The sun., 1907-03-03

nothing but a mispronunciation of the
French word "poque, and many other cases
might be mentioned. Euchre is probably
nothing but a corruption OF mispronunoia-
uon Of some word which we are not now
sufficiently familiar with 70 recognize.
As 70 the present favorite game of the
East Side, pinochle two or three very
plausible explanations are given for its
origin, and the correct spelling Of the word
rests upon which Of these is it's true deriva-
ton. The great difficulty with pinochle
is that it is an emigrant. and the time OF its
migration and return 10 not known,
II left its fatherland. France, as -cinq
cents and went to Switzerland. When
IL came back to France il was ~besi' or
4basigue"; when it got TO America it was
-binocle." Now il s familiar as 'pinocle"
or -pinochle.-
Pinochle, which 10 easily traced as the
direct descendant OF one Of the Oldest Of all
card games, marriage, is commonly but
enormously spoken of as a German game
It is a German-Americsn game by adop-
tion, but its birthplace was among the Alps.
The game is practically unknown in Ger
many. except among those who have been
taught it by returning ernigrants from this
country.
Marriage. the great grandfather Of
pinOchle. was a popular game in the
eighteenth century. Two players took
six cards each from a pack Of thirty-two.
The pip value Of the high cards was the
same as il is in pinochle to-day, but the
only melds were for marriages and for
'amour," the ace and ten Of the same suit,
worth sixty in trumps, thirty in plain suits.
Otherwise the game was Just like our
modern sixty-six, and closing to stop draw
ing from the stock was allowed. Sixty
ak points was game.
BrIs1uembille came after this, each
player having three cards only. This
game brought in the score for four Of a
kind. including four tens, and there was
also meld for marriage Il the king and
queen Of the same suit we're played TO the
same trick. There was no closing, as in
sixty-six. and the winner knocked on the
table when he had points enough 10 bs out.
Although il is acknowledged that the
syllable "brusJue7 stIll survives in the
modorD term "bris1ue,' the encyclopedias
tell us that the etymoIogy OF "brusquem-
billie is unknown. The Academic des
Jeux,- English edition of 1868, says mo
Account can be given concerning the Name
Of this Game, unless We suppose II TO be
the Fancy Of him who invented il, for IL
has no sort OF relation 70 the Game ITSELF
Unfortunately for this opinion. no one
invented the game OF brusquenbille; il was
simply a slight variation from the older
game Of marriage, extending the points
from es TO 800, and requiring tho player TO
knock on the table when he had won the
game, instead Of closing the stock
Whether or not this word -brusquembille'
really meant anything it is hard to say at
this distance OF time, but it 10 interesting
30 note that the French word "brusque'
meant abrupt, or suddenly. We have the
same word in old high German, "bruttiso."
As TO the remainder OF the word brusquem-
bile, it might have been a INSTRUMENTATION
or corruption OF two very different words.
In tho old French We have the verb ~em-
bier and the derivatiye "emblse.T 10 rush
upon; in a trice. Why might not this word
have been -brusque enblee,' an abrupt
attack. ending the gamer
II ID also curious that the word -bille,'
which we now translate as ball, also meant
al the time of which we are speaking q
marble to play with. We find the same
NOTO uctAhhus DiOhCl, modulHB
a knuckle. This recalls the old English
name for marbles, "knuckle down. which
refers TO the placing Of a -knuckle" or
marble TO be shot A.. The word brusquem-
billie might have been suggested by tho
sudden or abrupt use of the knCcklcs in
ending the game.
He that as il may. when We pass on TO the
later developments Of the game We find
the n1eld for sequence added to the others;
but the score for the four tens is dropped
for obvious reasons. The game is changed
again 70 500. bui the player still has 70
announce that he is out by knocking on the
table With his knuckles or she cards On
account Of the number Of points required
20 win the game beinR the most marked
change we find the French gradually com
ing 10 call 1t -cinq cents
Other changes crep, into oinq cents.
In it We find the frat mention of the com
bination Of the spade queen and the jack
Of diamonds ~ meld. u seems TO have
bsen offered as n substitute for the old
score for playing the king and queen Of a
suit to the same trick o.. '......
Jean Boussao in his .-JsuT de- Cartes'