Omaha daily bee., 1903-02-08
MILITARY GAME OF EUcHRE
Progressive High Five and whist
Thrown In the shade by the
New Social Fad.

Military euchre has taken a great hold
on New York and several evenings Of each
week are devoted to It in the Astor gal
lery Of the waldorf-Astoria always in aid
Of some worthy public cause.
The man who invented It. and has had Il
patented, says a New York letter. makes a
business Of taking charge OF these combats
with the cards. He furnishes all the appa-
'ratus, and charges 81 per table for his
services and the use of his outfit. As he
requires but three assistants, and as there
are often from sixty to 100 tables in one
game, he Is not losing money.
In this game, each table is a fort. held
by four people, who play in the interests
Of each other. and never against each other.
While one couple are at their fort, holding
it against two outsiders, the other two are
out somewhere in the room making an at
tack upon another fort. Each game won by
the four, whether at the home table or the
one visited, secures a small colored flag,
which is hung above the fort. The one
over which the largest number of flags
hang at the end Of the evening is the win
ner, and each Of the four receives a prize.
There is one pleasant thing about the game
these four who begin together in the be-
ginning of the evening are never pitted
against each other. but each gentleman lie
always sure Of having one Of the two
women as his partner.
The thing works out in practice after
this manner TIL tables are set for four
players, as In other games. Each is num-
bered, from one up. On each side OF the
table and clamped to It is a tall stan.
Cords run from the one to the other, and
upon them the small brass rings, to which
the captured flags are to be hung. Sur
mounting the stats are larger flags, which
give a martial air to the room.
As each four come in they are given
badges specifying the table at which they
are to be seated. Those of the gentlemen
are numbered 1 and 8; those Of the women,
2 and 4. When the game is ready, the sig
nal is given by the entrance of a RUNNER
and a hfer, who make the circuit Of the
room, playing loudly. After that, the CON-
mencement Of each game is announced by
the roll Of the drum. Changes in position
from table to table are in answer to q blast
from a bugle. The opening Of the evening
is announced by a pistol shot. Thus the
affair takes on a military air throughout,
The old method of progression from table
to table is eliminated entirely. The man
who manages the affair sends to each ia
BILE a small card, at the end OF each game,
indicating the arrangement for the next
game. Thus at table No. Z there will be
a card which says, IL and 2 to table No.
! 16." That means that the gentleman num-
bered 1, and the woman numbered 2, at table
No. z go to table No. 16 and play one game
II they win II. they carry the flag which
an attendant has hung up for that purpose
back to their own table, where 1t remains.
II they lose 1t, it remains as a trophy for
the table or fort they have thus vainly
attempted to storm. In either case, they
return to their own fort after this one
game to await further orders.
Meanwhile, their partners rave remained
at home, defending their fort against an
assault from some other table.
In the next game, there comes another
order, sending a couple from their table
to attack another fort. There is no reg
ularity about these attacks-one may storm
No. 2 in one game, No. 10 in another and
No. Is in a third. When there are a larg'
number Of tables the room is divided into
several sections, and changes from table Il
table are made only within a given section
But the players are playing during the ev'
ening againct the entire room, and thu
prizes ase distributed accordingly.
1t looks a little puzzling at first, but ii
easy enough when one gets the hang of 1t
The game is exciting-the roll of the drum
the shrill bugle, the flags over the tables
the carrying home Of the trophies of war
or the returning empty handed. One o
the most attractive features is found II
the fact that che does not know where h,
is to be sent, but he always knows wher'
he is RoinP-straight to the home fort, car
rying his sheaves with him.