St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-12-06
DO YOU PLAY WHIST?
Then Here Are q Few Facts
Worthy Of Your At
tention.
Correct Names and Designa-
tionS Of the Various
Cards.
The Courtesy Of the Correct
Game Avoids Slang
Terms.
Rules Of the Game Observed
by the Host Adroit
Players.
Chicago Inter Ocean.

u IL. -. StiiNS long letter, 10 the
practical part OF which, as it is of gen.
eral interest, we reply here. There is
10 Jack" IN whist. People say Jack"
who cut cards sidewise and deal "all
over" not being able to sit still. No
man who plays whist uses the term.
Whenever the suits are named by play
ers they are called or printed in regular
Order-spades, hearts, clubs, diamonds.
No other is ever used. There is no
'equivocal'' card. 1t has been custom
airy with CayendiSh to call the 8 such,
but he has learned better. There can
be 10 such thing. Each card has its
Office and always has definite mean
ing. TO be aScertained on the same i'll
slant of its play or afterward, as the
case may be. 1t is as absurd to call the
9 ''equiyoca" as it would be to cal
the king "equiy0cal." In American
whist it is the most unequlvocal of all.
The eight is the middle card. not the
seven, as Cavendish has it. 1t is not
difficult 10 determine that. There are
six cards higher and six lower. There
is no ''SlX spot or any other spot" The
cards are properly called only by their
rank, 1.-The six, the queen" but not the
''siX spot nor 'queen spot" Honour"
is technical term, and always spelled
with the ''u." Trey" is also name
of card. not Tray" the name of a
dog. A trump is never turned up"
but is turned" 10y the dealer:
but turned" by the gath
ever. There is 10 such thing as "whis
Ting" or ''tllrashing." a player
draws trumps" OF 'dIscards." There
Is DO euch thing as putting on" card
or putting up" one; player ''leads,"
follows" or "playS' or throws" a
card, not throws on" a card. These
niceties belong to good play, and play
ers are properly careful to observe
them. OF course. there is much also to
be said and taught as to the proper
handling of cards. There is as much
OF gentility in this as in table manners.
YOu can Instantly tell a careful player
by his card shuttle. You can as readily
see the really good player in his way of
dealing. there are not as many general
club players as there should be who
know how even to cut the cards. The
correct cut is matter of Instant notice.
" hen people tumble into room to
play cards or Law themselves out over a
table or over any part OF 1t, or sit at it
ungracefully, you are not TO expect
either OF two thingS-knOWledge of
whist or intent to gain that knowledge.
Since the Introduction of American
ThiSt. with all its theories OF correct
ness and prOpriety, matters of behavior
and courtesy lave come forward with
positive obedience. POlitenesS, which
is instant explanation or excuse. cannot
be shown, because there is neither talk
nor sign. But distinct courtesy that
covers all occurrences is in order in all
play. This courtesy must, first of
all, be extended to the table
of players. All outsiders must ue
literally outsiders during play. AS an
instance OF this in practice, lady and
gentleman, friends of the players, came
into the room during the play of hand
and each politely said good evening"
to the players. No notice was taken of
their presence or their greeting. and,
not knowing the law of the game in
progress, they were not little sur
priSed at such reception. " hen the
hand was over there were warm con-
CALCULATIONS upon the recent engage
ment Of the twain, who, for the fort
night just passed, had been used to very
different Treatment by their friends
from that which they had just been
called upon to experience In an
other instance, a gentleman called
while play was being made
and his card WGS taken by the servitor,
who did not seem in haste TO convey it
TO the host. why don't you take in
my card?" asked the caller "In few
minutes" was the reply. They are at
whist, and while they are still l must
not enter" Very soon voices were
heard as between the deals, and the
card was delivered. This course is max
ing The game of heightened popularity
.s-sff
way Of emphasizing the best order Of
pOllteness III all society it may be said
here in = TenthtSiS that whist is doing
q great service. 1t is commonly the case
that newcomer is apt 10 receive the
attention of the company to the detTi-
ment of whatever may at the time of
his or her coming be in progress.
There are cases in which discour-
teSy to the present guest is CT more
moment than pOiteneSS shown to the
latest arrival. When The great TRACE
dian, Anderson, was 10 the country he
was one evening, at the solicitation of a
gentleman, reciting some special pas
6ageS Ing Hamlet" and giving eXplaDa-
nations. A knock was heard at the
door. 10 attention was given it and
Mr.. Anderson continued. Another
knock and no answer made. Then a
card was thrust under the door. When
Mr. Anderson had finished his delivery
Of the passage and his immediate com
ment on it, the gentleman went to the
door and took up the card. "Why," said
Mr.. Anderson, did you not go at once
when YOU heard the knock 20 ST
would have been rudeneSS to have in
terrupted you" was the reply. If peO-
pie would consider how much they owe
to that courtesy which does not admit OF
Interruption Theodore Thomas once
stopped the performance of his Orches-
ira in the very middle OF strain be-
cause Of talking by portion Of the
audience. When the Tddeness ceased
lie signaed the musicians to proceed.
Great objection is made. and for very
good reason by them, to the positive de-
mand fer silence during whist play on
the part Of persons who can not keep
still. They think that there are matters
requiring comment and even eXplana-
ton while the cards are being played.
In their game and under their rules this
is allowable, but in the real game each
player begins, continues and closes
his play Of a hand in snbjectiOn
to the order Of calculation OF
and upon all that is connected
with the tall of the cards. This must
hct III any way nor rOr any reason be III
teifeTcd with. At the close OF the hand
an cIAOLS VI ohiSSlohS are accounted
for and in an especial manner all goOi
play appreciated. The penalties thai
in lower order Of play may be exacteo
IS occasion serves are of different
kind from those demanded by American
whist. In the best game there is no
any necessity for interference with the
calculation of every person at the table
whenever any one Of these Is guilty OF
mistake. AS the play is reckoned in re
suit by points of course the most correc
Way-fOr settlement is by points, anC
as there are no stakes and no issue save
only to obtain points in the best manner
nothing that can Interrupt the course o
action is admissible. We do not eXpec
or intend to play social club whist, anC
Of course exclude everything that while
management Of the cards is nnder con
sideraiion can in any way whatever