Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1900-10-18

out none Oh lOCSN luuON NlkNuS AdSltO
very long. and the old nomenclature
was soon reiustated,
There have been, of course, changes
in the insignia and titles of the suits,
but these have Leen chronological or
national, not prompted merely by
political unrest. The Chinese, who,
according to their histories, invented
everything before anybody else, claim
the merit of having first designed
playing cards and developed the
games rising out of them.
Invented for His Wives.
The Emperor Souu-ho had many
wives, who naturally found time hans
heavily on their hands. so the en-
peror devised amusement for them by
inventing cards-that IS, if We are
to put any belief in the words of the
Chinese historians. There were thirty
cards in each, and three extra su-
perior cards. The Chinese cards
we're oblong, as ours are, while those
of the Hindoos were round.
Surprising though it may seem, it
is nevertheless true that the queen in
our suits is a comparatively modern
innovation. The picture cards were
at first entirely military-king, knight
and knave. The Italians w"E- >ue
first, it is said, to give the lady a
place in the pack.
There have been from time to time
many changes in the suits. Old Ger
man cards have bells. acorns and
leaves, instead Of clubs, diamonds
and spades, Many writer's have IN
dertaken to explain the meaning Of
the symbols used upon the cards, and
one French writer endeavored to de-
duce . military moral
The club, he said, with its trefoil, is
the "trcne," or clover, which abounds
in the meadows of the French. This
shows that a general should enCamp
his forces whore forage is to be
found. The spade is the "Carreau'
or heavy square headed arrows shot
from crossbow. "Croeurs," or
hearts, signifies the courage Of the
soldiers. The ace is the Latin as
representing money, shows or war,
and so on through several pages of
fantastic symbolism,
The history of cards in this country
marks many interesting periods in the
nations growth The famous cotton
plant" back cards are remembered by
many Old time players. These cards
were mostly used in the south, but
were known the country over, One
of the most beautiful designs of this
kind easily drew prize over the best
British exhibits at the first of the
Crystal Palace exhibitions, in Lon.
don, during the "iiftiCs." During
those days a pack of cards of similar
design sold for $40 in gold.
History of Cards Here,
The old steamboat" cards, first dc
signed for use on vessels plying up
and down the Mississippi river have
never lost their popularity, and are
still in general use. In the old days
of gambling on the Mississippi a
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