El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-05-20

their games quietly and scientifically.
with unnecessary conversation and with
no outsiders present, excepting by spe
cial permission from the teams play
ing.
There are a number of very valuable
trophies or prizes in the possession
of the league most of which have been
some club. Most of these have ex-
changed owners each year. The Wash
ington trophy was presented by all the
whist players Of Washington, and the
Philadelphia cup was a gift of Mrs.
John Price Wetherell of that city. There
has been Toledo trophy, but last year
it was decided that it should remain
permanently in the possession Of the
club winning 1t, the Howell club of
Boston. Its place is supplied in this
years list by the Boston trophy. The
Philadelphia cup also has been made
a permanent trophy, and the clubs of
Omaha last year united in supplying
cup to take its place.
Originated in England.
The game of whist originated in Eng
land and was popular as early as the
court Of king Henry VIII "Cotton's
Cosnpleat Gamester" published in 1874,
says that the game received its name
from the silence observed in its play.
Edmund Hoyle is commonly supposed to
be the first author Of any ability to
write upon whist, and he is sometimes
spoken Of as the father of the game.
He published his Short Treatise" in
1912, and upon this are based most Of
the whist laws and rules now in prac-
tice. Hoyle gave lessons in whist to
the fashionable Londoners at a guinea
a lesson, and it is said acquired quite
a competence from this source.
While the game of whist is too sci
entific and exciting to be popular with
the frivolous, there is no doubt that
among those who have leisure and the
desire TO play cards in 8 careful and
studious manner, it will always have
a place of honor. The rules are simple
OF the present board Of governors of
the Woman's Whist league was taught
the game by her father when she was
only seven years old Now. at the age
Of 81, she finds keenest pleasure in !
whist at time when many other di- I
versions are denied to her.
There is no other card game played /!
by women so richly endowed with /
quaint old remembrances and historical !
association The bellies and beaux of the /
British and French courts made it the /
fashion Their descendants brought it /
to America in colonial times. Whist was |
in great favor in Philadelphia at the |
time of the American revolution The |
vivacious Peggy Chew is said to have
detained a British officer at her home /
by the beguilement of whist so that |
he was late in appointing sentries and 1
thus failed to capture some important i
letters which Washington was sending
TO his officers In Philadelphia. Sarah,
the daughter of BENJAMIN Franklin.
was also known as an accomplished
whist player, and Franklin himself was
sometimes not loath to beguile his lei
sure with court game"
Whist game Of SKIN.
Since whist is a game of skill rather
than game of chance, it has not ap-
pealed to the gambling player. While
wagers and bets have been made over
the results Of contests, they have never
really become a part of the game. The
true whist player enjoys the intellectual
exercises the intricacies of the game
call forth As a social game, whist is
not so enthusiastically played as some
Of the others, because it requires closer
attention Therefore, its devotees are
less numerous, but it enjoys a per-
nanence in favor not given to any other
game played by women. Such games as
progressive euchre, high five, five hun
ired and others similar in scope Will
lave a run of a season or two anc then
,e superseded by a new diversion. Pro-
yressiye card parties in these games,
with tempting prizes, are continually
obtaining IN favor for all sorts Of
charitable philanthropic and social pur-
poses. None Of these, however, has any
upon whist The skilled whist
player regards them all with the su-
1erior tolerance a fine musician gives
% the popular rag-time music. They
Ire not to be taken seriously.
Bridge whist occupies a little higher
Jlace in the mind of the skilled player,
IND for several years has been so popu-
ar that even whist players have been
forced 70 consider it. 1t requires less
than true whist. Even
small country villages have bridge clubs
md classes. In several of the large
titles, during the winter. bridge tour
laments have been hela in which nearly
thousand players have been included
rhe fact that the ! American Whist
eague has also issued a auide for the
yame of bridge has done much to place
t on a plane with straight whist
Although the time probably never
Will come again when a rubber of
Whist will be as much a part of the
lay as the dinner. yet there is reason
o believe that the great vogue gained
" the game in the Victorian era,
IS prominence in the English novel and
is intrinsic value as the solace of ad-
-ancing years will keep it always alive.
)ther card games come and go, they
re the fads of today and the bores of
omorrow, but good old whist goes on
orever. The women playing in BaIti-
more today are nightly in earnest, and
s games go, they are worthily en-
loyed.
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