Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1886-07-10
ANNAPOLIS. MD. SATURDAY EVENING, JULY 10 1885,
PROGRESSIVE EUCHIsE.
II Is Promised More Popular SeasOr
This Winter Than Ever.

progressive euchre promises 70 BE more
popular than ever. and hundreds of par.
ties are organizing TO play in many
parts Of the country. It's fascination Is
independent Of that which, to some per
sons. belongs TO ordinary euchrc, and
consists In tho briskness and range of the
competition. as well as in the merri.
ment and physical activity which it in.
variably prov0kos. In order to give 0
just idea Of the game let MS describe .
particular instance In which Il was
played with success. not because this in.
stance is in any respect remarkable, but
because being fair average one, it viii
represent many others. The host OF
hostess. then, standing in the drawing.
room in the presence Of, say twelve, six.
teen or twenty ladies and gentlemen
who have been invited for the evening,
holds in one hand number of pieces Oi
pasteb0ard to be drawn SUCCESSFULLY hv
the ladies, and in the other hand sim
liar number to be drawn by the gentle.
men. Suppose the number of players is
sixteen, or four at each one of the four
small tables, which have been placed
diagonally across the room, and on
each OF which has been laid card re-
presenting one Of four geometrical fig.
ures, say square, circle, parallel0.
gram, or an Octagon. Each of these
cards has two duplicates, which, after
being cut in two. are held for distribb
ton in the hands of the host or hostess.
The ladies proceed to select each piece
from eight pieces held out to them. the
gentlemen select in like manner from
another eight held out to them, and the
fun begins by their attempting to match
the pieces so selected. A gentleman,
for instance, who has drawn half a
square, goes around to find the lady
who has drawn a similar pattern, and
who, when found, becomes his partner
at that particular table on which lies q
square. In like manner, two other
players are selected for the same table,
making the usual euchre party of four.
The table on which lies a circle obtains
its sitters in similar way, as do also
the tables on which are lying respective
" the parallelogram and the octagon.
The table nearest the front door is said
to be at the head of the row, and the
corresponding one at the other end OF
the room is said to be at the foot. The
players being thus seated four at q
table. one of those at the head table
strikes a bell, and the game begins.
Everybody plays as fast as she or
he can, and the excitement is great un.
til the sound Of the bell announces that
q couple at the head table have finished
their game. Immediately all the other
players stop playing, and the winners
at each table change places and take
the table next above them, the ultimate
object being to get at the head table.
The losing couple at the head table 90
down to the foot, and at every table the
partners change, SO that your partner
in the previous round becomes your enc
my in the round now beginning.
The delightful haste and confusion
caused by this sudden change and ener-
getic effort to advance are accompanied
BY much laughter, and the spirit OF
competition is soon in full swing. The
couple at the head who have won q
game take from a small box containing
waters in the shape of red stars, one OF
the stars and stick it to their card to in.
dicate the fact of their triumph. The
more stars any player has on his card
the more success he has won. But tho
couple who lose at the lowest table OF
all are compelled to indicate their dis.
grace by affxing to their card half of .
little red paper seal like that adjoining
signatures in legal documents. The
more Of these waters OF seals any couple
has the greater is their ill-repute.
The game continues in this way until
the time previously chosen BY The host
or hostess has expired This time Is
usually two hours or two hours and q
half, when the final reckoning il taken
and the prizes awarded. To the lady
and gentleman who have won the most
points q prize apiece is awarded, and
this may be Of any description or cost.
although fosd taste seems to dictate
that Its pecaniary value be not large.
To the lady anu gentleman, On the
other hand, who have lost tile most
while sitting at the lowest table, and on
whose card therefore, is the greatest
number Of half-seals, 4 mock prize
apiece Is awarded, consisting, say, Of
cheap doll fantasticaIly dressed, orotheF
ludric0us exponent of unsuccessful effort.
The presentation Of these prizes Is often
accompanied BY humorous speeches, il
which the real or affected merits Of the
successful o. unsuccessful prayers are
dilated upon in serio- comic fashion; and
when the persons selected to make the
speeches Of presentation is apt for the
task, the meFriment often becomes hila~
ri0us. supper IS then served, and dane
ing may follow. Or the game may be Re.
newed. Most young people, however,
prefer to close the evening with some