The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1898-04-07
A Game Of whist.

1t was not that he claimed to be an
expert whist player at all, says the
Chicago Daily News, but just superb
in himself on general prin-
,iples that carried him into the Chicago
Whist Club with SO easy swing and
head so high in the air.
He had been in the room perhaps five
minutes when he realized that he was
in the presence of seventy or eighty
men to whom the game Of whist had
long since become q science. They
talked an unintelligible tongue; they
ratified off descriptions of suits like so
much poetry. He was just beginning
to sympathize with fish on land when
his host clapped him on the shoulder
and squared him about before a keen
eyed fellow who looked as though he
could play four games at once and write
text book on cards with the other
hand at the same time.
"Here's your partner, Price, he
cried. "lake care of him, Carter, :"
and he turned ON his heel.
Hold on" cried Price, conclusive
ly. "I-I-I can't play here. l don't
know thing, Carter!"
ooh, yes; 1 know that story Come
along"
"No, mol" Price felt great pillows
of mOdesty surging up in his veins,
The sensation was so new, it seemed as
though it might be fatal. "Ibe simple
little home games Of whist" he gasped
appealingly.
The other paused.
"You know the American leads, don't
you?" he asked.
"Not one of them"
"Can you echo in trumps?"
Don't know what it means"
'Know trump signal?"
"Not in hundred years"
Price felt actual relief in assertine
his ignorance. He wanted to shout il
from the house-top, for it meant de,
liverance.
But, no! Carter staggered and caught
himself bravely.
"Never mind, old man," he cried,
sternly swallowing a hysterical ten.
dency in his voice; "we'll drop all rules
and play any old thing. Who cares?"
The room whirled Price found him
self seated at table, smiling and nod
ding, like an automaton, at two strang
ers, and holding thirteen cards that ht
could not see. He was paralyzed
What little he had ever known of cards
was gone. He followed suit strictly b,
accident. When he and his partne
moved to the next table be didn't know
which side had taken tricks. Seven
teen times this happened to him ant
from first to last he was only consciou
of the fact that at each new table h
met tive more club members and dem
Onstrated to them fully that he wa
brainlsss. He tried to rally; he toll
himself that there were other import
ant things in the world beside whist
that he had been very successful i
business. And he smiled and smile
and bowed and bowed. But at tn
very last table he three times forgot til
/, trump.
! And the game ended.
i When the players crowded aroul
the blackboard to read the score, Pric
had vanished on plea of sudden illness
A search would have disclosed hin
: awaiting his train near an open door i
a superban passenger station. Twas
sleepy hour, but he was eagerly reat
] ing American leads from a small car
which Garter had pressed into h
!, hand.
e Holding ace, king. queen, with fly
Z lead queen and follow with ace," |
chanted to himself. GIVE been owe
board in deep water, and its time
learned to swim. Holding ace, kin,
jack, but voices outside the deer a
rested his attention.
"Wbat allied Carter tonight?" sa
one. "He played wild. Why,
signaled for trumps when he didn
have one in his hand and scared me o.
of playing my good long suit Of EN-.
D pitied his partner. He looked sort
y dazed at Carter's breaks"
- "But he knows how to carry Il
= thing on alone, all right" was Il
4 answer. "They stood three above Il
y average on the board, [ noticed"
II The voices passed. Price threw bat
L. his head ond looked himself for the fiji
K time in four hours. He crumpled Il
re card of American leads and tossed
away, And he chuckled a low-tOne
radiant, rose-cOlored chuckle.
Don't Tobacco Spit and Smoke Your Life Away.