The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1881-02-10

For though the flowers decayed,
Its fragrance is not DER:
But once when loves betrayed,
The heart can bloom no more.
ParIOr Whist.
Such whist as it was! Miss Smyly and
Mr.. Barker VS.. Mrs.. Briscoe and Mr..
Spread. Everybody was delighted when
Laura cut with Mr.. Barker. But not one
of the four players had the slightest real
knowledge of the game. Hoyle would have
laughed or wept had he been locker on
There was a reciprocal disclosure of hands
before three cards were played--at least
whist player Of any acuteness might have
concluded almost to certainty how the
several suits were distributed.
Il suppose somebody has trumps," said
Mrs. Eriscoe. commencing the conversation.
II depend on my partner" said MIR. Bar
ker.
! "Dont depend on me; sir" said Laura
II always hold such abominable cards
don't I, Adelaide? She doesn't hear me-:
MIR. st. Leger is SO ye,1 amusing"
''Isay nothing" saiG M. Spread. putting
his cheeks and looking mysterious.
"Have you no diamonds: Miss Smyly?"
| Mrs. Briscoe had just played diamond,
and Laura had played hea7:.
"Diamonds-to be sure have--lots Of
diamonds"
"We'll forgive her this time," said Mr..
Spread.
':In never do it again, sir" said Laura.
Until the next time, added Barker, with
a playful GRIM:
I I'm sure I thought nobody had diamonds
but poor me-" said tire old lady. ''Where
can all the spades be-:
II know somebody could answer that
question" said Miss Laura Smyly.
"Spades are trumps, are they not?" asked
Spread. Certainly it is OF great moment at
whist to know which suit is the trump, but
there is rot lille disadvantage in postpon-
ing the inquiry until the middle of the
game.
1T makes very little difference to me, !"
said Mrs. Briscoe.
"Nor to me, ma ma, said Laura.
''Whist is a scientific game" said Mr..
| Spread, revoaing, as he spoke, in the most
transparent manner, BIZ; nobody took the
| least notice of it.
"The rest are mine" said Baker. 1--WE
made the trick"
"Pardon me, Baker, the tick is ours.
yours one, two, three, foul, five, six,
seven, eight-.we make two tricks
+ And you had three honors,' said Mrs:
Briscoe, good naturally, registering her
adversary's advantages.
"Game,' cried Baker.
II held the queen, demonstrated Mr..
Spread.
Briscoe played the knave."
"Thea we are only FOUR" counting two
| by hono4s on the strength of the ace and
king. 1t passed Sub silentio, and SO ended
the first hand. The remainder of the rub
Der, it may be supposed, was equally scien-
| tifc.
This, from ''The Bachelor of the Al
bany" shows the subject wish to discuss
better than any definitions. My object is
to throw together lew rules Tor the guild
ance of pretty good player caught in a
game OF this sort An a3gravating position
| to him, and likely to be made unpleasant
| to all the rest. If there is absolute indif-
| ference to the result shown by the rest of
the party, !: is good whist to follow suit.
and turn the game into as much of a romp
as your intimacy with the others will per-
nit If your partne! treads on your foot,
as call for trulans, Go not get angry with
her end inform her of the regular rule.
| Stand it like man; and as you can get
no amusement olt of !; as a game of
whist why. cease 70 consider il a game of
whist, and take such pleasure as offers
itself from absurd plays and the like. But
there can really be no game without a de-
sire to win. This conceded, the rule Of all
others to be observed, first, last and all The
time, is to lose neither your temDer nor
even a portion of your amiibili:y. This is
mere rule of good manners, bat a rule so
necessary to be observed and so apt to be
broken, one upon which good play is so de-
pendent, that it should be always insisted
upon as the first in every code Of rules. If
there is any vulearity latent in man, the
card table will bring it Out either in petu-
lance OF slang, and perhaps both. Very
few of us can deny this as applicable to our
selves personally. Some people neve: acquire
good card table manners. Somedo by much
practice and occasional tribulation. AS a
general rule, professional faro dealers will
display bette: manners at the table than
nine-tenth Of their moe 3entlemanly OPP
ponents. For the present it will suffice If
you take your seat understanding that there
is severe trial before you, which can be
mitigated by rejecting that the highest of
pleasures can be derived from comforting
pleasure on others, and that if you can es
cape without display of faulty manners
YOU will have won a victory; still more, if
YOU observe few rules, differing more or
less from the usual rule: of modern whist,
which will conduct to victory and elevate
you in the eyes Of your partner.
First-Tte lead should be from your suit
strongest in value of cards, rather than in
length. If your partner returns your lead
it is likely to be her frs; opportunity, and
she will lose confidence il no trick is taken:
and perhaps fail to return your lead next
time; just as in shooting overa young dog
you may ruin him by -epeated failures to