Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1886-04-12

Ht j. Promised a More Popular season
This Winter Than Ever.

progressive euchre promises to be more
popular than ever. and hundreds of par.
ties arc organizing to play in many
parts of the country. Its fascination is
independent of that which, to some per.
sons. belongs to ordinary euchrc, and
consists in the briskness and range of the
competition. rs we'll as in the merri.
ment and physical activity which it in.
variably provokas. In order to give
Just idea of the game let us describe q
particular instance in which it was
played with success, not because this in.
stance is in any respect remarkable, but
because being Il fair average one, it will
represent many others. The host or
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 OF
pastcboard to be drawn successfully by
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 a card re-
presenting one of four geometrical fig
ures, say a square, 4 circle, parallelo
gram, or an octagon. Each of these
cards has two duplicates, which, after
being cut in two, are held for distriblb
tion in the hands of the host or hostess.
The ladies proceed to select each piece
from eight pieces held out TO thens 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 similar pattern, and
who, when found, becomes his partner
at that particular table on which lies a
square. In like manner. two other
players are selected for the same table.
making the usual cuchre party of four
The table on which lies circle obtains
its sitters in similar way, as do also
the tables on which are living respective
ly 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 ut the foot. The
players being thus seated four at a
table. one of those at the head table
strikes bell, and the game begins
Everybody plays as fast rs she or
he can, and the excitement is great un-
til the sound of the bell announces that
a 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 a
game take from 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 the
couple who lose at the lowest table OF
all are compelled to indicate their dis
grace by affixing to their card half of a
little red paper seal like that adjoining
signatures in legal documents. The
more of these waters or seals any couple
has the greater is their iIl-rcpute.
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
half. when the final reckoning is taken
and the prizes awarded. 10 the LADY
and gentleman who have won the most
points prize apiece Is awarded, and
this may be Of any description or cost,
although good taste seems to dictate
that its pecuniarv value be not large
10 the lady and gentleman, on the
other hand, who have lost the most
while sitting at the lowest table, and on
whose card therefore. is the greatest
number of half-seals, mock prize
apiece is awarded. consisting, say, Of
cheap doll fantastically dressed. orothcr
ludricons exponent Of unsuccessful effort.
The presentation Of these prizes is often
accompanied BY humorous speeches. in
which the real or affected merits Of the
successful or 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 merriment often becomes hila-
rious. Supper is then served, and dane
ing may foAow, OF the game may be re-
newed. Most young people. however,
prefer to close the evening with some
fresh sport
To any person who has never played
progressive euchre. the pitch Of excite
ment to which even our grandmother
and grandfathers often succeed IN ele-
waiting themselves would be almost past