•- = Exposed and Explained. BY J. H. GREEN,
| T HER E FOR MED GA. M. B. L. E. R.
FITZGERALD, -DICK & 18 ANN STREET. One Hundred Tricks with Cards. GAMBLERS' TRICKS
WITH CARDS,
EXPOSED AND EXPLAINED.
BY J. H. GEEENy IIE BEFOBMED Q.A.MBLEB.
ILLUSTRATED.
NEW YORK: PICK & FITZGERALD, PUBLISHERS. +0.4, 5 & 2 o l
Harvard Coll. rary, -
from the … , of | JC I.C. E. SON Dec. 1, 1990.
- - - - Entered, according Ccr:6:ess, year 18ts, -- to Act of in the E7 JONATHAN H. GREEN. Et, the Clark's Office of the District urt of the United States, in Rad for the Southern District of New York. CONTENTS
CHAPTER L
The Invention of Cards — How to tell a Card thought of—How *> Shift or Change Cards from one position to anothei —The Foot Associates — How to make a Card jump out of the Pack—How to Change Cards to Pictures —Three Jacks as Thieves Caught by * Policeman—How to Bum a Card and Find it in a Watch, .
CHAPTER K.
Hoyre on All-fours, High, 1/ X, Jack, or Old Sledge—Three Up, lea with numerous Cheats Exposed—Dealing a Big Hand —Turning Jack every Deal —Watching the Tens, Signs—Cheats in Shuffling —Cutting and Dealing in Three Up— Marked Cards, etc., , . H
CHAPTER III.
Dog Loo, or the way they play it on Red River: together with tho foilowirg: The Trick Played by the "Peter Funk" Brokers ol New Orleans— How to Nail a Card to the Wall by a Pistol Shot -The way to Change a Card by Words— How to make a Card a person draws from a Pack Dance on the Wall —How to Change a CONTENTs.
Card locked up in a Box—How to tell each Card in the Pack with out seeing them, . • •• --
CHAPTER IV.
One Huntle. Deceptions in the Game of Whist, Stocking, Palming, “Lapping, Shuffling, Cutting, Dealing, Stealing, with too many other Cheats to communicate in this Chapter, with an incident that came inmediately under the writer's observation, which should alone, without the one hundred tricks, be sufficient to deter any young man of common sense from staking anything upon a game or trick at Cards, - - • ••••
CHAPTER W.
Gamblers' Pretended Witchcraft Exposed—Dropping the Pigeon The forced Card Trick Exposed—Bending, Shifting, Turning, Stealing, &c.—Three Jacks “in a horn”—The Game of Thimbles, alias little Joker, or The Best Two in Three—The Trick of Thirty-one, or the Fascinating Game, or Trick played by Dr. Ben nett, alias Charles James Fox, of England, - ••
CHAPTER WI.
The Game of Eucre–Tricks in Horse-racing; or the Gourd Game as played in Kentucky-Ten Duplicate Cards—How to make a Card chosen catch in a man's teeth-Jack Tar's Prayer Book" or the Pack of Cards, o • e -> - • • •
CHAPTER VII.
Tricks of Peter Funk Mock Auctions of New York—The old Grand.
mother's Trick—Pug Ugly, or the Man that told Ages—The Card in the Egg—The Charmed Twelve–To tell the Card tha"ght of in a Circle, &c., . • 63 CONTENTS.
CHAPTER VIIL
Poker or Bluff—Cheating in Twenty-Card Poker—Four-handej— Three-handed — Two-handed — Playing by Signs —Marking —Cat ting —Shuffling —Dealing —Stealing— Spring- Tables— Pulleys, or the Biters Bit—General Re marks on the Game—Pop-gun Trick with Cards, &c, &C., - • • It
CHAPTER IX.
The Game of Thimbles— Dr Bennett, the King Thimble Player—The Young Man with two such Piercing Eyes— Best Two in Three — Patch Coat ; the Gentleman's Game, or Diamond Cut Diamond— The Mysterious Wafers —Advantageons Wager —Gambling Law of Kentucky .... . M
CHAPTER X.
Exposure of the numerous Card Tricks made use of by Gamblers— "Reflectors" —The " Longs and Shorts" — " Banter La Coupe"— Convex and Concave Cards—Handling the Cards —Garretting — Slipping the Cards —Walking the Pegs—Pricked Cards—The Bridge — Skinning— Shuffling or Weaving —The Gradns or Step—Slipping tbe Fives— Saddling the Cards —Dealing from the Bottom— The Tele graph—Marked Cards of all kinds, • - 91
CHAPTER XI.
Various Cheats with Dice—The Dice Board —Dice and Dice Boxes— " Despatchera" —Loaded Dice—Cogging, now called Securing— Scratched Dice— The " Doctor" Dice Box— Unequal Dice—Danger of a Qamiug House, ...... I EXPOSURE OF
GAMES MD TRICKS WITH CARDS.
CHAPTER I.
The Invention of Cards —How to tell a Card Thought of— How to — Shift or ChansifS Cards from one position to another The Four Asso ciates—How to make a Card jump out of the Pack— How to change Cards to Pictures —Three Jacks as Thieves Caught by a Policeman— How to Bum a Card and Find it in a Watch.
INVENTION OF CARDS.
Cards have been for many centuries in use, having, as it is generally believed, been invented about the year 1390 to amuse Charles the Sixth, King of France, of whose wisdom it must be confessed, historians do not speak very highl t. Upon this circumstance the ingen ious Mr. Malkin has observed, that the universal adop tion of an amusement which was invented for a fool it no very favorable specimen of the wisdom of mankind. Other historians attribute their invention to a more classic and ancient end, and the credit there be
give (if any) of their invention to the Romans. Having introduced this slight sketch as an introduc lory as to the history of cards, the writer will now en deavor to show, by the following pages, how their use has been perverted, and also expose the baseness of the deceptions used by tricks at cards, some of which are
constantly being practiced in all games, and in all part* of the country. 8 GAMES AND TRICKS WITH 1-AhDS.
MYSTERIOUS TRICK OF THIRTY SIX CARDS; TELLING THE CARD YOU LOOK AT WITHOUT SEEING THE TACK To perform this trick you must take a pack of cards containing fifty-two in number. Then take out the two, three, four, and five spots of each suit, (meaning the spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs). Then commence as follows with the remaining thirty-six: Commencing with six of diamonds, face downward, seven of clubs; eight of hearts, nine of spades, ten of diamonds, jack of clubs, queen of hearts, king of spades, ace of diamonds, six of clubs, seven of hearts, eight of spades, nine of diamonds, ten of clubs, jack of hearts, queen of spades, king of diamonds, ace of clubs, six of hearts, seven of spades, eight of diamonds, nine of clubs, ten of hearts, jack of spades, queen of diamonds, king of clubs, ace of hearts, six of spades, seven of diamonds, eight of clubs, nine of hearts, ten of spades, jack of diamonds, queen of clubs, king of hearts, ace of spades. After having arranged the cards in the order above mentioned, they may be cut by all in the house, or as many as please, and by placing the cut under the pack each time the relative position will not be changed. Then k the person who has the cards in his hand what card ij. *ias at the bottom of the pack, (the faces being down) he "answers, giving the size of the bottom card,
then you can answer positive, by calling the card one
size smaller. For example, the nine of clubs is at the bottom, the eight of diamonds will be upon the top, the
second will be the seven of spades, the third the six of hearts, the fourth the ace of clubs, the fifth the king of diamonds, and thus you will find them completely
arranged throughout the pack. At the conclusion of this feat you may shuffle them over ana under by hold ing the main pack in the left hand, and slipping the GAME* AND TRICKS WITH CARDS. 9 cards of one at a time in the right hand, one over and the other under, until you change them entirely through the pack, then return the pack to the right hand and re peat the over and under shuffle. Then you can dea. them out into four parcels, nine at a time, and you will find the nine hearts in one pile, the nine diamonds in the second, the nine spades in the third, and clubs in the fourth. TO TELL A CARD THOUGHT OF. Take a pack containing fifty-two cards, then lay out one card, any card you see proper. Then divide the cards into three rows, by laying them down face up ward. When you have laid down three begin at the left and "Y one upon the first, so continue to the light until you have laid out the fifty-one ; at the same time request some person to think of a card. When they are laid out, ask which parcel the card is in, he tells you, place that parcel in the middle of the other. This done, lay them out again in three parcels, so continue to do for four times, and the card he thought of will be the twenty, sixth card. THREE JACKS AS THIEVES, CAUGHT BY A KIMO AS A POLICEMAN.
Take a pack of cards, and look out the four '• Yves, ay one of them privately on the top of the pack, and lay the other three down on the table, saying, here you see are three knaves got together, about no good, you may be sure; then lay down a king beside them, raying, but here comes the constable, and catches them together. Oh, says he, have I caught you together? Well, the next time I catch you together, I'll punish you for you? TOgueries. Oh, but, they say, you shan't c atch us
together again in haste ; so they conclude to 'un three several ways Well, I'll go here, says one; sc take on.) I. AMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS.
of the knaves and put him at the top of the pack. And I'll go here, says another; so put him at the bottom.
And I'll go here, "says a third ; so put him in the middle. Nay, says the constable, if you run, I'll make sure of one, so I'll follow the first ; then take the king, and put him set the top, and let any one cut the cards asunder two or
three times, and then deal ; cut the cards one by one and you shall find the three together, and the constable with them. TO BURN A CARD AND FIND IT IN A WATCH. One of the company draws a chance card, and you ask for three watches from the spectators, which you fold up in separate pieces of paper in the form of dice boxes, which are laid on the table, and covered with a napkin —the card chosen is burnt, and the cinders put into a box —shortly after the box is opened, the ashes are not there. The three watches are put on a plate, and some one of the company chooses one, the same person opens the watch, and finds under the glass a small piece
of burnt card ; and in the watch case under the watch, is found a miniature card, resembling the one burnt. EXPLANATION. The card chosen is known by the arrangement we have explained. The watches are placed, well covered
with paper, on a little trap ; the trap is described in the cutting, tearing and mending a handkerchief. When you have made known to the confederate the card which is chosen, he stretches his arm to the table to take one of the watches, and deposit there what is requisite ; the watches must be covered with a napkin, which is sup ported by bottles, or somewhat else, otherwise the hand of the confederate would be seen, or the napkin would be seen to move. As for the means employed to cause the ashes of the burnt card to disappear in the box, it GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS. I, consists in putting into the cover a piece of wood of paper which exactly fits it, and falls down to the bottom is when the box shut ; this piece of wood or paper being
of the same color as the inside of the box, operates as a double bottom, and hides the ashes from the view of the
deceived spectator, who at that minute is tempted to be lieve that the ashes are gone out to be combined afresh,
and to produce the miniature card which is found in the watch. HOW TO SHIFT CARDS.
Hold the pack of cards in your left hand, so that the
palm of your hand may be under the cards : place the
thumb of that hand on one side of the pack ; the first, Becond, and third fingers on the other side, and your little finger between those cards that are to be brought to the top, and the rest of the pack. Then place your
left hand over the cards in such a manner that the thumb may be at one end and the forefinger at the other. The hands and the two parts of the cards being thus disposed, you draw off the lower cards, confined by the little finger and the other parts of the right hand, and
place them, with an imperceptible motion, on the top of the pack. But before you attempt any of the tricks that depend in making the pass, you must have great practice, and be able to perform it so dexterously and expeditiously that the eye cannot detect the movement of the hand, or you may expose yourself.
THE FOUR ASSOCIATES.
Let a person draw four cards from the pack, and tell him to think of one of them. When he returns you the four cards, dexterously ph-.ce two of them under the 13 GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS. pack, and two on the top. Under those at the bottom you place four cards of any sort, and then, taking eight or ten from the bottom cards, you spread them on the table, and ask the person if the card he fixed on be among them. If he say no, you are sure it is one of the two cards on the top. You then pass these two cards to the bottom, and drawing off the lowest of them, you ask if that be not his card. If he again say no, you take that card up, and bid him draw his card from the bottom of the pack. If the person say his card is among those you first drew from the bottom, you must dexterously take up the four cards that you put under them, and placing those on the top, let the other two be the bottom cards of the pack, which draw in the manner before de scribed. TO MAKE A CARD JUMP OUT OF THE PACK. Take a pack of cards, and let any one draw any card that they choose, and afterward put it into the pack, but so that you know where to find it at pleasure ; then take a piece of wax and put it under the thumb nail of your hand, and fasten a hair to your thumb, and the other end of the hair to the card, then spread the pack " of cards open on the table, and say come forth." and the card will jump out of the pack.
HOW TO CHANGE CARDS TO PICTURES. Take a pack of cards, and paint the backs of one hall of the pack with what figures you think fit, as men, birds, women, flowers, &c. Also, paint the faces of the other half of the cards in the same manner; thus, you will have a complete pack of odd pictures, and may, by showing the faces of that part of the pack whose backs only have been painted, and then by a momentary CAKES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS. M shuffle, apparently transform them into a set of grotesque figures, produce much amusement : is There is another manner of making the pack; i*. as
follows:—Take a dozen cards or more, and draw a line from the right hand upper corner, to the left hand lower corner of the face of each of them; they will thus be all equally divided. Then paint part of some odd figure on the right division of each card, leaving the left un. touched By a little dexterity, you may now seem to transform a set of common cards into a painted pack. 14 •UOI AND TRICKS WITH CARD*.
CHAPTER II.
■cy!e on All-fours, High, Low, Jack, or Old Sledge—Three up, fcr , wit* nurcerons cheats exposed-- Dealing a big Band— Turning a Jack every Deal—Watching the Tens, Signs— Cheats in Shuffling— Cutting and Dealing in Three up—Marked Cards, fce, ,
ALL FOURS. This game is much played by all classes of gamblers Mr. Hoyle gives the following rules for this game : " The game of all fours is played by two persons with an entire pack of cards. It derives its name from the four chances therein ; for each of which a point is scored,
Ariz. : High— the highest trump out ; Low—the lowest
trump out ; Jack — the knave of trumps ; Game — the majority of pips reckoned for the following cards, as the players may have in their respective tricks, namely : for an ace, four ; for a king, three ; a queen, two ; a knave one ; and ten for a ten Hand. —The cards each player receives from the dealer constitute a hand. Trick. —When each player has played a card, they constitute a trick, and the person who plays the best card wins the trick. LAWS OF THE GAME. of 1. If, in dealing, the dealer exposes the face of any his adversary's, or his own cards, a new deal may be demanded. 2. If discovered, before playing, that ire dealer has given his adversary or himself too many cards, there if a must be new deal ; or, all agree, the extra cards may
be drawn by the dealer from the opponent's hand ; but GAMES AND 1K1UK.6 WI1H CAKUS. 1.1
If a single card has been played, there must be a new deal. 3. No person can beg more than once in a hand, unless all agree, 4. In playing, you must either follow suit or trump, on penalty of your adversary's adding one point to his or their game 5. If either scores his game erroneously, it must be corrected, and his opponent is entitled to one or four points, as shall have been agreed upon. 6. A person laying down a high or low trump, may "nquire if it be high or low.
RULES OF PLAYING. 1. The game consists of points. After cutting for deal, the highest or lowest, as may be agreed upon, wins. The dealer will then give each player six cards, be ginning at his left, dealing one or three at a time ; after which, the topmost card of the remainder of the pack is turned up, and is the trump 2. If the card turned up should be a knave, (jack,) he dealer is entitled to score one point to his game. 3. If the eldest hand should not like the cards dealt him, he may say, "I beg;" when the dealer may give each player a point, or deal three more cards to each, and then turn up the top for trump. But if that should be of the same suit as the first trump, he must continue dealing three, and turning up, until a different suit occurs.
4. The cards rank as at whist ; and each player should strive to secure his own tens and court cards, or win
those of his adversary ; to obtain which, except when commanding cards are held, it is usual to play a low one, in order to throw the lead into the opponent's hand 5. Endeavor to make your knave as soon as you can 18 GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS.
6. Low is always scored by the person to whom 1 is dealt; but jack being the property of whoever can win it, or save the possessor is permitted to revoke, and trump with that card. 7. Win your adversary's best cards when you can
either by trumping them, or with superior cards of the same suit. DECEPTIONS USED IN THE GAME OF ALL FOURS.
This is all that Mr. Hoyle says in relation to thii I game ; and will now endeavor to show the reader what changes the sporting gentry have made in this game, in
order to render it more suitable for their purpose.
Mr. Hoyle says it is played by two persons : it is now ; played by any number, from two to six but more than
six cannot play, for, if there should be a beg, the cards would not go round. When played by four persons they may, if they choose, play in partnership, as at whist.
Any other number than four cannot play in partnership ;
consequently, each is for himself, and scores his own game. According to Mr. Hoyle, the points to be made is before the game concluded are ten ; they are now is universally reduced to seven ; and the game most commonly called seven up, or old sledge. This reduction seems not to have satisfied the desires of the gambler;
for short games, of quick termination, it is reduced to five. These games are substantially the same, the only difference being in the number of points played for. The game of all fours, seven up, five up, or old sledge, has, perhaps, as many advantages for gamblers as any is other game that played by them, and, consequently,
as many inducements for them to master it. There is
no game so generally known by all classes of persons, is and very often it learned in the parlor at a very early age. Childre.?; Ff both sexes, under twelve years of age •JAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS. 1/ often play well at this game. Hence the professional gentleman will find victims at this game, when he might m vain seek for one to engage in any other. The gentleman of ease, the merchant, the clerk, and some oi almost al. classes of persons, will engage in this game. Perhaps, at first, merely to while away a few leisure hours that pass heavily by and in order to divert the mind, they will make the game interesting by making small bets, which generally have the effect to engage the man's whole mind in what he is then about; and thus is the desire for amusement and diversion, coupled with a probability of gain, so fed and strengthened, that it ere long grows into a passion for the card-table, as strong &nd as difficult of restraint as any passion that actuates the human bosom. In all fours the best cards to steal out are the ace, the deuce, and the jack. After having possessed themselves of these, they will make a trump of the suit they have stolen, by slipping the cut. Suppose, for instance, the dealer has three points to make ; he steals out the ace. deuce, and jack of one suit ; he then makes that suit trumps, his adversary leads, generally, some low card, in order to turn the lead to the dealer. The dealer then
plays his jack, and saves it, and then shows ace and
deuce, and is declared out. In such cases, he may or
may not keep all the cards he has in his hand, as the canis are scarcely ever counted when one shows out;
rr if he is afraid of it, he may put three low cards in his
'op, or he will palm three ; by either of which tricks he hides his theft. The cards, in this game, are marked
that they may be known by their backs.
Stocking is practiced more, perhaps, in this game, in is than whist, as it more easily done. As the cards are
not shuffled as much, it renders stocking far more easjf T6 GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS.
and certain. The object of stocking, in this game, is it* get high, low, jack, and ten of a suit, and make that suit
trumps. By slipping, they are often stocked as follows . while gathering the tricks that have been won, the player who intends to stock, will put three low cards on the top of three high cards ; and, his deal coming next, he keeps them at the top by deceptive shuffling, and places one of the same suit as the high cards were of at the bottom, and then he slips the cut. And, if he is playing two handed, he gets the second and third ; or, if four- handed, his partner gets them, which is all the same. And then, while dealing off the last card, be very adroitly turns up the bottom card for trumps, and is not suspected, as it is very common for the dealer at the last to deal off four cards, and let the bottom one of thatfoui fall face up for trumps. But insteed of all four coming trom the top of the pack, the fourth one is from the bottom. This trick, from its being so simple and easy to perform, is often practiced. Watching the tens. —As the tens and aces are of much importance in making the game, they are par ticularly marked and watched by the gambler, so that he can make quite accurate calculations as to the amount of game that is out, and will know how to play accord-; ingly. This, of course, is not thought of by any except ; the professional gentry. Turning jacks every deal. — This is a gross deception,! accomplished by stocking and dealing from the cut. The professional gentry doit as follows; they will take a jack of a suit, and place three good cards of that suit,
upon it, and then three low cards of some other suit, J
; then these cards on the on these again they will keep ;j iop, and not alter them while shuffling. They are then); .• out by the other party, and the cut lies on the W'k t- I GAMES AN!/ TRICKS WITH CARDS 19 ij until they have dealt and turned a trump ; wftich ifc
lareless.y throw on the cut, and then lay down the pa ik
and look at their hands. Now, if you beg, he picks up it, the cut that has the trump on it, and deals from and gives his opponent the three low cards, and himself the three high cards, and turns the jack. The opponent not bearing in mind that the trump was placed on the cut, the deception passes undetected. " Changing packs, or wringing in cold decks," is prjj.0
ticed in this game to a great extent, and of course any a is kind of hand the person wishes got by this trick
Frequently a player will supply himself with a pack ol
cards such as he knows are in general use where he is, and then retire and mark all the principal ones, and then, " when playing, wring" this pack in for the purpose ol
having cards that are marked all through by himself.
Playing in Inership. — It frequently happens in this game, as wed as at whist, that three secret partners will be playing against one whom they have seduced a into game ; and they have an advantage here that they do not have in whist, as they can play four-handed, and in still be in no visible partnership ; but they always play
one another's hands, as it matters not which of them wins, they being partners. This is frequently done also
by two against one, playing three-handed.
— is Playing Ky signs. This done perhaps in this is game more than at whist, as it done when they are
playing in open partnership at a four-handed game, of
when they are playing in secret partnership at a three, four, five, or six-handed game. By signs they tell ote another what they have in their hands, when to beg, and
when to stard and what to play ; all this can be done, and they will defy an old gamester to detect them, as their signs have no appearance of being designed to GAMES AND TRICKS W TFJ CaADS as such; so that the nicest observer would always fa* to get any ocular evidence that they were playing by signs Big hands. —This is a hand that is stocked, and is put up very often in playing for fun, in order to get beta it, on as it is much more easy to stock in playing for fun than otherwise, as there seems to be no occasion for watching, and the dealer will so stock them as to give his opponent a hand that he would be easily enticed to it bet on ; for, to all appearance, would be as easy for him
to make four as two, and he very readily bets on it. Now, we will suppose him to be three. He gets, at the
next deal, an ace, king, queen, jack, ten, and deuce of diamonds, and clubs are turned up trumps. He gives himself six low cards without any game. You then beg; he runs them, and gives you the remaining three kings, and himself the remaining three aces, turning a club for " trumps. If you are silent, he will say, My hand is poor, and I will give you all you can make," and, you having a very superior hand, viz., ace, king, queen, jack, ten, and deuce of trumps, with the kings of spades, clubs, and hearts, will claim four times, and so would any player, from the
poorest to the best ; your hand bids more than fair to
make it. But he will readily offer to bet you cannot ; the
greater the amount, the better for him, as he is sure of winning. He takes your bet, and plays; and after you have played out your trumps, his three aces catch your three kings, which altogether count him twenty-one, while your ace, king, queen, jack, and ten of trumps, count you but twenty, and he wins the game. This is it hand very deceptive, and unusually enticing ; will
deceive the very best players, and I have seen mec
bet on it the second and third time, thinking they had it is a surely made misplay ; but impossible for them it GAMES AND TRIORS WITH CAR;.'*. 21
Win unless the dealer chooses to let them, in o dr to »ntiee them still further on. or to get a larger bet on the same game again; for which purpose they sometimes choose to play in a manner that is called throwing the game away, in order to make you think that when you lost, you might have won if you had played rightly. I have seen bets run as high as five to one in favor of this
hand ; so certain was the holder of winning, that hi readily risked this odds; but he invariably lost. There is another hand, called a big hand, that is some times played in this game. It is a trick, and is done as
follows: You may be playing for amusement only ; the
dealer will lay out two hands, with their faces upward ; one will be a very good hand, and the other a very poor one. He will then tell you that you can make any suit trumps which you please, and take choice ol hands. Of course you will make the trump to suit the best hand, He will then otter to bet you a sum that you cannot take the good hand and make four, or the poor hand, and make one. The good hand promises so fairly to make four, that you would be very likely to bet and take the good hand. But you would lose ; for you could only make high, low, jack, and ten for game, while he would make eleven and beat you. This is a very enticing trick, if it and I would advise all persons not to bet on it, should ever be proposed to them. The player says, you ; may have choice but he, by all means, prefers that you would take the large hand, and try to make four; for if the little hand can always make one played right ; but
. very few men who play cards will make one from it None but veterans, or such as have, through particular
favor, been initiated into the secret by them, will do it; it for there are so many ways to play it wrong, that is seldom played right. There are, also, other games, 22 (4AMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDs. where the cards are turned up similarly to the one just described; but never suffer yourself to be enticed into ..etting on any of them; for the man that will propose them will always beat you.
Three up.—The points in the game of all feurs are
frequently reduced to three; for what purpose I know
not, unless to enable the gambler to strip his victim
much sooner than he might otherwise be able to do; it
being a well-known fact, that the habitual gamester gen
erally prefers short games. When this game is so ren
dered, it is a uted three up;” at which, each player
receives but three cards, and a trump is turned. It is ry up just like fiv in ev other respect; and the person
who makes inee points first, is out, and wins the game. g, There is at room, in this game for the gambler to
exercise his tricks. (XVery cheat that is practiced in
seven up, can be practiced in this game. The following
are but variations of some of the principal cheats in ay seven up. A and B to be playing; A steals out seven
cards, as follows; lie takes the ace, king, queen, jack,
five, and six, (as we will suppose) of hearts, and a five
of spades. 112 then puts down the six of hearts, back .
up; this is meant for the trump. On this he places next
the five of healts, then the ace, then the five of spades,
then "a queen, then king, then jack. A has these cards , stocked in this manne and when it is B's deal, A will
take the pack to cut and has a right to shuffle them; in
doing which, he palms those seven cards on the top;
then cuts and slips the cut on top again, and hands the
cards to B to deal. A gets the king and two fives, while
B gets the ace, jack, and queen. A will then beg, and at B, the same time say to “If you will give me one, I will
make three;” B thinks this almost impossible, as he su.S. ooses that his ace, queen, and jack are good for high GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS 23 jack, and game. He will be apt to bet that he will make
it. And if he should bet, as he would be likely to do, A
will play his five of spades, B will play his jack, and
leads his ace. A plays his five of hearts; B leads his
queen, and A takes it with his king, and makes low, gift.
and game. B having given him one, and his five being
low, he has king and queen, which make him five for
game. B has ace and jack, which make him five also:
but as he dealt, (the dealer losing all tie games.) A makes three times, and wins
Another cheat is practiced in three up, as follows: A
and B are at play; A is one, and B is two points. A is, deals, and gives B three aces; that the ace of spades,
hearts, and diamonds, and clubs will be trumps, B begs,
well knowing that some one of the suits of which he has
the ace will be the next trump. He will then feel sure
of winning, as his ace will be high. He will be very ge apt to say, “It matters not what is trumps; I shall
out.” A will say, “If you will bet me three to one, 1
will bet you do not go out.” And as B considers that A is ignorant of what he holds, he will feel safe in betting up him; which if he does, A will run them, and turn
for trump the jack of clubs, which makes him, also, two.
Now, as clubs was first trumps, he must still run further,
and A turns another jack, which wins him the game as
high is of no avail when the dealer has but one to make. by and turns jack. This trick is done stocking and
palming, and is well understood by all the gamblers.
I have not attempted here to give a full and complete
knowledge of all the cheats that are practiced in these
games. If the expositions here given shall deter persons
from betting and gambling, my purpose will be accom
plished, as gaming can never result in good, and is su e. by 10 result in evil. If one, losing, should receive • & GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS. profitable lesson, and reform, the other, by win, / receives new encouragement to continue in his evi eourse, daily spreading ruin and misery where, before, all had been peace and contentment.
HOW TO HOLD FOUR KINGS IN YOUjv uAND AND BT WORDS SEEM TO CHANGE THEM INTO FOUR ACES AND AFTERWARD TO MAKE THEM ALL BLANK CARDS. Take four kings in your hand, and apparently show them, then after some words and charms, throw them down upon the table, taking one of the kings away, add another card ; then taking them up again, and blowing upon them, you show them transformed into blank cards, white on both sides, then throwing them down with their faces downward, take them up again, and blowing upon them, you show four aces. To do this feat, you must have cards made on purpose, half cards we may
call them ; that is, one half kings arid the other half aces,
that by laying the aces, one over the other, nothing but sings will be seen, then turning the kings downward,
the four aces will be seen ; but you must have two a whole cards, one king to cover the aces, or else it
will be perceived ; and the other an ace to lay over the
kings when you mean to show the aces ; when you
would make them all blank, lay the cards a little lower and hide the aces, and they will appear all white. QAttlS AND TRICKS WITH CARTtt. 8ft
CHAPTER III.
0;U or the way they play it on Red River: together with the M- 'arming; The Trick played by the Peter "Funk" Brokers of New Orleans —How to nail a card to 'he wall by a pistol shot—The way tf change a card by words —How to make a card a person draws from I psrk Avice on the wall — How to change a card locked up in a box— How to each Bird in the pack without seeing them.
DOG Loo, OR THE WAY THEY PLAY IT ON RED RIVER Among the early settlers of Shrieveport, Louisiana, was the notorious Dr. Bennett, better known as the Na poleon Thimble-Rigger. The Doctor had many friends as well as enemies among the citizens. By the latter he was treated as all gamblers should be. In other words they gave him the cold shoulder. Among these was an Israelite who was one of the speculating kind. He had never been known to make a bet, although a great shaver in his business, which amounted to about the same as tnat the Doctor was concerned in. He was a discounter of promissory notes. The Doctor being a shrewd man discovered the Israelite's weak points, and laid a bait for him which I will here explain. The Doc tor had a very fine dog, which he shut up two days without feeding him. He then told a secret partner to go and get into conversation with the broker, and he would soon come by with his dog, which the partner wild d call into the office and tell the broker to weigh him . ard he (ths owner) would pass on and make no stop. The partner was also to suggest to the broker the great probability of winning some champagne on the weight of the dog, as he, after weighing him, would 3 88 GAMES A ND TRICKS WITH CARDS know his weight better than the owner. The plan pleased the Israelite, as he knew the Doctor to be a mac always ready to bet. He weighed the dog, and turned him loose. The dog went home to his owner, who then gave him some two or three pounds of meat to eat, and then walked back by the office with his dog, and made a stop to converse with some of his acquaintances. The broker proposed to make a trifling bet that he could tell the dog's weight as near as the owner ; and finally a very large bet was made. The merchant guessed first, and the owner guessed about one pound more, and won ; for the meat he had just given his dog made about that difference. The broker was lood, and could not, for a long time, account for his being deceived, as but a few minutes had elapsed since he had first weighed the dog But he had, unwisely, suffered himself to be drawn into a bet with a man who made betting his whole business, and who never calculated to be beaten, or do an honest act as long as he could find a dishonest one as a sub- ■tilute.
A. TRICK PLAYED BY THE PETER FUNK BROKERS PF NEW ORLEANS.
This cheat or mode of robbery is played upon many an unsuspecting Western man who carries his produce to that market and receives Southern money in ex change. This makes it necessary that he should find a broker and make the necessary exchange of funds before he leaves the city, as Southern money is more valuable in the South than the West, and the Western money more valuable in the West than the South. It is very common to see a dozen of these Peter Funk gambling brokers at a time during banking hours loiter around tanks and exchange offices watching for a man who GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS. H7 may have money that he wishes to exchange for that of some other state ; and if he sees a man who wishes to " effect an exchange he will step up to him, and say, I think I learned you had some funds you wished to ex " change." If he says, Yes," the other will then say, "I got a sum exchanged this morning, and I think the broker has more which he will exchange on favorable terms, and I will willingly walk with you to his office to see him." After reaching the office, everything appears like a regular broker's establishment. The one in the office will inquire the amount of your funds, and then draw you a check on some good bank in the city. When you present this check the bank knows nothing of any such man, and tells you it is a forgery. When you return to the broker's, the place is shut up, and no one knows of any such person, and you find you have been most wickedly swindled. Persons visiting New Orleans, and having money to exchange, should be very careful about taking checks, as this cheat is often prac ticed when there is a chance of getting a pretty good amount, and then these sharpers change the scene of their operations to some other place. The man returns to the house where the exchange broker had but an half hour before held forth, where he will find the room converted into a grocery, and in charge of another man and in place of a display of checks, drafts, and money he will find as a substitute, potatoes, corn, oats, &c He is done for it and can't help himself.
HOW TO NAIL A CARD TO THE WALL BY A PISTOL SHOT
A card is desired to be drawn, and the person who chooses it is requested to tear off a corner and to keep
it, that he may know the card —the card so torn is then
burnt to cinders, and a pistol ia. charged with gun 38 GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS. powder, with which the ashes of the card are mixed Instead of a ball a nail is put into the barrel, which is marked by some of the company. The pack is then marked by some of the company. The pack of cards is then thrown up in the air, the pistol is fired, and the card appears nailed against tne wall —the bit of the corner which was torn off is then compared with it, and is found exactly to fit, and the nail which fastens it to is the wall recognized by the person who marked it. EXPLANATION.
When the performer sees that a corner has been torn
from the chosen card, he retires, and makes a similar
tear on a like card. Returning on the theater, he asks
for t!;e chosen card, and passes it to the bottom of the pack, and substitutes expertly in the place the card which he has prepared, which he burns instead of the it first. When the pistol is loaded he takes in his hand
under the pretense of showing how to direct it, &c. a He avails himself of this opportunity to open hole in the barrel near the touch-hole, through which the nail ; falls by its own weight into his hands having shut this passage, he requests one of the company to put more is powder and wadding into the pistol ; whilst this doing, he carries the nail and card to his confederate, who quickly nails the card to a piece of square wood, which
'tops, hermetically, a space left open in the partition, and in the tapestry, similar to the rest of the room, and is is it by which means, when the nailed card put in, ; it, r,ot perceived the piece of tapestry which covers is nicely fastened on, the one end of which the confeder ate holds in his hand. As soon as the report of the is pistol heard, the confederate draws his thread, by - • which means the iece of tapestry falls behind a glass — the card appears .h» same that was marked— and with GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS. 29
the nail that was put in the pistol. It is not astonishing, that this trick, being so difficult by its complexion ta be guessed at, should receive such universal applause. N . B. After the pistol has been charged with powder, a in tube may be slipped upon the charge, into which the nail being rammed along with the wadding, by inclining it a little in presenting to one of the spectators to fire, the tube and contents will fall into the performer's hand to convey to his confederate. If any one suspects that the nail has been stolen out of the pistol, you persist on the contrary, and beg the company at the next exhibi
tion to be further convinced ; you then are to show a pistol, which you take to pieces to show that all is fair without any preparations —you charge it with a nail, which is marked by some person in confederacy with. you, or you show it to many people on purpose to avoid its being marked. In this case the card is nailed with another nail, but to persuade the company that it is the same, you boldly assert, that the nail was marked by several persons, and you request the spectators, to view
it, and be convinced.
THE WAY TO CHANGE A CARD BY WORDS.
You must have two cards of the same sort in the pack, say the king of spades. Place one next the bottom card, (say seven of hearts,) and the other at top Shuffle the cards without displacing those three, and a show person that the bottom card is the seven of hearts. This card you dexterously slip aside with your finger, which you have previously wetted, and taking the king of spades from the bottom, which the person 1 it supposes to be the seven of hearts ; lay on the ibla
telling him to cover it with his hand. Shuffle the cards again, without displacing th« first M GAMES AND TPICK8 WITH CARDS. and last card, and shifting the other king of spades from the top to the bottom, show it to another person. You then draw that privately away, and taking the bottom card, which will then be the seven of hearts, you then lay that on the table and tell the second person (who be lieves it to be the king of spades) to cover it with his hand. You then command the cards to change places ; and when the two parties take off their hands and turn up their cards, they will see to their great astonishment, that your commands are obeyed.
TO MAKE A CARD WHICH A PERSON HAS DRAWN DANCE ON A WALL. One of the company is desired to draw a card, which you shuffle again with the others; and it not being found in the pack, you then order it to appear on the wall. The very card which was drawn instantly obeys ; then advancing by degrees, and according to orders, it ascends in a straight line from right to left, and disap. pears on the top of the wall. Soon after it appears again and continues to dance upon a horizontal line. (See explanation to the card locked up in a box.)
TO CHANGE A CARD LOCKED UP IN A BOX.
You ask a person to give you any card he pleases out of the pack, and you let him put it into a box which is looked up before the company. You then take a few
cards, and desire another to draw one and remember it, which he does, and the cards are laid aside. You now unlock the box and the card which the second person
drew, is in the box instead of the one which is lockef up EXPLANATION.
A box must be made on purpose with a double bot GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS. ml
ton. , on the false one is laid the card which the first person chose. In locking the box, by a secret spring, the false bottom a raised with the card, and firmly united to that part where the hinges are. On the real bottom lies another card, which had been previously and secretly deposited there. m making a person draw a card a duplicate of this is forced upon him; for if he attempts to draw another, under some pretense you shuffle the cards again, till at last he takes the very card you intend for him. This it, card you know by feeling it being purposely longer
than any of the rest, and is in fact a conjuror's secret card. You must never let one of those particular or a brief cards remain in pack when you give it to be ex amined.
N. B. This trick may be varied. A pound note
can be changed into a five pound note, &c, but it
ought to be something which will lie in a nan ow compass, in order that the false bottom may fall closely into its place. Formerly bird seed was converted into a living bird by false lids, but these are more liable to
detection than false bottoms ; on the false lid bird seed was glued, and the box when shown to the company ap peared to be full thereof. By drawing up the false lia
close to the real one, a bird which had been previously • )i;iacd there is then discovered. The false bottoms are certainly preferable.
'O TELL THE NAM ES OF ALL THE CARDS IN THE PACK BEFORE YOU SEE THEM. Take a pack of cards, and after you have shuffled them, lay them down on the table with the backs upper " most, then say, Now I will tell you the names of all •'
the cards in the pack, except one, before I see them Ś GAMES AND TriCKS WITH CARDB
naving said so, draw off the uppermost cards and say by “This is my partner. This is he whose assistance 1
shall discover all the rest of the cards in the pack."
Then put him to your mouth, as though you charmed him, and repeat some magic words; and taking off the
next card from the pack, say, “there is my partner,”
naming the Jack of clubs or any other card laid down
and thus proceed until you tell each card in the pack before you see than, PftMES AND TREE* WITH CARDS.
CHAPTER IV
" h, ln.mlred deceptions in the game of Whist, Stocking, Palming, lap- Shuffling, Cutting, Dealing, Steahng, with too many other cheats to communicate in this chapter, with an incident that came imirwii- itf'y under the writer's observation, which should alone, without the on* hundied tricks, be sufficient to deter any young man of common seiust from staking anything upon a game or trick at cards.
This is probably one of the most scientific of all the Retnes that are played with cards, requiring deeper study and longer practice than any other to be thoroughly understood and successfully played. The strict silence which is required to be observed during the progress of it, it is gave rise to the name by which called. Mr.
Hoyle, in his Treatise on Gaming, has given a very it is particular account of this one ; and when played as it is a he directs, comparatively fair rjame. But this is
Co sufficient reason for perpetuating a recreation, which at every step, exercises the most dangerous influence over the minds and actions of those who practice it. This game, however, in common with all others, as a is played by the habitual votaries of gaming, continual series of intrigue and fraud. Those who are addicted
to it spare no pains to render themselves complete masters of the various cheats by which they expect to I ; succeed ; the principal of these design to expose and gladly would I enter into the most minute details of every artifice at present practiced amoug gamblers would my limits permit me to do so. The principal cheats in the game of whist are stock S4 6AME8 AND TRICKS WITH CARD* ing, planning, marking, signs, mis-deahng, and changing packs. These I will explain in the order in which I
have mentioned them ; and, first, stocking. This fraud
in playing cards is, to the gambler, an important one, as
it generally enables him to get such cards as he wishes, or to give them to his partner, in a manner that seems
to be accidental good luck. Stocking is placing cards is in such a position in the pack as that the cheater able to know whereabouts in the pack they are, and to know to whom they are dealt. But the grand object is for the person who stocks them to get them himself; which if if he or his partner should do, he wins; not, he cautiously acts on the defensive. Gamblers, when they have stocked cards, can almost always shuffle in so
deceptive a manner as not to alter the positions of the ; particular cards they have stocked and by that means they will, although the pack appears to be well shuffled go where the gambler intends they should go.
One way of stocking, in games that are played with a if trump, is this, a particular suit is wanted for trump, this will be obtained by placing one of the desired suit at the
bottom of the pack, and keeping it tujre throughout the
shuffle. Then, when the pack is cut, the gambler will it put under at the bottom of the pack ; but the dealer, it instead of putting there, takes it in his left hand, and draws the other part of the pack to him with if it his right, as he would put on top ; but as his two hands come together, he so dexterously slips the cards in his right to the bottom of those in the left, that the keenest eye cannot detect the cheat. The pack remains the same as before cut, with the one at the bottom is which he placed there ; and as all the pack dealt out, and the bottom one turned up for trumps, he has the one
he wants. The base cheat of stocking is apt to be GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS.
practiced to a greater or less extent every deal, and gives advantages that could not be obtained without its use. It is done in almost all games, and in a great variety of ways, some of which I shall explain as I pro ceed. None need think of detecting it but the most ex pert gamblers; and even they have it often practiced upon them, and are beaten by it. In whist they stock principally to get the honors, that is, ace, king, queen, and jack, of the suit that is trump. These, when they are all on one side, count them four, is a and this great stride toward the game. It is also
of some consequence to a gambler to get a "sequence ; by stocking the cards but they prefer making sure of the honors, and running their risk for an equal share of
the good cards. A still more dangerous method of is by stocking at times carried on the gambler, and by
means of which he is certain of winning any amount a which he can succeed in enticing man to bet with him , and I know of no baser piece of villany in the whole routine of card-playing than this vile artifice, which gives is the gambler every advantage, by which he enabled to rob his victim with as much ease as he will deal his cards, and without the least remorse of conscience attending this and the like intrigues.
When a gambler intends practicing this cheat, that is,
the mode of stocking of which I have just spoken, he
retires, and obtains a pack like those in general use,
which is always easy to be done. He then will retire and stock them just as he wishes, which he can di, so as to make any number of points, from one up to ten, and
is enabled to go completely through a game the first,
hand, if he choose to do so. Should he wish to go out
the first hand, he will stock them as follows : Making t>ny •uit trumps that he chooses, —we will suppose that h« M GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS. makes clubs trumps,- he will take the ace, king, queen jack, ten, nine, and eight of clubs ; then, of spades, th« ace, king, queen, and jack ; of diamonds, the ace and king, lie then takes the balance of the pack, and lays out three cards face up, and puts one of those he has selected out upon these three, and goes through the whole pack in this way, having one of the clubs for the last and top card; this will be the trump ; and as the cards he picked out were placed every fourth card throughout, the dealer or the one who stocked them gets them. He will then trump the first, if necessary, in order to win it, and will keep the lead throughout, winning every trick, which counts him ; x; and possessing the four honors, counts him four,
whicn makes him ten, and the game is won. And the
way this pack, already stocked, is introduced on the is is table, as follows called the : — (it coming change)
the dealer will have the stocked pack lying privately in his lap, and when the cards they will be using have been cut, and are ready to be dealt, the dealer slips his left
hand up to the under edge of the table, as if to receive
the pack which is on the table, and which, at the same is time, he drawing to him with his right hand, as if to
place it in his left, in which he would hold it to deal
from ; but in reality he carries his right hand down intc his lap, and lodges its cor ents there, and brings up his left hand over the table, and commences dealing from the stocked pack, while some of his secret partners, who Rre sealed about in the same room, will privately take
the pack out of his lap, and convey it away, that there
may be no means of detecting the fraud by the discovery in of two packs. This fraud is put practice when imls a a run high, and there is probability of winning large wager.
Another method of stocking when it is intended t« GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS. 37 change the packs, is sometimes put in practice; the ol/ject of wh.ch is to deceive the opponent in his own hand, by giving him ti hand from which it would appear quite certain that he could make from four to eight or nine points. This is done in order to entice him into a bet. We will suppose a player to lack five points of the game : the dealer deals him a hand of the highest order; having in it the four honors, and other good trumps, with regular sequences of other suits, and he feels quite sure of winning ; and when the dealer proposes to bet him that he cannot make two, or even one trick over six, he will be readily induced to bet on the strength of his hand ; and this is just what the dealer has been striving for.
The manner of stocking the pack in this case is this : the person who intends practicing this cheat will retire, and if he makes clubs trumps, he will select out the ace, king, queen, jack, ten, and nine of clubs ; these are the six highest trumps. He will put with these the ace, king, queen, jack, ten, nine, and eight of spades ; this hand is for his opponent ; and from having two regular sequences, he will be very sanguine of beating, thinking it more than likely that his partner has some of the seven remaining low trumps, or that they are scattered between the other three players. By the time his are all played out, he will have drawn from the other players their trumps, and can win, as he supposes, the other tricks by leading from his spade sequence ; but he wiil be deceived, for the dealer gives himself the seven low trumps — a regular sequence of diamonds from ace to
nine ; that is, the ace, king, queen, jack, ten, and nine.
This hand is for himself, and the way in which he puts the pack together so as -o get these cards, and to give is his opponent th« other cards this : he will take the US GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS
first selected hand, and lay down one card from it, fac« ; up then put upon ft two cards from the part of the pack left after the selection, then one card 'iom the hand which he wants for himself, then one from his opponent's hand, and two from the other portion, &.c, until the whole are put together. Then, when they are wanted they are introduced upon the table as in the other case. C We will suppose that A and are partners, and B and D are their opponents : A will introduce this pack upon B D the table when and are yet wanting five points ; his left-hand opponent, B, gets the hand containing the
high trumps. A's partner, C, knows that this pack has B D been introduced, and in order to entice and to a " bet, C will say, We have nothing, and might as well D B, give B and all they can make." Then holding so good a hand, will claim the game, as he has the four
honors, which count him four, and, besides, a regular
■equence of spades, which is good for every trick after the trumps are all played, and he feels sure that he can
make three or four odd tricks, and one is enough to win the game for him. He will persist in being allowed the B it, game; but A opposes, and offers to bet on and feels a so very confident, that he will accept of bet on such a if A a hand ; and should fail getting bet on better terms, he will betB that he will not make one odd trick. This
bet he will be certain to take, and they then play. B
trumps, and wins the first and the five succeeding tricks ;
X still has one small trump, and wins the seventh trick, had leads from his sequence of diamonds, and makes every trick after that, and of course gets the odd trick,
and B loses. These methods of stocking cards for the purpose of winning the game, are but a few among' the en- many methods by which the wicked gambler will GAMES AND TRICK8 WITH CARDS.
deavor to strip those who will throw themselves in his way. Stealing out cards, and palming. —The cheat of stealing cards is practiced as often, perhaps, as any other fraud in card-playing. It is of great advantage to the gambler, and gives him an opportunity of forming very good winning hands. In whist, the most desirable cards to steal out are the " honors," and sometimes all four
will be stolen out by one man, that is, the honors of one
suit; and then he will make that suit trump by keeping
one of them at the bottom. This can be done by the
backs as well as by the faces, for the cards in general
use now by the gamblers can all be known by the backs, a and player will know by the backs where any particular is if card dealt ; and he should not steal the honors, he
can deal them to himself or his partner, by dealing off the second card instead of the tup card, whenever the is top card one that he may want for himself; and if he should steal two of the honors out, he will hide the theft ; by dealing each player two cards twice then all will have their proper number, and his theft remain hid ; or he will
miss giving himself a card twice during the deal, and ; hide the theft by that means or he will give himself two twice during the deal, and have sixteen, while the others have but twelve each; he will then hide his theft by con cealing four cards that are poor in the palm of his hand, and in gathering a trick will place all upon his bunch of tricks. And as his tricks are all bunched, the players will depend on counting the tricks of the other party to
determine who has won the odd trick ; and hence he succeeds in hiding his theft. These barefaced cheats
are constantly being practiced all over the country by gamblers of every grade, and they generally perform aiem so artfully a» not to be detected. 40 GAMES AND TRICKS Y CH CARDS.
Playing by signs. —Most gamblers travel through
the country in partnership; that is, two or more will be
in secret partnership, that when they are all playing at it the same table, they may assist each other. And is n<> matter which of them wins, as they will divide the spoils
This being the case, it is of importance that they should
be able to carry on a secret correspondence in order tf
understand one another. This is done by various signs perfectly understood among those who are confederates
The principal mode of giving signs is the way in which
a player will take hold of his cards, and hold them in his hand. By slight movements of the fingers, he will con
vey to his partner a knowledge of all the principal cards in his hand. These and various other signs are as in telligible from the one to the other as the plainest words could be, and they are used in all games more or less, and in every variety of way, with the evil design of more easily fleecing those who will play with them. Marking cards. —This is' done in many different ways. Almost all gamblers play with cards that are it is marked by the manufacturers; but of those that are
not so marked that I now speak. If the masts should be strange to the gambler, he will mark them to suit him
self. This will be done when none are suspecting it,
and is generally done while being held in the hand, and by with the nails or small scratches on their edges, or by a bending the corners in manner understood by them
selves ; sometimes by turning the card face up, and marking the face with the thumb nail, or any hard thing
that will make a mark that will show on the back There are many methods of marking cards, each player having his own peculiar way, and it would be quite im possible to give an expose of them all. What I have*
said on this subject I hope wil. be deem 3d sufficieit GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS
Plzying three against one. —All over our country where gambling is carried on, there is always more or less partnership existing. When gamblers are in cities, they frequent tflose places of resort that are most likely to furnish them with the greatest number of victims, ana avhere they can best carry on their nefarious occupation to the ruin of all whom they may be able to seduce into play ; and in the west and south-west, where there is a great deal of travel on steamboats, there are, nearly every trip, some of this class of men on board. Here, as in cities, do they gamble to a very great extent. By travel ling up and down the river in steamboats as passengers, they fall in with many business men, who have money, and many who for sport, or with the hope of gain, will play cards almost at any time. And if they have not before fallen in company with gamblers, they are very apt to consent to play readily. As this class of men are generally as cautious, polite, and genteel in their man ners as possible, in order that they may the better con ceal their true character, and as there are, mostly several of them in partnership, they will not be long without getting up a game. Three of them will get to a card-table, and as they will want four, they will politely inquire of a gentleman if he plays whist, this being a game very generally understood, and considered genteel; and hence they will have very little if any hesitation in asking a gentleman to play it. And if he consents to play, but protests against betting, they will content them selves with a proposition to play for the cost of the cards, or for glasses for the company. This will hardly be ob jected to; but the next sitting, having become some what acquainted, they will insist on playing for a puffi cient sum to make the game interesting ; and there are few men who will, under such circumstances, play cards <2 GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS.
that will refuse to play for a quarter each, in order to render the game of some interest. Now, when a man sits down to a table where there are three secret part ners, it makes no difference whom he draws for his part ner ; he will, of course, get one of the three. He is then at play with three well-skilled adversaries, and the man who is perforce his partner, will play as much as he can
that he may lose, that he may in the end win ; for what ever the other two win will be divided after the game is closed. A man can never win against such odds; and after losing a fe w games, he will become somewhat excited, and think himself unlucky, as all men like to win, whether it be little or much they are playing for. A man will, in cases like the above, be apt to propose doubling
the bet, and if he does not, his partner will do it, holding out at the same time, the probability of winning some of
the games ; and every game which they may win that has been doubled, will make up for two that were lost before. This is generally enough to do away with his predeter minations, and he puts up again and again, but still con tinues to lose as long as he has anything lo lose and will play; and finally gets up from the table bitterly regretting the unlucky moment he suffered himself to be beguiled into the commission of an act he had ever considered as sinful and ruinous in the extreme.
I have known young men to be invited to play whist, a and at first they would play for quarter a game. They would lose, and become excited, and then double, in the
hopes of winning, thinking it unreasonable that they a should not win single game ; but still they lost, for they could have no chance of winning a game against the professional skill of the old gambler, and played oc GAMES AND TRICKS WrTH CARDS. 43
•gainst matchless odds until they were drained of their tast dollar. I was a passenger on a boat on the western waters, several years since, and a young man whom I knew to have played against three secret partners, sat down at first for amusement only, and with a strong determination not to bet a cent. He played, became interested in the game, and consented to piay for a quarter a corner, and he lost several games. He became still more interested, or rather excited, and doubled in order to win ; but he lost again, and doubled again, and continued losing and doubling, until from a quarter he doubled up to the amount of one hundred and twenty-eight dollars, which he bet on a single game. But he or his partner never won the first bet, or came any nearer ten than six points. And when he quit the table he was a loser to the amount of six hundred dollars. This young man was a good, moral young man, and hated gambling; but he, in an ev! moment, consented to play just for amusement, and paid dearly for it. The three gamblers with whom he had been playing, retired after he left the table, and divided the spoils between them. Such things as these are almost every-day occurrences in the haunts of the gamblers, who scruple net to use every means, to rttrrjf out their purposes. GAMES AND PRICES WITH CARDS
CHAPTER V.
Gimhlers' pretended witchcraft exposed.—Dropping the Pigeon. —Tin forced Card Trick exposed.—Bending —Shifting—Turning — Steiling " &c. —Three Jacks in a Horn.'' —The Game of Thimbles, alias littl« Joker, or the best Two in Three.—The trick of Thirty-One, or the Fascinating Game, or trick played by Dr. Bennett, alias Charles James Fox, of England.
GAMBLERS' PRETENDED WITCHCRAFT EXPOSED OR THE WAY TO TELL THE CARD YOU THINK OF.
The gambler is always ready to make a penny by any means he can. If he cannot get a man to sit down to play a game of cards with him, he will by degrees intro duce some trick at cards, which he will be likely to bet on. A gambler will take a pack of cards, and say to a by stander, '* I can tell the card you think of," which would be doubted, yet it can be effected. And for the purpose ot preventing such imposition, I will lay down the principles of the trick so plainly, that the detection of the cheat will require no great sagacity or penetration. He will throw upon the table, or give to the dupes, some five or ten cards to examine, of which they are requested to make a selection. They each select one, and then re turn him the cards, which he takes, and makes a false shuffle, keeping the ones he gave out for selection either at the top or bottom. He then takes them by parcels from the other part of the pack, with the exception o one which he takes from the parcel given for selection and throws down, s;,y from ten to fifteen of the main body, with one of the selected exposed. Turning them " face upwards, he will remark, When any of you who *A»ES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS 49
tad the privilege of selecting discovers the card exposed, please say, / see it;" and when the person selecting iiscovers the card he selected, he says, I see it. The gambler can then tell that the card he throws down, winch has been taken from the main body, is the one he in his mind had previously selected, and thus he con tinues until all are thrown upon the table. After he has been told bv each that there is one among the ones ex- posed, he will proffer a bet that he can tell which. He can ; and if all should happen to think of the same, it makes it the more easy for him to recollect, and in that case only one parcel will be exposed. He then puts them into the pack and shuffles them thoroughly, and will tell you to draw any card you please, and lay it upon the top, and he will make it the one you thought of. You do so; and supposing you to have first thought of a ten of clubs, and in drawing you draw the ace of diamonds, he tells you to lay it upon the top. You do it. He then remarks that the card upon the top is the card. You feel confident he is mistaken, as you thought of the ten of clubs ; the one on top is the ace of dia.
monds ; but don't bet, for in the twinkling of an eye, he puts the ten upon the top, and removes the ace to the centre of the pack. The change being effected, he may even pass the cards to you, that you may be ':iore certain that you cannot be deceived. You make your bet ; and, when it is too late, discover that you have been imposed upon. He pockets your cash, and laughs at your ignorance and simplicity. From this any one can understand this trick, as well as learn to what an extent villains will tax their ingenuity to plan out and practise such despicable cheats for the purpose of swind 'ing those who do not understand them 46 GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS.
THE FORCED CARD TRICK EXPOSED.
There are other methods of putting up cards for th« purpose of knowing the order in which they will run off. The above, however, is sufficient to satisfy any one that this can be done, and that ncne need bet against it with the expectation of winning. There are other tricks of drawing cards. A man will hold you a pack of cards, and tell you to draw one ; and after you have drawn one, you put it back in the pack, and shuffle the pack. He then offers to bet that he can tell what it is. You might, after the pack had been so well shuffled, suppose it quite impossible. But do not bet on it, for he can tell. If they should be advantage if it cards, he can tell by the back when you draw out ; is they are not, he will sometimes force a card. This
done by projecting a little some three or four cards that he knows, and has previously looked at. These cards,
by projecting a little, are most handy to you, and you if will be likely to take one of them ; so, he knows what you have got as soon as you draw it.
BENDING, SHIFTING, TURNING, STEALING, &o.
There is another trick of bending the whole pack back a little ; you then draw one, and while you are looking it, at he will bend the pack in a contrary direction, and is when your card put in the pack, from being bent in a contrary direction, it will press against the others, and it wherever be, a may will cause slight opening, and by
that he can always tell where it is. is This trick sometimes practised as follows : a man will take a pack of cards, and show you the top card, " and say, You see this card on top ;" and after you have it, it it looked at he puts back ; perhaps may be ten of " I it is hearts. He will say, will bet you the ace of GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS. 41 it is gpadws ;" but you have seen it, and you know not He then has the ace in the middle, and slips the bottom part of the pack on the top so quickly that you cannot " I see him do it He will then say, Now, sir, will bet ;" you that this top card is the ace of spades and you might be willing to bet, not knowing that he has changed by them ; but, in betting, you would certainly lose hia artifice. At other times, he will face one half of the pack against the other, and after showing the top card, he will turn the pack over, and the one on that side will be what ha
said the one on the other side was ; and you will be de
ceived by not noticing his turning the pack over.
THE THREE JACKS * IN A HORN." " There is a trick often played called the three jacks."
A man will seemingly have three jacks on the top of the pack. He wili put the three top cards, which you sup
pose to be jacks or aces, whichever he shows you, in various parts of the pack. He will then take one and
put it in near the bottom, and another near the middle, and another higher up, and then let you cut the cards. He then offers to bet that they are all three together in some part of the pack, which they cannot fail of being, as he has three other cards on top of the jacks when he shows you their faces, which he disperses in their stead,
not moving the jacks, and the cut only places them in the middle of the pack.
THE GAME OF THIMBLES, alias LITTLE JOKER, OR THE BEST TWO IN THREE. is This game always played by thieves of the meanest
kind, and, in fact, but few men who follow gambling but play the game of Thimbles or Little Joker abcut
race -tracks, and places where there is a large gathering 48 «8AMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS.
The person playing it will have three thimbles and a small ball. This he will shift about from one thimble to another; sometimes letting you plainly see which he puts it under, in order to make you feel confident that you can tell where it is. After they have changed it several times, they will offer to bet that you cannot tell which it is under. Let not this trick deceive you, for you never could tell by their movements where it is ,
for they can change it, and you cannot see them do it;
and when you think it is under one, it is under another,
and you will certainly be deceived. Then, if they did
not deceive you by their movements, the odds of the thimbles are against you, for you can only choose one of the three, while he has two to your one. This game ot is it, trick vastly deceptive, and none can win at if the player wills that they should lose,'
THE TRICK OF THIRTY-ONE, OR THE FASCINATING GAME OR TRICK INVENTED AND PLAYED BY DR. BENNETT ALIAS CHARLES JAMES FOX, OF ENGLAND. " A trick often introduced by sporting men," for the is purpose of deceiving and making money by it. It " called thirty-one." I caution all not to play or bet if with a man who introduces it: for, most probably, he
does not propose betting on it at first, he will after he gets you interested, and pretend to teach you all the it, it secrets of so that you can play with him ; and per ; haps he will let you beat him if you should play in fun
but if you bet, he will surely beat you. It is played
with the first six of each suit —the aces, in one row, the ; deuces, in another, the threes, in another then the — 'ours, Jives and sixes all laid in rows. The object now will be to turn down cards alternately, and endea- *
For particulars see incident in the last chapter of this work, entitled The game sf Thimbles, or "Jew two in three." GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS. 4'o
vor to make thirty-one points by so turning, or as near *o it as possible, without overrunning it • and the man who turns down a card, the pips of which make him thirty-one, or so near it that the other cannot turn I own is one without overruning it, wins This trick ver) de ceiving, as all other tricks are, and requires much prac I tice to be well understood. The persons using it have known to. attach great importance to it, and say tha* it Mr. Fox, of England, was the first to introduce ; and it that it was a favorite amusement of his. Be this as
may, it should never have any influence in determining
a person to play it, even though he may think that he a I understands it well. have known man to play at this game every day for a month, and he thought he it, it understood thoroughly ; he then bet on and lost about three thousand dollars in a very short time. This should teach all persons to know that gamblers never if calculate on being beaten at their own game ; and is they should, it is by another gambler, who a little smarter than themselves in the practice of intrigue —
not by a novice.
DROPPING THE PIGEON.
This fraud is often practised upon the unsuspecting. a Sometimes by pin-box or needle-case, at other times by a five cent piece or some other coin. Men who will
not play cards are often swindled by this trick. The I it is a way done will explain, by relating game which
was played in Cincinnati. A young man had come to
the *vest for the purpose of purchasing a small quantity of land. Some of the gamblers became acquainted with his errand, and determined to have his money. They could not get him to play any game, for he knew Done. Two of them combined to effect their purpose, 3 so GAMES AND TRICKS WITH C4RDB. and they agreed to drop the pigeon on him, saying, that they knew he would bet on it. This pigeon is a curi ously contrived ne«dle-case, which opens at both ends, but has but one visible opening. This is filled with needles. The secret opening at the other end also has
needles ;n it, but they are stuck into cork, or some such substance, to keep them from rattling. In this affair the two gamblers pretended to be entire strangers. One of
them invited the young man to take a walk with him ;
he consented to do so ; the other took the case, and went on ahead out of sight, and dropped the case in the road. The gambler and the young man behind came up with the ease, and the gambler, who was watching, " picked it up, and said, See here, we have a fine needle-
case, and we will have a joke on the owner, if we meet with him." He then opened the visible opening, and turned out the needles into the young man's hand, and told him to keep them while he put pins in their place. This he did, and shut the case up again. Presently the
secret partner of the gambler came, meeting them as a if stranger, and inquired they had seen a very nice needle-case, which he had lost a while before. The " young man, who still held the case, replied, Yes, I it it is it is a ; have here but no needle-case ; pin-case." u O, no," said the man, it has some very fine neecfies
in it." The gambler then said, I would like to bet you that there are no needles in the case." The owner of the case gave it a shake, and rattled the pins, and " then said, I will bet there are." The gambler pulled
out a five dollar bill, and offered to bet five dollars. The owner of the case replied, that he would bet four hundred dollars. The gambler said that he had not so much money. The young man felt so confident that he- twenty would win, if he should bet, that he offered to bet GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS. bl dollars. " No," said the owner, I will bet four hundred dollars, and no less." The gambler said to the young " man, Let us bet him the four hundred dollars ; I will bet one-half of it." The young man put up his half, and " the gambler then said, I have not the money now with me ; do you put it up for me, as we can but win." The young man said he had not so much with him, but he wouid put up his gold watch to make up the balance. He did so, and the gambler held the stakes. The own er of the case pulled out the stopper, and turned out the pins. They then laughed at him ; he said there should be needles somewhere in it ; he then opened the secret opening, and there were some dozen or two fine needles stuck there, and of course he won, as he bet there were needles still in the case. The young man's feelings can better be imagined than described. I saw him after this, and he told me he had not written home since, and should not until he should have retrieved his loss. He told me that if it should be known at home how he had lost his money, he would be ruined in the estimation of all who knew him, and that he never intended to go or write home, until he had made as much or more than he had lost. Another mode of dropping the pigeon, is frequently practiced, by folding up two five cent, pieces in a paper, the two being separate, one on each side. The paper is dropped and managed same as the needle-case or pin box. This trick is much practiced at Cleveland, Ohio. 62 BAitn aND TRICKS WITH CARE
CHAPTER VI.
The game of Euchre—Tricks in Horse-racing; or the Gould gune u payed in Kentucky —Ten duplicate cards. — How to make a card chosen aatch in a man's teeth—Jack Tars Prayer Book; or the Pack of Cards*
EUCRE.
This is a game much played, but it is not to be found in Mr. Hoyle's Treatise. As it is not my purpose to teach games, I shall forbear to give any knowledge of the manner of playing this game to those that are now ignorant of it. This game is much played in variou* parts of the country, particularly south and west, as a parlor amusement ; and on that account is much more dangerous than if it were confined to the haunts of the gambler ; for it is very seldom that youngsters, who ac quire a knowledge of gaming in the parlor, confine it to that place ; when, in most of such cases, if they had been under the necessity of visiting the haunts of the gambler for their first rudiments, they would never have learned at all. The game is also played by all classes of gam blers in almost all kinds of places ; and the young man who has learned this game in the parlor, will, when he is traveling on steamboats, or puts up at hotels, find what he supposes to be gentlemen innocently amusing them selves with a game of which he knows no harm ; ana should he be invited to sit and play, he readily accepts, feeling quits honored at being invited to play a friendly game with strangers, who have every appearance of be ing gentlemen. The next thing he will be apt to hear is, What shall we play for ? Perhaps they will be so Tery moderate the first time, as to decide to play for a QAUE8 AND TRICKS WITH CARDS quarter a game ; and as he is among strangers, whom he takes to be gentlemen, he does not like to appear penu rious, and so suffers himself to be almost insensibly led into staking on a game that he will not be apt to win even once, and all from having learned it as a social amusement in the parlor. This game, like others, is subject to various cheats, such as marking the cards, sometimes stocking, playing by signs, playing two and three secret partners against one, stealing out and retaining cards from one deal to another; besides, a man will often take, when it is his deal, more cards than his proper number, and secrete some of the poorest until a good opportunity for putting them back in the pack arrives. A jack is the most de sirable card to retain, as it will be a trump in two suits. In playing four-handed, the game may be played in partnership. If two of the company should be of the patent order, they are certain to beat the other two players ; this they will do by signs previously understood between them, by which they will tell one another what is in their hands, when to turn the trump down, what to make the trump when it is their turn, how to play when it is the other's lead, as follows : A and C are sit ting opposite, and are, in secret, partners ; B and D are partners, but not of the patent order; B, who sits to the left of C, has the deal, and plays alcne. C knows, by marks, what he holds in his hand, and if he has an odd card that is not a trump, C will give a sign to lead that C it, is suit if he has and if B's card Jarger, will trump it, and break his march, and B can then make but one B A C if point ; when, and had not played by signs, B if would have made four points ; for even should hold it, G ace of the suit which A led, he must play and
it case in which would win by trumping. Another 64 OaKES and tricks with cards. signs are nuch used, is this : B may deal, and all thu payers may pass; B, the dealer, for the want of good cards, turns the trump down ; it then becomes A's turn to make the trump ; C, his partner, holds a hand suffi cient to venture alone ; he gives A the sign, and A makes the trump to suit him, and he plays alone, and makes four points, where he might not, but for this arti fice, have made any thing. Again, by the artifice of signs, they know how to preserve trumps, and not play two when one will answer : B may lead —A will not trump, knowing by signs that C, his partner, has a high trump. He will play some unimportant card, and let the trick still belong to B ; D may trump or leave it B's trick, but C will by all means win it by high trumping, if he must ; this artifice saves A's trump for another trick. Then the cheat of so scratching and bending the corners of the aces and jacks, and some other principal cards, that one can cut so that his partner or himself* will get them, is often practiced by the patent gentry. In this game, which is played daily on the western wa ters on board of the various steam-packets, players will often seek to get the officers of the boat engaged, seemingly only for amusement. This is to them one of the quickest and best means of getting at play with the passengers. The officers of the boat, feeling bound to treat passengers well, will politely sit down and play for amusement, as invited, and being soon called away to their duty, will be very likely to introduce some of the passengers to supply their places.'' This is just what che sporting man wishes; and soon hewiil propose play ing for cigars, or for their glasses, or the cost of the eards. This passes off very well : he has succeeded in
* Watch this class of officers. GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS. 69 l^.-rting acquainted with some of the passengers, and at the next sitting, playing for money will be introduced, and it is generally no hard matter to get gentlemen to play for money; for gambling has become so prevalent here, that few, indeed, think of sitting down to amuse themselves without playing for something, however small the amount ; and every man, who is not a profes sed gambler, is inevitably bound to get up loser. And as one dissipation leads to another still more exciting, so one game leads to another ; and often the game of euchre will be laid aside for that which is more exciting and ruinous —the faro bank, for instance, at which nine out of every ten that will continue to bet against it will certainly ruin themselves. And I will here add, let not a man's appearance, or conversation and manners, so far interest you in his behalf as to cause you to con sent to take any kind of game with him ; for it is rva ning a great risk without an adequate compensation.
THE TEN DUPLICATE CARDS.
Select any twenty cards ; let any person shuffle them ; ay them by pairs on the board, without looking at them. Vou next desire several persons, (as many persons as there are pairs on the table;) each to look at different pairs, and remember what cards compose them. You then take up all the cards in the order they lay, and re place them with their faces uppermost on the table, ac cording to tne order of the letters in the following w ird* : •AMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS M u T u i 3 4 B E D I T 6 i 8 9 10 N 0 ME N 11 12 13 14 19 C 0 c I s 16 in 18 id 20
(These words convey no meaning.) You will observe that they contain ten letters repeated, or two of each sort. You therefore ask each person, which row or rows the cards he looked at are in ; if he say the first, you must know they must be the second and fourth, there being two letters of a sort (two U s) in that row : if he say the second and fourth, they must be the ninth and nineteenth, (two L's) and so of the rest. This amusement which is very simple, and requires very fit- tie practice, will be found to excite, in those who are unacquainted with the key, the greatest astonishment. The readiest way is to have a fac-simile of the key drawn on a card, to which you refer.
TRICK3 IN HORSE-RACING, OR THE GOURD GAME AS PLAYED IN KENTUCKY. The race-ground may be justly styled an immense prtmbling-house. There is generally not a building on ! race-course, that is not, in part at least, occupied by v.e gamblers ; from the one who bets his thousands on " i s horse, to the petty blackleg who plays "tlumbles (or a picayune. All those games and cheats used by gamblers are put in practice here, on all parts of the pound. In the Southern States, the females visit and share in the excitement of the race to quite as great an GAMES AND TRICKS W TH CARDS. 57 extent as the genteel portion of the males. They go there, and select their favorite horse, and often bet largely on the races. All these things, taken together, render the race-course more extensively injurious in its influence than any other resort of gamblers. Having spoken elsewhere of the various cheats in gambling, I will here relate one used in horse-racing. There was a man in Kentucky noted for making match races ; and a club of men went to the expense of pro curing a fast horse in order to beat a horse which he boasted much of. The jockey closed the agreement for a race with a bet of about two thousand dollars ; and the club was very certain of beating him. When the day arrived for the race, and the horses started, the club horse went ahead of the jockey's immediately, and took the inside track, nearest the fence. At the first turn, he fell to his knees, and while recovering himself, the slow horse got ahead of him, and after running some distance, the fast horse fell again, and the jockey's slow horse won the race. The fast horse having become lame from his fall, his owners were much chagrined at their misfor tune; and on the next morning went to the jockey's lodgings, to endeavor to close another race with him The landlord informed them that he had left the even ing before, soon after the race was over. This sudden departure, after a successful race, excited their suspi cions of foul play. They then examined the track, and found that the jockey had dug a number of small holes
on the inside of the track, and put gourds into them ; spreading a little loose dirt over them ; and when the fast horse ran close to the fence, he would tread on
these gourds, and would sink and stumble ; thus giving the slow horse an opportunity of running ahead of him When this discovery was made, they decided on having 3* 68 GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS.
a race at all events, and so chased the gentleman nearly a hundred miles, but did not succeed in overtaking him. This race was as interesting, or more so, than the first The jockey was a very noted character, among those oi his profession, and well known generally, and, as may well be supposed, was never afterward allowed to enter a horse on any course throughout the state.
HOW TO MAKE THE CARD CHOSEN CATCH IN A MAN'S TEETH. You ask a person to draw a card, which he does, and putting the pack of cards in a boy's mouth, you tell him that card shall only remain there. You then give the card a blow, and all fall down except the card that was drawn. EXPLANATION. Having forced a particular card upon a lady or gentle- nan, you take care to put this card only between the boy's teeth, and the rest you can easily jerk away. This trick may be varied. You may put the cards into the boy's pocket, and ask the lady or gentleman whether you shall draw that card out, or leave it by itself. Whichever is desired, you can easily do, having already separated the card from the pack while putting them into the pocket.
JACK TAR'S PRAYER BOOK, OR THE PACK OF CARDS. A nobleman in the city of London who kept a grea number of servants, had employed as a confidential ser vant an old superannuated Jack Tar. Jack soon be came the decided favorite, and upon him did he place all of his most important services. This excited great jealousy among the others, who, in order to prejudice their master, put into his pocket a pack of cards, and then accused Jack in broad terms of being a gambler. GAMtb AND Tfc/CKS WITH CARDS. 59
facie was called up, and closely interrogated, but he lenied the fact, at the same time declaring he never played a card in his life. To be more fully convinced, he gentleman ordered him to be searched, when behold a pack of cards was found in his pocket. Highly in censed at Jack's want of veracity, the nobleman de manded in a rage, how he dared persist in an untruth? " " My lord," replied he, I certainly do not know the meaning of a card: the bundle in my pocket is my " almanac " Your almanac, indeed ? then I desire you will " prove it " Well, sir, I will begin. There are four suits in the pack, that intimate the four quarters in the year. There
are thirteen cards in a suit ; so there are thirteen weeks in a quarter. There are also the same number of luna
tions ; twelve signs of the zodiac, through which the jun steers his diurnal course in one year. There are fifty-two cards in a pack ; that directly answers the number of weeks in a year. Examine them more mi nutely, and you will find three hundred and sixty-five spots, as many as there are days in the year ; these multiplied by twenty-four and sixty, and you have the exact number of hours and minutes in a year. Thus, sir, I hope I have convinced you it is my almanac; and by your lordship's permission, I will prove it my prayer- book also. I look upon the four suits as representing the four prevailing religions, Christianity, Judaism, Ma-
hometism and Paganism ; the twelve court cards remind me of the twelve patriarchs, from whom sprang the twelve tribes of Israel, the twelve Apostles, the twelve Articles of the Christian faith. "The king reminds me of the allegiance due to his majesty. The queen of the same to her majesty. The (W GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS.
ten brings to my recollection the ten cities in the plains of Sodom and Gomorrah, destroyed by fire and brim stone from heaven; the ten plagues of Egypt; the ten commandments ; the ten tribes cut off for their vice. The nine reminds me of the nine muses ; the nine noble orders among men. The eight reminds me of the eight beatitudes ; the eight persons saved in Noah's ark ; also the eight persons mentioned in the Scripture to be re leased from death to life. The seven reminds me of the seven ministering spirits that stand before the throne of God ; the seven seals wherewith the book of life is sealed ; the seven liberal arts and sciences given by God for the instruction of man ; the seven wonders of the world. The six reminds me of the six petitions contained in the Lord's Prayer. The five reminds me of the senses given by God to man—hearing, seeing, feeling, tasting and smelling. The four puts me in mind of the four Evangelists ; the four seasons of the year.
The three reminds me of the Trinity ; the three hours our Savior was on the cross; the three days he lay interred. The two reminds me of the two Testaments ; the two contrary principles struggling in man, virtue and vice. The ace reminds me of the only true God to adore, to worship, to serve; one faith to believe; one truth to practice, and one good master to serve and to obey." " So far is very well," said the nobleman ; "but I be lieve you have omitted one card, the knave." " True, my lord; the knave reminds me of your lora- ship's informer." The nobleman became more pleased with Jack than before, freely forgave him, raised his wages, and dis charged the informer. GAMES AMD rftICK* WITH CARD*.
CHAPTER VII. nets of Peter Funk Mock Auctions of New York—The old » -and mother's Trick—Pug Ugly, or the man that told ages —The Card in th« Egg—The Charmed Twelve —To tell the card thought of in a circle, fee.
PETER FUNKS. " Tins class of swindlers is composed of fancymen," "gamblers," and "bullies," who are called the "protec " tors of the lowest order of females, or in other words the lovers and pensioners of "midnight nymphs of the " pave," of the most abandoned kind, inmates of panel " houses and Jive-point rookeries. These gentry are, aa will naturally be expected, well skilled in the mysteries of pocket-picking and petty thieving, and are a very nu merous fraternity. The tricks of these scoundrels are such in many cases as are calculated to deceive, as sometimes happens, the '' " " most cautious bargain hunter and curiosity finder." In order to conduct, successfully, a mock auction shop, ten or twenty, or perhaps thirty, of these worthies asso ciate themselves together, and by assuming disguises, such as dress and actions, they are able to personate, and correctly too, all kinds of people. Now, it must " " not be supposed that the stock in trade of these es tablishments is all worthless ; far from it. Yet, such are their plans, that it would be almost impossible for a buyer to remove anything valuable from the place. During business hours a blood flag is hung out, and the various characters personated by the party are properly " arranged, and assisted as they are by the sham crying' of the auctioneer, passers-by naturally presume ail to be right within : so cleverly deceived are they tnat even Ut ea «AMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS. enter and mingle with the crowd, none save a "know mg one" could detect the cheat. A trick often practiced by the New York Funks is to knock off to a stranger a genuine watch for much iess
than its real value. The buyer having paid for ,t, and about to leave the shop, is met at the door by one who appears to be a new comer, who insists upon seeing his bargain, as he is a trader of jewelry himself. The sympathizer, after dwelling with considerable force upon the deception of auctions in general, winds up
by pronouncing the watch in question to be worthless.
Whereupon the victim returns for justice, and is offered the privilege of having it put up and sold over again.
The watch is soon sold, but only for a third of what he
paid, which is accordingly handed over.
Another watch is put up, an article entirely worthless, (made expressly for the purpose) with the assurance by ;' the crier that this one is a real genuine gold patent " it lever," adding, that must be sold, as the owner is
out of employment and is compelled to sell it for just
what it will bring, as his wife and children will be turned out of doors, into the street, this very day, unless he can raise enough of money to pay his rent." it is After a lively bidding by all parties struck off for forty or fifty dollars. The victim after paying for it goon finds himself to be doubly duped, and without the smallest chance of recovering one cent of his departed dimes, as the laws of New York cannot reach the guilty parties, strange as this may seem. Another trick consists in having the genuine watch
after it is struck off, handed back to the crier under pre tense of taking down the number, when another is adroitly substituted in its stead, but of no value what ever. GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS. 61
Others will put up a single article, and after running it up to quite a reasonable price knock it down to a strange bidder. The article sold is mostly in value what it appears to be, and the purchaser appears pleased with his luck, yet he is coolly informed, after having been invited to a remote corner of the apart ment, fitted up for such settling operations, that he must take probably fifty or sixty dozen of the same, already done up in packages; as he had, in buying, certainly agreed to take the whole lot at the same price. There is no getting off; "your money or your life," and money is it is, which no sooner paid over, than the receiver quickly slips out, and both money and Funk are seen sliding down street. The unfortunate dupe finds, upon
subsequent examination, that the whole of his bargain is not worth a penny, save the first article. a Again, buyer upon paying for a dearly bought prize " a is told by the funk," should he offer small bill, th t it is not good, and so on, until, probably, a fifty is y.ro is ! duced. That not bad, oh, no and it is smilingly
received, while the clerk proceeds to make out a long
list of each article ; and the amount never fails to even exceed the sum of money given to exchange. The
reader will readily imagine the rest ; the purchaser
having been so sadly fleeced. Thus, trick upon trick is a hourly practiced by those thieves, and in way that renders it unsafe to enter their shops, which may be of easily distinguished from all others by the impudence the inmates, and the constant jabbering of the mock auctioneers of these dens during the time of funk sales At other times they will watch until they discover from all exterior appearances a kind-hearted country, ; uan when approaching their quarters, they will lay a
bait of sympathy for him by one of the party, whose team 64 GAMES AND TRrCKS WITH CARDS. are most shallow. Posting himself in front of auctioneer Peter, witn both hands raised, imploring him not to sell the watch, which he apparently is about to knock down, that it was a present to him from his grandfather, who had paid twenty pounds for it but a few months since, and sent it to him from the old country. Peter still in- it, lists upon selling if he does not get more than five pounds; that he cannot wait any longer, the time having expired, &c, &c.
All who do not understand these villains will feel a sympathy for the shallow-tear Funk, who generally extorts commiseration sufficient from some one present
to bid off' the article at ten times its value, on a promise that the weeping Funk will redeem it, and save the stigma which otherwise would rest upon him for the little respect he had for his good old grandfather who lives in the old country.
THE OLD GRANDMOTHER'S TRICK—PUG UGLY, OR THE MAN THAT TOLD AGES.
This tank is often played upon the unsuspecting, and seldom fads to accomplish the ends of the gambler.
The most common way of introducing it is the v »y " Pug Ugly was in the habit of playing." Pug would
take from a pack of cards two of the same size, say, for illustration, two jacks, or aces. He would thee re mark that he could tell any man's age. This would soon call some person to test him, as such a thing would appear very strange indeed. Pug would then take the two cards selected to perform the trick with, sav, for illustration, the ace of clubs and ace of diamonds, lay
them side by side in the pack, cut the cards several
times, and then remark, if they would come out three times side by side, without shuffling, he would tell their age. He would then take them from the top of the GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS. 8ft
pack, one at a time, throwing each card face upward, as it fell, repeating their names, ace of clubs, ace ol diamonds, &c, remarking, that if they come out three times together, he would tell the person's age. They come out twice in the same way they went in, and the third time he would assure his audience was the charm. He then would separate the pack about the center, and take one half and lay it upon the table. Then he would take one of the two cards which he had selected and passed twice through the pack, and lay down by the portion of the pack he leaves ; he then would ask the person whom he wishes to fleece to place his fingers " upon it that it may not get out. This the "green un generally would do without hesitation. Pug would then take the other part of the pack, and the other card " and step aside, at the same time remarking, keep your finger close upon it." It has now arrived at the point where the secret partner steps up and remarks to the novice, let us fool him just for the fun of the thing, by placing that card in the center and substituting another The change is made, and the Pug returns, picks up the card which the novice has under his finger; calling it by the name of the one his secret partner had changed, he will take the other of the same size, say, they might have been the ace of clubs, and ace of diamonds ; he would remark, here is the ace of clubs, and ace of diamonds, they are going in the third time together. This causes much laughter, and several bets of glasses to drink would be offered, they would not come out together. All of those bets Pug would take, and com mence turning the cards off of the top of the pack face upward, one at a time, saying all the time, ace of clubs, ace of diamonds, repeating until the one placed in upper part of the pack comes ; he then will say, ia$y 56 GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS.
comes one, and the next card is the other ace, and I will bet fifty dollars. His secret partner would offer to take a bet of one hundred dollars that the top card is
not the ace he says it is, and at the same time Pug would
start the card off, as though he would turn it, showing
it to be another card. This he would be prevented from doing by the secret partner, who would insist upon
a bet that the ace was not on top. Pug would contend
that it was, if the man whom he had told to place his
finger upon it had not removed it. The man
denies having done so, which is true, as the Pug's secret
partner had done it for him. Pug would always offer
to bet a larger amount than the secret partner proposed to bet, and he declines betting, for this reason, that he has not sufficient money. Pug would then banter the
victim for a bet, that the ace is the next card. The
victim sees that it is not, and is disposed to take the
bet, that the top card is not the ace spoken of. The money being staked the victim takes off the top card,
which to his great surprise he finds is the identical card
poken of, and that instead of having his age told he is " " is a
sucked in by robber. All he can do to bite his fingers, and have more hard sense the next time than to " " " be done for by Pug ugly," or any other villain. EXPLANATION. The way Pug would do to deceive, he would take trie
ace he had and put it on the top of the card which he would claim to be the other ace, and then lay these two cards upon the top of the portion of that pack he 'held in his hand. He then would take the other part of the pack which would have the ace in that he had left on the table, this would ieave one ace on the bottom of the pack faced, and the other ace about midway of the part
on top ; he would then keep saying over the names of the GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS. 67
1*0 aces until he would come to the ace in the center, then he would turn that up, when it is weil understood that the next card is not an ace, the bet is made to that effect that the ace is not the top card. But Pug never lost, as he could turn over the pack in the twinkling 01 in eye, and thus make his trick a great mystery to all who see it performed. Also, generally satisfying them that the man who would stoop to such dirty petty steal ing, is a character mean and low enough to satiate his own base, pride of accomplishing the most dirty trick known to. or capable of being done by man. And this character is the one which best fits Pug Ugly. Having in the preceding sketch given a place to a most extraordinary being under the title of Pug Ugly, the writer would now briefly remark, that he does not attempt to give a full description of Pug's features ; that he claims no power of delineation either with pen or pencil, sufficient to give even a fair outline of Pug's face, say nothing of his Pug-nose, broad mouth, small eyes deeply sunk in his head, long heavy eye-brows, pock marked face, &c, &c. And as for his honesty, that has been decided by all of the gambling and thieving frater nity, to be rotten and polluted to the very core —so far beyond all moral hope, that even the gambler's heart it self claims nothing good for Pug. But as Pug is such an uncommon being, I will give some few of his peculi arities so far as genius is concerned. Puo has much of the low, monkey cunning, as well as the features of ring-tail himself. Aside, however, from his little steal ing qualities, he is quite an imitator of sounds. He could so correctly imitate the sound of the rattle of dice, that he was, during his travels in the Southern States, en- tblod to make a large raise of money, playing for color «d m en, both bond and free, the game of Chuck-er-lu«k 68 GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS
His success was owing entirely to palming the three dice at one time ; and although without a tooth in his head (unless they were artificial) he would, mysterious as it may seem, cause such a rattling within his dice- box, as to deceive even the most expert colored man oi the South, or the famous Pete Williams himself. Pua was a great thimble-player during his travels South, and also noted for playing trunk-loo (which means, in other words, breaking open trunks and bearing off their con Pug tents.) But I will drop for the present, as he has oi late years become one of the upper-crust of faro players in New York and Philadelphia; but in conclu sion I will say, in honor to the colored population, that Pug is generally believed to be a white man!
THE CARD IN THE EGG. To do this curious feat, you must have two sticks ex actly resembling each other in appearance ; one of these sticks must be made so as to conceal a card in the mid dle of it ; for this purpose it must be hollow from end to end, and have a string to throw the card into the egg at pleasure. The operation is this: peel a card, roll it up, put it into the false stic!t, and there let it lie until you have oc casion to make use of it. Take a pack of cards, and let any person draw one, but be sure to let it be a simi lar card to the one which you have in the hollow stick This must be done by f rcing (which means you must have the card you wish drawn protruding so as to be most easy for the person who draws to catch hold of.) The person who has chosen it will put it into the pack again, and while you are shuffling, let it fall into your lap. Then, calling for some eggs, desire the person who drew the card, or any other person in the company, n GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS. 69
choose any one of the eggs. When they have lone so, ask the person if there be anything in it. He will an swer there is not. Take your egg in your left hand, and the hollow stick in your right: break the egg with the stick, let the spring go, and the card will be driven into the egg. You may then show it to the spectators ; but be sure to conceal the hollow stick, and produce the solid one, which place upon the table for examination.
THE CHARMED TWELVE. Let any one take a pack of cards, shuffle, take off the it Tipper card, and, having noticed it, lay on the table,
with its face downward, and put so many cards upon it as will make up twelve with the number of spots on the
noted card. For instance : if the card which the per son drew was a king, queen, knave, or ten, bid him lay it that card, with its face downward, calling ten ; upon
that card let him lay another, calling it eleven, and upon it that, another, calling twelve ; then bid him take off it the next uppermost card ; suppose to be nine, let him
lay it down on another part of the table, calling it nine,
upon it let him lay another, calling it ten, upon the lat
ter another, calling it eleven, and upon that another,
calling it twelve; then let him go to the next uppermost card, and so proceed to lay out in heaps, as before, until he has gone through with the whole pack. is, If there be any cards at the last, that if there u not enough to make up the last noted card, the number
twelve, bid him give them to you ; then, in order to tell
all the number of spots contained in all the bottom cards
of the heaps, do thus : from the number of heaps sub. and, tract four, multiply the remainder by thirteen to the product, add the number of remaining cards, which he if gave you ; but there were but four heaps, then those 70 GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS. remaining cards alone will show the number of spots on the four bottom cards. You need not see the cards laid out, nor know the number of cards in each heap, it being sufficient to know the number of heaps, and the number of remaining cards, if there be any, and therefore you may perform this feat as well standing in another room, as if you were present.
TO TELL THE CARD THOUGHT OF IN A CIRCLE OF TEN. Place the first ten cards of any suit in a circular form, the ace being counted as one. Request a person to think of a number or card, and to touch also any other number or card ; desire him to add to the number of the card he touched the number of the cards laid out, that
is, ten; then bid him count that sum backward, be ginning at the card he touched, and reckoning that card
at the number he thought of; when he will thus end it at the card or number he first thought of, and thereby
enable you to ascertain what that was. For example :
suppose he thought if the number three, and touched it the sixth card, if ten be added to six, will make six if teen ; and he count that number from the sixth card, the one touched, in a retrograde order, reckoning '.hiee on the sixth, four on the fifth, five on the fourth, six on
the third card, and so on, it will be found to terminate on the third card, which will therefore show you the
number the person thought of. When the person is counting the numbers, he should not call them out aloud. GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARL'S. -1
CHAPTER III.
J.iker or Bluffs—Cheating in twenty-card Poker—Foui-ianded —Thre» handed—1 wo-handed —Playing by Signs—Marking —Cutting—Shnf • fling —Dealing—Stealing —Spring-Tables— Pullies, or the Biters bit- General remarks on the Game —Pop-gun trick with cards, &c, &c.
The methods of cheating at poker are so very numer ous, that I do not think it requisite that I should give an account of the whole of them ; but will give only a few examples in this place, which I hope will abundantly suffice. Frequently, while playing four-handed, many very large betting hands are dealt out, and the players will bet freely on them : but in such cases, the dealer, or some one else at the table, who is a secret partner of his will have a better hand, and win. These hands are put out by stocking, in various ways, some few of which I will explain. One, when it comes to be his deal, will purposely disarrange the cards, so that he may have a pretense for turning the cards face up. He will then place four aces at the bottom, and four kings at the top. He will then turn the backs up, and shuffle them by drawing the top and bottom cards together from the pack, and throwing them in a heap on the table. He will go through the pack in this way twice ; then, if the right-hand man is his secret partner, he will most probably not cut them ; and if he should cut them, ha
will cut four, eight, twelve, or sixteen ; they are then dealt, and will come out in fours. The man opposite the dealer will get a great betting hand, that is, four
kings, while the dealer will get four aces, and win at
that is bet on that game. 72 GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS.
Sometimes they are stocked in the following manner: the tens, jacks, queens, and kings, are assorted, and all oi a kind put together, and the four aces on the top. The dealer will then hold them in his left hand, slip them oft into his right hand, running them over and under, first on the top, and then under the bottom, until he has run off sixteen. He will then put the sixteen on the top oi the remaining four in his left hand, and repeat this again ; and the third time he will run off eighteen, and then place the odd two under the eighteen. His secret partner will then not cut at all, or cut four, eight, twelve, or sixteen : they are then dealt, and each player gets a splendid betting hand; that is, one has four jacks,
another four queens, and one four kings ; but the dealer has four aces, and will beat them all. These examples are in four-handed poker EXAMPLES IN THREE-HANI>E» POKER.
The following is in what is called three-handed poker. The dealer will have the cards assorted as in the last example, and will place four kings or queens on the top of the four aces, and these eight will be on the top of all the rest. He will then couple them top and bottom, as in the last example, until he has run off twelve. This he will do three times, and one will cut them. He will
then slip the cut on top again, and deal them. One of the players will get four queens, another four kings, and the dealer four aces. There will be high betting when such hands are out, but the dealer wins, cheating in the
manner just described. Or the dealer, if his right-hand
man is his secret partner against the other, may, the
third time he is coupling the cards, preparatory to dealing them, couple off eighteen, and then the one on bis right will cut but two cards, which will bring them the same as before. 6AMES aND TRICKS WITH CARDS. 73
TWO-HANDED POKER. The wine cheat is practiced in playing two-handed, fc Wlows —tile dealer will take any four of a kind, and p,aee them on the top of the pack ; having pla. ed a smaller four immediately under the four on tot-. he will then couple them top and bottom, as before, until ho has run oft tiight : this he will do three times, and let them be cut, and tin cut he will slip on the top, and proceed to deal them, g'».ng his adversary the smaller four, while he gets die 'a ger four, and is prepared to beat him
CUTTING, SHUFFLIN.J l>f?*Mi\G, STEALING, 4c, 4c.
From what has been already said, it must be very evident that no man is secure from the artifice of the gambler ; so long as he will play at all, he may rest assured that he will, in the end, come out loser ; for the methods of cheating are almost innumerable ; a large octavo volume would not contain a full description of them all, and in this work, I can only give a few of them, that may serve as a specimen- A majority of gamblers have arrived at such perfection in the art of dealing, that they will deal the second card from the top instead of the top card, and will go all through the pack in that manner; and you may look directly at them, and will not be able to detect the cheat. They will, at other times, have a hand which they have stolen out and will smuggle it under the bottom ; then, in the course of dealing, they will deal this hand just where they please, and defy you to discover their dealing from the bottom. A gambler will often deal himself six or seven cards, when he should have but five, and if he can make a good hand, by laying out the two poorest in ttis lap, he will do so ; or if he cannot make a good 4 74 GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARI/S. hand, he will take the two best to help him in his next hand. This cheat is very often practiced. I will here relate a case which occurred on a steam boat not long since, as going to show how well men will play more than their number. A gambler got to playing with a man whom he mistook for a green Hoosier that knew nothing of playing scientifically. But he was sadly deceived. The gambler, from the beginning played somewhat carelessly, supposing that it needed no science to beat the Hoosier, but the gambler lost, and commenced playing as scientifically as he could. He still lost, and finally lost nearly all he had, before he quit ; and after quitting, they went to the bar to drink " The gambler said to the Hoosier, You beat any man or luck I ever played with. I've lost my money with you, and it makes no difference : I will be honest it, with you ; you did not know but I played six cards " all the time, and your luck beat it." Well," said the " Hoosier, since you have been so frank, I will also be I frank ; have played seven cards all the way through,
from the word go ; besides stocking and palming and occasionally stealing, for the sake of variety." The gambler was greatly surprised, and swore that he would not have supposed that he much more than knew one card from another; but he was deceived in the man,
and it would not have done for him to have shown any anger, as he first confessed having cheated the Hoosier who was in reality a most expert gambler, who had pur posely assumed that disguise.
" "SIGNS" f R ITOJIS."
Again, gamblers, for mutual advantage, genera/iy
travel in small companies, and in secret partnership. I
have again adverted to this, in order to mention one of UAMKM AND TRICK8 WITH CARDS. 7ft
the ways in which they often turn their partnership to good account. They almost invariably feign to be total strangers to each other, the better to carry out their base designs; and when one or two of them are seated at a table at play with some whom they wish to fleece, one of the company will seem to be a total stranger to every body, seats himself in sight of a man's
hand, who is at play, and is not one of the confederates , and if he shows, by word or act, that he would rather he would not, he will readily protest that his only motive is the gratification of an idle curiosity ; that he scarcely knows one card from another. And very probably, after such protestations from one who appears a stranger, and, withal, an honest gentleman, he is suffered to continue to look into the player's hand. If " he should be asked to play, he will say, I cannot, as I have never learned ; indeed, I scarcely know the cards." He will take this course in order that his looking into the hands of the players may not be objected to. And his motive in looking into the hands is to give his secret partners signs. This he will do in various ways. I have known men who would give signs, that were per fectly intelligible, by the different manner in which they would blow their cigar smoke. And in order to evade suspicion, I have also known signs to be conveyed through two and three different persons, who were secret partners of the players, and were sitting in different parts of the same room ; and the signs would always reach the player in time to benefit him. This is often done when there is danger of being detected, if he should look at the man who is looking in the other's hand for his signs. Nor is it a matter of importance whether there is a room full or not ; for they will pro- ?6 GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS.
lice these artifices before a room full as soon as if there " was a very small number of persons present. At other times, when a man has lost much, one of the company will go to him and form an acquaintance, if it " does not already exist, and will say to him, You are much the loser with A or B, and I am acquainted with him, and if you will in confidence accept the offer, I will do you a favor, by which you will stand a chance of getting your money back again. Do you engage with him in play, and I will sit back of him, and give you correct signs from his hand, so that you can know how to govern your bets." Nothing appears more generous
than this ; and a man is apt to be eager to avail himself of any means that promises to restore him his lost money, and will feel highly elated that he has met with an unexpected friend, and will flatter himself with the idea of winning all the man has ; feeling that if his pretended friend should succeed in giving him correct signs one hand out of four, it will be sufficient to enable him to win much from him. This is all the basest deception. The man proposing this mode of playing is a secret partner of the winner, and their design is to swindle the
man still further. Both are fully apprised of the plan ; and when they succeed in getting the loser to play again, I they generally have cards which they know as well by the backs as by the faces,) if the winner should have a large hand, and the loser a larger one, he (the winner) will bunch his cards so closely that the one behind cannot see to give signs, and he then suffers himself to be run off. And if you should have one or two pairs, which he will know by the backs,) and he should get the same, though a little larger, he will then permit the man to give signs, that he has only one or two pairs, as the case may be, and all that he can entice the loser W GAMES AltD TRICKS WITH CARDS. 77 bet, he will win from him. The gamb.er, under thes< " circumstances, will bluff," (which means in the gam bling phrase betting on small worthless cards) only when his hand is better ; and, frequently, in order to set his victim to bluffing, he will, by stocking, palming, Sec., deal him three aces and a pair of kings, while he himselt gets four tens or jacks. If a man will bet largely and bluff, he will do it on such a hand ; and the gambler, by this artifice, will frequently ruin a man in a few games r\BLE WITH THE HOLLOW EGG, &c. I have also known men, who were apparently engaged in commercial business, whose stores were, in the upper apartments, extensive gambling establishments. These men will invite persons to call at their store or place ol business, saying that they have there a very nice room very retired, and secure from all intrusion, where their friends can come and enjoy themselves in quiet, and plenty of choice wines with which to regale themselves, but of those who go to such places, none ever come out winners. In New Orleans I became acquainted with a merchant who had in his store such a room. He had a great number to play with him, and all of them contin ually lost. Men who were professed gamblers here found their tricks and artifices set at naught, and them selves losing at every trial. They became dissatisfied, and suspected some extraordinary trick being used They combined, for the purpose of ascertaining, and soon learned, from some person in his employment, the whole secret. This table was constructed with a hollow leg, and in that leg, where the knee would rest against it, was fixed a smail peg, which would strike against his
knee on a small wire's being pulled, which was attached to the peg, and passed out at the bottom of the leg, and under the floor to the side of the room, thence up stain GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS. directly over the table. And from the center of a fine moulding in plaster hung a rich lamp; the moulding was hollow, and t>o constructed that a man, who was a secret partner, could be overhead, and see into the hands below, and give his partner signs from above, previously agreed upon, by pulling the wire. This advantage was sufficient to ruin any man who played with him, and enabled him to make money faster than he would be apt to do in the common course of mercantile business ; which, in fact, he cared nothing about, only as a cover for his gambling. This man's establishment was broken ip, and he fled.
SPRING TABLES, PULLEYS, 8tc; THEOR BITERS BIT.
In other establishments, I have seen what are called spring tables. These tables enable a man to play an 'undue number of cards quite secure from detection. There is in the table a crack or split, which seems to be from a defect in the wood. The whole bottom of the table is boxed up, as if it had a drawer, and the inside is so fixed, that a card let down into this crack will stand upright. The player can at any time push it up by means of a peg, which projects a little from the bottom of the table, using his knee for the purpose. This enables the player to keep cards in reserve, as well as to deal himself more than his number, and hide the poorest. There is another cheat, commonly called the pulleys, very similar to the first table described ; but the table itself is without any machinery. A man takes his stand overhead, and has a string that passes down the wall and under the floor immediately under the player's foot where a spring is fastened to the floor in which is a ruall peg which passes through a hole and comes in GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS. contact with the foot. The string is made fast to this spring on the under side, and when pulled, the peg pro trudes and strikes the bottom of his foot whenever the string is pulled. Among the many cases of this kind that I have known is the following, which I think worthy of insertion, as showing the industry one gambler will use in order to defeat another. A small company of gamblers had prepared a room and table in this way, by which they were very successful in fleecing the old as well as the young player. They continued to practice their wicked artifice in this room for some time, until they enticed a couple to their room, whom " they supposed to be suckers ;" (an epithet applied to those who are unacquainted with the tricks of gambling, and are consequently easily fleeced.) One of these was a young man, and they called him Perch. They played, and beat Perch out of his money. This he could not account for, as he was a smart gambler, except on che supposition that pulleys were used. He accordingly set his wits to work to contrive a plan by which he might be equal with them. And as the table was in a lower room, he was sanguine of success. On a favorable op portunity, he went to the house, and pressed off an out side board opposite to the table, and saw the string; this at once determined him what to do. At night he placed his partner outside, with instructions to intercept nil signs by holding the ccd, while he went inside and engaged in play. And soon Perch got a very fine betting hand ; and the winner, who was depending on the customary sign, not receiving it, supposed that Perch's hand was good for nothing, and he bet freely until the stakes were several hundred dollars. The man overhead seeing him about to lose their money, pulled with all his might, but the sign did not reach hi* 80 GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS. partner below, who staked all his money that his card, were the best, and lost. By these means, Perch wai enabled to get some hundred or two dollars winner, and made good his retreat without his plan being discovered. By this discovery which Perch had made, the house was broken up, and the gambler was frequently tantalized by his acquaintance, who would say to him, that he had been fishing for suckers, but instead, had caught a Perch, that ran off with the bait GENERAL REMARKS. Gambling with cards is carried on in many large cUies under various covers. There are many establish ments which, in front, seem to be doing a lawful busi ness ; but the rear and upper stories are extensive gam- bling establishments. The principal cover, or that which is used more than any other, is the sign of "Coffee-house," or licensed groggery, the majority ot which I look upon as being the greatest fountains of sin and wretchedness that curse our land. A great number of these dens of iniquity are well furnished with the various implements of gambling, together with a plenti ful supply of that liquid poison, which civilization and refinement have everywhere introduced to steal away the mind and ruin the soul. This powerful auxiliary vice is seldom dispensed with. In these vile haunts, " birds of a feather flock together ;" here, shut up from every numan eye, (except such as they can seduce inte gaining,) they pursue their nefarious calling to the igno miny of thousands, who oftentimes have not the re motest idea of what has ruined them. The wife, the children, the unsuspecting and helpless ward, are all made to feel the misery flowing from this source, with mi knowing or even suspecting, from whence it conies I am now about to cMe what I have to say upon this, GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS. Si game, (poker,) and I hope the reader will not entertain a doubt but that the greatest villany and rascality attend not only this, but every other game, when played for a wager; that none are safe ; the oldest and most adroit "gamblers are frequently without a dollar to their names. A man who becomes a gambler, becomes a wanderer through the world, without a settled home, without respectability or real friends; a sort of highwayman, wnose hand is against every man who possesses money ; a complete drone, who never dreams of living honestly, but by filching from the producer that which he pro cured by honest and persevering toil.
POP-GUN TRICK WITH CARDS. To perform this feat, provide a round hollow stick about ten inches long and three quarters of an inch in diameter, the hollow being three-eighths of an inch in diameter. Also, have another round stick to fit this hollow, and slide in it easily, with a knot to prevent its coming through. Our readers will clearly understand our meaning when we say, that in all respects it much resembles a pop-gun, with the single exception that the stick which fits the tube must be of the full length ot the tube, exclusively of the knob. Next, steep a card in water for a quarter of an hour, it,
peel it off the face of and double twice across, till it
becomes one-fourth of the length of a card, then roll it
up tightly, and thrust it up the tube till it becomes even with the bottom. You then thrust in the stick at the
other end of the tube till it just touches the card.
Having thus provided your magic wand, let it lie on the table until you have occasion to make use of it, but be careful not to allow any person to handle it.
Now take a pack of cards, and let any person draw 4* GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARD*.
ont ; but be sure to let it be a similar card to the Otto
which you have in the hollow stick. This must S done by forcing. The person who has chosen it, will put it into the pack again and, while you are shuftlmg, you let it fall into your lap. Then, calling for some eggs, desire the person who drew the card, or any other person in the company, to choose any one of the eggs. in When he has done so, ask if there be anything it. He will answer, there is not. Place the egg in a it saucer ; break with the wand, and pressing the knob with the palm of your right hand, the card will be driven into the egg. Then show it to the spectators. A great improvement may be made in this feat, by presenting the person who draws the card with a saucer and a pair of forceps, and instead of his returning the card to the pack, desire him to take it by the corner with the forceps and burn it, but to take care and pre serve the ashes ; for this purpose you present him with a piece of paper (prepared as hereafter described,) which a he lights at the candle, but few seconds after ; and before he can set the card on fire, it will suddenly divide in the middle, and spring back, burning his fingers if he do not drop it quickly. Have another paper ready and desire him to try that ; when he will most likely beg to be excused, and will prefer lighting it with the candle. When the card is consumed, say that you do not wish to fix upon any particular person in company to it choose an egg, lest might be suspected he was a con federate ; therefore, request any two ladies in company to choose an egg each ■ and having done so, to decide when, between themselves which shall contain the card ; is this done, take a second saucer, and in it receive the rejected egg, break it with your wand, and show the egg round to the company ; at the same time drawing GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS 83 tneh attention to the fact of those two eggs having been thosen from among a number of others, and of i's not being possible for you to have told which of them world be the chosen one. - You now receive the cnosen egg in the saucer con: anning the ashes, and having rolled it about until you have blacked it a littie, blow the ashes from around it into the grate; you then break the egg with the same wand, when, on touching the spring, the card will be found in the egg. The method of preparing the paper mentioned in the above feat is as follows:—Take a piece of letter paper, about six inches in length and three quarters of an inch in breadth, fold it longitudinally, and with a knife cut it in the crease about five inches down; then take one of the sides which are still connected at the bottom, and it, with the back of the knife under and the thumb of it, the right hand over curl it outward as a boy would the tassels of his kite; repeat the same process with the other side, and lay them by for use. When about using them (but not till then, as the papers will soon lose their up curls if stretched) draw them so as to make them their original length, and turn the ends over a little, in order that they may remain so; when set on fire, they will burn for a minute or two, until the turn over is burnt out, when the lighted ends will turn over quickly, burn. ing the fingers of the holder: this part of the trick Devel iails to excite the greatest merriment. 84 GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CAR2,8. C H A P T E R IX. The Game of Thimbles—Dr. Rennett the King Thimble player-Thé young man with two such piercing eyes--Best two in three-Patch Coat; the Gentleman's Game, or, Diamond cut Diamond—The Mya tenious Wafers—Advantageous Wager—Gambling Law of Kentucky. THE GAME OF THIMBLES. Who has not heard of the game of Thimbles? For the edification of those who have been so fortunate as it, never to have seen we will briefly describe it. The sporting gentleman produces three common sewing thimbles and a small ball, and placing them on his knee or some smooth surface, commences operations by by rolling the little ball his third finger under each of the thimbles, which are in a row, lifting first one and it, then another, as the ball approaches with his thumb and forefinger, and playing it along from one to the other. When all is ripe he suffers the ball to stop, half disclosing, half concealing its resting place. Hands are then lifted, and the easy dupes make their bets as to the identical thimble under which the ball may be found. The strength of the game lies in the legerdemain by which the gamester removes the ball and places it under any thimble he may choose, after the bet is made. Thousands of dollars have been lost at this game. Some years ago, I took a trip upon one of the fine up Southern steamboats Red River to the foot of the Raft. As 1sual there was a large number of passengers on board, among them the celebrated Dr. Bennett the nventor of the game of “Thimbles!” The Dr. requently amused the passengers with several games, particularly one called “Calculation,” which seemed to GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS 85 be his favorite, and brought him quite a revenue dur ing the trip. The Doctor himself was quite a subject of curiosity and study to us, having heard so much of his uorivaled shrewdness as a "sportsman," and the vast amount accumulated by him by the little game of Thimbles. Indeed, it was said that he was the moving cause of several penal statutes, in regard to gaming on Thimbles, having been enacted in the states of Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee. One evening after supper it was insisted by some of the passengers that the Doctor should exhibit the game of Thimbles, which with his usual modesty he dechned to do, protesting among other things that he had no thimbles. This difficulty was easily remedied, a mes senger was dispatched to the ladies' cabin, and soon re turned with the required number. The Doctor made him a little ball of paper and commenced his perform ance. At first he was quite unlucky — but he paid up punctually, and consoled himself with a favorite ex " pression of his, that sometimes I am very severe, then again not quite so sly." Among the lookers-on was a young gentleman from the good old state of Connecticut, on his first visit " South." He was on his way to the head of naviga tion with a pretty little stock of groceries, by way ol trying his fortune in the great West. He soon mani fested much interest in the game, declaring he knew the thimble under which the ball might be found. Tne Doctor gave him a knowing wink and told him in a " whisper not to tell. But so often did our friend guess" right, that he laid aside all scruples of conscience, and desired to be permitted to bet a few dollars. To this " proposition the Doctor at first objected, declaring he did not like the young man's eye, it was too keen," that N GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS. he saw the ball, &c. This seemed to please the Con necticut Yankee very much, and made him more anxious to bet. After much parley and a good deal of reluctance on the part of the Doctor, it was at last agreed that Con necticut might bet a few dollars, "just a few," if he would allow the Doctor a little chance against two such piercing eyes as he had, by betting two to one. This being at length settled, our young friend put up his twenty dollars against the Doctor's ten. Hands off and all being ready, he hfted the thimble and sure enough there was the ball. The Doctor gave up the money and all enjoyed a hearty laugh at his expense. This was the largest bet that had been made that evening The Doctor observed, "sometimes he was not so sly." The ball and thimbles were again put in motion —again all being ready our lucky friend proposed to bet —but the Doctor declared he must have some chance against " such great odds as Yankee eyes," and insisted on three to one, or thirty dollars to ten being made. This was also accepted : again the thimble was raised, and sure enough there was the ball. Our friend again pocketed " " another ten, and again the social hall rang with laughter at the Doctor's expense. The thimbles were again arranged ; this time we ob served the game closely, as we thought from his re peated losses the Doctor was hardly entitled to that great reputation for cunning and sagacity which had ever been attributed to him. Now, in the moving of the little paper ball, we thought we discovered the source of the Doctor's misfortunes, for becoming a little unrolled, a portion of the paper of which it was made, stuck out. from under one of the thimbles. This our Connecticut friend plainly saw, and we presumed the JAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS. (57 Doctor, through old age, (now about 70) had his sight M impaired as not to be able to see it, and could not, there fore, play his game with his accustomed adroitness. But the tale was soon told. Our " Yankee friend" pro " " posed to double the bet, having the thing so dead The Doctor impatient of repeated losses, told him to make it hundreds instead of tens. This was done, and our friend bet three hundred dollars against one hundred dollars, (just bare I thought it a shame to take advan tage even of a piofessional gambler's blindness, for the location of the ball was evident.) " " The money up, Connecticut was all impatient to realize his expectations, and in great eagerness he again raises the thimble —and sure enough, it was not there! He had reached the climax of the Doctor's expectations :n regard to his ready cash and willingness to bet, and he could not win. We have seen many pictures of disappointment, but the appearance of that young man's countenance we can never forget. The laugh was now uproarious. As much as you have pitied the poor dupe the laugh was irresistible — but the poor fellow, " like the boy the calf run over, saw nothing to laugh at." He was a statue of amazed misery. The Doctor coolly pocketed his cash, while our friend stammered out his astonishment with the declaration that all was not right that he had never been beat before, and had surely been taken in. " "Never mind," says the Doctor, what's a few hun a dred dollars to young man with your eyes ? The ladies all admire them — I heard them speak of tnem to — day and you won twice out of three times— Mat s tin " Oes'. two in three aoy tow 68 GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS. PATCH-CCAT; THE GENTLEMAN'S GAME, OR, DIAMON> CUT DIAMOND. " Sure they are statesmen, met for public good, For some among them boast of generous blood." " The game of loo" is a favorite one among the per sons employed in the management of iron forges in Pennsylvania. There, too, as in other places, are found men of whom better things should be expected, entering into plans by which the unsuspecting may be fleeced. At one of the most extensive forges near Pittsburg, the " " proprietor was one of the first to shave any stranger that might be so unlucky as to fall in his way. Among the principal victims, was the subject of this article, " known by the sobriquet of Patch-coat." This name he took from the fact that large patches of different colors covered the principal part of his coat, or, what " " Gd been a coat. Patch-coat was the order of the " day ; and Patch-coat," at the loo-table, was the victim at night. Several months had the party fed themselves " " at the expense of Patch-coat." l atch-coat was such an one as would naturally make a man suspicion " him for knowing a thing or two, providing he could think of it." But the time had now come for some evidence of his sagacity to put forth. Mr. Mc , the owner of the forge, and some others of the same stamp, had learned that "Patch-coat" was in funds; cud accordingly, that night Mr. Mc declared to him he would have a gintlemanly game of loo at the _"odor of Mr O'Donoho. "Patch-coat" gave his con sent to make one of the party. At the hour appointed, " " the party met —five in number. Patch-c'at had ?-;several hundred dollars ; and the gentlemen knew it The game commenced at one and five ; and soon a wage amount was im the board. "Patch-coat" ha*1 GAMES AND TRICKS WITH LAMM. CU stood his hand for several "deals," by which means he subjected Mr. Mc and his party to a severe loss. Mc was much excited, and offered to bet two hun. dred dollars that he would " loo the board." " Patch- " coat signified as though his antagonist had better not banter too much ; for, if he did, there was no knowing what might occur. Mc still boasted upon the honor of an Irish gintleman, that he could bate any man that wore patches on his coat, that would play his game; and that was the gintlemanly game, trusting to the cards for the first three tricks. About this time "Patch-coat" noticed the honest Mr. Mc drop " three cards, and before the deal, proffered to bate any gintleman prisent, if clubs were trumps, and that he would ' loo the board.'" " " Patch-coat gave him a significant look, as much as " to say, Don't push the banter at me too hard," at the same time casting a wishful look at the money on the table, which had increased to several hundred dollars. He remarked, " Mr. Me , I will try you a three hundred dollar bet, that you don't win the first loo, if clubs comes trumps." " " Down with your dust," said Mc , before the dealer turns trump." " " Patch-coat drew from his pocket the money, and placed it on the table —Mr. Mc followed. In the " " it ean time, Patch-coat gently raised the three cards from Mr. Mc 's lap, and placed the three given him by the dealer thereon. This was done without the slightest suspicion of foul play from Me , or the O'Donoho party. The trump was turned, and showed itself a club. Here the eyes of Mc brightened, xt well as those of "Patch-coat." #0 GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS *' It's meself that stands," said Mr. Mc > striking his hand upon the table, and, at the sanv; time, cau tiously taking from his lap the three cards. " I stand, too," said "Patch-coat." " " You're a brave lad, ' Patch-coat,' was the quick response of Mr. Mc , laughing at the same time at what he supposed would be the result. " It is your first draw, Mr. Me ," said the dealer. " How many will you take ?" " And sure it's meself that will stand, on the faith of the trump, that I am bountifully supplied." " I will stand, too," said " Patch-coat." " I think this land will answer my purpose this time. So, Mr. Mc , give us a lead." " Thin play to that, my lad," said Mr. Mc , at the same time throwing from his hand a card, which fell face upward, and proved to be a diamond. There the scene changed. The astounded Mc 's eyes opened, as it were, to the magnitude of saucers, as " " Patch-coat played the ace, king and queen of clubs, and gracefully pulled down the stakes. Mr. Mc sprung' quick to his feet, and as soon as " he could give utterance, said, Gintlemen ! I'll quot ! There's chating about the boord. I sat down here to play a gintleman's game." " " Patch-coat gathered the cash, and left Mr. Mc— and the trio to settle their losses. THE MYSTERIOUS WAFERS. In the presence of the company, place on each side o* a table-knife three wafers ; take the knife by the handle, and turn it over several times, to show that the wafers are all on. Request one of the party to take a wafer from one side oi the biado, tam knifa ovar iwao? three utnes, and ti>ers> wiii seem to be only two waters GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS. 91 oj each side ; take off another wafer, turn the knife aj before, and it will appear as if only one wafer were on each side ; take the third wafer off, and again turn the knife dexterously twice or thrice, and it will appear as if all the wafers had disappeared from each side. Next, turn the knife once or twice more, and three wafers will appear on each side, as at the first. In performing this trick, use wafers all of one size and color, and always have one side of the knife uppermost, so that the wafers may be taken one by one from that side; three wafers will thus be left untouched on the other side ; and after you have made it appear that there are no wafers on either side, you may, to all appearance, show three on each. When turning the knife, you must, as you lift it up, turn it completely round with your finger and thumb, so as always to bring the same side uppermost. ADVANTAGEOUS WAGER. Request a lady to lend you a watch. Examine it, a and give guess as to its value ; then offer to lay the owner a wager, considerably below the real value of the watch, that she will not answer to three questions which you will put to her consecutively, "My watch. " Show her the watch, and say, What is this which I hold in my hand ?" she, of course, will not fail to reply " My watch.'' Next, present to her notice some other object, repeating the same question. If she name the object you present, she loses the wager; but if she be on " her guard, and remembering her stake, she says, My watch," she must, of course, win; and you, therefore, to divert her attention, should observe to her, '' You are certain to win the stake, but supposing I lose, what will you give me ?" and if, confident of success, she replies " for the third time, My watch," then take it and leave her the wager agreed on. GAMES AND PRICES WITH CARDS. GAMBLING LAW OF KENTUCKY. Steamboat travelers in the West will do well to read this law, and remember that over one thousand miles of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers are subject to the laws of Kentucky — likewise, that the States of Ohio, Indiana, and Pennsylvania have similar laws. The traveling community, we hope, will bear in mind the 8th section. Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, That if any person shall keep a room, building, arbor, booth, shed, tenement, boat, or float, to be used or occupied for gambling, or shall knowingly permit the same to be used or occupied for gambling ; or if any person, being the owner, super intendent, or agent, of any room, building, arbor, booth, shed, tenement, boat, or float, shall rent the same to be used or occupied for gambling, the person or persons so offending, shall, on conviction thereof, be fined in any sum not less than fifty, nor more than five hundred dollars ; and if the owner, his or her superintendent, or agent, of any room, building, arbor, booth, shed, tene ment, boat, or float, shall know that any gaming-tables, apparatus, or establishment, is kept or used in such room, building, arbor, booth, shed, tenement, boat or float, for gambling and winning, betting or gaining money, or other property, and shall not forthwith cause complaint to be made against the person so keeping or using such room, building, arbor, booth, shed, tenement, boat, or float, he or she shall be taken, held, and con sidered to have knowingly permitted the same io be used and occupied for gambling. Sec. 2. If any person shall keep or exhibit any gam ing-table, establishment, device, or apparatus, to win or gain money, or other property of value, or to aid GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS. 93 resist, or permit others to do the same ; or if any person shall engage in gambling for a livelihood, he shall be deemed and taken to be a common gambler, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be imprisoned and kept at hard labor in the penitentiary, not less than six months, nor more than three years, and be fined, at the discretion of a jury, not less than fifty nor more than five hundred dollars, to be paid into the treasury of the county where such conviction shall take place, for the use of common schools therein, to be divided among the accepting school districts in such county, in proportion to the number of taxable inhabitants in each district. Sec. 3. If an affidavit shall be filed with the magis trate, or police judge of any town or city, before whom complaint shall be made of an offence against any pro vision of this act, stating that the affiant has reason to relieve, and does believe, that the person charged in such complaint has upon his person, or at any other places named in such affidavit, any specified articles of personal property, or any gaming-table, device, or apparatus, the discovery of which might lead to estab lish the truth of such charge, the said magistrate or judge shall, by his warrant, command the officer who is authorized to arrest the person so charged, to make diligent search for such property and table, devics, or apparatus, and if found, to bring the same before such magistrate or judge ; and the officer so seizing shall deliver the same to the magistrate or judge before whom he take tile same, who shall retain possession, and be responsible therefor, until the discharge, or commitment, or letting to bail of the person charged ; and in case of such commitment, or letting to bail of the person so charged, such officer shall retain such property, subject to the order of the court before which such offender' 94 (JAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS may be required to appear, until his discharge or con viction. And in case of the conviction of such per son, the gaming- able, device, or apparatus shall be de stroyed, and the property shall be liable to pay any iudgment which may be rendered against such person and after the payment of such judgment and costs, the surplus, if any, shall be paid to the use of the common schools aforesaid ; and in case of the discharge of such person by the magistrate or court, the officer having such property in his custody, shall, on demand, deliver is to such person. Sec 4. If any person, called to testify on behalf of the same, before any justice of the peace, grand jury or court, upon any complaint, information, or indictment, for any offence made punishable by this act, shall dis close any fact tending to criminate himself in any manner made punishable by this act, he shall thereafter be discharged of and from all liability to prosecution or punishment for such matter of offence. Sec. 5. It shall be lawful for any justice of the peace, chief magistrate of any municipal incorporation, or judge of any court of record, upon complaint, upon an oath, that any gaming-table, establishment, or apparatus, or device, is kept by any person for the purpose of being used to win or gain money, or other property, by the owner thereof, or any other person, to issue his warrant, commanding the sheriff or constable, to whom the same shall be directed, within the proper jurisdiction, after demanding entrance, to break open and enter any house or place wherein such gaming establishment, apparatus, or device shall be kept, and to seize and deliver tna same to the clerk of the Circuit Court, who shall keep the same to the next term of the court, and the judge of the court shall tnen, if there be no necessity for keep GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS ing the property to be produced on the trial of an offender against this ant, have a jury summoned to try the fact, whether the property taken be used or was made for gaming ; and if the finding shall be, that the property was made or used for gaming, the court shall order the property to be broken up and sold, and the proceeds shall, after the payment of costs, go into the treasury of the county for the use of the common schools. Sec. 6. If any person or persons shall, through invita tion or device, persuade or prevail on any person or per sons, to visit any room, building, arbor, booth, shed, tene ment, boat or float, kept for the use of gambling, he or they shall, upon conviction thereof, be held responsible for the money or property lost by such invitation or device, and fined in a sum not less than fifty and not more than five hundred dollars. Sec 7. It shall be the duty of all sheriffs, constables, and all county and commonwealth attorneys, to inform and prosecute all offenders against this act ; and upon refusal thereof, they shall pay a fine of not less than fifty nor more than five hundred dollars. Sec. 8. If any commander, owner, or lessee of any boat or float shall knowingly permit any gambling for money or property on such boat or float, and does not immediately prevent the same, he ,r they shall be taken held, and considered to have knowingly permitted the same to be used and occupied for gamoling, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be held responsible for the money or property so lost, and fined in any sum not less han one nor more than five hundred dollars. Sec. 9. The fines and forfeitures incurred under this act, in any of the cities or towns of this State, for •ffences committed in the said cities and towns, shall go 98 QAUZa AMD TRICKS WITH CASBfk into the treasury of the town or city, for the use of im free schools thereof. Sec. 10. This act shall be given in charge to the grand jury by the circuit judges of the several judicial districts, in their respective counties. Sbc. 11. This act shall take effect the first day of June, 1848. Sec. 12. That any person or persons who shall he guilty of dealing faro," or any other banking game, ■halt be held and deemel a common gambler, according » the provisions of the secon i section of this wU CHAPTER X- BrpoBore of the numerous Card Tricks made use of by Gamblers—' lit (W tars" —The " Longs and Shorts" —" Banter La Coupe" —Convex and Con cave Cards —Handling the Cards— Garretting —Slipping the Cards- Walking the Pegs — Pricked Cards— The Bridge— Skinning —Shuffling 01 Wearing—The Gradus or Steps—Slipping the Fives—Saddling the Carat —Dealing from the Bottom —The Telegraph —Marked Cards of all kinds. REFLECTORS. The cards be named are, by a certain mechanical process, equally distinguishable to the initiated by their backs as by their faces ; but from the expense of manufacturing them they are not often had recourse to. They nearly resemble those ingenious landscapes which, at first sight, present to our view some beautiful scenes in nature, but, by a more minute inspection, give us portraits of human faces with great exactness and fidelity. Some years back this trick was played off in Europe, to the enriching of a German Jew and two or three of his confederates. He attended the fairs of Frankfort and Leipzig with a large packet of these cards, which he sold at a price which bade defiance to competition. Visiting the country again, by the time he thought they would be in circulation at the various spas and watering places, where high play was going on, himself and his friends, by being alone able to decipher the apparently invisible hieroglyphics, made a good thing of it. THE LONGS AND SHORTS. Consist of having all short cards above the number eight a trifle longer than those below it. This is accomplished with great nicety, by a machine invented for that purpose. By Uli means, nothing under an eight can be cut ; and the M BAKES AND TRICKS WITH RAKM chances against an honor being turned up at whist reduced two to one 8AUTER LA COUPE, OR SLIPPING THE CARDS. An adept at this trick ean cheat and swindle at pleasure Wherever it is practised, the fair-player has no earthly chance of rising from the table other than a loser. The trick, too, is much practised By its means the wealth of the unwary and inexperienced player is transferred to the pocket of the cheat. The following simple exposition of the manner in which this trick is performed, will be of essential service to the player. It will enable him to detect the sharper and black leg ; and thus protect himself from their nefarious scheme. " Sauter la Coupe is the French term for Slipping the " Cards It is practised at whist, when the cards are cut, and placed in the hands of the dealer. By a dexterity easily acquired by practice, he changes the cut card, by slipping from its position in the pack, either from the top " " or the middle, the ace, and thus secures its turning up ! The practiser of Sauter la Coupe, to eover the trick he is resorting to, invariably ruffles the cards making with them a joudish noise. While the apparently simple actios he thus performs, with the consequent noise distracts attention, he slips the card, the ace, which he has hitherto concealed foe, the purpose, and dexteriously placed on the head of the pack when passing it from one hand to another to deal ; 01 ascertain its position in the pack by one of the many mean* resorted to for that purpose. Whenever the player begini •o ruffle the cards, instead of dealing quietly, suspeot fou. play It is a symptom of cheating. The fair-player has no chance with the cheater by means of Sauter la Coupe. Suppose that during an evening twenty games have been played. The cheat and his partner would GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CARDS. thus have to deal the cards at least ten times. During these ten deals the cards might be slipped six times, giving the cheat an advantage over the fair-player of at least twenty to one. CONVEX AND CONCAVE CARDS, Are also of the same genus with the foregoing one. All from the eight to the king are cut convex, and all from the deuce to the seven, concave. Thus by cut ting the pack in the centre, a con vex card is cut ; and by taking hold of the cards, in cutting them, at either end of the pack, a con cave card is secured. Sometimes these cards are cut the reverse way to the foregoing one, so that if suspicion arises, a pack of this description is substi tuted for the others. But here the sharper has not so great a pull in his favour, because the intended victim may cut in the usual way, and so cut a low card to the dealer. But the possibility, or rather cer tainty, of his being able, by any means to cut or deal a high or low card at pleasure, is an advantage against which no skill in the game can avail. HANDLING THE CARDS. So called from the cards being secured in the palm of the hand. The person who practices this art at cribbage gener ally takes care to get two fives, with any other two cards, placing one of the two ordinary cards at the top, next to it one five, then the other ordinary card, and under it the other five. These four cards, so placed, he secures in the palm of his hand, while he desires his adversary to shuffle the cards GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CAM* and being very generous, also tells his opponent to eat them ; when this is done, he puts his hand which contains the four cards upon that part of the pack which is to be uppermost, and then leaves the cards on the same ; conse quently, when he deals, the two fives will fall to his own hand of cards. By these means, when a person who can hand, deals, he is pretty sure of two or more fives. GARRETTING. Is so called from the practice of securing the cards either nnioryour hat or behind your head. The method of doing this is to select out three or four extraordinary good cards, while your adversary is marking his hand of crib. This being done, and the cards properly dealt, you take up your own cards, which you take care to examine pretty quickly, and after laying out any two you think proper for crib, you immediately, with one hand, put your other remaining card on the pack, and with your other hand take down the cards which have been secured ; then in lieu of very bad cards, which you might possibly have had, you have the best which can be got. SLIPPING THE CARDS. Is performed in various ways, all which tend to put the same cards at the top again which have been cut off and ought to be put underneath. Whenever this is done, you may depend the cards are previously placed in such manner as will answer the purpose of the person who performs the operation. WALKING THE PEGS. Means either putting your own pegs forward, or those ot your adversary back, as they may best suit your purpose ; tnd it is always executed while you are laying out your lards for crib. The method generally adopted for this business is to take 0 AMES AND TRICKS WITH CARE. 191 the two cards which you intend to put out for the crib, and fix them with your third finger on the back of the cards, and your others on the front ; then holding them fast in your hand, you cover the pegs in the board from the sight ol your adversary, while with your first finger and thumb on the same hand, you take out unperceived any peg you like, and place the same wherever you think proper. PRICKED CARDS. This is a method of marking playing cards, which, if cleverly done, is very difficult of detection, from the circum stance of the effect being made known through the organ of touch, and not through that of sight. The cards to be thus distinguished are laid upon a stone, faces uppermost ; and upon the left-hand side at the top, and the right-hand side at the bottom, they are punctured by a very finely pointed instrument, care being taken not to drive it quite through the cards, but still to press sufliciently hard to cause a slight elevation, or pimple upon the opposite sides or backs. By this means it is in the power of the sharper, when the cards are with their backs towards him, to distinguish their char acters by the aid of the ball of his thumb. There are in stances on record of individuals, in the habit of playing this foul game, using a chemical preparation to this particular the a part, and by constantly wearing glove, keeping it in highly sensitive state. THE BRIDGE. Is a card slightly curved. By introducing it carelessly into the pack, and shuffling them, it can be cut at pleasure. The trick of the "Old Gentleman,' consists in merely introducing into the pack a eard of thicker substance than the rest, which can likewise by be cut at pleasure, by being properly placed th shuffler 102 GAMES AND TRICKS WITH CHADS. SKTNNTNG. It is by this operation that unfair cards are introduced ,and too often without creating suspicion, by the ingenuity with which it is performed. Certain fair cards are taken out of the original stamped cover, without injury to it, and in their stead either concave, convex, or pricked ones, or reflectors, are placed. The stamp being stuck on the cover by means of gum, which the application of warm water dis a solves, or deprives of its tenacity ; kettle of hot water and t sponge are the only things requisite. The exchange being completed, the unfair pack finds its way into societies of a it certain description, where is contrived to be placed on the card tables unobserved. Plunder is the inevitable result. SHUFFLING OR WEAVING. is Much fraud practised by the help of dexterously shuffling, by which the power to place cards in certain parts of the pack is under the control of the sharper, when become an adept in the art. The preparatory step is a strict obser vance of the tricks taken up on both sides, and their con tents, when those rich in trumps or court cards are selected it is to bo operated upon by the shuffler, when his turn to deal. THE GRADES, OR STEP. Consists in one particular card being so placed by the shuffler, on handing them to his adversary to be cut, as to project a little beyond the rest, and thus to insure its being the turn-up card, either at whist or xarte. The representation speaks for itself. SLIPPING THE FIVES. Slipping the fives at cribbage is an amazing strong ad van. tage. The mode of doing this is first to mark them in any manner so as to know them; aai whenever it happens that you observe one coming to year adversary, yi-u give hiss the (JAMES AXB TRICKS WITH CAfcDS. aext card under in lieu thereof, which many who are in the habit of playing much, perform with extraordinary dexterity SADDLING THE CARDS. Is frequently practisi d at cribbage. This is bending the Rixos, sevens, eights, and nines, in the middle, long ways, with the sides downwards : bywhich it is extremely easy for you to have one of those cards for a start, by cutting wher« you perceive a card bent in that manner, taking due care to have the card so bended uppermost. DEALING FROM THE BOTTOM. Is a very common practice ; it is, therefore, very neces sary for you to be very watchful over your adversary while he deals. This is a devise of old date, but it is easier to be per formed with the small cards used at ecarte than those gen erally played with at whist. It consists in secreting a certain card until an opportunity presents itself of its being avail able when it is produced, as implied, from the palm of the hand that secretes it. The story of the hand that was pierced through with a fork, and the proffered apology for the act if no card was found therein, is too well known to be repeated ; but it is not a solitary instance in the play world. Some five-and-forty years since a member of Brooke's Club was playing at quinze with Mr. Fox. At this game a five is a principal card, and on the person alluded to displaying a five in his hand, after Mr. Fox sup posed them all to have been played, he " Whose nature was so far from doing harm, " That he suspected none complained, with evident chargin, of the increasing inaoou. r: cy of his memory. Others, however, were less charitably cii -posed. The unfair gamester was watched, and detected ut irftrtfdiitiing a fifth five 1 m Subsequently quitted Hm, IM (JAMES AHT> TRICKS WITH CARDi country, and died miserably poor in the East Indies, ll may be reckoned a harsh proceeding to rake up an old story such as this, but the history of gaming, like other histories, must be given in its integrity, or not given at all. THE TELEGRAPH. Is more easily explained than sketched. Two players sit down at the card-table : one, let it be supposed, a rogue ; and the other rich. Behind the rich player, and in such a position as enables him to have a full view of his hand, is stationed a confederate of the rogue-player, who conveys to his colleague, by preconcerted telegraphic signals, made by the fingers, what is doing, or passed, by the rieh opponent This is called working the telegraph, and is as successful as it is dishonorable. MARKING GARBS. This is done in many different ways. Almost all gam blers play with cards that are marked by the manufacturers ; but it is of those that are not so marked that I now speak. If the marks should be strange to the gambler, he will mark them to suit himself. This will be done when none are sus it, pecting and is generally done while being held in the hand, and with the nails or by small scratches on their edges, or by bending the corners in a manner understood by themselves ; sometimes by turning the card face up, and marking the face with the thumb nail, or any hard thing that will make a mark that will show on the back There are many methods of marking cards, each player having his own peculiar way, and it would be quite impossible to give I an expose of them all ; and what have said on this subject I hope will be deemed sufficient. Marked cards having become so general, the gamblers were afraid to play with any except such as were plain and white And in that case what do the manufactories of New York (or at least in one of them) do ? They manufacture ovaoe ikd tricks with cards. the cards with the backs perfectly white, and yet in such I manner as to make them quite as deceptious as the others. Though they are entirely white, the manufacturer can, »t a moment's glance, tell you what is on the face of tht sard ; and this secret he communicates to others, whom ht employs to go out, and by means of these cards to swindle people out of their money. This may seem quite incredible to some ; it is, nevertheless, done, and very successfully too, and I will now explain in what way. This is accomplished by embossing the paper on the back ; and this embossing forms a small, fine grain, which the eye would take to be the grain of the paper ; this grain running different ways to represent different cards. And there is only one position in which this card must be held that it can be told ; and that is, hold the end of the deck that is from you the highest, and then the shade will cast tbe grain in a way that you can plainly see the mark. One who is accustomed to those cards, can, in a moment, exemplify what I have here stated to, the satisfaction of the most inexperienced, by an actual exhibition of the cards themselves ; so that no matter how fair every thing may appear in playing with a gambler, the one who is decoyed by him may rest assured that he ie the dupe of some secret and most unprincipled special at filhuj. iin un> thicks wttb cubds. CHAPTER XI- Tarloo* Cheats with Dice— The Dice Board— Dice and Dice Boxet— " Despatchers" — Loaded Dice—Cogging, now called Securing —Scratch*! — " — Dice The Doctor" Dice Box Unequal Dice— Dangers of the Gaming House. THE DICE BOARD. DICE AND DICE-BOXES " The epithet, perieulosus" was well applied by the Romans to dice and the dice-box ; for, exclusive of the pro bability of losing money by their means, the certainty of it is now established by more ways than one. There are seve ral sorts of unfair dice, as also dice-boxes, of which here is, a furnished description ; and all of them are no doubt had recourse to, especially in private play. The most dangerous of the former are what are called " Despatchers," inasmuch as it will be seen that the caster can ensure his main when he likes, by the use of them. The following explanation will suffice to confirm this assertion. The top and bottom surface of fair dice should make, added ; 1 6 2 5 , ; ; together, leven top, bottom, top, ; bottom, top, 3 ; bottom, 4. The dots marking the numbers should not project from the surface ; and, when twisted between the thumb and finger, after the manner of a teetotum, they should spin, which they will not do if they are either loaded " or unequal. Now, the dice called Despatchers" have their number, or pips, varying according to the favorite main, or chance required. For example, those for calling " nine is the main," should have the middle pip on the sides it narked three and five taken out, by which arrangement ia vident that the main nine could not by any possibility be OAMF.9 TOD TRICKS WITH CARDS. thrown, but he must have either seven, eight, four, five, six, crabs, or ten, for his chance He can only lose by throwing vix, aces or deuce, ace and twelve. " " the main," Again : Dcspatchers" for calling eight is »re thus described : 6 pips at the top, 6 at the bottom, 4 4 3 3 On the other side : 6 pips at the top, 6 at the bottom, 3 3 1 1 With two dice thus marked, it is possible to pick eight, by throwing twelve, by which the caster would lose ; but this can be obviated by taking the odds against the nick ; and if it is not nicked, the amount risked on the odds can easily be regained, by taking or betting the usual odds on the issue of the main and chance, which, by the impossibility of throw ing eight, is reduced to a certainty. The principal caution In tho manufacture of these dice consists in putting the same number, if it appears twice on the same dice, at op posite sides—that is, if one 6 be at top, the other should be at bottom, and so on. That these nefarious instruments, made to secure any main, are frequently resorted to in pri vate play there is not he smallest doubt, especially when the pigeon is well primed with wine for the occasion If the simple precaution be taken of examining whether the top and bottom pips on each die, added together, make seven, " they are not Despatches," but, thus far, fair ones. LOADED DICE. When it is determined to throw low, two sides of the diae having the numbers four and five, or five and six, are loaded in the following manner —The corner spot of the i'our-sii> lit i08 JAMES AMD TOIOKS WITH CABD8- adjoining the five-side, is carefully and neatly drilled to the depth of an eighth of an inch. A similar operation is performed with the corner spot of the five, adjoining the four side ; so that the two holes, thus made, meet. One of the holes is then covered over with a very strong cement of •opal, or other varnish, and quicksilver, (sometimes gold it as^d,) is poured into the orifice of the other, which is still Dpen, until it is quite filled ; when it is stopped up with the eement, and the spots blackened as before The person playing with dice of this description, would generally call seven as the main, and he would mostly get six, five, or four, for his chance. He would then take the respective odds ; which, as the bias of the dice tend to throw these numbers, are considerably in his favor, and against throwing the main called. COGGING. NOW GALLED SECURING. Is a species of fraud often had re course to ; it consists in securing or retaining one of the dice, either with the first and second finger against the inside of the box—the second finger covering the top of the dice—or, taking hold of one of them with the little finger and landing it on the table, as if it hac1 come from the box— thus : The first-named method is not easy to acc >mpiish, and re atBM A ND TRICKS WITH CARDS. quires long and continued practice to be an adept at it ; and when well done, it is extremely difficult of detection —for the die being inside the box and covered with the finger, cannot be seen ; and if a word of suspicion be uttered by the players, it is dropped at once into the box, and then fairly thrown out. A quick ear, however, among the players,, " and one accustomed to the rattling" of dice, will be apt to discover by the sound the absence of one die from the box. In this case the throw is barred, after the main is called, which is a hint for the caster to keep the points of hi« fingers from off the box, or to make himself scarce before he is kicked out of the room. The securer of a die generally calls five for a main, be- cause, if he have secured a four, there is only the number six on the loose die that can come up against him ; and the odds are only four to three against him. If the one of the loose die comes up, that is a nick, and he wins it ; if the three is thrown, he has seven to five, and that is three to four in his favor ; and if jive should come up, it is an even bet. But should a large stake be at issue, the sharper secures a five every time ; so that if the main and chance be six to five, seven to five, eight to five, nine to five, or ten to five, he makes sure of winning, without a chance of losing, as he cannot throw out, so long as the five is secured. In calling nine, also a favorite main of the sharper, four is the number secured ; so that the main and chance are either five to nine, six to nine, seven to nine, or eight ta nine. It is here obvious, that by securing the ont or the two, it will be impossible to throw out, and without securing a second time the odds are much in favor of the caster ; and he sometimes calls seven as the main, in which case he se it, cures a five, when he has two chances of nicking out of if the six chances of the loose die ; but one or three are iM OAMES 1KB THICKS WITH OAIiBS. thrown, with the five secured, the odds are six to five against him ; and if the four, it is then three to two against him Should the main and chance be six to seven, he will take the odds, and by securing either the one, two, three, four, or five, every time he throws, he will render the chances even, for the loose die is as likely to make the throw a six as a seven. In calling seven as the main, and securing the five the odds instead of being seven to two against the nick, are reduced to four to three. As may be supposed, it will not do to try these experiments too often on the same night, as suspicion " would be awakened. Still securing" dice is reckoned the sheet-anchor of scoundrels who prey on the gambling public. SCRATCHED DICE. These cannot be used at public tables, because they a.e all covered with cloth to prevent noise ; but on one which is bare they are very destructive weapons in the hands of a practised sharper. They are made by drilling a hole in the centre part of the three, five, or ace, which is filled up with a small piece of ebony, or other hard black substance, hav ing a portion of it projecting. Upon a mahogany table, uncovered, it is evident that dice thus made cannot fall perfectly flat, when the ebony inserted comes in contact with the surface of it. Moreover, the thrower of them— the caster—by gently moving the box before he lifts it up, can discover by the sound whether the scratched side is under neath or not. This is a species of robbery not often resorted to, from the ease with which it would be detected, and one which could only be practised on either a very young or very deepl} drunken hazard player. THE DOCTOR DICE-BOX. It is a common practice, when fair dice are introduced, ta have recourse to unfair boxes. A fair box has several rims AND TRICKS WITH CABS8. Hi war on it* inside, and a projecting ridge ; and the absence of these, which is ascertained by putting a finger into the interior of it, constitutes an unfair one. But the most destructive box is that called the " Doctor." The following is the best de is scription it in our power to give from the inspection of one which has been shown. There is nothing remarkable in the appear ance of its outside, but the inside is very differently manufactured. Three-fourths of the internal space at the bottom are filled up, leaving only sufficient room in the centre for the dice, placed flat, to fit into, the portion of the box to wards the top gradually becoming eniarged, and the sides made smooth. When the dice are once introduced into this ; box, their position cannot be altered by shaking they can merely rise up and down, and when thrown out carefully on the table they fall in the same way, with the exposed sur if face underneath. For example : two dice are introduced with the five and two uppermost, when thrown out the sur face upon which the five and two are marked would be upon the table, the reversed side, which is also five and two, uppermost. Again, if the caster sees six and two upper most, he would call seven, six and one being on the opposite side. It does not signify what main he calls when using this box, because whatever he throws one time he can throw ; again and the only thing he has to guard against is throw ing zrabs. Neither is there any great difficulty in taking up iLe dice, to drop them into the box with the proper number uppermost ; but in landing them on the table there is a if difficulty, thrown boldly, tor, u is the usual method, they naturally turn over, and the intended effect would be r is lost; but by what called boxing the dice," that if, lit GAMES AND WORKS WITH CARDS. merely turning the box, mouth downwards, on the table, and raising it up after the dice are landed —it is secured, and with a certain description of players, with little chance of detection, if not too often had recourse to. Indeed, by way of lulling suspicion, the following finesse is practised : Sup posing a six and a four appear to be uppermost in tho " Doctor," the sharper, by way of variety, calls seven. He, of course, throws four, and has the odds two to one against him. These he takes to a certain sum, when, after having thrown several times any numbers except seven and four, (still taking the odds as he proceeds,) he at length places six and four uppermost, when out comes three, and on making four, he wins his main. UNEQUAL DICE. Are used at French and English hazard ; and from the difficulty in detecting them, if " not made to work too strong," as the phrase is, are said to be introduced, without much hesi- tation, at many of the New York hells, when a certain description of persons are present. They are not, however, so destructive in their operations as " the Despatches ;" although, in the long run, they would create a great balance on their side. They are made some what in the pyramidical form ; and if it be intended to win upon low numbers, the sixes are put at the base of each die, that is, on the largest squares ; because these being the heaviest and having increased surface, are most likely to be the undermost. When high numbers are the game, of course, vice versa ; because number 1 is the reverse of number 6. THE DANGERS OF A GAMING TABLE. Perhaps the most unhappy event that can befal a person who visits a gaming-table for the first time is, that he should •1WES IND TRICKS WITH CARDS. Ill ""Stire from it a winner There seems so little reason whj hat which has already been no easily done should not with equal facility be repeated, there is all but a certainty that the fortunate player will make the attempt. Two gentlemen ■trolled one night into a Paris gaming-house, neither of them being players, and intent, therefore, only on gratifying idle curiosity. One of them, after looking on for some time, threw out a bait to Lady Fortune for three or four Napoleons. She was kind ; and in less than half an hour his pockets were crammed with gold. He wisely resolved to march off with the spoil, and with that laudable intention he asked the dealer to exchange his gold for notes. After receiving 4,500 francs in paper, there still remained three unlucky " Napoleons. Let's see what I can do with these," cried their possessor. He tried and lost them. That was pro voking ! Resolved to recover them, he changed one of his notes —then another —and in less than ten minutes he left the room without a franc in his purse. Reflecting on the difficulty of leaving the gaming-table a winner, he never played again " Gamble not at an, Remember that the Gambler's Cite Is written on the gates of hell." Among the innumerable anecdotes related of the ruin of persons at play, there is one worth relating, which refers to * Mr. Porter, a gentleman who, in the reign of Queen Anne, possessed one of the finest estates in Northumberland, the whole of which he lost at hazard in twelve months. Accord ing to the story told of this madman —for wo will call him nothing else — when he had just completed the If ss of his last acre at a gambling house in London, and was proceed tog down the stairs to throw himself into a carriage to tly GAMES AND TR70AC WTTH carns. •onve" him home to his house in town, he resorved utica having one more throw to trv to retrieve his losses, and immediatelv returned to the room where the play was going bn. Nerved for the worst that might happen, he insisted that the person he had been playing with should give him one chance of recovery, or fight with him. His proposition was this: That his carriage and horses, the trinkets and loose money in his pockets, his town house, plate and furni ture-in short, all he had left in the world—should he valued at a certain sum, and be thrown at a single cast. No persuasions could prevail upon him to depart from his pur. pose. He threw, and lost. Then conducting the winner to the door, he told the coachman there was his master, and marched forth into the dark and dismal streets, without house or home, or any one credible means of support. Thus beggared, he retired to an obscure lodging in a cheap part of the town, subsisting partly on charity, sometimes acting as the marker at a billiard table, and occasionally as a helper in a livery stable. In this miserable condition, with naked ness and famine staring him in the face, exposed to the taunts and insults of those whom he had once supported, he was reevgnized by an old friend, who gave him ten guineas to purchase necessaries. He expended five in procuring decent apparel; with the remainder he repaired to a com. mon gaming-house, and increased them to fifty; he then adjourned to one of the higher order of houses, sat down with former associates, and won twenty thousand pounds Returning the next night he lost it all, was once more pen. miless, and after subsisting many years in abject penury, died a ragged beggar in St. Giles DICK & FITZGERALD, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK. The Publishers, upon receipt of the price, will send any of the followi^ books by mail, postage free, to any pan uf the United States. In ordering books, the full name, post-office, county and State should be plainly written. Inquire Within for You to ; Anything Want" Know or, Over 3,500 Facts for the People. Inquire Within is one of the most valuable and extraordinary volumes ever presented to the American public, and embodies nearly 4,0 0 facts, in most of which any person living will And instruction, aid and entertaiament. As n book to be kept in the family for reference it is unequaJeU, comprising, as it devs. ad kinds of books of in formation in a single volume. " l6\s a Doctor, a Hardener, a School A Ready Reckoner" and a House- master^ keeper. 4 Dancing-Master, an Artist, a Nat uralist, It Also Contains A Modeler, a Cook, a Lawyer, Tables of Weights and Measures, A Surgeon, a Chemist, a perfumer, Interest Tables from $1 up to 110,000. A Dyer, a Brewer, an Architect, Innumerable Tables on Curions and A Bookkeeper, a Confectioner^ a Interesting Subjects, Laundress, All Kinds of lamily Amnsements A "Doyle," a "Letter-Writer," and Recreations. It might strike the casual observer as something incredible, if not impos sible, that such an immense and varied amount of matter could be, crowded into a book of the merely nominal price of a dollar and a half ; but the work contains 4:*G large pages of small type, closely printed in double column, and s, of it will convince the most skeptical that the only thing to be won. SBrnsalered at in it, is the extremely low price at which it is offered. Bound in extra cloth, with gilt side and back $1.50 The Perfect Gentleman. A book of Etiquette and Eloquence. Containing information and instruction for those who desire to become brii- slant or conspicuous in General Society, or at Parties, Dinners or Popular Gatherings, etc. It give- 3 directions now to use wine at table, with KiJvs forjndging the quality thereof. Rules for Carving, and a complete Etiquette of tho Dinner Table, including Dinner Speeches, Toasts and Sentiments, Wit and Conversation at Table, etc. It has also an American Code of Eti quette and Politeness for all occasions. Tt also contains all the necessary nformatlon relating to the Rules of Etiquette to be observed in fashionable Slid official society at Washington, and this alone makes it valuable to any one who visits that city, either for pleasure or business. ^It also contains, Model Speeches, with directions how to deliver them, Duties of the Chair man at Public Meetings, Forms of Preambles and Resolutions, etc. It is a jsMsdwwly bound volume of 335 pages $L£0 Popular Books sent Free of Portage at the Pricei annexed. McBride's New Dialogues. Especially designed for School and Literary Amateur Entertainments ; containing entirely New and Origi nal Dialogues, introducing Irish, Yankee, and other eccentric charaetara. liy H. Elliott McBbidi. Contents. A Happy Woman. An Uncomfortable Predicament. The Somnambulist. The Opening Speech. The Thompson*. The Cucumber Hill Debating Club. Playing Scltoot. Married by the New Justice. Tom and Sally. Bread on the Waters. Assisting Hexekiah. An Unsuccessful Advance. A Visit to the Oil Regions. When Women Have Their Rights. Bre :king up the Exhibition. Only Another Footprint. Around, Turning Rosabella's Lovers. A LiU.e Boy** Debate. A Smart Boy. The Silver Lining. A Heavy Shower. Srs'rninii g Jotham. Master of the Situation. A Shoemaker's Troubles. 16mo, 178 pages, illuminate! paper cover 30 cts* Bound in boards 50 CtS Pick's Art of Wrestling. A Hand-Book of thorough in struction in Wrestling, with the accepted Rules to be observed in the different methods of wrestling generally adopted at the present time. Fully illustrated by well-designed engravings, exhibiting all the ag gressive and defensive positions necessary for success .25 eta. Pick's Book of Toasts, Speeches and Responses. Contain ing Toasts and Sentiments for Public and Social Occasions, and specimen Speeches with appropriate replies suitable for the following occasions ; Public Dinners, Friendly Meetings, Sol Weddings and their Anniversaries, ConvivialoGatherings, Army and Navy Banquets, Art and professional Banquets, Patriotic and Political Occasions, Mari ufacturers' Meetings, Trades' Unions and Dinners, Agricultural and Commercial Festivals, Benedicts' and Bachelors' Banquets, Special Toasts for Ladies, Masonic Celebrations, (Turistmat, ThanJcsgiving and other Fes Sporting Coteries, tivals, All Kinds of Occasions. This work includes an instructive dissertation on the Art of making amnsing Speeches, giving hints and directions by the aid of which persons with only ordinary intelligence can make an entertaining and tellingaspeech. Also, Correct Rules and Advice for Presiding at Table. The use of this work will render a poor and diffident speaker — fluent and witty and a good speaker better and wittier, besides affording an im mense fund of anecdotes, wit and wisdom, and other serviceable matter to draw upon at will. Paper covers. Price 80 cts. Dinner Napkins, and How to Fold Them. Containing plain and systematic directions for arranging and folding Napkins or Serviette* for the Dinner Table, from the simplest forms to the most elaborate and artistic desijnis. By Georpiana C. Clark. This little work embraces all the favorite designs In general use for trans forming a plain Ninkin into one of the most attractive and ornamental appendages to an elegantly arranged Dinner-Table. Some of the patterns being expressly intended for combining artistic display with floral decora* tion, appropriately symbolic of Bridal and other special occasions. Jfrofnsely illustrated it eta. Popular Boots sent Tree of Postage at the Prices annexed. Le Marchand's Fortune-Teller and Dreamer's Dictionary. Containing a complete Dictionary of Dreams, alphabetically arranged, *vilb a clear interpretation ofr-aek Dream. Also showing how to tell fortunes by Lady s Love the Oracle. How to foretell the Sex of Children How te tell any Person's Aye. To know who your futuro Hnsbund will bo, and soon how yon will bo Married. How to tell 1' nture even' « with Cards, Dica Toa and Coffee (grounds, Eggs, Apple ■ Tarings and tho Lines of the Hand. Illnstrated with wood engravings. 144 pages. Hound iu boards 40 eta, Fontaine's Golden Wheel Dream-Book and Being the Fortune-Tellrr. most complete book on Fortune Telling and Interpreting \ Dreams ever printed. This book informs you how to Tei.i, Fortune;* wits the Golden Cards, wheel. Vice and Doiaino&t; bow to fiuil whore to dig for water, with the celebrated Divining Kod ; together with Twenty Wnvs ol Telling Fortunes on New Year's Eve. It is illustrated with engravings, and eontains a large Colored lithographic Engraving of the Oolden Wheel whioh folds up. 144 pages, bound in boards 4fj Pettengill's Perfect Fortune-Teller and Dream-Book; or, The Art of Discerning Future Events. Tlids is a most complete Fortuno- Teller and Dream-Book. It is compiled with great care from au thorities on Astrology, Geology, Chiromancy, Necromascy, Spiritual Phi losophy, etc., etc. Among the subjects treated of, are— Casting Nativities by the Stars, Telling Fortunes by Lines on the Hand, by Moles on the Body, by Turning Cards, by Questions of Destiny, by Physical Appearances, by the Day of Bixth, 144 etc. A Cook of pages. Bound in boards.. .40 Cts. Mother Shipton's Fortune-Teller; or, Future Fate Fore Beiug the 900 told by the Plavsts. Answers of Pythagoras to the Ques tions of Life's Destiny. Derivod from the Mystio Numbers and Letters ol the Planets. Containing the Emblematical and Mystical Wheel of Fortune and Fate, colored. 115 pages, paper covers 30 cts. Mother Shipton's Oriental Dream-Book. Being a reliable interpretation'of Dreams, Visions, Apparitions, etc. Together with a Hi» tory of Hemarkable Dreams, proven true as interpreted. Collected and ar masters, ranged from the most celebrated lfc'mo, paper covers 30 Cts. The Everlasting Fortune-Teller and Magnetic Dreasn- Book Containing the Science of Foretelling Events by the Signs of the Zodiac; Lists of Lucky and Unlucky Days; List of Fortunate Honrs; the Science of Foretelling Events bv Cards, Dice, Dominoes, etc.; the Science of Foretelling anything in the Future by Dreams; and aiso containing Na. poi.kon's ORAcnU'M; or, The Book of Fate 30 cts. Mother Carey's Dream-Book and Fortune-Teller. Contain ing the method of Fortune-Telling with Cards; a complete Dreamer I Dio- tionarv; the Science of Palmistry, or telling Fortunes by the Lines of the Hand- how to tell a Person's 'Character by a list of Lucky and Unlucky days and hours ; how to tell with Cards which of Three Ladlas has the best Hnsband. Mathematical Tables for telling any Person's Age.. 16 cts. Aristotle's Book of Fate and Dictionary of Breams. 0ou- taining Dreams and their Interpretations; the Signification of Moles on Men' and Women; one hundred and eighty -seven Weather Omens ; Hy men's Lottery and Aristotle's Oraculum, or Book of Fate 15 cts. The Esrvptian Dream-Book and Forttma-Teller. Contain- lng an~Ali'hi\bijtical list of Droams, with th^ir si^i.lfloation and their hicky number*. Illustrated with explanatory ditigiauis. ik,*i-dsi, cloth keek 40 cts. Popular Books Sent Free of Postage at the Prices Annexed. The French Wine and Liquor Manufacturer. A Practical Guide and Receipt Book for the Liquor Merchant... Being a clear and com. rehensive Treatise on the Manufacture and Imitation of Brandy, Rum #in and Whisky, with Practical Observations and Rules for the Manu facture and Management of all kinds of Wine, by Mixing, Boiling and Fer mentation, as practiced in Europe; including complete instructious for Manufacturing Champagne. Wine, and the most approved methods for making a variety of Cordials, Liquors, Punch, Essences, Bitters and Syrups, together with a number of Recipes for Fining, Flavoring, Filtering and Coloring Wines and Liquors, and instructions for Restoring and Keep ing Ale and Cider. Also containing the latest improvements for Manu facturing Vinegar by the Quick Method... To which is added a collection HDescriptive Articles on Alcohol, Maceration and the use of th Hydrometer; with Tables, Comparative Scale, and 14 important Rules for Purchasing, Reducing and Raising£the Strength of Alcohol, etc._ Illus: trated with descriptive diagrams and engravings. Adapted forthe Use and Information of the Trade in the United States and Canada. Py_John Rack, Practical Wine and Liquor Manufacturer. Bound in cloth....33.00 Bartender's Guide. Containing Recipes for Mixing American, English, French, Gorman, Italian, Spanish and Russian Drinks—such as Ju'eps, Punches, Cobblers, Slings, Cocktails, etc. By Jerry Thomas, late Bartender at the Metropolitan Hotel, New York, and Planter's House, St. Louis. To which is appended a Maliual for the Manufacture of Coruial Liquors, Fancy Syrups, etc., containing Recipes after the most approve methods now used in the Distillation of Liquors and Beverages, designed the special use Manufacturers for of # Dealers in Wines and Spirits, Grocers, Tavern-keepers and Private Families—the same being adapted to the trade of the United States and Canada. The whole work containing over 780 valuable recipes. A large book, bound in cloth...... £5 The Independent Liquorist; or, The Art of Manufacturing all kinds of Syrups, Bitters, Cordials, Champagne, Wines, Lager P-r, Ale, Porter, Beer, Punches, Tinctures, £5, Brandy, G-n, Essences, Flavorings, Colorings, Sauces, Catsups, Pickles, Préserves, etc. By L. Monzert, Practical Liquorist and Chemist. Every Druggist. Grocer, Restaurant, H Farmer, Fruit Dealer, Wine should have a copy of this work. . It gives the most approved methods, an a true description of the manner in which our most popular beverages£are in plain'' inexperienced person such terms that the most can manu acture as well as the practical man, without the aid of any expensive ap paratus.£ 12mo, cloth...... 93.00 The Bordeaux Wine and Liquor Dealer's Guide A on the Manufacture of French Wines and Liquors, with full directions Wines, etc., A of the Liquor Dealer how to manage his etc. ':book great to every value who deals in Foreign and American Spirituons Liquors, or For eign Wines, Cordials, etc.£It tells exactly how all kinds or them are made Thc directions are simple and easily understood. At also tells how to make all'kinds of Ales, Porter and other fermented liquor, how to manage Cider, etc 12mo, cloth...... $2.50 |Lacour on the Manufacture of Liquors, Wines and Cordials, Without the aid of Distillation. Also, the Manufacture of Effervescing Beverages and Syrups, Vinegar and Bitters. Prepared and arranged ex pressly for the Trade. By Pierre Lacour. By the use of this book every man can make ail kinds of liquors, wines, cordials and vinegar and sy"ups at homo, withou the use of any apparatus of any kind . The work is by he French chemist -acetil, of Bordeaux, We would advise all who are Axia. corned in the lic uol ausiness to get the work. Bound in cloth...... 82." lopnlar Books sent Free of Postage at the Prices annexed. New and Dick's Games of Patience ; or Solitaire with Cards. Revised Edition. Containing Sixty-four Games. Illnstrated with Fifty ex planatory full-page Tableaux. This treatise on Solitaire, a pastime which is steadily gaining in popularity, embraces a number of new and origin* I Games, and all the Games of Patience at present in favor with the most experienced playors. This comprehensive work contains the following -Games Auld lALvg Syne. The Beleaguered Castle. The Four teem. Tarn- O'Shanter. The Citadel. Napoleon's Favorite. The Four Season*. The Exiled Kings. The Fijteen Pu- sle. Simplicity. Penelope's Web. The Contra-Dance. The Gathering of the Napoleon's Square. The Betrothal. Clans. The Court Yard. The Reinforcements. Napoleon at St. Helena. The Windmill. The Reserve. The Calculation. Leoni's Own. The Frog. The Surprise Party. La Nivemaise. The Pyramid. The Four Kings. The Four Comers. The Quadrille. The Cluck. The Baker's Dozen. The Chatelaine. The Garden. The Salic Law. The Order ofI*recedencc The Queen's Andience. The Sultan of Turkey. The Congress. The Phalanx. The Fortress. Thirteen Down. The Idle Year. The Hemispheres. The Octagon. The Chameleon. The Elevens. Light and Shade. La Belle Lucie, The Chester Game. St. Louis. The Shamrfcks. The Shah of Persia. Rouge el Noir. The Honse in the Wood. The Empress of India. The Blondes and Bru The Honse on the Hill. The Zodiac. nettes. The Grar.d Duchess. The Blockade. The Royal Cotillion. The Constitution. The Besieged City. Nestor. Each game is carefully and lucidly described, with the distinctive rules to ba observed and hints as to the best means of success in play. The Tableaux furnish efficient aid in rendering the disposition of the cards necessary to each game plain and easily comprehensible. The difficulty nsually attend ing descriptions of intricate games is reduced, as far as possible, by pre cision in method and terseness of expression in the text, and the illns trations serve to dispel any possible ambiguity that might be unavoidable without their aid. The work is attractive in style and elegant in execution, and will prove an interesting companion for many a solitary hour. Quarto. li.i pages. Board cover 75 Cts. Cloth. tl 00. Dick's Parlor Exhibitions, and How to Make them Suc cessful. Containing complete and detailed directions for preparing and arranging Parlor Exhibitions and Amateur Performances. It inclndes : Tableaux Vivants. Popular Ballads illnstrated by appr9* Living Portraits. priate action. Living Statuary. Charades tf ail k'nds. Dame History's Peep Show. Parlor Pantomimes. Shadow Pantomimes. Punch and Jndy. ANB FIFTY OTHER DIVESTING PABLOB PASTIMES AND AMUSEMENTS. ' It contains also a full Catalogue of the celebrated Art Exhibition," and a practical treatise on the wonderful Science of Second-Sight, by the aiiJ of which all the starthng effects and achievements of second-sight may bf performed by any one possessing a tolerable retentive memory. This work is thoroughly practical and gives the fullest instructions for pre- pari»g and lighting the stage, the construction of the Frames for Living Portraits, and shows how each performance can be presented wii-h com plete success. It is illnstrated with numerons engravings explaining the text. 150 pages, paper cover 36 ct* Bound in boards, cloth back 50 eta Popular Books sem Free of Pestage at the Prices annexes. - Walker's Rhyming, Spelling and Pronouncing Dictiona & of the English Langüage. Containing I. The whole Language arranged ae- IV Many of the most difficult Werde carding its to terminations. rendered easy to be pronounced, b II. Bwery Word explained and di. being classed according to their vided into Syllabies, exactly as pro- ings. mounsced. V. Numerous classes of Words ascer. III. Multitudes of Words, liable to a tained tn their pronunciation, by double pronunciation, fixed in their distinguishing them into perfect by * true sound a Rhyme. nearly perfect and allowable Rhynes: To which is added critical and practical Observations on Orthography' Syllabication, Pronunciation, an Index of Allowable Rhymes, with Author ities for their usage, etc. Royal 12 no, 700 pages...... &#.U.) , Rook of Household Pets, Containing valuable instructions about the Diseases, Breeding, Training and Management of the Canary, Mocking Bird, Brown Thrush or Thrasher, Blue Bird, Yellow Bird, Scarlet Tanager, Bobolink, Baltimore Or'ole, European Black Bird, Blue Jay, Blue and Yeliow Macaw, Carolina Parrakeet, Cöckatoo, Green and Gray Parrot, and the rearing and management of all kinds of Pigeons and Fanoy Poultry, Rabbits, Squirrels, Guinea Pigs, White Mice and Dogs; together with a Comprehensive Freatise on the Principle and Management of the Salt and Fresh Water Aquarium, with instructions how to make, lay the foundation. and stock the Tank. Illustrated with 123 fine wood-cuts. Bound in boards, cloth back...----...... ----.50 cts. Chesterfield's Art of Letter-Writing. Simplified. A Guide to Friendly, Affectionate, Polite and #usiness torrespondence. Contaluing a collection of valuable information relative to the Art of Letter-Writing, with clear instructions how to begin and end Correspondence, Rules for Punctuation and Spelling, etc., with numerous examples of Letters and Notes, with several important hints on Love-letters...... 15 cts, The Life, Crime and Capture of John Wilkes Booth. With a full Sketch of the Conspiracy of whi.h he was the Leader, and the Pur suit, Trial and Execution of his Accomplices, together with an original By George Poem on Abraham Lincoln. Alfred Townsend, a Special Cor respondent. Illustrated on the cover with a fine portrait of the Assassin. and also containing Plans, Maps, etc. Octavo...... • • • • • .25 cts. The Hindoo Fortune-Teller and Oracle of Destiny. Con taining Ten Methods of Telling Fortunes with Cards, a complete syston of Fortune Telling with Dice, together with Sixty-seven Good and Bad Omens, with their interpretation...... i5 uti, £he Combination Fortune-Teller and Dictionary of £realms, A Comprehensive Encyclopedia explaining, all the different methods extant by which good and evil events, are foretold, containing 4.4% p ges, and illustrated with numerous engravings and two large colors' lithographs. 16mo, cloth...... 61.25: £12 Play-Ground; or, Out-Door Games for Boys. A Book of Healthy Recreations for Youth, containing over a hundred Ansusements, #"cluding Games of and Speed, Games with Toys, Marties. Tops, Hoops, Kites, Archery, Balls; with Cricket, Croquet and Base-Báil. # in Splendidly illustrated with 124 fine wood-cuts. Bound boards....5oct. 10,000 Wonderful Things. Comprising the Marvelous and Rare, Eccentric and Extraordia.ary, in all Ages and Nations. Enriched with hundreds of illustratious 12ino, cloth, gilt side...... 31.5% Popular Books seat Free of Postage at the Prices Allyn's Ritual of Freemasonry. Containing a complete Key to the following Degrees : Degree of Entered Apprentice; Degree of Fol low Craft; Degree of Master Mason ; Degree of Mark Master; Degree of Past Master; Degree of Excellent Master; Degree of Royal Arch ; Royal Arch Chapter; Degree of Royal Master ; Degree of Select Master ; Degree of Super-Excellent Master; Degree of Ark and Dove ; Degree of KiUirhls of Constantinople ; Degree of Secret Monitor ; Degree of Heroine of Jeri- i cho; Degree of Knights of Three Kings; Mediterranean Pass; Order ot | Knights of the Red Cross; Order of Knights Templar and Knights of ( Malta; Knights of the Christian Mark, and Guards of the Conclave^ - Knights of the Holy Sepulchre; The Holy and Thrice Illustrious Order of the Cross; Secret Master; Perfect Master; Intimate Secretary ; Provost and Judge; Intendant of the Buildings, or Master in Israel ; Elected Knights ox Kino ; Elected Grand Master; Sublime Knights Elected; Grand Master Architect ; Knights of the Ninth Arch; Grand Elect, Per fect and Sublime Mason. Illustrated with 38 copper-plate engravings; tc which is added, a Key to the Phi Beta Kappa, Orange and Odd Fellows So cieties. By Avery Allyn, i£.R. C.K.T. K. M., etc. 12ino, cloth, ...$5.00 tester's "Look to the East." (Webb Work,) A Ritual ot the First Throe Degrees of Masonry. Containing the complete work of the Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft and Master Mason's Degrees, and their Ceremonies, Lectures, etc. Edited i-y Ralph P. Lester. This complete and beautiful Pocket Manual of tue First Three Degrees of Masonry, is printed in clear, legible type, and not obscured by any attempts at cypher or other perplexing contractions. It differs entirely from all other Manuals, from the fact that it contains neither the passwords, grips, nor any other purely esoteric matter, with which Masons, and Masons only, are necessarily entirely familiar. It affords, therefore, a thorough and valuable guide to " the regular work" in the above degrees, divested of everything that any member of the Fraternity would object to see in print, or hesitate to carry in his pocket. It gives the correct routine of Opening and Closing the Lodge in The Entire Ceremonies of Initiating, each Degree. Pawing and Raising Candidates, l Calling Off and calling On. The Lectures all RituaUy and Iron. Calling the Lodge Up and Down. xtoriaUy Complete. Bound in cloth $2.00 Leather tucks (pocket-book styles), gilt edges 2.66 Duncan's Masonic Ritual and Monitor; or, Guide to the Three Symbolic Degrees of the Ancient York Rite, Entered Apprentice, Fel low Craft and Master Mason. And to the Degrees of Mark Master, Past Master, Most Excellent Master, and the Royal Arch. By Malcolm C. Dun can. Explained and Interpreted by copions Notes and numerons Engrav ings. It is not so much the design of the author to gratify the curiosity of the uninitiated, as tofumish a Guide to the Younger Members of the Order, by means of which their progress from grade to grade may be facilitated. With the aid of this invaluable Masonic Companion, any mnson can. i* . a short time, become qualified to take the Chair as Master of a Lodge. . Nothing is omitted in It that may tend to impart a full understanding of i the principles of Masonry. This is a valuable book for the Fraternity, con taming, as it does, the Modern "Work" of the order. No Mason should be without it. Bound in cloth $£,50 1 Leather tucks (pocket-book style), with gilt edges 3,00 Lander's Expose of Odd-Fellowship. Containing all the Lec tures complete, with regulations for Ofening, Conducting and Closing a Lodge; together with Forms of Initiation, Charges of the virions OfTicrrK.eto., giving all the work in the following Degrees: 1st, or White Degree; 3d, or Covenant Degree ; 3d. or Royal lilue Degree ; 4th. or Remembrance Dfr grw; 5th, or Scarlet Degree * 26 cts. Popular Books sent Free of Postage at the Prices annexed. Martine's Manual of Etiquette and Perfect Letter- Writer. For the nse of both Ladies and Gentlemen. A great many books have boon printed on the subject of Etiquette and correct behavior in society ; bat none of tlieui are sutiiciently comprehensive and matter-of-fact to sait the o'ass of people who may be called new-beginners in fashionable life. Thin book explains in a plain, commou-sense way, precisely how to conduot yourself in ovei-y positiou in society. This book also contains over 300 sen sible letters anil notes suitable t# every occasion. It has some excellent model letters of friendship and bnsiness, and its model Love-Letters are ua- equaled. If any lady or gentleman desires to know how to begin a lovst the book want. This volume correspondence, "tins is jnst they " contains ik^ same matter as Martinet Hand- Book of Etiquette" and Martinet Sen" rible Letter- Writer" and, in fact, combines those two books bound together In one substantial volume of 373 pages. Cloth, gilt &L.50 frost's Original Letter-Writer, and Laws and By-Laws of American Society, combined. Being a complete collection of Original Letters and Notes upon every; imaginable subject of every-day life, and a condensed but thorough treatise on Etiquette and its Usages in America. By S. A. Frost. This bo,k consists of Miss Frost's two celebrated works on Etiquette and Letter Writing, bound together in one substantial volume. Anybody who wants a book that will tell them how to appear to advantage in society, or how to write a letter on almost any subject, should send for a copy of this valuable work. 16*ino, 378 pages, extra cloth $1,53 One Hundred and Thirty Comic Dialogues and Recitations. Being Barton's Comic Recitations and Humorons Dialogues, and Spencer's Comic Speeches and Dialogues, combined in one volume. This capital book contains an endless variety of Comic Speeches, Humorons Scenes, Amusing Burlesques and Diverting Dialogues. It embraces French, Dutch, Irish, Ethiopian and Yankee Stories, and from its fruitful pages may be selected enough fun to make any entertainment a success. Boundin cloth. Frost's School and Exhibition Dialogues. Comprising Frost's Humorons Exhibition Dialogues, and Frost's Dialogues for Tounsr Folks, combined in one volume. By getting this excellent book, the difficulty in procuring a good dialogue for a school exhibition will be entirely overcome. It contains sixty-one good dialogues of every shade and variety, and from its well-stored pages may bo selected enough original matter to insure ths success of a score of entertainments. Bound in cloth 51.50 Twenty-six Short and Abusing Plays for Private Theat ricals. Being Howard's Drawing-room Theatricals and Hndson's Privets Theatricals combined in one volume. This book, as the title implies, con tains twenty-six of the best pl.iys that can be selected for a private theat rical entertainment. It contains several amnsing plays for one sex only, mid is thns adapted for the army, navy, and male or femalo boardings ,; schools. It contains plain directions for getting up a good amateur perforna- J anee. Boundiu cloth 6I.5UI |Dr. Valentine's Comic Lectures; or, Morsels of Mirth for tn.9 Melancholy. Comprising Comic Lectures on Heads, Faces, Noses, Mouths, Animal Magnetism, etc., with Specimens of Eloquence, Trans actions of Learned Societies, Delineations of Eccentric Characters, Oomls Songs, etc., e:o. By Dr. "Vf. Valentine. Illnstrated with 12 portraits ol Dr. valontine in his most celebrated characters. Paper covers 75 etl Broad Grins of the Laughing Philosopher. This book ia frill of the drollest and queerest incidents imaginable, interspersed with jokes, quaint sayings and funny pictures. It also contains twenty-nine lnnghablt •jftgTftvinffS 12 eft* Popular Books sent Free of Postage at tho Prices annexed Ihe American Boy's Book of Sports and Games. A Re* pository of In and Out-Door Amnsements Tor Boys and Youth*. Containing 600 largo 12mo yuges. Dluatrated with nearly 7' O engravings, designed by "White, Herrick. Weir and Uarvey, and engraved by X. Urr. This is n Questionably tho most attractive and valuable book of its load ever 1 in this or uuy othor eou It was three yours m preparation, i ... braces all the sports and names that tend to develop the physical cun dilu tion, improve tuo mind and heart, and relieve tha tedium or lfisure hour*, thy both in tho parlor und field. The engravings arc in the first style of rha art, and embrace eight full-pnge ornamental titles, and fonr large colored* Ohromos, illnstratii. g the several departments of tho work, beautifully pi iutc-d on tintod paper. Xno bookie Issued in the bent style, being printed oa fine sized paper, and handsomely bound. Extra cloth, jriltsido and back, extra gold, beveled boards .'. $2.00 Mrs. Crowen's American Lady's Cookery Book. Giving every variety of information for ordinary and holiday occasions, and con taming over 1,200 Original Receipts for Preparing and Cooking Soups and Broths. Pish and Oysters. Clams, Mnssels, Crabs sad Terrapins. Meats oi ail kinds, Poultry and Game, Eggs and Cheese, Vegetables and Salads, Sauces of all kinds, fancy Desserts, jfnddings and Cnstards, Pies and Tarts. Bread and Biscuit, Rolls and Cakes, Preserves and Jellies, Pickles aaq Catsups, Potted Heats, etc., etc. ; with valuable hints on choosing and pur chasing all kinds of provisions, on preparing ripe fruits for the table. Bills oi Fare for tho guidance of young honsekeepers, the arrangement of the tabU tor Dinner Parties, the Etiquette of the Dinner-table. Cookery for invalids, Carving made easy, etc., the whole being a complete system of American Cookery. By Mrs. T. J. Crowen. 48J paged, 12mo. cloth SL&O The Eeason Why of General Science. A caroful collection ot some thonsands or Reasons for thine™ which, thong a generally known, are imperfectly understood. It is a complete Encyclopedia of Science : and persons who have never had the advantage of a liberal education may, by the aid of this volume, acquire knowledge w hich the stndy of years onfy would impart in the ordinary course. It explains everything in Science that can be thought of, and the whole is arranged with a full index. 346 pages, bound ia cloth, gilt, and illnstrated with numerons wood-cuts. .$1.50 Biblical Reason Why. A Handsome Book for Biblical Stu dents, and a Guide to Family Scripture Readings. This work gives 1,494 Reasons, founded upon tho Bible, and assigned by the most eminent Divines and Christian Philosophers, for the great and all-absorbing events recorded ' * in the History of the Bible, tho Life of our Saviour and Tthe Acts of Lis Apostles. It will enable Sunday- school teachers to explain most of the ob scure and difficult passages that occur ia the Scriptures. Cloth, gilt. .(1.50 i The Reason Why of Natural History. An illustrated book ; or popular Information on all matters relating to Birds. Beasts, Fishes. Rep tiles, etc. It gives the Reasons for hnndreds of interesting facts in conncc- tion with Zoology, and affords an immense amount of instructisn ia ths peculiar habits and instincts of the varions orders of the Animal Kingdom. Bound ia cloth, gilt $1.6Q The T)\ree Volumes of the REASON WHY SERIES are uniform tn size and style, and form a valuable addition to every Library. fionillard's Book of Practical Receipts, For the uee of Families, Druggists, Perfumers, Confectioners, and peeler* fp ftoAps Fancy Articles for the Toilet. By F. A, SouUlurd. Paper covers - . .25 ct^ Popular Books sent Free of Postage at the Prices annexed. Pollard's Artistic Tableaux. With Picturesque Diagrams and Descriptions of Costumes. Text by Josephine Pollard ; arrangement of Diagrams by Walter Satterlee. This excellent worU gives all tlie necessary information in relation to the preparation of the stage, rha dressing and grouping of the characters, and the method of arranging everything bo as to produce the proper effects. Simple and easy of con struction as tableaux appear to be to tho&e who Bit before the curtain, anyonowho has assisted in their preparation knows that they mnst be well stndied and carefully arranged in order to produce really good and artistic effects. This mamial ie prepared with diagrams furnished by a distinguished artist who has had large experience in the arrange ment of tableaux. Oblong, paper covers. Price 30 cts. Talk of Uncle George to his Nephew About Draw Poker. Containing valuable suggestions in connection with this Great American Game; also instructions and directions to Clubs and Social Card Parties, whose members play only for recreation and pastime, with timelv warn ings to young players. Illnstrated. Quarto, Paper. Pries .25 Ct3. Holberton's Art of Angling; or, How and Where to Catch Fish. A practical Hand-Book for learners in everything that pertains to the art of Fishing with Rod and Keel. By Wakeman Holberton. Fully illnstrated. It describes the special methods and appliances requisite to catch each variety o* the finny tribe, and the most favorable localities to find them ; with practical hints on camping out, necessary outfit, and the beat choice of apparatns and baits, etc. Cloth, flexible 50 cts. " Proctor on Draw-Poker. A Critical Dissertation on Poker Principles and Chance Laws." By Prof. Richard A. Proctor. An in teresting Treatise on the Laws and Usages which govern the Game of Draw-Pokei*, with Practical Remarks upon the Chances and Probabilities of the Game, and a Critical Analysis, ot the Theories and Statistics ad vanced by Blackbridge and other writers ou the subject, and especially in regard to their doctrines relating to cumulative recurrences. Small qawto 15 cts. Lander's Kevised Work of Odd-Fellowship. Containing all the Lectures, complete, with Regulations for Opening, Conducting, and Closing a Lodge ; together with Forms of Initiation, Charges of the Varions Officers, etc., with the Complete work in the following Degrees Initiation ; First, or Pink Degree ; Second, or Royal Blue Degree ; Third, or Scarlet Degree. By Edwin F. Landeb. This hand-book of the Revised Work of the Independent Order of Odd-Fellowship has been prepared in conformity with the amendments and alterations adopted by the Sover eign Grand Lodge of Canada in September, 1880. lCmo, paper cover, £5 Cts, The Jolly Joker ; or, a Langh ail Eonnd. An Immense CoL lection of the Funniest Jokes, Drollest Anecdotes and most Side-Splitting Oddities in existence, profnsely illnstrated from beginning to end, in the most mirth-provoking style. The illnstrations alone are sufficient for a constant and long-snstained series of good, square laughs for all time. 12mo, 144 pages, illnstrated cover 25 Cts* Some Comicalities. A Whole Yolume of Jolly Jokes, Quairf Anecdotes, Funny Stories, Brilliant Witticism's *ad Crashing Conun drams, with as many droll illnstrations to the page —and every page ni that—ae can bo crowded into it. 144 pages. Illnstrated cover 25 Cts. Dick's Dutch, French and Yankee Dialect Recitations. An unsurpassed Collection of Droll Dutch Blunders, Frenchmen's Funny Mistakes,and Ludicrous and Extravagant Yankee Yarns, each Recitation being in lts own dialect. DUTCH DIALECT". Der Nighd Pehind Grisd A Frenchman's Account on Int,8. the Fall. Der Mule Shtood on der The Dutchman’s Snake. I Want to Fly. Steamboad Deck. Yoppy's The Generous Frenchman. Way, Becky Warder und Hees Go Miller. Drubbles. The Frenchman and the Der Drummer. Dhree Shkaders. Mygel Snyder's Barty. Flea Powder. Snyder's Katrina likes Me Poody The Frenchman and the Nose. Well. Rats. Dyin' Words of Isaac. Tians in a Fix. Monsieur Tonson. Fritz und I. * Leedle Yaw.cob Strauss. Wat You Please. Betsey und Hafe Bust Ub. I How a Dutchman was Done. Rchneider sees Leah. The Frenchman and the Dot Funny Leetle Baby. vot Mary Haf Mosquitoes. Schnitzerl's Philosoped.6. P:Ot.Lamb. The Frenchman’s Patens The Yankee and the Dutch Screw. Der Dog und der Lobster. Schlosser's Ride. man's Dog. The Frenchman’s Mistake. Mine Katrine. 2wei Lager. Monsieur Mocquard Be Schneider's Ride. tween Two Fires. Maud Muller. ... The Dutchman and tho Ein Deutsches Lied. - '' Small-pox. Hans and Fritz. - Tiamondts on der Prain. YANKEEDIALECT. Schneider's Tomatoes. Deitsche Advertisement. A Dutchman's Testimony Mrs. Bean's Courtship. Vas Bender Henshpecked. in a Steamboat Case. Hez and the Landlord. Hans Breitmann and the Squire Billings' Life, Liberty and Lager. Turners. Pickerel. Der Goot Lookin’ Shnow. Deacon Thrush in Meeting The Yankee Fireside. Mr. Schmidt’s Mistake. FRENCEL DIALECT. Home Again. Peter Sorghum in Love. Dot Surprise Party. The Frenchman's Dilemma; Mrs. Smart Learns how to Der Wreck of der Hezberus. or, Number Five Collect Skate. Isaac Rosenthal on the Street. Capt. Hurricane Jones on Chinese Question. The Frenchman's Revenge. the Miracles. Hans Breltmann's Party. Noozell and the Organ The Dutchman and the Shoo Flies. Grinder. Yankee. a A Dutchman's Answer. How Frenchman Enter The Yankee Landlord. How Jake Schneider Went tained John Bull. The Bewitched Clock. Blind. Mr. Rogers and Monsieur The Yankee and the Dutch I Vash Bo Glad I Wash Here. Denise. man's Dog. The Dutchman and the The Frenchman and the Aunt Hotty on Matrimony. Yankee. Landlord. The Courtin”. How the Dutchman Killed The Frenchman and the Ebenezer on a Bust. the Woodchuck. Sheep's Trotters. Sut Lovingood's Shirt. This Collection contains all the best dialect pieces that are incidentally scattered through a large number of volumes of “Recitations and Readings,” besides new and excellent sketches never before published. 170 pages, paper cover...... :30 ets. Bound in boards, cloth back...... 50 cts. Dick's Irish Dialect Recitations. A carefully compiled Collec tion of Rare Irish Stories, Comi Poetical and Prose Recitations, Humorous Letters and Funny Recitals,all told with theirresistible Humor of the Irish dialect. Containing Biddy's Troubles. Irish Coquetry. Paddy's Dream. Birth of St. Patrick. The. Irish Drummer, The. Pat and the Fox. O'Hoolegoin's Let Irish Letter, An. Pat and the Gridiron. *:::er. Irish Philosopher, The. Pat and his Musket. Comnor. Irish Traveler, The. Pat and the Oysters. Dermot O'Dowd. Irishman's Panorama, The. Pat's Criticism. Dick Macnamara's Matri Jimmy McBride's Letter. Pat's Letter. monial Adventures. Jimmy Butler and the Owl. Pat O'Flanigan's Colt. King O'Toole and St. Kevin. Patrick O’Rouke and the Dying £onfession of Paddy M’Cabe. Kitty Malone. Frogs. Father Love in the Kitchen. Paudeen O'Rafferty's Say #Phil Blake's Collec Micky Free and the Priest. *:on. Miss Malony on the Chinese Peter'''Mulrooney and the Father Roach. Question. Black Filly. Phaidrig Fight of Hell-Kettle, The. Mr. O'Hoolahan's Mistake. Crohoore. Handy Andy's little Mis Paddy Blake's Echo. Rory O'More's Present to takes. Paddy Fagan's Pedigree. the Priest. How Dennis Took the Paddy cGrath and the St. Kevin. Pledge. Bear. Teddy O'Toole's Six Bulls. How l’at Saved his Bacon. Paddy O'Rafther. Wake of Tim O'Hara. The. Irish Astronomy. Paddy the Piper, Widow Cummiskey, The. This Collection contains, in addition to new and original pieces, all the very best Recitations in the Irish dialect that can be gathered from a whole libra of “Recita books. is full tion” It of arkling witticisms and it furnishes also a fun of entertain '' ing perusal in le 30 ets. matter for sure moments. 170 pages, paper cover...... Bound in £8, clota back...... 50 etse Beecher's Beoitations and Readings. Humorous, Serious Dramatic. Designed for Public and Private Exhibitions. Contents : Miss Maloney at the Den The Cry of the Children Bignor Blllsmethl's tlst's The Dutchman and the tng Academy Lobi and Found Small -pox Dor Goot Lookln Shnow Mygol Snyder's Barty S.-uliiln The Jumping Frog Magdiileiia Rats— Descriptive Recita The Lost Chord .Tim Wolfe and the Cats tion The Talc of a Leg Tho Woolen Doll A Header Introduces Him That West-side Dog The Charity Dinner self to an Audience How Dennis Took the Co-M.trrnw or. Lots Wife A Uutchman's Dolly Var- Pledge The Wind and the Moon den The Fisherman's Summons Dvtn' Words d Isaac " Rock of Ages" Badger's Debut as Hamlet Maude Mil Her in Dutch Feeding the Black Fillies Hezeklah Stole the Spoons Moses the Sassy Tiie Hornet Paddy's Dream Yarn of the ' Nancy Bell" The (J love and the Lions Victuals and Drink Paddy the Piper I Vhih to Fly How Jake Schneider Went Schneider pees " Leah " TUat Dog of Jim Smlley's Blind Caldwell of Springfield The Kalthful Sonl Aurelia's Young Man A item ns Ward's 1 annrama '■My New Plttayatces " Mrs. Brown on Modern Tale of a Servant Girl Mary Ann's Wedding Honses How a Frenchman Enter An Inquiring Yankee Farm Yard Song tained John Bull The Three Bells Murphy's Pork Barrel Timnondts on der Praln Love In a Balloon The Prayer Seeker King Robert of Sicily Mrs. Brown on the Streets An Extraordinary Phe Glovorson the Mormon Shoo Flies nomenon De Pint wld (Me Pete Discourse by the Rev. Mr. The Case of Young Bangs Pat and tho Fig Bosun A Mule Ride la Florida The Widow Bedott's Letter Without the Children Dhree Shkaders Paper covers. Price Bound In boards, cloth back Dick's Ethiopian Scenes, Variety Sketches and Stump Bprrrhe*. Contninlng the following Rich Collection of Negro Dialogues, Scenes, Farces, End-Men's Jokes, Gags, Rollicking Stories, Excruciating Conundrums, Ques- tlons and Answers for Hon i, Tambo and Interlocutor, etc. Contents; I's Gwlne to Jlne do Ma- Speech on Bolls [ Brndder Bones in Clover sona Bones Cured a Smoky Artemns Ward's Advice to Jes' Nail dat Mink to de Chimney Hnsbands Stable Do'— Oration Sermon on Keards, Hosses, Where the Lion Roareth, But the Villain still Pur Fiddlers, etc. and the Wang-Doodle sued Her—A Thrilling nuggin' Lamp-Posts Mourn eth Tale Not Opposed to Matrimony Romeo and Juliet In 1880 Bonos at a Free-and-Easy How Pat Sold a Dutchman Artemns Ward's Panorama Buncombe Speech The Coopers —one Act Farce Brudder Bones as a Carpet- Shakespeare Improved Questions Eastlv Answered Bagger —Interlocutor and End Gag— Bones and Tam — Bones and Tambo Bones bo Examination in Natural Major Jones' Fourth of July A Man of Nerve— Comic History— Mlnstrel Dia Oration Sketch logue Curiosities for a Mnseum- End Gag—Bones and Tam- O'Qnirk's Sinecure Minstrel Dialogue bo The Widower's Speech Burlesque Oration on Mat Undo Pete— Darkey Sketch Bones at a Raffle rimony The Rival Darkeys Uncle Pete's Sermon Brudder Bones on the Rag The Stage-Struck Darkey Bones at a Soiree —Interlo ing Canawl Add Ryman's Fourth of cutor and Bones The Snack In '-Turtle Man- July Oration Speech on Woman's Rights Ethiopian Sketch Absent-Mindedness — Bones Bones' Discovery Bones' Dream— Ethiopian and Tambo Mark Twain Introduces Sketch Don't Call a Man a Liar Himself — Characteristic Come and Hug Me The Mysterions Darker Speech Widow O'Brien's Toast Rev Uncle Jim's Sermon Speech on Happlnoss Scenes at the Pollco Coart The 'Possum-Run Debating Burnt Corkers— Minstrel —Mnsical Mlnstrel Dia Society Dialogue logue „ Tim Murphy's Irish Stew The Nervons Woman Brudder Bones as a Log- Brndder Bones in Love— The Five Senses— Minstrel Roller Interlocutor and Bones Dialogue De Pint Wld Old Pete- 'Llxey ; or, Tho Old Gum The Dutchman's Experi Negro Dialect Recitation Game— Negro Scene ence A Touching Appeal— Dutch Brndder Bones' Duel Essay on thn Wheelbarrow Dialect Recitation Brndder Bones' Sweetheart Bones at a Pic-Nlc Wounded in the Corners Brudder Bones in Hard The Virginia Mummy— Darkey Dialogue Luck Negro Farce End Gag— Interlocutor and Two Left-Bones and Tambo' Bones 173 pages, paper covers Bound in hoard, cloth hack Tambo's End-Men's Minstrel Gags. Containing some of Mm fcest Jokes and Repartees of the most celebrated "burnt cork" performers ofonr day. Tambo and Bones In all sorts and manner of scrapes. This Book la full of Burnt-Cork Drolleries, Funny Stories, Colored Conundrums, Gaga and Witty R--par. toe, all the newest sldo-spllttlng conversations between Tambo, Bones, anil tho In terlocutor, and will be fouud nseful alike to the professional and amateur performer. Contents ; A Bird that can't be Bonos Opens a Spout Shop Impulsive Oration Plucked Bones Plays O'Fella Inquisitive Annihilating Time Bonos sees a Ghost Jeallnsest of her Sect At Last Bones Slope* with Sukey Legal Problem. A Bash fat Sly Llboral Discount for Cask " ' Bet, The Bon es tells a Fly ' Story Manager In a Fix, The Big Fortune, A Brother will come home to Mathematics Blackberrying night Merry Life, A Black Swan, The Bones as a Carpet Bagger Momentons Question Bones and hi* little Game I Bones as an Inksllnger Mosquitoes Bones and the Monkey Bones in a New Character Music Tricks Bones in Clover r»otcs Bones as a Fortune Teller Bones' Love " Scrape Ob Course Bones as a Legitimate Ac- Cnllud " Ball, The Our Shop Girls tor Conundrums Pomp and Ephy Green Boi.es as a Pilot Curions Boy Presidency on de Brain Bones as a Prize Fighter " " Dancing Mad Proposed Increase ofTaxai Bones as a Stugont Dat's WhatJ'd Like to Railroad Catastrophe Bones as a Traveler Know Reality versns Romance Bones as a Victim to th» Definitions Rough on Tambo Pen De Mudder of Tnwentlon Sassy Sam and Snsie Long Bones as a Walkist Difference, The School's In Bones assists sit the Per Don't Kiss every Puppy Shakespeare with a Ven formance of a New Piece " Far Away In Alabam' " geance Bones attends a Seance First White Man, The Simple Sam In Arlthmetle Bones finds Himself Fa Fishy Argument Sleighing In the Park mons Four-Eleven-Forty- Four Sliding Down the Hill Bones gets Dunned Four Meetings, The Stylo Bones gets Stuck From the Polks Sublime Bonos has a Small Game Girl at the Sewing Ma Swearing by Proxy with the Parson chine Tambo's Traveling Agent Bones' Horse Race Hard Times That Dear Old Bome Bones in an Affair of Honor Hard to take a Hint "Tho Fervislons, Joslar" Bones In Love Heavy Spell, A Thieves Bones keeps a Boarding Higlifalutin' Ton so rial Honse Horrible I Toast, A Bones on the "War Path How Bones became a Min I'ncle Eph's Lament Bones on George Washing strel Waiting to See Him Off ton How Tambo took his Bit You Bet Bones on the Light Fantas ters And 40 popular songs and tic How to do It Everything new and rich. Paper covers 30ft*. Bound In boards, with cloth back McBride's Comic Speeches and Recitations. Designed for Schools, Literary and Social Circles. ' ~~'" By H. Elliott McBrlde, Author of «c»nue s Humorons Dialogues," etc., etc. This is one of the very speeches, Yankee, best series of original in Darkey, Spread -Eagle and village stylos with "a nnmC73 diverting addresses and reelWns, ami finny of selections for supplying the stntiS^^in^e^l^^^ humorons element of an exhibition Contents . A Burst of Indignation An Address to Schoolboys Peter Peabody's Stomp Dtsoo'se by a Colored Man Zacharlah Popn's Court Speech A Trumpet Sarmon ship and Marriage Mr. Styx Rejoices on Ac Sarmon on Skilletvlllers A Sad Story count of a New WaU Nancy Matilda Jones How to Make Hasty Pud Proposal Spring Eezeklah's ding Victuals and Drink Anon* the BlUlklnses My Matilda Jane Speech by Billy Betsy and are Out Higgins on I Once Courtship, Marriage, Sep the Destruction More of His aration and Reunion Rambo Apple Tree i A Stump Speech Lecture by a Yankee A Boy's Address to Young ' About Katharine A Colored Man's Disco's* Deborah Ladles Doollttle's Speech on Different Subjects An Old Man's on Women's Address to Rights A Gill's Address to Boya Young Wives A Salutatory McSwiager's Fate, 8alu-ta-tat-u-a-ry A Mournful Story Valedictory. Paper oovers. Illuminated Beard covers, iUnCaUMfM Popular Books Seat Free of Postage at the Prices Annexed. Burton's Amateur Actor. A Complete Guide to Private The atricals; giving plain directions for arranging, decorating and lighting the Stage and its appurtenances, with rules and suggestions for mounting, re hearsing and performing all kinds of Plays, Parlor Pantomimes and Shadow Pantomimes. Illnstrated with numerons engravings, and inclnding a se lection of original Plays, with Prologues, Epilogues, etc. By C. E. Burton. CONTENTS. How to form an Amateur Company. On the Selection of Ploys. Duties of the Manager and Prompter. A Family Fix. Comedy for Three Theatrical Mnsic. Males and three Females. Rules for an Amateur Company. The Philopena. Comedy for two Bow to Arrange a Stage. Males and one Female. How to Make a Curtain. Directions for Performing Parlor How to Light the Stage. Pantomimes. Colored and Calcium Light Effects. Love's Obstacles; or, Jack's Tri How to Make and Paint the Scenes. umph. An Original Parlor Panto Hew to Imitate Moonlight, Sunrise, mime. Thunder, Rain, "Wind and varions Complete Directions for Performing other effects. " Shallow Pantomimes. How to make all kinds of Proper* Detailed Instructions for producing ties." all Shadow Illnsions. How to make up Dresses, "Wigs, The Feejco Islanders ot Home. An Beards, etc. Original and unequoled Shadow How to "make up" the Face to imi Pantomime. tate Old Men and other characters. A list of Farces. Comedies, etc., General Directions for Acting. specially adapted to Parlor Per Stage Bnsiness, Entrances and Exits. formances, with the Characters of .Four Appropriate Prologues; Three Each Enumerated and Described. Epilogues. lfimo, illuminated paper covers. Price 30 Ct*. Bound in Boards,,, 50 ctfc Howard's Book ofDrawing-Room Theatricals. A collection of short and amnsing plays in one act and one scene, especially adapted for private performances ; with practical directions for their preparation and management. Some of the plays are adapted for performers of one sex onbr Contents. 4 Contexts. i t a £ Explanations of stage direc-| His First Brief tions. A Sndden Arrival Hints to Amateurs. A Medical Man The Stndent's Fro4 to. . . . 3 2 A Terrible Secret A Honsehold Faiiy 1 1 Poisoned Kiss in the Dark S 3 An Eligible Situation A " " Mrs. Willis' Will 5 Wanted a Young Lady Jack of all Trades 6 Paper Covers. Price .30 eta. Bouad in boards, with, cloth back. •00 oft Popular Books Bent Free of Postage at the Prices annexed. Tambo's End-Men's Minstrel Gags. Containing some of the " " beat jokes and repartees of the most celebrated burnt oork performers of our day. Tatnbo and Bones in all sorts and mauaer of scrapes. Also containing a rich collection of Ballads, humorons aud pathetic; Darkey Dialogues, Sketches, Plantation Scenes, Eccentric Doings, Humorons Lectures, Laughable Interlndes, Huge Africanisms, Burlesque htump Speeches. Minn-provoking Witticisms, Conundrums, Yarns, Plantation Songs and Dances, etc., etc. In short a complete Hand-iiook ot Burnt Cork Drollery, which will be found alike nseful to the professional and amateur. Everything now and rich. Paper covers fcO ot3- Bound in boards, with cloth back 50 ctS. Tony Denier's Parlor Tableaux, or Living Pictures. Con taining about eighty popular subjects, with plain and explicit directions for arranging the stage, dressing-room, lights, full description of cos tumes, duties of stage manager, properties and scenery required, and all the necessary directions for getting them up. Among the contents there are nine tableaux for male and an equal number for female characters only. A great number of them introduce groups of boys, and many more groups of girls only ; others agaiu Introducing both ; and still more in which entire classes can take part. Everything is stated in a plain, simple manner, so that it will be easily understood ; everything like style or un necessary show has been avoided. For public or private entertainment, there is nothing which is so interesting as the tableau. Price 25 CtS. Tony Denier's Secret of Performing Shadow Pantomimes. Showing how to get them up and how to a,ct in them; with full and con cise instructions and numerons illnstrations. Also fuU and complete descriptions of properties and costumes. Prioe 25 Cts* Dick's One Hundred Amusements for Evening Parties, Picnics and Social Gatherings. This book is full of Original Novelties. It contains: ffew and Attractive Games, clearly il A variety of new and ingenions puzzles. lnstrated by means of Witty Ex Comical illusions, fully described. be amples ^ showing how each may These surprising and grotesque illu moat successfully played. sions are very startling tn their Surpassing Tricks.easy ofperformance. effects, and present little or no diffi Mnsical and other innocent sells. culty in their preparation. ALSO AN ENTIRELY SEW VERSION OF THE CEL. EEBATED "MRS. JABUEY's WAX WORKS." The whole being illnstrated toy sixty fine wood engravings. Illuminated paper cover 30 Ct3. Bound in boards, with cloth back 50 CtS. Dick's Progressive Poker. This Game presents decided ad vantages over Euohre for "Progressive" purposes. It is far more inter esting; distinctly the American game, and is played for prizes in the same manner as Progressive Euchre. Paper covers 25 CtS- Burton's Amateur Actor. A complete guide to Private Theat ricals; giving plain directions for arranging, decorating and lighting the Stage; with rules and suggestions for mounting rehearsing and per forming all kinds of Plays, Parlor Pantomimes and Shadow Pantomimes. Illnstrated with numerons engravings, and inclnding a selection of original Plays, with Prologues, Epilogues, etc, 16 mo, illuminated paper cover SOcts. Bound in boards, with cloth back 50 OtB* RECITATIONS AND DIALOGUES. Dick's feries of Recitations and Readings. Nos. 1 to 16. Dick's Dutch, French and Yankee Recitations. Dick's Irish Recitations. Dick's Comic a;:d Dialect Recitations. Dick's Diverting Dialogues. Dick's Dialogues and Monologues. Dick's Comic Dialogues- McBride's Comic Dialogues. McBride's All Kinds of Dialogues. McBride's New Dialogues. McBride's Humorous Dialogues. McBride's Temperance Dialogues. McBride's Comic Speeches and Recitations. Frost's Dialogues for Young Folks. Frost's Humorous and Exhibition Dialogues. Frost's New Dialogues- Kavanaugh's Comic Pieces for Very Little Children. Kavanaugh's Humorous Dramas. Kavanaugh's Juvenile Speaker, for Very Little Children. Kavanaugh's Exhibition Reciter, for Very Little Children. Kavanaugh's New Speeches and Dialogues. Holmes' Very Little Dialogues for Very Little Folks. Graham's School Dialogues for Young People. Steele's Exhibition Dialogues. Martine's Droll Dialogues and Laughable Recitations. Beecher's Recitations and Readings. Howard's Recitations ; Comic, Serious and Pathetic. Wilson's Recitations for School Declamation. Spencer's Comic Speeches and Recitations. Barton's Comic Recitations and Dialogues. The price of each of the above books in paper covers is 30 cents ; or bound in boards, with cloth back, 50 cents ; sent by mail, postage paid, to any address on receipt of the price. Send for catalogue, mailed free, giving full contents of each book, and the number and sex of the characters required for the dialogues. DICK & FITZGERALD, Publishers, THEATRICALS, TABLEAUX, ETC Amateur Theatricals and Fairy-Tale Dramas. Containing Original Plays for the Dra wing-Room. Alice in Wonderland and other Fairy Plays. Four Ju- enile Dramas, with Songs and Music, complete. Barmby's Plays for Youn^ People. Original Plays with Songs, Choruses and Music for Parlor Performance. Howard's Drawing-Room Theatricals. Containing Short Plays in One Act and One Scene, for the Parlor. Hudson's Private Theatricals for Home Performance. Short Plays Expressly for Amateur Performance. Parlor Theatricals ; or Winter Evenings' Entertainment Dramatic Amnsements and Comic Plays, Illustrated. Kavanaugh's Humorous Dramas Comedies and Farces appropriate for Parlor Performance. Burton's Amateur Actor, A Complete Guide to Private Theatricals, with Full Directions for Rehearsing. Frost's Tableaux and Shadow Pantomimes. A Collection of Tableaux, and Instructions for Shadow Pantomimes. Frost's Dramatic Proverbs and Charades. Expressly for Dramatic Performance, and Illustrated by Tableaux. Frost's Parlor Acting Charades. Arranged as Short Come dies and Farces adapted for Parlor Performance. Exigent's Burlesque and Musical Acting Charades. Ar ranged as Comedies and Parlor Operas with Music. Brudder Bones' Stump Speeches and Burlesque Orations. Darftey Dialogues, Lectures and Plantation Scenes. Dick's Ethiopian Scenes, Variety Sketches and Speeches. Negro Farces, Jokes, Lectures, Sermons and Gags. Tambo's End-Men's Minstrel flags Darkey Cxsarlties, Ethi opian Dy ^gues. Plantation Acts, and Minstrel Jokes. Dick's Parlor Exhibitions. Containing Living Statuary, Trick*Pantomimes, and many other Amnsing Parlor Performances. Price of each, 30 cts. in paper covers, or 50 cts. in boards, mailed on receipt of price. Send for descriptive Catalogue free. DICK & FITZGERALD, Publishers, P. O. Box 2075. 18 ANN ST., NEW TOOK. Popular Books sent Free of Postage at the Prices annexed. Dick's Letter Writer for Ladies. Consisting of over Five Kandred entirely original Letters and Notes, with various replies, on every subject and occasion that a Lady in good society could possibly re quire. They are all new and written expressly for this work. Those letters, &c, are excellent model* of ease and elegant style, facility in ia .-tliod of oppression, band correct form ; they furnish, therefore, valuable aid to Ladies who, however otherwise accomplished, are deficient in the necessary acquirement of the graceful and properly-worded correspond once which their social position demands. 2t,8 pages, large 16 Mo.,bound in Boards 50 CtS. Anderson's Checkers. Complete Instructions and Rules for playing Checkers or Draughts. Illnstrated with Diagrams, including all the Standard Games and their Variations, and numerons Problems with their Solutions. By Andrew Anderson. Re vised Edition. Cloth ... -1.50 Pitman's Manual of Phonography. A Complete System of Phonetic Shorthand. This is a New Edition of the original work by Isaac Pitman, the founder of the system now in general use. Boards. . .35 CtS . Pole OB Whist. The Theory of the Modern Scientific Game of Whist. By William Pole, F. R. S. This complete and exhaustive Treatise on the Game Is in handy form for the pocket, and affords lucid instructions at all stages of the game for partners to play in com bination for their best interests. 14th Edition 20 CtS. Dick's Comic Dialogues. -A. collection of Easy and Effective Dramatic Dialogues specially adapted for performance by Young People, Eight of the Dialogues are for males only, requiring from two to six char acters; the remaining pieces are for both sexes. They are all bright, witty, very entertaining, and full of droll and effective "situations" and have been selected to fulfill the special conditions of the best dramatic effect and the least possible difficulties of costumes and scenery. 184 pages, 16 mo., paper covers 30 CtS. Bound in boards 50 CtS. Ogden's Model Speeches for all School Occasions. Con taining Original Addresses and Orations oo everything appertaining to School Life ; comprising Set Speeches on all occasions connected with Schools, Academies and Colleges, for School Officers as well as for Teachers and Students of both sexes, with appropriate replies. By Chriatol Ogd-m. This original work contains over one-hundred telling speeches and replies for Speeches on Opening and Dedicating Burlesque Speeches. AVmj Schools and Ac idfmies. Addresses to Teach'rs. All Kinds of Schnnl Ceremonials. Prologues and Epilogues for School Salutatory and Valedictory Ad dresses. Ex lib i lions. Presentations and Conferring Honors. Anniversary Congratulations. Inclnding practical hint* on Extempore speakincr, with a dissertation on the selection of appropriate topics, suitable style, and effective delivery, and also valuable advice to those who lack confidence when addressing the Public. r, covers 50 cts. Bound in boards 75 cte. Popular Books sent Free of Postage at the Prices annexed. Dick's Original Album Verses and Acrostics. Containing Original Verses For Autograph Albums; For Album Dedications; To Accompany Bouquets; To Accompany Philopena Forfeits; For Birthday Anniversaries; For Congratulation; For Wooden, Tin, Crystal, Silver and For Valentines in Gmeral, and Golden Weddings; Trades and Professions. it contains also Two Hundred and Eighteen Original Acrostic Verses, the f initial letters of each verse forming a different Lady's Christian name, 1 the meaning and derivation of the name being appended to each. The primary object of this book is to furnish entirely fresh and unhackneyed matter for all who may be called upon to fill and adorn a page in a Lady's Album ; but it contains also new and appropriate verses to suit Birthday, Wedding, and all other Aimi vcrsariea and Occasions to which verses of Com pliment or Congratulation are applicable. Paper covers. Price. " .50 Ct. Bound in full cloth . . 75 ca. The Debater, Chairman's Assistant, and Rules of Order. A manual for Instruction and Reference in all matters pertaining to the Management of Public Meetings according to Parliamentary usages. It comprises : How to Form and Conduct all kinds of Rules of Order, and Order of Business* Associations and Clubs; with Mode of Procedure in all Cases. Sow to Organize and Arrange Public How to draft Resolutions and other Meetings, Celebrations, Dinners, Pic Written Business; nics and Conventions; A Model Debate, introducing The greatest Forms for Constitutions of Lyceums or possible variety ofpoints of order, with Institutes, Literary and other Societies; correct Decisions by the Chairman; Tlte Powers and Duties of Officers, with The Rules of Order, in Tabular Form, Forms for Treasurers', Secretaries', for instant reference in all Cases of and other Official Reports; Doubt that may arise, enabling a Chair* The Formation and Duties of Commit man to decide on all points at a tees; glance. The work is divided into different sections, for the purpose of Consecutive Instruction as wej.1 as Ready Reference, and includes all Decisions and Rulings up to the present day. Paper covers 30 Ma. Bound in boards, cloth back 50 cts* Dick's Ethiopian Scenes, Variety Sketches and Stump Speeches. Containing End-Men's Jokes, | Negro Interludes and Farces; Dialect Sketches and Eccentricities; Tresh Dialogues for Interlocutor and Dialogues and Repartee for Interlocutor and Bones; New Stump Speeches; Quaint Burlesque Sermons; Humorons Lectures; Jokes, Quips and Gags. It includes a number of Amusing Scenes and Negro Acts, and is full of the side-splitting vagaries of the best Minstrel Troupes in existence, besides a number of Original Recitations and Sketches in the Negro Dialect. 178 pages, paper covers. . 30 CtS- Bound in boards, cloth back ...... 50 ct. Popular Books sent Free of Postage at the Prices annexed. Dick's Dutch, French and Yankee Dialect Recitations. An unsurpassed Collection of Droll Dutch Blunders, Frenchmen's Funny Mistakes, and Lndicrons and Extravagant Yankee Yarns, each Recitation being in its own peculiar dialect. To those who make Dialect Recitations a speciality, this Collection will be of particular service, as it contains all the beat pieces that are incidently scattered through a large number of vol umes of "Recitations and Readings," besides several new and excellent Bketches never before published. 170 pages, paper cover 30 cts. Bound in boards, cloth back 50 cts. Dick's Irish Dialect Recitations. A carefully compiled Collection of Rare Irish Stories, Comic, Poetical and Prose Recitations, Humorons Letters and Funny Recitals, all told with the irresistible Humor of the Irish Dialect. This Collection contains, in addition to new and orig inal pieces, all the very best Recitations in the Irish Dialect that can be gathered from awhole library of "Recitation" books. It is full of the sparkling witticisms and queer conceits of the wittiest nation on earth, and apart from its special object, it furnishes a fund of the most entertaining matter for pernsal in leisure moments. 170 pages, paper cover 30 cts. Bound in boards, cloth back. 50 Cts. Worcester's Letter-Writer and Book of Business Forms for ladles and Gentlemen. Containing Accurate Directions for Conducting Epistolary Correspondence, with 270 Specimen Letters, adapted to every Age and Situation in Life, and to Bnsiness Pursuits in General; with an Appendix comprising Forms for "Wills, Petitions. Bills, Receipts, Drafts, Bills of Exchange, Promissory Notes, Executors' and Administrators' Accounts, etc., etc. The Orthography of the entire work is based on Worcester's method, which is coming more and more into general nse. This work is divided into two parts, the portion applicable to Ladies being kept distinct from the rest of the book, in order to provide better facilities for ready reference. 216 pages. Bound in boards, cloth back 50 Cts. Dick's Hand-Book of Cribbage. Containing full directions for playing all the Varieties of the Game, and the Laws which govern them. This work is entirely new, and gives the correct method of play ing the Six-Oard, Five-Card, Two-Handed, Three-Handed, and Four-Handed Varieties of the Game, with instructive examples, showing clearly all the combinations of Hand, Crib, and Play, with a thorough investigation of long sequences in play, and the value of Hands. The Laws of the game have been carefully revised in accordance with the recognized nsages of the present time, and constitute a reliable authority on all points of the Game, 18 mo. Cloth, Flexible 60 cts. Pick's Art of Gymnastics. Containing practical and pro gressive exercises applicable to all the principal apparatns of a well-ap pointed Gymnasium. Profnsely illnstrated. This work conveys plain and thorough instruction in the exercises and evolutions taught by the leading Professors of Gymnastics, ao that proficiency may be attained, even without the aid of a Teacher, It also offers to Teachers a ready-arranged systematic course for their guidance. Artistically bound in cloth, 4to $1 00 Dick's Dialogues and Monologues. Containing entirely or iginal "Dialogues, Monologues, Fa^ej, etc., etc., expressly designed for parlor i^e^-formance, full of humor and telling "situations," and requiring the least possible preparation of Costanies and Scenery to make them thoroughly effective. 180 pages. 16 mo* paper cover , 30 ct* B*uad In boavda, doth back 50 0tf* "Popular Books sent Free of Postage at the Prices annexed. Dr. Valentine's Comic Lectures ; or, Morsels of Mirth for the Melancholy. A certain cure for tho "blues" and all other serious complaints. Containing Comic Lectures on Heads, Faces, Noses and Mouths ; Comic Lectures on Animal Magnetism ; Humorons Specimens of Stump Eloquence ; Burlesque Specimens of Eloquence ; Transactions of Learned Societies ; ComieiU. Delineation of Eecentrio Characters; Amnsing Colloquies and Monologues ; Lau&hable Duologues and Charac teristic Drolleries. Illnstrated with twelve portraits of Dr. Valentine in his most celebrated characters. 192 pages. Paper cover. Price. .30 Cts, Mrs. Partington's Carpot-Bag of Fun. Containing the Queer Sayings of Mrs. Partington, and tho Funny Doings of her remarkable Son Isaac. Also the most amusing collection extan t of Playful Puns, Funny Poems, Pleasing Prose, Popular Parodies, and Political Pasquinades; Rhymes Without Reason and Reason Without Rhymes, Anecdotes, Conun drums, Anagrams, and, in fact, all other kinds of Grams. Illustrated with 100 most amnsing engravings, prepared expressly for this work from designs by the most eminent Coinio Artists. Ornamented paper cover SO cts. McLaren's Training in Theory and Practice. Giving the best modern methods of Training for all the popular Athletic Sports and Exercises. Paper covers 50 Cts. Chips from Uncle Sam's Jack-Knife, Illustrated with over 100 Comical Engravings, and comprising a collection of over 600 Laugha ble Stories, Funny Adventures, Comic Poetry, Queer Conundrums, Ter rific Puns and Sentimental Sentences. Large octavo 25 cts. Fox's Ethiopian Comicalities. Containing Strange Sayings, Eccentric Doings, Burlesque Speeches, Laughable Drolleries and Funny Stories, as recited by the celebrated Ethiopian Comedian 10 Cts- Ned Turner's Circus Joke Book. -A- collection of the best Jokes, Bon Mots, Repartees, Gems of Wit andFunny Sayings and Doings of the celebrated Equestrian Clown and Ethiopian Comedian, Ned Turner . 10 cts. Neil Turner's Black Jokes. A collection of Funny Stories, Jokes and Conundrums, interspersed with Witty Sayings and Humorons Dialogues, as given by Ned Turner, the celebrated Ethiopian Delin eator 10 cts. Ned Turner's Clown Joke Book: Containing the best Jokes and Gems of Wit, composed and delivered by the favorite Equestrian Clown, Ned Turner. Selected and arranged by G. E. G 10 Cts. Charley White's Joke Book. Containing a full expose of all the most Laughable Jokes, Witticisms, etc., as told by the celebrated Ethiopian Comedian, Charles White 10 Cts. Black Wit and Darky Conversations. By Charles White. Containing a large collection of laughable Anecdotes, Jokes, Stories, Wit ticisms and Darky Conversations 10 cts- Yale College Scrapes; or, How the Boys Go it at New Haven This is a book of 114 pages, containing accounts of all the fa mons "Scrapes" and "Sprees" of which Students of Old Yale have been cts, the 25 guilty for tfce last quarter of century Popular Boon sent Tree of Postage at the Prices annexed. How to Conduct a Debate. A Series of Complete Debates, Outlines of Debates and Questions for Discnssion. In the complete de bates, the questions for discnssion are denned, the debate formally opened, an array of brilliant arguments adduced on either side, and the debate closed according to parliamentary nsages. The second part consists of questions for debate, with heads of arguments, for and against, given, in a condensed form, for the speakers to enlarge upon to suit their own fancy. In addition to these are a large collection of debatable questions. y'xhc authorities to be referred to for information being given at the cloaa >of every debate throughout the work. By P. Howton. 232 pages. Paper covers 50 ctF Bound in boards, cloth back 75 CtS The Amateur Trapper and Trap-Maker's Guide. A com- and carefuUy prepared treatise on the art of Trapping, Snaring and Sleteetting. This comprehensive work is embellished with fifty engraved il lnstrations ; and these, together with the clear explanations which accom pany them, will enable anybody of moderate comprehension to make and set any of the traps described. It also gives the baits nsnaUy employed by the most successful Hunters and Trappers, and exposes their secret methods of attracting and catching animals, birds, etc., with scarcely a of failure. Large 16mo, paper covers 50 CtS Soseibility ound in boards, cloth back 7£ cts How to Write a Composition. The use of this excellent hand book will savo the stndent the many hours of labor too often wasted in trying to write a plain composition. It affords a perfect skeleton of one hundred and seventeen different subjects, with their headings or divi sions clearly defined, and each heading filled in with the ideas which the subject suggests ; so that all the writer has to do, in order to produce a composition, is to enlarge on them to suit his taste and Inclination. food78 pages, paper covers 30 CtS Bound in boards, cloth back 50 cts Duncan's Masonic Eitual and Monitor; or, Guide to the Three Symbolic Degrees of the Ancient York Rite, Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft and Master Mason. And to the Degrees of Mark Master. Past Master, Most Excellent Master, and the Royal Arch. By Mai com C. Duncan. Ex plained and Interpreted by copions Notes and numerons Engravings. This is a valuable book for the Fraternity, containing, as it does, the Modern " Work" of the order. No Mason should be without it. Bound in cloth $2 50 Leather tucks (pocket-book style), with gilt edges 3 00 The Laws Of Athletics. How to Preserve and Improve Health, Strength, and Beauty ; and to Correct Personal Defects cansed by Want of Physical Exercise. How to Train for Walking, Running, Row ing, etc., with the Systems of the Champion Athletes of the World. In* elnding the Latest Laws of aU Athletic Games and How to Play Them By William Wood, Professor of Gymnastics. Paper cover 25 cts, Jerry Thomas' Bar-Tender's Guide ; or, How to Mix all kinds of Fancy Drillks. An entirely new edition ; newplates; ncwdrinJcs. Containing clear and reliable directions for mixing aU the beverages nsed in the United States. Embracing Punches, Juleps, Cobblers, Cocktails, etc., etc., in endless variety. By Jerry Thomas. This work also contains the beat receipts for preparing bottled Punch, bottled Cocktails, j^unch Essences, etc., after the most approved methods ; also, all the newest Egg Noggs, Fizzes, Slings. Sours, and other Fancy Drinks in endless variety. 16 mo, illuminated paper cover 50 cts. 16mo, doth , , .75 c&L Popular Books sent Free of Postage at the Prices annexed. McBride's New Dialogues. Especially designed for Schor, and Literary Amateur Entertainments; containing entirely New and Origi nal Dialogues, introducing Irish, Yankee, and other eccentric characters. Dy 11. li.LIOTT McBRIDE. CoNTENTs. A Happy Woman. An Uncomfortable Predicament. The Somnambulist. The Open ang Spech. Those Thompsons. The Cucumber Hill Debating Club. Playing School. Married by the New Justice. Tom and Sally. Bread on the Waters. Assusting Hezekiah. An Unsuccessful Advance. A Visit to the Oil Regions. When Women Have Their Rights. up Footprint. Breaking the Exhibition.- Only Another Turning Around. Rosahe, la's Lovels. A Litt.e Boy’s Debate. A Smart Boy. The Silver Lining. A Heavy Shower. Restraining Jotham. AMaster of the Situation. A Shoemaker’s Troubles. 16mo, 178 pages, illuminated paper cover...... 30 cts. Bound in boards...... ------50 cts Dick's Art of Wrestling. A Hand-Book of thorough in struction in Wrestling, with the accepted Rules to be observed in the different methods of wrestling generally adopted at the present time. Fully illustrated by well-designed engravings, exhibiting all the ag gressive and defensive positions necessary for success...... 25 cts. Dick's Book of Toasts, Speeches and Responses. Contain. ing Toasts and Sentiments for Public and Social Occasions, and specimen Speeches with appropriate replies suitable for the following occasions: Public Dinners, Friendly Meetings, Dinners, Social Weddings and their Anniversaries, Convivial Gatherings, Army and Navy. Banquets, Art and Professional Banquets, Patriotic and Political Occasions, Manufacturers' Meetings, Trades' Unions and Dinners, Agricultural and Commercial Festivals, Benedicts and Bachelors' Banquets, Special Toasts for Ladies, Masonic Ceebrations, Christmas, Thanksgiving and other Fes- || Sporting Cot, ries, tivals, All Kinds of Occasions. - This work includes an instructive dissertation on the Art of making amusing After-dinner Speeches, giving hints and directions by the aid of which persons only ordinary intelligence with can make an entertaining and . telling speech. Also, Correct Rules and Advice for Presiding at Table. The use of this work will render a poor and diffident speaker fluent and witty—and a good speaker better and wittier, besides affording an im mense fund of anecdotes, wit and wisdom, and other serviceable matter to draw upon at will. Paper covers. Price...... 30 cts Dinner Napkins, and How to Fold Them. Containing plain and systematic directions for arranging and folding Napkins or Serviettes for the Dinner Table, from the simplest forms to the most elaborate and artistic designs. By Georgiana C. Clark. This little work embraces all the favorite designs in general use for trans forming a plain Napkin into one of the most attractive and ornamental appendages to an elegantly arranged Dinner-Table. Some of the patterns being expressly intended for combining artistic display with floral decora tion, appropriately symbolic of Bridal and other special occasions. illustrated. - £ofusely ...... 25 cts, Popular Books sent Free of Postage at the Prices annexed. Dick's Games of Patience ; or Solitaire with Cards. New and Revised Edition. Containing Sixty-four Games. Illnstrated with Fifty ex planatory full-page '.tableaux. This treatise on Solitaire, a pastime which if Bteadily gaining in popularity, embraces a number of new and original Games, and all the Games of Patience at present in favor with the most experienced players. This comprehensive work contains the following Games : Auld Lang Syne. i The Beleaguered Castle. The Fourieens. Tarn O'Shanter. The Citadel. Napoleon's Favorite. The Four Seasons. . The Exited Kings. The Fifteen Puizle. Simplicity. Penelope's Web. The Contra- Dance. The Gathering of the Napoleon's Square. The Betro'hat. Clans. The Court Yard. The Beinforctments. Napoleon at Sc. Selena. The Windmill. The Reserve, The Calculation, I Lfoni's Own. The- Frog. The Surprise Party. I La Nivernaise. The Pyramid. The Four Kings. : The Four Corners. The Quadrille. The Clock. The Baker's Dozen. The Chatelaine. The Garden. The Salic Law. The Order of Precedence. The Queen's Andience. The Sultan of Turkey The Congress. The Phalanx. The Fortress. Thirteen Down. The Idle Year. The Hemispheres. The Octagon. The Chameleon. I The Elevens. Light and Shade. La Belle Lucie. | The Chester Game. St.' Louis. The Shamrocks. The Shah of Persia. Rouge et Noir. The Honse in the Wood. The Empress of India. The Blondes and Bru The Honse on the Hill. The Zodiac. nettes. The Grand Duchess. The Blockade. The Royal Cotillion. The Constitution. The Besieged City. Nestor. Each game is carefully and lucidly described, with the distinctive rules to be observed and hints as to the best means of success in play. The Tableaux furnish efficient aid in rendering the disposition of the cards necessary to each game plain and easily comprehensible. The difficulty nsually attend, ing descriptions of intricate games is reduced, as far as possible, by pre cision in method and terseness of expression in the text, and the illns trations serve to dispel any possible ambiguity that might be unavoidable without their aid. The work is attractive in style and elegant in execntion, and will prove an interesting companion for many a solitary hour. Quarto. 143 pages. Board cover 75 CtS. Cloth $1 00- Dick's Parlor Exhibitions, and How to Make them Suc cessful. Containing complete and detailed directions for preparing and arranging Parlor Exhibitions and Amateur Performances. It inclndes : Tableaux Vivants. Popular Ba'lads illnstrated by appro Living Portraits. priate action. Living Statuary. Charades of all kinds. Dame History's Peep Show, Parlor Pantomimes. Shadow Pantomimes. Punch and Jndy. AND FIFTY OTHER DIVERTING PARLOR PASTIMES AND AMUSEMENTS. It contains also a full Catalogue of the celebrated '• Art Exhibition," and a practical treatise on the wonderful Science of Second-Sight, by the aid of which all the startling effects and achievements of second-sight may be performed by any one possessing a tolerable retentive memory. This work is thoroughly practical and gives the fullest instructions for pre paring and lighting the stage, the construction of the Frames for Living Portraits, and shows how each performance can be presented with com plete success. It is illnstrated with numerons engravings explaining the text. 150 pages, paper cover 30 Cfcl. Bound in boards, cloth back 50 Ct* Popular Books sent Free of Postage at the Prices annexed. Dick's Commercial Letter Wri er, and Book of Business Forms. Containing entirely original Model* of Letters on all bnsine»s Bubjaute, with appropriate replies ; also, several specimens of Continuous Correspondence, exhibiting by a series of liters, the commencement, pro gress, and completion of Mercantile Transactions. By William B. Dick. This work inclndes correct forms tor Business Notices ai-d I aids, and Part nership Announcements; lor Applications f. r Employment and neatly- worded Answers to Inquir.es and Advertisements; for occasional Circu lars, properly displayed, and for drawing up Bnsiness Documents. Noten, Checks, Ileceipts, Mortgagee, Assignments, wills. Power of Attorney, Let ters of Credit, Account-Sales, Accounts Current, Invoices, Bills of Lading, &c., and the correct method of adjusting General and Particular Averages. It contains, in addition, a Glossary of Technical Terms used in Commerce; a rapid and simple method of computing Interest; a Table showing the value of Foreign Coins in United Stales' Currency; and other useful, practical and interesting information. 200 pages, lGino., Bound in Boards 50 cts. Lester's "Look to the East" (Webb Work.) A Ritual of the First Three Begrees of Masonry. Containing thecomplete work of the Entered Apprentice. Fellow Craft and Muster Mason's Degrees, and their Ceremonies. Lectures, etc. Edited by Ralph P. Lester. This complete and beautiful Pocket Manual of the Fnvt Three Degrees of Masonry, is printed in clear, legible type, and not obscured by any ai tempts at cypher or other perplexing contractions. It gives the correct routino of Op'-ning and Closing the Loog- in T'ie Entire Or i monies of Initiating, each Degree. Passing and Raising Candidates. Calling Off and Calling On. The L-cturfs all RUually and Alon- Catting the Lodge Up and Down. itorially Complete. Bound in cloth $2-00 Leather tucks (pocket-book style) gilt edges 2*£)0 Dick's Mysteries of the Hand ; or, Palmistry made Easy. Translated, Abridged and Arranged from the French Works of Dosbarrolles, D'Arpentigny and De Para d" Hermes. This book is a concise summary of the elaborate works of the above-named authorities on Palmistry. The varions lines and mounts on the palm of the hand, and the typical formation of the hand and fingers are all clearly explained and illnstrated by diagrams. The meaning to be deduced from the greater or less develop ment of these mounts and lines (each of which has its own signification), also from the length, thickness and shape of the thumb and fingers, and from the mutual bearing they exercise on each other, is all distinctly explained. Complete facility for instant reference is insured by means of marginal notei by which any point of detail may be found and consulted at a glance. By means of this book the hitherto occult mystery of Palmistry is mad* simple and easy, and the whole Art may be acquired withont difficulty o* delay. It is emphatically Palmistry in a nutshell, and by its use, char- net emu i disposition can be discerned and probable future destiny fore- told with surprising accuracy. Illuminated papercover 50 CtS* "D'ck's Hand-Book of Whist. Containing PoIg'b and Clay's Rules for playing the modern scientific game; the Club Rules of Whist, and t wo interesting Double Dummy Problems. This isa thorough treatise m the game of Whist, taken from " Tho American HoyJe" which is tho standard anthority. It covers all the points and intricacies which arise in tho game; inclnding the acknowledged code of etiquette observed by the players, with Drayson's remarks on Trumps, their nse and abnse, and all the modern methods of signalling between partners. Price 25 cts. Popular Books sent Free of Postage at the Prices annexed. Pollard's Artistic Tableaux. With Pictnresque Diagrams and Descriptions of Costumes. Text by Josephine Pollard ; arrangement of Diagrams by Walter Batter] ep. This excellent work gives ill the necessary information in relation to the preparation of the stage, the dressing can't grouping of the characters, and the method of at ranging everything so as to produce the proper effects. Simple and easy of con struction as tableaux appear to be to those who sit before the curtain, auvonewho has assisted in their preparation knows that they must be well studied and carefully arranged in order to produce really good ami artistic effects. This manual is prepared with diagrams furnished by a distinguished artist who has had large experience in the arrange ment of tableaux. Oblong, paper covers. Price 30 ctS. Talk of Uncle George to his Nephew About Draw Poker. Containing valuable suggestions in connection with this Great American Game; also instructions and directions to Clubs and Social Card Parties, whose members play only for recreation and pastime, with timely w?r;> ings to young players. Illnstrated. Quarto, Paper. Price 25 .1, Holberton's Art of Angling; or, How and Where to Catch Fish. A practical Hand-Book for-learners in everything that pertains to the art of Fishing with Rod and Reel. By Wakeinan Holberton. fully illustrated. It describes the special methods and appliances requisite to catch each variety o. the finny tribe, and the most lavorabla localities to find them ; with practical hints on camping out, necessary outfit, and the best choice of apparatus and baits, etc. Cloth, flexible 60 Cts. Proctor On Draw-Poker. A Critical Dissertation on " Pokei Principles and Chance Laws." By Prof. Richard A. Proctor An in teresting Treatise on the Laws and Usages which govern the Game of Draw-Poker, with Practical Remarks upon the Chances and Probabilities of the Game, and a Critical Analysis of the Theories and Statistics ad vanced by Blackbridge and other writers on the subject, and especially in regard to their doctrines relating to cumulative recurrences. Small quarto 15 cts. Lander's Revised Work of Odd-Fellowship. Containing all the Lectures, complete, with Regulations for Opening, Conducting, and Closing a Lodge ; together with Forms of Initiation, Charges of the Varions Officers, etc., with the Complete work in the following Decrees: Initiation ; First, or Pink Degree ; Second, or Royal Blue Degree ; Third, or Scarlet Degree. By Edwin F. Lander. This hand-book of the Revised "Work of the Independent Order of Odd-Fellowship has been prepared in conformity with the amendments and alterations adopted by the Sover eign Grand. Lodge of Canada in September, 1880. lGmo, paper cover, £5 cts. The Jolly Joker ; or, a Laugh all Round. An Col. lection of the Funniest Jokes, Drollest Anecdotes and mostaSide-Splitting Oddities In existence, profnsely illnstrated from beginning to end, in the most mirth-provoking style. The illnstrations alone are sufficient for a constant and long-snstained series of good, square laughs for all time. 12mo, 144 pages, illu itrated cover 25 Cfc*. Some Comicalities. A "Whole Yolume of Jolly Jokes, Quaint Anecdotes, Funny Stories, Brilliant Witticisms, and Crnshing Conun drums, with as many droll illnstrations to the page —and every page at that — as can be <«c«*i*-*i into it. 144 pages. Illustrated cover 25 CtS. Popular Books sent Tree or Postage *t the Prices annexed. Barber's American Book of Ready-Made Speeches. Con- tabling 159 original examples of Humorons and Serions speeches, suitable for every possible occasion where a speech may be called lor, together with appropnate replies to each. Inclnding: Presentation Speeches. Off-Hand Speeches on a Variety *) Convivial Speeches. ,Subjects. Festival Speeches. Miscellaneons Speeches. Addresses of Congratulation. Toaatts and Sentiments for Publu, anck Addresses of Welcome. Private Entertainments. Addresses of Compliment Preambles and Jiexolutions of Con* Political Speeches. gratttlation, Compliment and Con- Dinner and Supper Speeches for Clubs, dolence. etc* "Witt this book any person may prepare himself to make a neat little speech, or reply to one when called upon to do so. They are all short, appropriate and witty, and even ready speakers may profit by them. Paper . .. 00 eta. Bound in boards, cloth back 73 CtS. Day's American Beady-Reckoner. By B. H. Day. This Ready-Reckoner is composed of Original Tables, which are positively cor rect, having been revised in the must careful manner. It is a bonk of 193 pages, and embraces more matter than 500 pasres of any other Reckoner. It contains: Tables for Rapid Calculations of Aggregate Values, Wages, Sal aries, Board, Interest Money, etc.; Tables of Timber and Plank Measure ment ; Tables of Board and Log Measurement, and a great variety of Tables and nseful calculations which it'would be impossible to enumerate in aii adver tisement of this limited space. All the information in this valuable book is given in a simple manner, and is made so plain, that any person can nse it At once without any previons stndy or loss of time. Bound in boards, with cloth back 50 cts. Bound in cloth, gilt back *75 CtS* The Art and Etiquette of Making Love. A Manual of Love, Courtship and Matrimony. It tells to cure Sow bashfulness. How to break off an engagement, Sow to commence a courtship, How to act after an engagement, Sow to please a sweetheart or lover, How to act as bridesmaid or groom* How to write a love-letter. man. to "pop the Sow question," How the etiquette of a wedding and the to act Sow before and after aproposal, after reception should be observed, Sow to accept or reject a proposal, And, in fact, how to fulfill every duty and meet every contingency ooiv nectod with courtship and matrimony. 176 pages. Paper covers 30 eta. Bound in boards, cloth back 50 CtS. JFrank Converse's Complete Banjo Instructor Without a Master. Containing a ohoice collection of Banjo Solos -'.;id Arouiuls, Hornpipes. "Walk Reels and Jigs, Songs and Banjo Stories, progressively arranged and plainly explained, enabling the learner to become a proficient banjoist the without aid of a teacher. The necessary explanations accompany each tune, and are placed under the notes on each page, plainly showing the. string required, the finger to be nsed for stopping it. the manner of striking, and the number of times it mnst be sounded. The Instructor is illnstrated with diagrams and explanatory symbols. 100 pages. Bound in boards, cloth back 50 ota Spayth's Draughts or Checkers for Beginners. This treat ise was written by Henry Spayth, the celebrated player, and is by far the most complete and instructive elementary work on Draughts ever pub Cloth, (jilt lished. side n, „h ..r.VSctS. * opular Books sent Free of Postage at the Prices anaexed. Rarey & Knowlson's Complete Horse Tamer and Farrier. A New and Improved Edition, : containing Mr. Earey's Whole Secret o! Subduing and breaking Vicions Horses; His Improved Plan of Young Colts, and Breaking them Managing to the Sadd'e, to Harness and the Killed for Selecting a Goodiiorso, Sulky. and for Feeding Horses. Also the plete Farrier or Horse Com Doctor ; being the result of fifty years' practice of the nutuor, extensive John C. Knowlaon, during his life an English of high popularity ; containing the Farrier latest discoveries in the cure of Spavin. lnstrated with descriptive engravings. Bound Il ' in boards, cloth back. 50 cts. How to Amuse an Evening Party. A Complete collection Home Eocreations. Profnsely at, Illnstrated with over Two Hundred fine tvood-cuts, containing Round Games and Forfeit Games, Parlor Magic and Curions Puzzles, Comio Diversions and Parlor Tricks, and Scientific Eecreations Evening Amnsements. A young man with this volume self the beau may render him- ideal of a delightful companion at every hearis of all the party, and win the ladies, by his powers of entertainment. Bound mental paper covers in orna Bound in boards, with cloth back. 30 ets. 50 Cts. Laws Frost's and By-Laws of American Society. A Com plete Treutise on Etiquette. Containing plain and Reliable Directions Deportment in for " every Situation in Life, Dy S. A. Frost, author of " Frost's Letter- Writer. etc. is a This book of ready reference on the nsages of So ciety at all times and on all occasions, and also a reliable guide in the of deportment and details polito behavior. Paper covers 30 Bound in boards, with cts. cloth back. 50 cts, Frost's Original Letter- Writer. A complete collection of Orig inal Letters and Notes, upon every imaginable subject of Life, with Every-Dny plain directions about everything connected with writing a letter. By S. Frost. A. To which is added a comprehensive Table of Synonyms, alone worth double tho price asked for tho book. it We assure our readers that is the best collection of letters ever published in this country; they are written in plidn and natural language, and elegant in style without being high-flown. Bound in boards, cloth back, with illnminated sides 50 cts. jiTorth's Hook of Love-Letters. With directions how to write and when to nse them, and 120 Specimen Letters, suitable for Lovers of any condition, age and and under all circumstances. Interspersed with the au thor's comments thereon. The whole forming a convenient Hand-book of valuable information and counsel for the nso of those who need friendly guidance and advice in matters of Love, Courtship and Marriage. By In- goldsby North. Bound in boards 50 cts. Bound'in cloth 75 Cts. How to Shine in Society; or, The Science of Conversation. Containing the principles, laws and general nsages of polite society, includ ing easily applied hints and directions for commencing and snstaining aa agreeable conversation, and for choosing topics appropriate to the time, place and company, thns affording immense assistance to the bashful and! diffident. 16mo. Paper covers 26 Ctal The Poet's Companion. A Dictionary of all Allowable Rhymes in the English Langnage. This gives the Perfect, the Imperfect and Allow- able Rhymes, and will enable you to ascertain to a certainty whether any word can be mated. It is invaluable to any one who desires to court the Mnses, and is used by some of the best writers in tho country 25 Cts. Mind Your Stops. Punctuation made plain, and Composition simplified for Readers, Writers and Talkers 12 cts. Five Hundred French Phrases. A book giving all the French words and maxims in general use in writing the English language- . . 12 eta. Popular Books sent Free of Postage at the Prices annexed. Biblical Things Not Generally Known. A collection of Pacts, Notes, and Information concerning much that is rare, quaint, curions, obscure, and little known in relation to Biblical subjects. This work is complete in two volumes, thy second volume containing the entire index to both. The entire work is indispensable to Bible Stndents and Sunday School Teachers. The two volumes may bo had separately or in Ketrt, boxed. 12 mo, cloth. Each volume $1.50. Dick's Lott And Lumber Measurer. A complete set of Tables, with full instructions for their nse, showing at a glance the cubi cal contents of logs and the feet of inch-boards they contain, the measure ment of timber of all kinds and dimensions, and all other necessary infor mation for measuring and estimating the value of lumber according to present nsages. It inclndes also nseful and practical Tables of Wages by the day, week, and month, and valuable statistical matter of interest to carpenters, builders, and the lumber trade. All the tables are new, re liable, and proved correct. Bound in boards. 25 cts. The Art of Attack and Defence. A practical Manual of Fencing, Sword Exercise, Bayonet Practice and Boxing, affording thorough Instructions in the modern method of fencing, the mode of attack with Bword against sword or bayonet, and with bayonet against sword or bay onet, with the latest developments in the pugilistic art. By Major W. J. Elliott. This work is not only an excellent book of Instruction for be ginners, but affords alno advanced lessons for those who desire to become eminently proficient in any branch of the Art. Profnsely illnstrated 25 Cts. Dick's Diverting Dialogues, A collection of effective Drama tic Dialogues, written expressly for this work by varions authors, and adapted for Parlor Performances. They are short, full of telling "situa tions," introducing easy dialect characters, and present the least possible difficulties in scenery and costume to render them exceedingly attractive. Inclnding a complete Programme of "Living Pictures." Paper covers 30 cts. Bound in Boards 50 cts- Dick's Comic and Dialect Recitations, A capital collection of comic Recitations, lndicrons Dialogues, funny Stories, laughable De scriptive Pieces, and inimitable Parodies, in Yankee, Dutch, Irish, and Chi nese Dialects, suitable for Evening Entertainments and Exhibitions. Edited by Wm. B. Dick. Paper covers 30 cts. Bound in boards 50 cts. Pitman's Phonographic Teacher. A practical Guide to Phonography or Phonetic Short-hand. By Isaac Pitman. New and re vised edition. This is the original work by the inventor of the system, with all the improvements to the present day, and acknowledged to be the best method fur Short-hand writers 15 cts. Key to the Phonographic Teacher. An efficient aid to the learner iu practicing and applying Pitman's Method of Short-hand, with exercises and explanations 15 cts. Stimulants. An essay on their uses, with suggestions for re forming the laws which control them in accordance with personal liberty and publio welfare. By J. M. Emerson. "A masterly dissertation on this p- prominent and difficult topic." Small Ito, cloth 50 CtS, Popular Books sent Free of Poztage at the Prices annexed. -> Madame Le Normand's Fortune Teller. An entertainin book, said to have been written by Madame Le Normand, the celebrat French Fortune Teller, who was frequently consulted by the Emperor Napoleon. A party of ladies and gentlemen, may amuse themselves for hours with this curious book. It tells fortunes by “The Chart of Fate” (a large lithographic chart), and gives 624 answers to questions on every imag inable subject that may happen in the future. It explains a variety of ways for telling fortunes by Cards and Dice; gives a list of 79 curious old su and omens, and 187 weather omens, and winds up with the cele. rated Oraculum of Napoleon. We will not endorse this book as infallible; £but we assure our readers that it is the source of much mirth whenever in. | troduced at a gathering of ladies and gentlemen. Bound in boards. 40 cts. The Fireside Magician; or, The Art of Natural 6 Made Easy. Being a scientific of Legerdemain, Physical Amusement. Recreative Chemistry, Diversion with # and of all the mysteries of Mechanical Magic, with£ feats as performed by Herr Alexander, Robert Heller, Robert Houdin, “The Wizard of the North,” and distin. guished conjurors—comprising two hundred and fifty interesting mentaland hysical recreations, with explanatory engravings. 132 pages, paper.30 cts. und in boards, cloth back...... 50 cts. Howard's Book of Conundrums and Riddles. Containing over 1,200 of the best Conundrums, Riddles, Enigmas, Ingenious Catches and Amusing Sells ever invented. This splendid collection of curious para doxes will afford the material for a never-ending feast of fun and amusement. Any person, with the assistance of this book, may take the lead in enter taining a company, and keep them in roarsof laughter for hours together. Paper covers...... 30 cts. Bound in boards, cloth back...... 50 cts. The Parlor Magician; or, One Hundred Tricks for the Drawing-Room, “Containing an extensive and miscellaneous collection of Conjuring and Legerdemain, embracing, Tricks with Dice, Dominoes and Cards; Tricks with Ribbons, Rings and Fruit; Tricks with Coin, Hand kerchiefs and Balls, etc. The whole illustrated and clearly explained with 121 engravings. Paper covers...... •*************30 cts. Bound in boards, with cloth back...... 50 cts. Book of Riddles and 500 Home Amusements. Containing a curious collection of Riddles, Charades and Enigmas; Rebuses, Anagrams and Transpositions; Conundrums and Amusing Puzzles; Recreations in Arithmetic, and Queer Sleights, and numerous other Entertaining Amuse. ments. Illustrated with 60 engravings. Paper covers...... 30 cts. Bound in boards, with cloth back...... 50 cts. The Book of Fireside Games. Containing an explanation of a variety of Witty, Rollicking, Entertaining and Innocent Games and Amus - ing Forfeits, sulted to the Family Circle as a Recreation. This book is just the thing for social gatherings, parties and pic-nics. Paper covers. .30 cts. Bound in boards, cloth back...... 50 cts. The Book of 500 Curious Puzzles, Containing a large colled tion of Curious Puzzles, Entertaining Paradoxes, Perplexing Deceptions in Numbers, Amusing Tricks in Geometry; illustrated with a great variety of Engravings. Paper covers...... 30 cts. Bound in boards, with cloth back...... 50 6ts. Parlor Tricks with Cards. Containing explanations of all the Tricks and Deceptions with Playing Cards ever invented. The whole illus # trated and made plain and easy 70 engravings. Paper covers..30 cts, IBound in boards, with cloth back...... **** ...50 cts. Popular Books sent Free of Postage at the Prices annexed. Day's Book-Keeping Without a Master. Containing the Rr* diments of Book-keeping in Single and Double Entry, together with the proper Forms and Kuies for opening and keeping condensed and general Boat Accounts. This work is printed in a beautiinl^ciipt type, and hence com* its J' bines the advantages of a Handsome style of writing with very simple and! easily understood lessons in Book- keeping. The several pages have ex planations at the bottom to assist the learner, in small typo. As a pattern for opening book accounts it is especially valuable— particularly for those why are not well posted iu the art. Day's Book-Kkepixg is the size of a regular quarto Account Book, and is made to lie flat open for convenience is use Oil OtSj the Youa* Reporter; or, how to Writ? Shorthand. -£» ■- Complete Phonographic Teacher, intended as a Schoolbook, to afford ) thorough instructions to those who have not the assistance of an Oral ; Teacher. By the aid of this work, and the explanatory examples which are given aa practical exercises, any person ot the most ordinary in telligence may learn to write Shorthand, amd report Speeches and Sermons in a short time. Bound in boards, with cloth back 50 CtS. How to Learn the Sense of 3,000 French Words in one Hour. This ingenious little book actually accomplishes all that its title claims. It is a fact that there are at least three thousand words in the French language, forming a large proportion of those used in ordinary con versation, which are spelled exactly the same as in English, or become the same by very slight and easily understood changes in their termination. 16- mo, illuminated paper covers 25 Cts* How to Speak in Public; or, The Art of Extempore Oratory. A valuable manual for those who desire to become ready on-hand speakers; communing clear directions how to arrange ideas logically and quickly, in clnding illnstrations, by the analysis of speeches delivered by some of the greatest orators, exemplifying the importance of correct emphasis, clearness of articulation, and appropriate gesture. Paper covers M CtS* Live and Learn. A guide for all those who wish to speak and write correctly; particularly intended as a Book of Itefereneo for the solu tion of dilUculties connected with Grammar, Composition, Punctuation, .fee, &C., containing examples of 1,000 mistakes of daily occurrence in speaking, writing and pronunciation. Paper, lGmo, S16 pages '.30 CtB> Dick's Dumb-BeU and Indian-Club Exercises. Containing practical and progressive instruction in the use of Dumb-Bells and Indian-Clubs. Profusely illustrated, and very plainly explained. Paper covers 25 Ctft, Thrmm's French Self-Taught. A now system, on the most simple principles, for Universal Self-Tuition, with English pronunciation of every word. By this system the acquirement of the French Language is rendered less laborious and more thorough than by any of the old methods. By Franz, Thimm 25 Cts, TMnim's German Self-Taught Uniform with " French Selfi Taught," and arranged in accordance with the same principles of thorough ness and simplicity. By Franz Thimm 25 Cts. Thimm's Spanish Self-Taught! A book of self-instruction in the Spanish Language, arranged according to the same method as the " " '* French and German," by the same author, and uniform with them in size. By Franz Thimm. 25 Cts, Thimm's Italian Self-Taught. Uniform in style and size with the three foregoing books. By Franz Thimrn 25 Ctft Popular Bodes sent Free of Postage at the Prices annexed. Martine's Sensible Letter-Writer. Being a comprehensive and complete Guide and Assistant for those who desire to carry on Episto* lary Correspondence; containing a large collection of model letters on the simplest matters of life, adapted to all ages and conditions — EMBRACING, Business Letters ; Letters of Courtesy, friendship and ■Applications for Employment, with A flection ; ti Letters of Recommendation and Letters of Condolence and Sympathy ; Answers to Advertisement* ; A Choice Collection of Jjovc-Leiters, 'Letters between Parents and Children; Jor Every Situation in a Courtship ; •Letters of Friendly Counsel and Re Notes of Ceremony, Familiar Invita monstrance ; tions, etc., together with Notes of Letters soliciting Advice, Assistance Acceptance and Regret. and Friendly Favors ; The whole containing 30ft Sensible Letters and Notes This is an invalua- ble book for those persons who have not had sufficient practice to enable them to write letters without great effort. It contains such a variety of letters, that models may bo found to suit every subject. 207 pages, bound in boards, cloth back 50 Cts* Bound in cloth 75 eta. Martine's Hand-Book of Etiquette and Guide to True Politeness. A complete Manual for all those who desire to understand good breeding, the customs of good society, and to avoid incorrect and vulgar habits. Containing clear and comprehensive directions for correct manners, conversation, dress, introductions, rules for good behavior at Dinner Parties and the Table, with hints on carving and wine at table; together with the Etiquette of the Ball and Assembly Room, Evening1 Parties, and the nsages to bo observed when visiting or receiving calls ; Deportment in the street and when traveling. To which is added the Eti quette of Courtship, Marriage, Domestic Duties and fifty-six rules to be ob served in general society. By Arthur Martine. Bound in boards . . 50 eta. Bound in cloth, gilt sides 75 eta. Dick's Quadrille Call-Book and Ball-Room Prompter. Con taining clear directions how to call out the figures of every dance, with the quantity of music, necessary for each figure, and simple explanations of all the figures which occur in Plain and Fancy Quadrilles. This book gives plain and comprehensive instructions how to dance all the new and popular dances, fully describing The Opening March or Polonaise, March and Cheat Quadrilles, 1 Various Plain and Fancy (Quadrilles, Favorite Jigs and Contra-Bances, Waltz and Glide Quadrilles, Polka and Polka Redowa, Plain Lancers and Caledonians, Redowa and Redovja Waltz, Glide Lancers and Caledonians, Polka Mazourka and Old Style WaltZm '-Saratoga Lancers, Modern Plain Waltz and Glide, 'The Parisian Varieties, Boston Dip and Bop Waltz, 'The Prince Imperial Set, Five-Step Waltz and Schottische, Social and Basket Quadrilles, Yarsovienne and Zulma 2/ Orientals, Nine-Pin and Star Quadrilles, Galop and Deux Temps, Gavotte and Minuet Quadrilles, Esmeralda, Sicilienne, Banish Banoe^ AND OVER ONE HUNDRED FIGURES FOR THE "GERMAN;" To which is added a Sensible Guide to Etiquette and Proper Deportment in the Ball and Assembly Room, besWes seventy pages of dance music for the piano. Paper covers 50 ^tSk grand in board* , 75 ot^ Popular Books sent Free of Postage at the Prices Annexed. Le Normand's Fortune Telling Cards. These Cards are the Oracle of Destiny by which Mile. Le Normand of Paris, the most wonderful Fortune Teller that ever existed, was eu&bled to establish a reputation for over one hundred years extending all over the world. By their aid the possibility is offered to all of reading their own destiny as well as that of others. They fore-shadow good and bad fortuues fidelity and falsehood, happiness and misery, safety and peril, pence and strife, matrimony, life and death. Thirty-six cards handsomely printed in colors with .English and German explanations. All in a neat box 50 cts. Richardson's Monitor of Freemasonry. A complete Guide to the varions Ceremonies and Routine In Freemasons' Lodges, Chapters, Encampments, Hierarchies, etc., in all the Degrees, whether Modern, Ancient, Ineffable, Thilosophical or Historical. Containing, also, the Lec tures, Addresses, Charges, Signs, Tokens, Grips, Passwords, Regalias and Jewels in each Degree. Profnsely illnstrated with Explanatory Engrav ings, Plans of the interior of Lodges, etc., 185 pages, paper covers. .75 CtS* Oddl'B System Of Short-Hand. (Taylor Improved.) By which the method of taking down sermons, lectures, trials, speeches, etc., may be easily acquired, without the aid of a master. With a supple ment containing exercises and other nseful information for the nse of those who wish to perfect themselves in the art of stenography. The instructions given in this book are on the inductive principal , first show ing the learner how to tot accnstomed to the contracted form of spelling words, aud then subs-ituting the stenographic characters for the contrac tions. By this plan the difficulties of mastering this nseful art are very much lessened, and the time required to attain proficiency reduced to the least possible limits. Small quarto, paper cover 25 CtS* Fontaine's Golden Wheel Dream-Book and Fortune Teller. Being the most complete book on Fortune Telling ever printed, containing an alphabetical lint of Dreams, with their interpretation and the lucky numbers they signify. It explains how to tell Fortunes with Cards, Dice, Dominoes, Coffee Grounds, etc., and the Golden Wheel, of which a large Colored Lithographic Engraving is folded and bound in with the book. Itshows how to fortell future events by the Lines on the Hand, by Moles on the body, by the Face, Finger-nails, Hair and Shape of the Head, gives lucky and unlucky days, and explains the Language of Flowers. Bound in boards 40 CtS. Draiper's Six Hundred Ways to Make Money. A reliable Compendium of valuable Receipts for making articles in constant de mand and of ready sale, carefully selected from private sources and the best established authorities. By Edmund 8. Draiper. Profussor of Ana lytical Chemistry, etc. This Collection of Receipts is undoubtedly the most valuable and comprehensive that has ever been offered to the pub lic in so cheap a form. 14 4 pages, paper cover 30 CtS. The Language of Flowers. A complete dictionary of the Language of Flowers, and the sentiments which they express. Well ar ranged and comprehensive in every detail. All unnecessary matter has been omitted. This little volume is destined to fill a want long felt for a reliable book at a price within the reach of all. Paper cover 15 eta, Chilton's One Thousand Secrets and Wrinkles. A book of hints and helps for everv-day emergencies. Containing 1,000 nseful hints and receipts. No family should be without this little storehonse of valuable information. Paper oover 30 Ct& Popular Books vent Frte of Postage at the Prices annexed. Trumps' American Hoyle; or, Gentleman's Handbook of Gain.03. Containing all the games played in the United States, with rules, descriptions and technicalities, adapted to the American method of play ing. By Trumps. Thirteenth edition ; illnstrated with numerons dia grams. This work is designed and acknowledged as an anthority on all games as played in America, being a guide to the correct methods of play ing aud an arbiter on all disputed points. In each of the previons editions the work was subjected to careful revision and correction ; bnt this, the TinuruESTH Edition, is Entirely New, and re-writtcn from the latest reliable sources. Itinclndes au exhanstive treatise on Whist, with all the latest essays on the modern game, by Clay, Pole, Drayson, kc, &c. Also a lucid description of all tho games now in vogue in America, with the laws that govern them, revised and corrected to conform to present nsages, and embraces an elaborate and practical analysis of the Doctrine of Chances. 12mo., cloth, 536 pages. Price $2.0O Weldon's Fancy Costumes. Containing complete instructions how to make an immense variety of Historical, National and Fancy Dresses ; giving minute details regarding the color and quantity of all the materials needed for each Costume, and illnstrated with over fifty full-page engravings. This is an indispensable book for all who require stylish and attractive Costumes, and especially so for those who are out of the reach of pro fessional Cos tu mere By its aid, elegant fancy dresses can be made at cost, the lowest possible and correct in every particular. 50 CtS» " " Trumps1 New Card Games. Containing correct method and rules for playing the games of Hearts, Boodle, New Market, Five and Nine or Domino- Whist, Solo, or Cayenne Whist, carefully compiled from the best authorities. Paper covers 25 CtS. Blackbridge's Complete Poker Player. A Practical Guide book to the American National Game ; containing mathematical and ex perimental analyses of the probabilities of Draw Poker. By John Black- bridge, Actuary. This, as its title implies, is an exhanstive treatise on Draw Poker, giving minute and detailed information on the varions chances, expectations, possibilities and probabilities that can occur in aU stages of tho game, with directions and advice for successful play, deduced from actual practice and experience, and founded on precise mathematical data. Small quarto, 142'pagee, paper 50 CtS. Bound in full cloth $1.00 The Modern Pocket Hoyle. By "Trumps." Containing all the gainer of skill and chance, as played in this country at the present time, being an " authority on all disputed points. ' Tbis valuable manual is all original, or thoroughly revised from the bost and latest authorities, and inclndes the laws and complete directions for playing one hundred - and eleven different games. 388 pages, paper covers 60 cts. % Bound in boards, with cloth backs 75 cts, Hoyle's Games. A complete Manual of the laws that govern all games of skill and chance, inclnding Card Games, Chess, Checkers. Dominoes, Backgammon, Dice, Billiards, as played in this country attht present time, and all Field Games. Entirely original, or thoroughly re vised from the latest and best American authorities. Paper covers. .50 cfc* Boards 75 ots. Popular Books sent Tree of Postage at the Prices annexed. Anderson's Checkers. Containing Complete Instructions and rules for playing Checkers or Draughts. Illnstrated with Diagrams ; inclnding all tbe Standard Games aLd their Variations, and numerons Problems with their Solntions. By Andrew Anderson. In a certain senso, " this is a reprint of Anderson's Celebrated "Second Edition that is, his play when sound isgiven intact, and where improvement have beezishown thcv have been incorporated, and unsound play eliminated. j 12iuo, cloth $1.50.4 Spayth's American Draught Player ; or the Theory and Practice of the Scientific Game of Checkers. amplified and Illnstrated with Practical Diagrams. Containing upwards of 1,700 Games and Positions. By Henry Spayth. ISixth edition with over three hundred Corrections and Improvements. Containing: The Standard Laws of the Game— Full instructions— Draught Board Numbered—Names of the Games, and how formed — The " Theory of the Move and its Changes" practically explained and illnstrated with Diagran^—Playing Tables for Draught Clubs — New Systems of numbering the Board— Pre fixing signs to the Variations — List of Draught Treatises and Publications chronologically arranged. Bound in cloth, gilt side and back $3-00. Spayth's Game of Draughts. By Henry Spayth. This book is designed as a supplement to the author's first work, "The " American Draught Player ; but it is complete in itself. It contains lucid instruc tion for beginners, laws of the game, diagrams, the score of 361 games, together with 84 novel, instructive and ingenions "critical positions." Cloth, Gilt back and side $150. Spayth's Draughts or Checkers for Beginners. This treatise was written by Henry Spayth, the celebrated player, and 1b by far the most complete and instructive elementary work on Draughts ever published. It is profnsely illnstrated with diagrams of ingenions strata gems, curions positions and perplexing Problems and contains a great variety of interesting and instructive Games, progressively arranged and clearly explained with notes, so that the learner may easily comprehend them. With the aid of this Manual a beginner may soon become a proficient in the game. Cloth, gilt side 75 Cts* ScattergoocTs Game of Draughts, or Checkers, Simplified and Explained. With practical Diagrams and Dlnstrations, together with a Checker-Board, numbered and printed in red. Containing the Eighteen Standard Games, with over 200 of the beat variations, selected from varions authors, with some never before published. By D. Scat- tergood. Bound in cloth, with flexible covers 50 Cts. Marfiche's Manual Of Chess. Containing a description of the Board and Pieces, Cbess Notation, Technical Terms, with diagrams illnstrating them. Laws of the Game, Relative Value of Pieces, Prelimin ary Games for beginners, Fifty Openings of Games, giving all the latest discoveries of Modern Masters, with the best games and copions notes. Twenty Endings of Games, showing easiest way of effecting checkmate. Thirty six ingenions Diagram Problems, and sixteen curions Chess Strata gems, being one of the best Books for Beginners ever published. By N. Mar ache. Bound in cloth, gilt side 50 Ct3. "Trump's" Modern Pocket Hoyle. Containing all the Games of Skill and Chanco played in this Country at the present time, being an "authority on all dispnted points." Paper covers 50 cts. Popular Books sent Free of Postage at the Prices annexed. tola Montez' Arts of Beauty; or, Secrets of a Lady's Toilet. With hint* to QentUrnen on the Art of Fascinating. Lola Mouiea hero explains all the Ana employed by the celebrated beauties and fashion able ladies in Paris and other cities of Europe, fur the purpose of preserving; their beauty and improving and developing their charms. The recipes ore* nil clearly (riven, so that any person can understand them, and the work em braces the following subjects : How to obtain such desirable and \n- A Soft and Abundant Head of Hair, -i-: attractions as A Hand- Also, How to Remedy (tray Ilair; s*tine Form ; And harmless but effectual methods of A Bright and Smooth Skin ; removing Superfluons Hair and A Beautiful Complexion ; other blemishes, with interesting in- Attractive Ryes, Mouth and Lips ; formation on these and kindred A Beautiful Hand, Foot and Ankle ; matters. A Well-trained Voice; Illuminated paper cover 85 ets. Hill grove's Ball -Room Guide and Complete Dancina;- Maitar. Containing aplain treatiso on Etiquette andTOeportroent at Balls and Parties, with valuable hints on Dress and the Toilet, together with Full Explanations of the Rndiments, Reels, Round, Plain and Fancy Term*, Figures and Steps nsed in Dances, so that any person may Dancing; learn them without the aid of a Inclnding Clear and Precis* Instruc Teacher; ts ns ho w to dance all kinds of Quad To which is added easy directions how rilles, Waltzes, Polkas, Redo was, to call out the Figures of every dance, and the amount of music required for each. Illustrated with 176 descriptive engravings. By X. Hillgrove, Professor of Dancing. Bound in cloth, with gilt side and back. 'cot Bound in boards, with cloth bock. 75 eta The Banjo, and How to Play it. Containing, in addition to the elementary studies, a choice collection of Polkas. Waltsea, Solos, Schot- Jigs, Reels, etc., with full explanations of both tisches. Songs, Hornpipes," the*'Banlo' and Guitar" styles of execution, and designed to impart » complete knowledge of the art of playing the Banjo practically, without the aid of a teacher. This work is arranged on the progressive system, show ing the learner how to play, the first few notes of a tune, then the next notes, and soon, a small portion at a time, until he has mastered the entire piece, every detail Ming as clearly and thoroughly explained as if he had a teacher at his elbow all the time. By Frank B. Converse, author of the "Banjo without a Master." 16mo, bound in boards, cloth book. .50 Ota. Ned Donnelly's Art of Boxing. A thorough Manual of Spar- ring and Self-Defence, illustrated with Forty Engravings, showing the vari ons Blows, Stops and Guards; by Ned Donnelly. Professor of Boxing to the London Athletic Club, etc., etc. This work explains in detail every move ment of attack and defence in the clearest language, and in accordance with the most approved and modern methods ; the engravings are very distinctly drawn, and show each position and motion as plainly as the personal instruction of a professor could convey it. It teaches all the feints an i dodges practised by experienced boxers, and gives advice to those who desire to perfect themselves in the Manly Art. 121 pages. Price £5 CU Athletic Sports for Boys. Containing clear and complete in structions in Gymnastics, and the manly Accomplishments of Skating, Swimming, Rowing, Sailing, Horsemanship, Riding, Driving, Angling, Tencinff and Broads wobiA Illustrated with 194 wood cuts. Bound in boards : 76 Oflfe Papular Books sent Free of Postage at the Prioes annexed. Sat Lovingood. Yams spun by "A rNat'ral Bom Durn'd Fool." Warped and Wove for Pnblio Wear, by George W. Harris. Illnstrated with eight fine full page engravings, from designs by Howard. It would be difficult we think, to cram a larger amouut of pungent humor into 300 and uairos than will be found in this really funny book. The Preface Ded ication are models of sly simplicity, and the 24 Sketches which follow are among the best specimens of broad burlesque to which the genins of thQ lndicrons,ludicrous, for whichwh.— the Southwest is so distinguished,. ...has •yet given birth. 12mo, tinted paper, cloth, gilt edges »1.0U Uncle Josh's Traokful of Fun. Containing a rich collection ot Conundrum*, Mirth-Provoking Comical Stories, Orutl Sells, | New ^de-Splitting Jokes, Humorons Poet Spssehes, ry, Curions Puzzla, Amusing Card Tricks, and Quaint Parodies, Burlesque Ser mons, Astonishing Feats of Parlor-Magie. This book is illustratedillnstrated with nearly 200 funny engravings, and ooutains, Inin 64 largo octavo double-column pages, at least three times as muoh reading matter and real fun as any other book of the price 15 eta. The Strange and Wonderful Adventures of Bachelor Butterfly. Showing how his passion for Natural History oompletoly eradicated the tender passion implanted 1b his breast — also detailing Ms Extraordinary Travels, Doth by sea and land—his Hair-breadth Escapes from fire and cold —his being come over by a Widow with nine small children— his wonderful Adventures with the .Doctor and the Fiddler and other Perils of a most extraordinary nature. The whole i]lrrstr*ted by about 200 engravings .80 Cts, The Laughable Adventures of Messrs. Brown, Jones and Robinson. Showing where they went, and how they went, what they did. and how they did it. Hero is a book whioh will make vou split your sides laughing. It shows the comical adventures of three jolly young greenhorns, who went traveling, and got into all manner of scrapes and funny adven tures. Illnstrated with nearly 200 thrillingly-comio engravings SO eta. The Mishaps and Adventures of Obadiah Oldbuck. This humorons and curions book sets forth, with 188 coraio drawings, the mil- fortunes which befell Mr. Oldbuek ; and also his five unsuccessful attempts to commit suicide —his hair-breadth escapes from fire, water and famine— bis affection for Mb poor dog, eto. To look over this book will make you laugh, and you can't help it go cts. Jack Johnson's Jokes for the Jolly. A collection of Funny Stories, Droll Incidents, Queer Conceits and Apt Eepartees. Ulnstrstin? the Drolleries of Border Life in tlie West, Yankee Peculiarities, Dutch Blunders, French Sarcasms, Irish Wit and Humor, etc., with short Ludic rons Narratives; making altogether a Medlev of Mirthful Morsels for the Melancholy that will drive away the blues, and" canse the most misanthropic mortal to laugh. Illnstrated paper covers '..... gfi ct3. Bniproaps and Snickerings of Simon Snoderass. A collec tion of Droll and Laughable "Stories, illnstrative of Irish Drolleries and Blarney, Lndicroirs Dutch Blunders, Queer Yankee Tricks and Dodires, Backwoods Boasting, Humors of Horse- trading, Negro Comicalities. Per ilons Pranks of Fighting Men, Frenchmen's Queer Mistakes. Scotch Shrewd- sees, and other phases of eocentric character, that go to make up a perfect ind complete Medley of Wit and Humor. It is also full of funny engrav* *f 26 •* Popular Books sent Free of Postage at the Prices annered. Day's Courtship. Arranged with such apt conversa. Cards of categorical tions, that you will be enabled to ask the momentous question lady in such a delicate manner that the young will # may by two persons,' or make are at . These cards be used either theJ will fun an evening party of young people. When used£in a party, the lots of for question is read aloud by the lady receiving it—she shuffles and hands' out an answer-and that also must be read aloud by the gentleman receivin it. The fun thus caused is intense. Put up in handsome card cases, on '# } are printed directions...... 30 cts. Love-Letter Cards; or, Made Easv. Pay: dèlight have just printed a novel Set of Cards which will the hearts of young susceptible of the tender passion. Both letters and answers creating are either humorous or humorously sentimental—thus lots of fun people—and£special pains has been taken '' young when used at a party of silly, sentimental formality so common in printed with them to avoid that printed letters of this kind. Put up in handsome cases, on which are directions...------...... •-# cts. Conversation Cards. A New and Original Set, com Day:ing Eighteen Questions and Twenty-four Answers, so arranged that eighteen ques he whole of the answers are apt replies to each one of the tions. The of these Cards is very simple, and easily understood. Used by a party of£young they will make a good deal of fun. The set comprises forty-two Cards in the aggregate, which are put up in a handsome £ 30 cts. case, with printed directions for use...... Fortune-Telling Cards. We have just printed an any o Cards for telling fortunes, which are animprovement on D: set of respond hitherto£ made. They are so arranged that each answer will to every one of the questions which may be put. These cards will also afford pack a fund of amusement in a party of young people. Each is enclosed in a card case, on which are printed directions...... 30 cts. Day's Popping the Question: . An Original Game Cards for Party for Lovers and Sweethearts, or for Merry-Making in a of Youn People. As soon as these cards become known, we feel sure that the # playing...30 have an endless sale. Put up in cases, with directions for cts. Day's Leap-Year Cards. To enable any lady to pop the ques tion to the chosen one of her heart. This set of Cards is intended more to utility. up make fun among young people than for any practical Put in handsome cases, with printed directions...... 30 cts. and Complete Book of Eti Chesterfield's Letter-Writer guide uette. Containing the Art of Letter-Writing, simplified, a to fiendly, affectionate, polite and business correspondence, and rules for puno usages , tuation and spelling, with complete rules of Etiquette and the of So ciety. An excellent hand-book for reference. 16mo, bound in boards.40 cts. {{ow to Behave; or, The of A Guide to Po Society, Gentlemen; containing rules for good behavior lite for Ladies and # important hints table, the parlor, and in the#street; with at the dinner in on introduction, conversation, etc...... 12 cts. How to Win and How to Woo. Containing Rules for the Eti of quette lip, W1ith showing how to win the favor the ... of Courtshi Letters should how to £ia and end a Courtship, and how Love £ ...... 15 Popular Books rat Free of Postage at the Prices Ailyn'g Ritual of Freemasonry. Containing a complete Key so the following Degrees : Degreeof Entered Apprentice: Degree of Fel low Craft; Degree of Master Mason: Degree of Mark Master; Degree of Past Master; Degreo of Excellent Master; Degree of Royal Arch ; Royal Arch Chapter; Degree of Royal Master; Degreo of Select Master; Degree of Super-Excellent Master; Degree of Ark and Dove ; Degree of Knights of Constantinople; Degree of Secret Monitor: Degree of Heroine of Jeri cho; Degree of Knights of Three Kings; Mediterranean Pass: Order o4 Knights of the Red Cross: Order of Knights Templar and Knights of Malta; Knights of tho Christian Mark, and Guards of the Conclave; Knights of the Holy Sepulchre ; The Holy and Thrice Illnstrions Order of the Cross; Secret Master; Perfect Master; Intimate Secretary ; Pro cost and Jndge: Iutendant of tho Buildings, or Master in Israel; Elected Knights or Nine; Elected Grand Master; Sublime Knights Elected; Grand Master Architect; Knights of the Ninth Arch; Grand Elect. Per fect and Sublime Mason. Illnstrated with 38 copper-plato engravings; to which is added, a Key to the Phi Beta Kappa, Orange and Odd Fellows So cieties. By Avery Allyn, K.R, C.K. T. K. M., etc. 12mo, oloth....$5.00 Lester's "Look to the East." (Webb Work.) A Ritual of the First Three Degrees of Masonry. Containing the complete work of tho Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft and Master Mason's Degrees, and their Ceremonies. Lectures, ete. Edited by Ralph P. Lester. This complete and beautiful Pocket Manual of tho Firwt Three Degrees of Masonry, is printed in clear, legible type, and not obscured by any attempts at cypheror other perplexing contractions. It differs entirely from nil other Manuals, from the fact that it con t nine neither the passwords, grips, nor any other purely esoteric matter, with which M asons. and Masons only- are necessarily entirely familiar. It affords, therefore, a thorough and valuable guide to " " the regular work in tho above degrees, divested of everything that any member of the Fraternity would object to see in print, or hesitate to carry in his pocket. It gives the correct routine of Opening and Closing the Lodge in The Entire Ceremonies of Initiating, each Degree. Passing and Raising Candidates. \ Calling Off and calling On. The Lectures all Ritually and Man- CalHng the Lodge Up and Down. Uorially Complete. Bound ir. cloth $2.00 Leather tacks (pocket-book style), gilt edges 2.50 Duncan's Masonic Ritual and Monitor ; or, Guide to the Three Symbolic Degrees of the Ancient York Rite, Entered Avrentice, FeU low Craft and Master Mason. And to the Degrees of Mark Master, Past Master, Most Excellent Master, and the Royal Arch. By Malcom C. Dun can. Explained and Interpreted by copions Notes and numerons Engrav ings. It is not so much the design of the author to gratify the curiosity of the uninitiated, as to furnish a Guide to the Younger Members of the Order, by means of which their progress from grade to grade may bo facilitated, with the aid of this invaluable Masonic Companion, any mnson can, in a short time, become qualified to take the Chair as Master of a Lodge Nothing is omitted in it that may tend to impart a full understanding o. the principles of Masonry. This is a valuable book for the Fraternity, con-< " " taining, as it does, the Modern Work of the order. No Mason should be without it. Bound in cloth $2.50 Leather tucks (pocket-book style), with gilt edges 3.00 Duncan's Rituale der Freimanrerei. A Guide, in the Gorman language, to the Three Symbolic Degrees of the Ancient York Rite, Dieses Werk ist geschrieben, urn den juugern Mit^lieder des ordens einen Leitfaden an die Hand ztt geben, und gibt eine genaue Beschreibung allet In der Arbeit gebrauchllchen Ceremonien, Zeicnen, Worte, Griffe, u.s w. Leather tacks (Pocket-book style), gilt edges $2-00> Popular Books sent Free of Postage at the Prioes annexed. The Magicians Own Book; or, The Whole Art of Con juring. A complete hand-book of Parlor Magic, containing over a thou sand Optical, Chemical, Mechanical, Magnetic and Magical Experiments, Amnsing Trauflmutation, Aatouisning Sleights and Subtleties, Celebrated Card Deceptions, Ingenions Tricks with Numbers, curions and entertain ing Puzzles, the Art of Secret Writing, together with all the most noted tricks of modern performers. Illnstrated with over 600 wood cnts. 12mo, cloth gilt $1.30. The Sociable; or, One Thousand and One Home Amuse ments. Containing Acting Proverbs, Dramatic Charades, Acting Charades or Drawing-room Pantomimes, Mnsical Burlesques, Tableaux Vivaiite, Parlor Games, Games of Action, Forfeits and Science in Sport and Parlor Magic, and a choice collection of curions Mental and Mechanical Puzzles, etc. Illnstrated with numerons eugravingsanddiagranis. 'J he whole being a fund of never-ending entertainment. 37tt pages, cloth, gilt $1-50- Confectioner's Hand Book. Giving plain and practical directions for making Confectionery. Containing upwards of three hun- dred Recipes, consisting of directions for making all sorts of Candies, Jellies, Comfits, Preserves, Sugar Boiling, Iced Liquors, Waters, Gum, Paste and Candy Ornaments, Syrups, Marmalades, Essences, Fruit Pastes. Ice Creams, Icings, Meringues, Chocolates, etc., etc.. A complete Hand- Book of the Confectioner's Art 25 Cts- Howard's Book of Love Poetry. A curious and Beautiful Collection of Tenderly Delicate, Sweetly Pathetic and Amnsingly Quizzi cal Poetical Love- Addressed, containing a large number of the most ad mired selections from the leading Poets suitable for quotations in Love *Letters, and applicable to all phases and contingencies incident to the tender passion. 141 pages 25 Cts* Courtship Made Easy; or, The Art of Making Love Fully Explained- Containing full directions for Conducting a Courtship with. Ladies of every age and position in society, and valuable information for persons who desire to enter the marriage state. Also, forms of Love- letters to be nsed on certain occasions. 64 pages 15 cts- How Gamblers Win ; or, the Secrets of Advantage Play ing Exposed. Being a complete and scientfic expose of the manner of playing all the numerons advantages in the varions Card Games, as prac tised by professional gamblers. This work is designed as a warning to self-confident card-players. Bound in boards, with cloth back 50 cts- Row's Complete Fractional Ready Reckoner. For buying and selling any kind of merchandise, giving the fractional parts of a pound, yard, etc., from one-quarter to one thonsand at any price from one-quarter of a cent to five dollars. 36mo, 232 pages. Boards. .. .50 CtS- How to Talk and Debate ; or, Fluency of Speech Attained without the Sacrifice of Elegance and Sense. A nseful hand-book on Conversation and Debate 12 CtB- Boxing Made Easy ; or, The Complete Manual of Self- Defanse* Clearly explained and Illnstrated in a Series of Easy Lessons, with seme impertant Hiata te Wrestlers 10 Ota* Popular Books sent Free of Postage at the Prices annexed. Brisbane's Golden Ready-Reckoner. Calculated in Dollars and Cents. Showing at once the amount or value of any number of ar ticles or quantity of goods, or any merchandise, either by gallon, quart, pint, ounce, pound, quarter hundred, yard, foot, inch, bushel, etc., in an easy and plain manner To which are added Interest Tables, calculated in dollars and cents, for days and for months, at six per cent. and at seven per cent. per annum, alternately; and a great number of other Tables and Rules for calculation never before in print. Bound in boards.35 cts. How to Cook Potatoes, Apples, Eggs and Fish, Four Hundred Different Ways. Our lady friends will be surprised when they examine this book, and find the great variety of ways that the same article may be prepared and cooked. The work especially recommends itself to those who are often embarrassed for want of variety in dishes suitable for the breakfast-table, or on occasions where the necessity arises for preparing a meal at short notice. Paper covers...... 30 cts, Bound in boards, with cloth back...... 50 cts. The Science of Self-Defense, Illustrated with explanatory engravings. This book was written by Ned Price, the celebrated boxer, and is the best work that was ever written upon the subject of Sparring and Wrestling. It contains all the tricks and stratagems resorted to by professional boxers, and the descriptions of the passes, blows and parries are all clearly explained by the aid of numerous diagrams and engravings. That portion of the work which treats on wrestling is particularly thor ough, and is well illustrated with engravings. Bound in boards. .75 cts. Richardson's Monitor of Freemasonry. A complete Guide to the various Ceremonies and Routine in Freemasons’ Lodges, Chapters, Fncampments, Hierarchies, etc., in all the Degrees, whether Modern, An cient, Ineffable, Philosophical or Historical. Containing, also, the Lec tures, Addresses, Charges, Signs, Tokens, Grips, Passwords, Regalias and Jewels in each Degree. Profusely illustrated with Explanatory Engrav ings, Plans of the interior of Lodges, etc. 185 pages, paper covers. .75 cts. Bound in gilt...... •*******---- - •••• ------...... #1.25. Pound in leather tucks (pocket-book style)...... 82.00. How to Cook and How to Carve. Giving plain and easily understood directions for preparing and cooking, with the greatest econ omy, every kind of dish, with completeinstructions for serving the same. This book is just the thing for a young Housekeeper. It is worth a dozen of expensive French books. Paper covers...... 30 cts, Bound in boards, with cloth back...... --50cts. The American Home Cook Book. Containing several hun dred excellent recipes. The whole based on many years' experience of an American Housewife, Illustrated with engravings. All the recipes in this book are written from actual experience in Cooking. Paper. .30 cts. Bound in boards, cloth back...... 50 cts. The Yankee Cook Book. A new system of Cookery. Con taining hundreds of excellent recipes from actual experience in Cooking; also, full explanations in the art of Carving. 126 pages, paper covers.30 cts. Bound in boards, with cloth back...... 50 cts. Morgan's Freemasonry Exposed and Explained. Showing the Origin, History and Nature of Masonry, and containing a Key to all the of Freemasonry. . Giving a clear and correct view of the man *#: the different degrees, as practised in all Lodges..25 cts v-"Popular Books sent Free of Postage at the Prices annexea. T) I C R. * S E N C Y O L O P E D I.A. Practical Receipts and Processes, PRINTED ON FINE TONED PAPER. CONTAINING 6,422 PRACTICAL RECEIPTS, Written in a plain and popular manner, and illustrated with explanatory wood-cuts. Being a comprehensive Book of Reference for the Merchant, Manufacturer, Artisan. Amateur and Housekeeper, embracing valuable in formation in the Arts. 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Sent Postage-Paid at the Prices Marlzecl. | Dick's Encyclopedia of Receipts and Processes...... $5.00 Dick's Art of Gymnastics...... 1.00 Spayth's American Draught Player...... 3.00 American Hoyle, the Standard Book of Games...... 2.00 Dick's Games of Patience; or Solitaire with Cards...... 1.00 Marache's Manual of Chess...... 50 Dick's Hand-Book of Cribbage...... 50 Dick's Hand-Book of Whist... .50 The Modern Pocket Hoyle...... 50 Dick's Original Album Verses and Acrostic ... . .50 Dick's Book of Toasts, Speeches and Responses...... 50 Barber's American Book of Ready-Made Speeches...... 50 How to Conduct a Debate...... ------...... 50 The Debater, Chairman's Assistant, and Rules of Order...... 50 North's Book of Love-Letters...... ------.50 Dick's Commercial Letter-Writer...... ------.50 Martine's Sensible Letter-Writer ...... ------.50 Frost's American Etiquette...... :- .50 Dicks Recitations and Readings—Series—each Vol...... 30 Beecher's Recitations; Humorous, Serious and Dramatic...... 30 Dick's Dutch, French and Yankee Dialect Recitations.....------.30 little children...... ------.30 #vanaugh's Juvenile Speaker, for *ck's Irish Dialect Recitations...... 30 Yavanaugh's '''''''''''''''''''''''''' .30 New Speeches for little children...: ...... grudder Bones' Stump-speeches and Burlesque Orations.------30 .30 Dick's Comic Dialogues...... ”.” ... .30 Holmes' Very Little Dialogues...... 30 McBride's Comic Dialogues...... ----- Burton's Amateur Actor.------.30 Hudson's Private Theatricals...... ------... . .30 .30 Frost's Dramatic Proverbs and Charades------Frost's Tableaux and Shadow Pantomimes.------.30 Dick's Parlor Exhibitions...... ------...... 30 Magician...... 30 The Parlor ------.50 Dick's Palmistry Made Easy...... Day's Ready-Reckoner:------. .50 American :::::::::'''''''''''''''''''------Housewife, -Directory.------.50 The American and Kitchen Trapper Trap-Maker's .50 The Amateur and Guide::::::::::: .50 Dick's Quadrille Call-Book and Ball-Room Prompter...…... How ------# - - - # . # of e Etiquette Making#. Art and # Love:-----.…” - .50 The Young Reporter; How to Write Short-Hand.------'' .25 Thimm's French Self-Taught...... …”- £: .25 Thimm's German Self-Taught. Spanish Self-Taught. .25 Thimm's - .30 The Mishaps and Adventures of Obadiah Oldbuck..…....------COMPLETE DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE MAILED FREE. DICK & FITZGERALD, Publishers, P. O. Box 2975. New York.