Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-11-07

ing room table in constant readiness
to contribute to the amusement of old
and young. AS education becomes
more general the number of those who
play chess increases perceptibly. So
ciety can do little to promote its vogtie,
but literary culture may do every
thing. Ii is the one relaxation which
the veteran Count Tolstoi has not
abandoned. The pessifnistic old phi
losopher no longer finds any comfort
in reading or writing. but still seems
to enjoy his daily game of chess with
one of his Sons-in-law. Samuel L.
Clemens lis an enthusiastic advocate -
the recreative possibilities of pla, -.
cards. and his favorite game is
euchre. Queen Alexandra and her
sister, the dowager empress of Rus
STA, are devoted billiard players. The
late Grover Cleveland was fond of
cribbage and never went on a fishing
tour without a cribbage board in his
travelling bag Uncle Joe Cannon is
crack checker player and maintains
that the ancient game of draughts is
best. of all. Vice President Fairbanks
and his estfmable wife are inclined to
give whist first place among parlor
games, and Talleyrand was of the
same way of thinking An acquaint-
ance once remarked to him that he
had never thought it worth while to
learn the game. mot know whist,
poor man--wlfat dismal old age you
are preparing for yourself!" exclaimed
the great statesman.
After all. the real and substantial
value of the so called "parlor game"
is that it is means of alienation and
possible cure of those sufferings
which arise from mental causes. This
il does by diverting the mind without
overtaXing it. 1t is true, unfortunate
ly, that parlor games may be employed
for gambling purposes, but there is no
especial reason why they should be
condemned on that account. 1t is an
invariable rule that the best things
are sometimes the very worst. Fire
is a good servant, but a bad master.
Strychnine is one of the most valuable
of tonics. but it win also kill a man
as quickly as it will a dog. 1t is true
that cards have been greatly abused.
and for that reason many persons in
terdict their use. Yet they possess a
certain specific value when used prop
erly.
When a person is tired, weighed
down with anxiety and care or with
.
TO one set of questions his brain is
apt to go on automatically, wearying it
/ self and it's master, even in sleep pro-
! ducing restlessness and disturbing
/ dreams. Such a person obtains rest
more easily and sounder, more re-
/ freshing sleep if his mind can be di-
/ verted for an hour or two toward some
{ different train or thought, and cards
are able frequently to do the trick ad-
mirably.
! There are numerous parlor games
which involve some degree of muscu-
! lar exercise, and others which demand
yivacity and Brightness in the use Of
( language, but the main object is quite
as likely to be attained through the
medium of the sedentary games. The
real value of game depends on it's
= adaptation to the individual tastes and
needs of the person who plays it. II
must he such as to interest him and
hold his attention and yet not such as
TO absorb. excite and fatigue him. His
natural and acquired tastes, his age
and habits of life. the state of his
health. the causes of his fatigue or ill
ncss-alI these will influence the effect
that any particular game will have on
him. If he be wise man he will Sc
lect his indoor pastimes as carefully
as he chooses his occupation or his
diet SILAS o. wOODSON.