ALL ABOUT PLAYING CARDS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2009, 25 August 1892, Page 40

ALL ABOUT PLAYING CARDS.

An American lady has just given to the world some interesting data concerning the pasteboard engines of destruction. The Chinese, it appears, claim to have invented playing cards as well as printing, gunpowder, steam, and electric power, animal magnetism, and morality, age 3 before any of these " civilising forces " were revealed to the ". red-haired Western barbarians." They were, it is said, devised in the year 1120 for the amusement of the wives of the Emperor Leun-ho. It is, we mutt say, really a great pi' 7 tbat these ladies wanted amusing ; their en mi has been fatal to millions of the world's best.

To Europe playing cards were first brought fpm the Bast by home-returning Crusaders (think of the crusaders of alt pecpls being co disreputable 1) who imported many O dental fashions and diversions — chess among the number — into their respective countries. About that time, moreover, the gipsies made their first appearance in England, bringing with them cards, which they used as implements of divination into the past and future. Painted cards as a vehicle of pastime became fashionable, so this lady assures us simultaneously in Spain, Italy, Franre tnd Germany, about the middle of the thirteenth century. That they were originally Introduced into this country by Spaniards c r by Englishmen who had become acquainted with them while sojourning in the Peninsula, seems highly probable, as the earliest English playing pards bear the old Spanish symbols— namely.

coins, maces, swords, and cups. Thete were the distinguishing marks of the four suits, of which the "tarot" packs, first manufactured on the Continent, were composed, and which consisted each of 14 "numeral " card?, 10 displaying " pips," and four showing " coats," as well as 22 emblematical cards called " atouts," or as we call them " trumps." By the way, among these " trumps " there was, it appear?, a card called " matto," or " madman," manifestly the ancestor of the " Joker " of nowadays, for it was convertible in character and value.

When it was played instead of a queen of trumps, it was called " Her Majesty's Excuse." Some of these other " atouts," or trumps, rejoiced in the strange titles of " Strength," " Fortune," " Justice," " The Fool," " The Gallows," " Death," and " The Day of Judgment." In the old tarot game — still played in Austria-Hungary under the name of " Tarok "—he who held the " Fool " saved his stake, while the holder of " Strength " was doubly paid from the pool, and the players to whom " Death " had been dealt most appropriately swept the board. It wa3 not till some time after the invention of the game of piquet, early in the sixteenth century, that the word " tarot" became unfashionable, and was supplanted by card. The ace, which dethroned the king about that time, and became the chief card of the pack, took its name from " as," the Latin noun signifying literally a piece of money ; and, figuratively, wealth or riches.

The lady to whose book we are referring mentions several nicknames bestowed upon the ace of diamonds, which, in some parts of England, is known as " Tib," a word the origin and meaning of which appears to be equally obscure, and in Ireland as " The Earl ot Cork," because, we are told, it is "the worst ace and the poorest card in the pack, while he is the poorest nobleman in the country." Our terms for the two and three, " deuce " and " tray," are corruptions of the Spanish " dos," and " tres," and it is an old Northern superstitition about cards that is embodied in the familiar proverb : — " Theie's luck in the deuce, but none in the tray." In Noithumberland the four of hearts is called •• Hob Collingwood " — why is not explained — and is considered an unlucky card at whist ; the four of clubs goes by the sobriquet of " The Devil's bed-posts ; " the four of spades by that of " Nod Stoke?," and the four of diamonds by that of " Tidely ; " while the five and six of the last-named suit are commonly spoken of as " Towser " and " Tumbler."

The nine of diamonds, a card of dignity, which represents Pope Joan in the round game of that name, is also known as " The Curse of Scotland," in connection with a popular tradition to the effect that the Duke of Cumberland scrawled a bloodthirsty order on its back at the close of the Battle of Culloden. The following is curious as illustrating the habit of nicknaming cards. During one of George Ill's attacks of insanity great abuse of the King and Queen, as well as of Mr Pitt, were freely indulged in at Brook's Club, where a cant phrase in constant use at the whisfc-table was, "I play the lanatio," meaning the King. In the latter years of that venerable and afflicted old King's reign the passion for card-playing reached such a pitch in the highest circle of English society, that at one time the Prince Regent and all his brothers, and nearly all his intimate friends, were up to their eyelids in debt contracted through gambling at the card- tables

ENVIRONMENT AND HEREDITY.

It was long believed, and Schiller has in\mortalised the legend, that Don Carlos sympathised with the revolt in the Netherlands, so cruelly repressed by his father, Philip II ; but in reality that deformed, gluttonous, half-insane prince, anxious to escape from paternal control, envied Alva the task of dragooning the Flemings into submission.

If William the Silent's eldest son, seized as a hostage by the Spaniards, grew up a morose bigoted Catholic, environment obviously overcame heredity. Still, there are numerous cases in which environment and heredity put together have proved powerless.

Richard Cromwell is said to have been a gay young cavalier, drinking success to Charles I at the very time when his father was in the field against him.

Milton's brother Christopher did not side with his father and brother, and became at last a judge under Charles 11.

Christina of Sweder, daughter of the great Protestant hero Gustavus Adolphus, became a Roman Catholic.

Benjamin Franklin's son was a loyalist

Wilberforce, a Protestant of the Protestants, had four sons, three of whom became Roman Catholics, while the fourth, Bishoo o£ Oxford and Winchester, was so opposed to his father's Bchocl of thought as constantly to be charged with Romish leanings ; that bis-hop's only daughter, moreover, joined her uncles.

The Coleridges were a thoroughly Protestant family, but one of the poet's nephews is a Jesuit.

The Brights have been Quakers for centurie?, but John Bright's sister, with her Quaker husband, Frederic Lucas, became a Romanist.

Dr Arnold, of Rugby, was a decided Protestant and Philistine, a matter-of-fact Radical; his son, Matthew Arnold, wrote philippics against Philistinism ; another son was for a time a Roman Catholic, and that son's daughter is the author of " Robert Eismere."

Lord Sidney Godolphin O3borne, famous for the S. G. O. letters in the London Times, thundered against ritualism and Romanism ; his son was a priest at the London Oratory.

Prevost-Paradol, the agnostic or theist who fought bravely with the pen for liberty in France, 3ccepted the Washington Embassy from the apparently liberalised Empire, and committed suicide on discovering that he 1 al been deluded, left two daughters who have both taken the veil.

The Rev. Charles Voypey, expelled from the Church of England for heresy, now a fieethought minister in London, has two daughters who have both become nuns.

The two great Eng'ich cardinals of this century, Newman and Manning, were sons of staunch evangelicals. Of Newman's two brothers, Francis first turned to agnosticism, and then swung half back to Unitarianism ; the other was a ne'er-do-weel.— Atlantic Jtonthly.

BATTLEFIELD PRESENTIMENTS. How Bomb Soldiers Have Foretold

Their Deaths.

One often hears of people who have presentiments, and even forebodings, which come to nothing ; bub their are also many instances of their being fulfilled. Whilst serving in the army I came across three cases where men were forewarned of their death on the eve of an engagement.

I remember duriDg the late Egyptian campaign we were in camp at Kassassin on the evening before the second battle at that place. I went down to the canal to fill my water bottle, and was just about to return when I saw a comrade bent oa a similar errand.

" Wait for me a minute," he said, " and we can walk back to the lines together."

I readily assented, and climbed to the top of the bank, where I sat down to await his return. After a few minutes, as ho did not rejoin me, I shouted out to him, but receiving no answer I went to where I had left him, and found him standing BtariDg into the water.

" What's the matter ? " I said. " You look a 9 if you had seen a ghost."

But he still stood looking with a fixed gaze. I caught hold of his arm and twisted him round, saying, " What's up, old fellow 1 "

This seemed to bring him to himself. For a minute he stood silent, then said :

"Do you think there will be an engagement to-morrow 1 "

" No. I should say not ; I don't think they will attack us again in this place."

" Well, I don't know. I was just filling my water bottle, when I had a presentiment that I would never require it, as I should get bowled over in the morning."

" Nonsense," I said, •• you've got a tonch of the sun. Come along back to the lines."

" No," he answered, " I'm in my right senses. Bat it was all so real I know it will come true. Leave me for a bit, old fellow ; I must make the best use of the little time I have to prepare for the next world."

I saw he wished to be alone, so I went up the bank again and waited for him. In about half an hour he joined me, appearing somewhat melancholy, but resigned. I tried to cheer him up, but it was of no use, and when we parted at his tent he shook my hand warmly' and gave me some messages to take to bis friends. Early next morning we were attacked by Arabi's troops, and he was struck down by a bullet just as he was mounting his horse.

Less than two years after this I was up in the Eastern Soudan with the force under General Graham. We were camped at a place called Trinkatat. It was the night before the battle of El Teb, and we were bivouacking round a place called Baker's Fort. I was on guard over the horse-lines, and about 11 o'clock, whilst I was walking round, one of the sentries stopped me and said : " Corporal, I want to speak to you for a minute."

"Well, what is it?"

" I've been thinking — in fact, I am perfectly certain, that I'Jl get killed to-morrow," he said ; " and I want to know if you'll see that this is Bent to my mother" — at the same time handing me five sovereigns. I saw that he mnst be thoroughly in earnest, or he would not have parted with his money. I tried to cheer him, but as he pressed me to take the money I did so, saying :

" You'll come to me to-morrow night and ask for it back."

" No," he said. " I'm certain sure I'll get killed."

Next day the battle of El Teb was fought, and this poor young fellow was killed in the charge made by the Hussars.

The third case I remember happened during the Nile expedition. We had a certain sergeant who was renowned for his daring, and who, during two campaigns, had greatly distinguished himself.

The night before the battle of Abu Elea we spent a most uncomfortable night, being harassed by the enemy's fire. It was determined to breakfast before making an attack, and whilst we were waiting for the cooks to make the coffee there was a slight cessation of the filing. I was sitting on the sand next to the sergeant, who seemed very much depressed. I asked him what was the matter, and he replied :

"Why, I feel convinced that directly I move from heie I shall get shot."

" Nonsense," I said. " Come and have some coffee. That will put you all right."

I went across to the cook and returned with a mess-tin fall.

" Here you are, drink this ; it will drive the blues away."

" Well," he answered, " I can't sit here all day. I may as well get killed first as last," He rose to his feet, and I banded him the mess-tin, which he raised to his mouth. At the same instant the Arab skirmishers recommenced firing, and one of the first bullets found its billet in my comrade's head, and be fell dead at my feet.