A Very Quiet Game

There are some folks who think it awful wicked for husbands aud wives to sit dowo together of an evening and play cards, while others can't seo where the harni uoines in. "Why," said tlic colonel a fewdays ago, wlien the subject of' card playing was under discusfiion, "does any one pretend to say that in y wií'e and 1 can't play a t'ew games of euchre without disputingand arguing and getting mad over it? Loafers can't, perhaps, but we could play för a thousand years and never have a word - yes we could." The otbers shook their heads in a dubious way, and the nettled Oolonel walked straight to a stationer's and bought the nicest pack he could find. That evening wbeu hi.s wifè was ready to sit down to her fancy work, he produced the cards and said : "May, [ was told to-day that you and I couldu't play carda without disputing and getting into a row. Darling, draw up here." "Dearesr, we will not have a word of dispute - not one," she replied as she put away her work. The Colonel shuffled away and dealt and tunn'd up a heart. "I order it up," she observed, ih she lookcd over her cards. "I was going to take it up anyhow," growled the Colonel, as bis chin feil, all bis other cards bcing black. "Play to that," she said, as she put down the joker. "W hoever heard of anybody leading out trumps?" he exclaimed. "Why don't you lead out with an ace ?" "O, I can play this hand." "You can eh? Well, 111 make it the sickest play you ever saw ! Ha ! took all the tricks, eh ? Well I thought I'd encourge you a little. Give me the cards - ita my deal." "You dealt before." "NoldidnV "Why yes you did ! We have only played one hand." "Wel), go ahead and deal all the time if you want tol I II make two on your deal anyhow. What's trump?" She turned up a club. He only had the nine spot, but he pcratched his aead, puckered his mouth and seemed to want to order it up. The bluff didn't work. She took it up and he lead the ace of hearta. "No hearts, eh!" as she trumped it. "Refusing suit is a regular loafer's trick. I'll keep an eye on you. Yes, take it- and that- and that- and all of 'em. lts ojighty quaer where you get all those trumps. Stocked the oard.s on me, did you?" "Now, dear, I played as fair as could be, and made two, and if I make ono on your deal I'll skunk you." "I'd like toseeyoumakeoDeon mydeall" he puffed. 'Tve íboled long enough to eucuurage you, but now I am going to beat you out of sight. Diamonds are trumps." She passed, and he took it up on two smalt truiups. He took the first trick, she the next two, he the fourth, and when he put out his last trump she had the joker. "tíkunkedl skunked I" she exclaiined, as slie clapped her hands in glee. ''You didn't follow suit !" "Oh yen, I did." "I know better, you refused spades 1" "Hut I hadn't any." "You hadn't eh ? Why didn't you have any? I never saw a hand without at least one spade in it I" "Why, husband, I know how to play curds ' "And don't I ? Wasn't I playing eucbre when you was learning towalk ! I say you stocked the cards on me! " "No, I didn't! you are apoor player ; you don't know how to lead." "I - I - why, maybe I am a fooi, and maybe I don't know anything, and so you can play alone and have all the trumps evi'ry time !" Ho pushed back, grabbed his paper, wheeled around to the gas, and it was nearly thirty-six hours before he smiled again. Nevertheless, one never has a disputo over cards.