The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-01-07

slvely by the ladies, and in the other hand
a similar number to be drawn
by the gentlemen. Suppose the
number of players is sixteen, or
four at each one of four small
tables, which have been placed diagonally
across the room, and on each of which has
been lald card representing one of four
geometrlcal hSures, say square, circle.
a parallelogram or an octagon. Each of
these cards has two duplicates. which
after being cut in two, are held for distri
button in the hand of the host or hostess
The ladies proceed to select each a piece
from the eight pieces held out to them,
and the fun begins by their attempting to
match the pieces so selected. A gentle
man, for instance, who has drawn half a
square goes around to find lady who has
drawn similar pattern, and who when
found, becomes his partner at that partic-
ular table on which lies a square. In
like manner the other players are selected
for the same table, making the usual
euchre party of four. The table ON which
| lies circle obtains its sitters in the same
way, as do also the tables on which are
| lying respectively 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 a
table, one of those at the head table
strikes bell, and the game
begins. Everybody plays as fast as he
or she can, and the excitement is great
until the sound of the bell announces that
a couple at the head table have finished
their game. Immediately all the players
stop playing, and the winners at each TIA
BILE change places and take the table next
above them, the ultimate object being to
get to the head table. The losing couple
at the head table go down to the foot, and
at every table the partners change so that
your partner in the previous round be-
comes your enemy in the round now be-
ginning.
The delightful haste and confusion
caused by this sudden change and ener-
gctic effort to advance are accompanied
by much laughter, and the spirit of com
petition is soon in full swing. The couple
at the he'ld of the table who have won Che
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
dictate the fact of their triumph. The
more stars any player has on his card the
more successes he has won. But the
couple who lose at the lowest table of all
are compelled to indicate their disgrace
by affixing to their card half of little
red paper seal like that adjoining sigma
lures to legal documents. The more of
these waters or 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 expire This time is
generally two hours or two hours and a
half, when the final reckoning is taken,
and the prizes are awarded. To the lady
and gentleman who has won the most
points prize piece is awarded, and this
may be of any description or cost, al
though good taste seems to dictate that
its pecuniary value be not large. To the
lady and gentleman, on the other hand,
who have lost the most while sitting at
the lowest table, and on whose card, there
fore, is the greatest numbers of half seals,
a mock prize piece is awarded, consist
ing, say, of a cheap doll, fantastically
dressed, or other ludicrous exponent of
unsuccessful effort. The presentation of
these prizes is often accompanied by hum
orous speeches. in which the real or af-
fected merits of the successful or unsuc-
cessful players are dilated upon in serio-
comic fashion, and when the person Sc
lected to make the speeches of presenta-
ton is apt for the task, the merriment
often becomes hilarious. Supper is then
served, and dancing may follow, or the
game may be renewed Most young peO-
pie, however, prefer to close the evening
with some fresh sport.
To anyone who has never played pro
gressive euchre, the pitch of excitement
to which even our grandmothers and
grandfathers often succeeded in elevating
themselves would be almost past belief:
but everybody at all familiar with this
festive game knows that the physical act
witty and the buoyancy of spirit created
by its requirements are unequaled even
by blind mans buff. The intellectual
conditions under which progressive euchre
attains its happiest consummatiOn are of
higher order also. Euchre, like check
ers, is an intellectual game if played in
the right way It is a mistake to suppose
that whist or chess has a monopoly of the
intellectual element. There is as much
difference in the methods of players of
ordinary euchre as those of the players of
ordinary checkers; and when, to the usual
conditions, those active and jovial ones of
progressive euchre are added, the pleasure
is immense.
Everybody who has played it likes pro-
gressive euchre. There is nothing tedious
or monotonous in this quickening and
satisfying game, particularly as at each
change of tables the players have a
change of partners, and so in the
course of the evening each lady be-
comes acquainted with each gentleman,
and each gentleman with each lady.
The opportunity for forming friendships
under such circumstances is too obvious
to need pointing out. The only obstacle
to the success of the game in social
circle in either city or country is the occa-
sional effort on the part of the hostess to
make display in the prizes or in the sup
per. To do so is a mistake; it has IN
many cases been found to mar whole
winters success, by making members OF
the coterie feel that because they could
not afford an equal display, they would
not invite the company to their houses at
all. Besides, there is always greater free
dom and more joviality when the re-
straints and expressions of mere ostenta-
+ Iinn oh