The indicator., 1894-12-29
THE SHEEP TO BLAME
FLAYINO CARDS DERIVED
FROM ITS ANKLE BONE.
A University Professor Declares That
Modern Pasteboards Hnve Evolved
From Thi, Curious source-curiositiss
of Familiar Game Implements.

| of Familiar Game Impirmcnts.
Who would suppose that playing
knuckle bones of sheep9 Yet such is
the fact. If you do not believe it, ask
Stewart Culin, ethnologist, attached
to the university of Pennsylvania, who
according to the Washington Star,
has made the study of games, from
tho scientific point of view, his spe-
cialty. The so-called knuckle bones
are familiar enough, being used to
this day by children in various parts
OF the world. They are the ankle
bones OF the sheep, and are foursided.
1t seems odd to find that dice in
Arabic are called by name which
means ankle bones. Nobody knows
how long they were first employed for
playing games. One day it occurred
to somebody that cube was better
adapted to the purpose. That must
have happened in very ancient times,
for the Romans OF old had dice which
were just like our own, even to the
arrangement of the numbers on the
faces-i. e., the six opposite the one,
the five opposite the two, and the four
opposite the three.
1t will be observed that the sum OF
any two opposite numbers is always
sevcn. This may have something to
do with the fact that seven used to be
] regarded as a magical number. or
the respect accor I = ','-r'i' ovi'
dencc in many passages OF tne Dlulc.
The most ancient cubical die known
dates back to 600 b. C.-that is, $500
years ago. 1t was found at Naucratus,
Greek colony in Egypt. The earli-
est dice wero made in pairs, rights
and lefts, like knuckle bones, one OF
which was always from the right leg
and the other from the left leg of the
animal Two dice were usually em-
ployed, because they were two linucltle
bones. Mr.. Culin says that dice prob
ably originated in India. From that
country they were carried to China
whence they have been distributed all
over the world. Tho Chinese are
great gamesters; they invented q
modification of the dice, which is
called the domino. Put two dice faces
side by side and you have domino.
Dominoes arc said to have been de-
vised in the year 1920 of the Christian
era by Chinese emperor for the
amusement of his wives. 1t is more
likely, however, that they merely OBJ
.ained the imperial approval ut thai
date.
Many games are played in China on
boards and diagrams, the moves being
thrown by throwing dice. In one OF
these, called the .'tablo of the promo
Won OF oriIciIf5, u--iurt,v- rs'voV of Pc
pei will be used, on which are printed
the titles of various officials and dig
nitaries of the Chinese government.
Players are advanced or set back ac
cording TO their throws. The story
told about tho invention of this game
is that the emperor Kienling, A. ID.
1850, was walking at nightfall among
the houses occupied by candidates for
tricnnial examination at Peltin.
Hearing the sound of dice throwing in
one of the dwellings, he sent for tho
offender. The latter, as an excuse,
told the monarch that he had con-
structed chart on which wero writ
ten tho titles in tho government. He
said that he and his friends threw
dice, traversed the board according TO
their throws, and were thus impressed
with the knowledge OF the various
ranks and steps leading to official ad-
vancement.
The emperor commanded him to
bring the chart for his inspection.
That night tho unfortunate student,
whose excuse was fiction created on
the spur of tho moment, sat pencil in
hand until daybreak and made chart,
which he carried to the emperor.
The latter was pleased with the dill
yence of the scholar, who improved
his mind even while amusing himself,
and dismissed him with many com
mendations.
Take an ordinary domino of bone or
wood. enlarge it, make it OF paper. r.and
1t becomes playing card. Mr.. Culin's
study OF the subject has led him to the
conclusion that this is the way in
which the playing card was originally
evolved. The evolution began with
knucllle bono, which became u cubical
die; the latter was transformed into q
domino, and tho domino, in its turn,
was metamorphosed into Il card. A
domino with two "fives" on it repre-
sents the "tenspot" of the pack. The
origin OF "king," queen" and "iack"
is unknown. rossibly a little light
may be thrown upon the mystery
by tho fact that the four sides OF the
knuckle bone are called in Arabic the
"shah," "vizier," ''peasant" and
..slave." The same names are given
TO the numbers on the cubical die, the
six being tho ..shah." One of the
games played with dominoes in China
Is apparently the prototype OF whist.
Nobody knows when dominoes and
cards were introduced into Europe.
We, in America, get all our games
from Europe; we invent no games.
Poker is an old English game modi-
fed. Mr.. Culin says that there are no
new games; those brought out from
year to year are merely notifications
Of old ones. Games are originated in
primitive stages Of social develop
ment.
Ono would naturally suppose that
tho spinning die. called the "teeto-
tern," must be derived from the same
original source as the cubical die. Ap-
pacontly such is not the case. MIR.
Culin has traced the teetotem to Corea
where 1t seems to have had Its begin
ming.
Forest Land of tho sonth.
The South contains over 200, 900,
900 acres OF forest land-over one-hali
of the woodland area of the United
States. She has almost an endless va