed to deny himself the pleasure of seeing
This deceived parent betting on 'fuil
hand" and finding that il was not pof,d