Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-01-29

tFrom Hirper's Bazar.l
This winter the interesting game of pro.
gressive euchre promises to be more popular
than ever, and hundreds of parties are organ
izing to play it in many parts of the country.
Its fascination is independent Of that which,
to some persons, belongs to ordinary euchre,
and consists in the briskness and range OF the
competition, as we'll as in the merriment and
physical activity which it invariably provokes.
In order to give just idea of the game, let
us describe particular instance in which it
was played with success not because this in
stance is in any respect remarkable, but be-
cause, being fair average one, it will repre-
sent many others. The host or hostess, then,
standing in the drawing-room in the presence
Of, say, -, lG, or 20 ladies and gentlemen
who have been invited for the evening holds
in one hand a number of pieces of pasteboard
to be drawn successfully by the ladies, and in
the other hand similar number to be drawn
by the gentlemen. Suppose the number OF
players is l6, or four at each one OF four
small tables which have been placed diaRon-
ally across the room, and on each of which
has been laid card representing one of four
geometricsl figures say a square, a circle, q
parslelogram and an octagon. Each of these
cards has two duplicates which, after being
cut in two, are held for distribution in the
hands of the host or hostess The ladies pro.
ceed to select piece each 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 80 selected. A gentle
man, for instance, who has drawn half .
square, goes around to ind 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 euchre party of four.
The table on which lies a circle obtains its
stters in a similar way, as do also the tables
on which are lying respectively the parsllelo.
gram 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 table,
one of those at the head table strikes a 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 other play
ers stop playing, and the winners at each ta-
BILE 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 go down to the foot and at every
table the partners change, so that your part
ner in the previous round becomes your ene-
my in the round now beginning.
The delightful haste and confusion caused
by this sudden change and energetic effort to
advance are accompanied by much laughter,
and the spirit of competition is soon in full
swing. The couple at the head table who
have won game take from a small box con-
tanning waters in the shape of red stars one
of the stars, and stick it to their card to indi-
cate 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 afixing to their
card half of a little red paper seal like that
adjoining signatures in legal documents; and
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 expired. This time is usually two hours
or two hours and half, when the final reck-
oning is taken, and the prizes are awarded.
To the lady and gentleman who have won the
most points prize apiece 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, therefore, is the greatest
number of half-seas, a mock-priZ apiece is
awarded, consisting, say, of a cheap doll fan
tastically dressed, or other ludicrous exponent
of unsuccessful effort. The presentation of
these prizes is often accompanied by humor-
Gus speeches. in which the real or affected
merits of the successful or unsuccessful play
ers are dilated upon in serio-comic fashion
and when the person selected to make the
speeches of presentation is apt for the task
the merrment often becomes hilarious. Sup
per is then served, and dancing may follow,
or the game may be renewed. Most young
people, however, prefer to close the evening
with some fresh sport.
To person who has never played progress
sye euchre, the pitch of excitement to which
even our grandfathers and grsndmothers often
succeed in eleyating themselves would be al
most past belief; but everybody at all famil-
lar with this festive game knows that the
physical activity and the buoysncy of spirit
created by its requirements are unequaled
even by blindmsn's buff. The intellectual
conditions under which progressive euchre
attains its happiest contamination are also Of
a high order. Euohre, like checkers is an
intellectual game if played in the right way.
1t is mistake to suppose that whist or chess
has monopoly of the intellectual element.
There is as much difference in the methods
Of players of ordinary euchre as in those of
the players of ordinary checkers and when,
to the usual conditions, those active and jo-
vial ones of progressive euchre are added, the
pleasure is immense.