The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-03-08

stool for those who "walk In silk attire and
siller hae to spare"; only now, instead Of
It's former wooden surface. II is covered
with some gay-colored satin, embroidered
or painted 10 the bright litlle feld.nowers,
which Betty would have scorped TO notice,
and the little legs entirely concealed by an
elegant fringe Of silk or worsted, or some
times OF chenille.
"coNaERcE PARTIES"
are, believe. generally conceded 10 be the
MI the festivity in which Lent has permitted
Us 10 indulge. II has, therefore, occurred
10 me that description Of the game would
not be out Of place, and subioin 1t for the
benefit of such OF your readers as may care
to inform them elves farther on subject
which has grown 10 be one OF considerable
interest to the fashionable world:
The game Is PLAYED with two packs OF
cards. The highest hand is three ofa kind
three aces, three kings, &c. The other
hands are counted somewhat as they are in
the familiar game of "draw" or bluff"
and at each dealing Of the cards the lowest
hand Is left out; and the hand which can
longest remain "in " wins the prize. There
Is, OF course, pool from which all in turn
are at liberty to draw, provided they never
refuse to "trade" (hence the name "com-
merce y, for il they should once allow The
pool to pass them the port would be closed
against them, and they would have to re-
main {" satisfied" whether or no. The
great interest Of the game, OF course, GEN.
tres i'm tbe prizes, which are usually con-
cealed in boxes and placed in the centre OF
the table.
THE PRIZES
usually offered are pretty much such art:-
ces as are now in vogue for German favors,
with, however, n somewhat greater latitude
of choice i'm their selection, since favor
must be worn by the person TO whom 1t is
given, and must, therefore, be OF such ma
ture as 10 be Sewed on, or pinned on, or
laced. or tied on with a string, or stitched
on with bow, while commerce prizes need
only to be OF such q size as TO be portable.
The excitement is kept up for those whose
illluck has left them out OF the game
after the first Land by a regulation which
requires that If any outsider can in
duce an "insider" to speak TO him he
may thereby clam the hand OF his more
lucky companion. AS the game is one which
is especially suited 10 the requirements OF
ladies, need hardly explain the difficulty
which at once becomes apparent OF retain
lnH ANY manu-, NuCtuti SCOu VI pau, N'hS'
it has long since been admitted to be an ut
ter impossibility to restrain the desire, or
rather the necessity, TO talk. But, after all,
commerce and its accompanments are
merely endured in default OF more exciting
pabulum, and the end OF Lent is already
being looked forward TO with great interest
as heralding
RISE IN MATRIMONIAL STOCK
! truly delightful 10 all the y0nng people CT
both sexes. Indeed, understand that one
Of our most popular Frankln-sireet bellies
has concluded not 10 wait for Easter, but to
be married in the midst OF Lent. This is as
| it should be, for Richmond will have but
little cause for rejoicing at the loss OF so
bright an ornament to her society, and the
happy pair Will hardly finish the inevitable
wedding trip before Easter, when OF course
Norfolk, their future home, will have on her
holiday attire, ready To receive them. An
other one Of our Richmond girls, having be-
con infected by the disease which seems to
have taken possession OF the neigbborhood,
will, learn. shortly after Easter, also for
sake us for Norfolk; while Baltimore claims
third whom we choose TO claim as our own,
| in spite OF the danger we thereby incur OF
an indignant denial of our claims from her
home in Goochland. ARAMINTA.
Richmond, March 6, 1880.