Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1897-11-04
GAMES WITH CARDS.
SOURCES or UNTOLD MeRRlMENr
 AND SORROW, SMILES AND TEARS.


 Were as Deeply TnfaSuafed as Mem Ev.
 erything Made snbscrvient 10 Play Tor
 Stakes some of the Old Games.
 Possibly no other invention has ever 1 given rise to SC much neriment and sorrow, has called forth so many smiles. frowns and tears and has been the agent in 50 many tragedies as q pack of cards. The actual source of this invention still remains q mystery, the generally ac- cepted story of origin being that in 1893 ords were introduced at the French court as a diversion for King Charles l VI during his temporary attacks of in- sanity. From this date they spread rap idly through every country in Europe and received such a warm welcome from all classes that laws had to be made for the better regulations of dice throwing and card playing.
 During the commonwealth card play ing shared the banishment of every other amusement, but with the restored monarchy a reaction set in, and heavy l play became the fashion. Basset and ombre were the games i'll favor at court, and ill tho graphic picture given by l Evelyn of the last Sunday spent by 1 King Charles 1T at Whitehall he speaks of ut least @ GOO in gold on the bas- set table round which about 20 of the l great courtiers' were sitting Ombre was also court game. Waller has 2 poem lon a card torn at ombre by the queen. Pope also, in '.The Rape of the 1 Lock, gives such faithful description of Belinda gano that the Hon. Daines ] Burlington, writing ill The Universal Magazine for December 1168, says, l '.When ombre is forgotten (and it is al- most so already4, it may bereviyed with i posterity from that most admirable l poem. In it's turn ombre was dcposed l for quadrille, and for d time no one who aspired t0 be counted among the bean 1 monde eondescended to play any other 1 game. Mir. Urban in The Gentleman $ Magazine for 17a6, gives Cautions l Against Quadmllc' and warns tho young and unwa1y of both sexes9 against most growing vice which if l not timely prevented will end in their ruin. T mean. he gnys, the great Increase of Play ill private Houses. and more particularly that artful and cheat ing game of Quadrille GUadril1e WAS equally popular in Paris, and pamphlet is extant dated l160 of The game of i Quadrille by Four as it is HOW played at l the French Court, 2 iii which it says, @It is allowed by all players that Qua drille is more amusing and entertaining l than Ombre or any other game on the cards, either because every Deal IS play q ont or that it better suits tue ] genius of the Ladies. to whom com i plaisanee and good manners must Preju- l dice tho Gentlemen in it's favor. " Such a preiudicial hold had this fascinating game taken on women that q writer of tho day declares that women now 1 spend all their time ill gambling. Their ] husbands, children tho duties of SO, ciety are, without Quadrille, weafi- some encumbrmces Quadlille is inc joy that gives life. spirit and bright ness. For this they hurry ever their meals and abridge their most agreeable Refreshments For this alone they visit and are visited
 In the autobiography of MT Frederick Reynolds he tells us that one Of the most noted card playing places near
 London was Twiekenham, and that there, in Montpelier TOW, lived four maiden ladies who were known in the neighborhood as Mamlle, Spadille, Bas-
 to and Punto. Mrs Harris, writing to her son. the first Lord Aamesbury, says: Mime. de Walderen would fain have tempted me to her loo table, but needed little fortitude to withstand it, as one stake lost would ruin whole assembly l preferred sober game eff i quadrille with Miss Ghudleigh. Tbe Annual Register for 1766 informs us that 'a lady Ut the West End lost at q sitting one night last week 3, 000 gui- meas at loo. Ks early as the reign of Henry VII q prohibitory statute for- bade any persons save those of noble rank to play at cards except during | Christmas. and for generations this GUS tom Was strictly adhered te, SO that many who objected to touch a card at any other time relaxed their prejudiees and played q few games tt this festive season. As fate as the year lfs3 The European Magazine for December says;
 ssThis being the season when and when only card playing is permitted in sober families for the recreation of men, vo- men and children. , etc, it may noe be ont of place to give few observations on games which at no distant time were the most popular Among these games brag is spoken of as peculiarly adapted to the fair and softer sex, and therefore So much ill vogue among the ladies of distinction that hereby they acquire decent assurance and eompe- tency of countenanee so absolutely nee essaly in life, and remedy thas shame facednesS, which is defect of nature, by the assistance of her handmaia art :
 The passion for gaming which was prevalent in the thys of Queen Anne went on steadily increasing during the reignS of the three Georges. The Gen