The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-09-04

pair, aud The principal object ia the game
is 10 harl the stones along the ice towards
q hNcd mark with proper strength and
precision. and ION the skin displayed In
placing their own stones ina ia turable p0-
sitlon, or iu driving rival stones out Of
favorable positions" the explanation
states, depends 81 the interest IN the
game The same authority says that
the keenness displayed by rival sides in
competing for victory is perhaps without
parallel in any other paStime. The
game is PLAYED in Chicago, and the curl
ing club of this city has sent with tho
paraphernalia a collection Of trophies
worn in contests played every winter in
the northwest.
CHESS.
The section devoted TO chess indicates
in part the uniyersality of the game
Japanese chess differs from all other
games of chess in having the men all of
one color, and the same pieces serve for
the player and his adversary The pieces
are punt-shape blocks of wood OF differ
ent sizes, lying fiat on the board, and not
upright. Any piece taken up may be en-
tered by the adversary on any vacant
place ne chooses, and at any time he
thinks it desirable to enter it. The board
has eighty-one cells, all Of one color
The Chinese chess is played upon a pa
per board consisting of two halves each
eight squares by four which axe sepa-
rated from each other bya river, the width
OF which is equal to one square. thus
forming one move for the pawn and half
move for the upright. The pieces are
placed not in the center of the squares
but at the intersection of the lines, so
that there are nine men in line, instead
of eight.
DICE, CARDS, ETC.
The evolution of dice and playing cards
is illustrated quite thoroughly, dice
which, it is claimed were used about 500
B. C.-being exhibited. Knuckle bones of
sheep are the accredited originals of dice,
and these knuckle bones are still used by
boys in Egypt and other oriental coun-
tries, but they now seem to prefer mar
hles. Here too, is shown that playing
cards were evolved from dice. The most
extensive display of playing cards is made
by the Italian. Numerous patterns of
cards made in Florence and Venice during
the last two centuries are displayed. A
monograph in the exhibit says that Co
lumbus carried cards with him on his
first voyage, and that the sailors used
them constantly during their leisure me
ments until they became convinced that
the cards were responsible for the length
OF their voyage, and other evils which had
befallen them.
The Chinese have large display of
games, and whilst many are of the class
intended mainly for diversion, it includes
many forms of straight gambling; but the
games of the other nations-civilized,
half-civilized and barbaric-leave no
doubt that there is an element among all
of them which seeks by such means to Sc
cure anothers gold. Many of the Chinese
games of pastime are in the form of wire
puzzles.
Tops with iron plugs are no doubt mod
ern, that is, the insertion of the peg is an
improvement of comparatively recent
years, but if the inscriptions on the col
lection of tops are to be believed, the lit
tie cones were spun by Egyptian boys five
thousand years ago, as some of them were
taken from grave, the hieroglyphics on
which were interpreted to Indicate that
the burial occurred about $500 years be-
fore Christ, and others were found in an
ancient grave near Ancon, Peru.