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It felt like like-- Like nothing much. Like the twinge of a mild electric shock. Like the ache of a sore tooth bitten on for the first time. Like a slightly painful flash of light against the eyes. Yet in that time, a forty-thousand-ton ship lifting free above Earth disappeared somehow or other into two dimensions and appeared half a light-year or fifty light-years off. At one moment, he would be sitting in the Fighting Room, the pin-set ready and the familiar Solar System ticking around inside his head. For a second or a year (he could never tell how long it really was, subjectively), the funny little flash went through him and then he was loose in the Up-and-Out, the terrible open spaces between the stars, where the stars themselves felt like pimples on his telepathic mind and the planets were too far away to be sensed or read. Somewhere in this outer space, a gruesome death awaited, death and horror of a kind which Man had never encountered until he reached out for inter-stellar space itself. Apparently the light of the suns kept the Dragons away. * * * * * Dragons.
Foot for foot, and knee for knee, Turn about Darby s company. --Halliwell s _Nursery Rhymes_, p. 121. (_b_) The children form pairs, one pair following the other, with their arms linked behind. While the first four lines are repeated by all, they skip forward, and then skip back again. At the end of the last line they turn themselves about without loosing hands. (_c_) Miss Burne includes this among obscure and archaic games, and Halliwell-Phillips mentions it as a marching game. The three first versions have something of the nature of an incantation, while the fourth and fifth versions may probably belong to another game altogether. It is not clear from the great variation in the verses to which class the game belongs. Almonds and Reasons An old English game undescribed.
Rubicon Bézique bears the same relation to the ordinary game that Railroad Euchre does to Euchre proper. In fact the game might well be called Railroad Bézique, for its chief peculiarity is the rapid accumulation of large scores. The game seems to have originated in France, but is now very popular wherever Bézique is played. _=CARDS.=_ Rubicon Bézique is played with four piquet packs of thirty-two cards each; all below the Sevens being deleted from an ordinary pack. The four packs, which should be of the same pattern and colour, are shuffled together and used as one. The cards rank: A 10 K Q J 9 8 7, the ace being the highest, both in cutting and in play. _=MARKERS.=_ The game may be kept on a bézique marker, a pull-up cribbage board, or with counters. Markers must be made to score at least 5000 points.
=_ The four players at each table are distinguished by the letters N S E W; North and South being partners against East and West. West should always be the dealer in the first hand, North having the original lead. In all published illustrative hands, North is the leader, unless otherwise specified. The deal passes in rotation to the left, and the number of hands played should always be some multiple of four, so that each player may have the original lead an equal number of times. 24 hands at each table is the usual number, and is the rule at all League tournaments. The partners and adversaries should be changed after each eight hands. Three changes in 24 hands will bring each member of a set of four into partnership with every other member for an equal number of hands. [Illustration: N leads +---------+ | | Dealer, W | | E | | +---------+ S ] If two teams of four on a side, A B C D, and W X Y Z, play against each other, the arrangement in a League tournament would be as follows:--that A B C D should represent the players of the visiting club, or challengers, and W X Y Z the home club, or holders; and that the positions of the players should be changed after every four hands. It is usual to play 24 hands in the afternoon, and 24 more at night. A | A | A | A | A | A | W X | Y Z | W Y | X Z | X Y | W Z | B | B | C | C | D | D | | | | | | | 1st.
_=Third Hand on Strengthening Cards.=_ Unless Third Hand has both Ace and King of the suit, he should pass any forced or strengthening lead which is not covered by the Second Hand. This obliges the Fourth Hand to open another suit, or to continue at a disadvantage. Third Hand winning first round has the choice of four lines of play: 1st. To lead trumps, if he is strong enough. 2nd. To return the best card of his partner’s suit if he has it. This is imperative before opening any other suit but trumps. 3rd. To lead his own suit, if he can do anything with it.
4--return with stone on your head. Throw into No. 5--return with stone on your back. In each case, upon reaching the goal without dropping it, throw up and catch it as it falls. In the second plan (fig. 2) the game is:--Throw stone into No. 1. Pick it up. Hop, not touching lines, from No. 1 to No.
It was a dirty sort of habit, but it made him look very dashing and adventurous. Look here, youngster. You don t have to worry about that stuff. Pinlighting is getting better all the time. The Partners are getting better. I ve seen them pinlight two Rats forty-six million miles apart in one and a half milliseconds. As long as people had to try to work the pin-sets themselves, there was always the chance that with a minimum of four hundred milliseconds for the human mind to set a pinlight, we wouldn t light the Rats up fast enough to protect our planoforming ships. The Partners have changed all that. Once they get going, they re faster than Rats. And they always will be.
If a person revokes, for instance, there is a certain penalty, but in addition to the penalty it is always stipulated that the revoking player cannot win the game that hand. _=Double Penalties.=_ No person can be subjected to two penalties for one offence. If a player leads out of turn, and a suit is called, the card played in error cannot be also claimed as exposed and liable to be called. If a player revokes, and his adversary wins ten tricks, the revoke penalty adds three tricks to the ten already won; but these thirteen tricks will not entitle the player to score any points for a slam, because that would be exacting a double penalty; the tricks for the revoke, and the points for the slam. _=Intentional Error.=_ In all games it must be assumed that the player’s intentions are honest, and that any errors that arise are committed through inadvertence. Some of our law-makers have attempted so to adjust their codes as to provide against the manœuvres of the blackleg. This is simply impossible. Laws are made for gentlemen, and when it is obvious that a player does not belong to that class the remedy is not to appeal to the laws of the game for protection, but to decline to play with him.
--Belfast (W. H. Patterson). VII. How many miles to Gandigo? Eighty-eight almost, or quite. Can I [we] get there by candle-light? Yes, if your legs are long and light. Open the gate as high as the sky, And let the king and his queen go by. --Dorsetshire (_Folk-lore Journal_, vii. 230, 231). VIII.
--Derbyshire and Worcestershire (Mrs. Harley). IV. Green gravel, green gravel, The grass is so green, Such beautiful flowers As never were seen. O Annie [or any name], O Annie, Your sweetheart is dead! He has sent you a letter To turn back your head. --Earls Heaton, Yorkshire (H. Hardy). V. Green gravel, green gravel, The grass is so green, The fairest young damsels As ever were seen. O ----, O ----, your true love is dead; He sent you a letter To turn round your head.
To ordinary people, there was nothing, nothing except the shiver of planoforming and the hammer blow of sudden death or the dark spastic note of lunacy descending into their minds. But to the telepaths, they were Dragons. In the fraction of a second between the telepaths awareness of a hostile something out in the black, hollow nothingness of space and the impact of a ferocious, ruinous psychic blow against all living things within the ship, the telepaths had sensed entities something like the Dragons of ancient human lore, beasts more clever than beasts, demons more tangible than demons, hungry vortices of aliveness and hate compounded by unknown means out of the thin tenuous matter between the stars. It took a surviving ship to bring back the news--a ship in which, by sheer chance, a telepath had a light beam ready, turning it out at the innocent dust so that, within the panorama of his mind, the Dragon dissolved into nothing at all and the other passengers, themselves non-telepathic, went about their way not realizing that their own immediate deaths had been averted. From then on, it was easy--almost. * * * * * Planoforming ships always carried telepaths. Telepaths had their sensitiveness enlarged to an immense range by the pin-sets, which were telepathic amplifiers adapted to the mammal mind. The pin-sets in turn were electronically geared into small dirigible light bombs. Light did it. Light broke up the Dragons, allowed the ships to reform three-dimensionally, skip, skip, skip, as they moved from star to star.
The following excuses for making jack pots are now in common use: _=After a Misdeal=_ some parties make it a jack; but the practice should be condemned, because it puts it in the power of any individual player to make it a jack when he deals. _=The Buck=_ is some article, such as a penknife, which is placed in the pool at the beginning of the game, and is taken down with the rest of the pool by whichever player wins it. When it comes to his deal, it is a jack pot, and the buck is placed in the pool with the dealer’s ante, to be won, taken down, and make another jack in the same way. The usual custom is to fix the amount of the ante in jack pots, a red, or five whites, being the common stake. In some places it is at the option of the holder of the buck to make the ante any amount he pleases within the betting limit. Whichever system is adopted, every player at the table must deposit a like amount in the pool. Players are sometimes permitted to _=pass a jack=_; that is, not to ante nor to take any part in the game until the jack is decided. If this is to be allowed, it should be so understood at the beginning of the game. _=The High Hand=_ jack pot is played whenever a hand of an agreed value, such as a flush or a full, is shown to the board; that is, called. In some places four of a kind calls for _=a round of jacks=_, every player in turn making it a jack on his deal.
If a discard has been made, or a trick played to, the deal stands good, and the packs, if changed, must so remain. There must be a new deal if any card but the eleventh is found faced in the pack. If the dealer exposes any of his own cards, the deal stands good. If he exposes any of his adversary’s cards, the non-dealer may claim a fresh deal, provided he has not seen any of his cards. It is a misdeal if the dealer gives too many or too few cards to his adversary or to himself. If the hands have not been seen, and the pone discovers that he has received more than five cards, he has the choice to discard the superfluous cards at hazard, or to claim a misdeal, which loses the deal. If the pone has received less than the proper number, he may supply the deficiency from the remainder of the pack, without changing the trump card, or he may claim a misdeal. If the dealer has given himself too many or too few cards, the pone may claim a misdeal, or he may draw the superfluous cards from the dealer’s hand, face downward, or allow him to supply the deficiency from the remainder of the pack, without changing the trump. If the cards have been seen, the pone, having an incorrect number, may supply or discard to correct the error, or he may claim a misdeal. If he discards, he must show the cards to the dealer.
It is always advantageous to play one of a pair, and to begin with one end of a sequence. If he pairs your first card, you can reply with a pair royal. If he plays to make a sequence, you can sometimes hold him off until you get the score, and he will be unable to continue the run without passing 31. Play one of two cards that form a five, such as 3 and 2; 4 and A. If he plays a tenth card to it, you can peg fifteen. In playing on, you should make all the sequences possible, taking chances of your adversary’s being able to continue the run. If you think he is leading you on, you must be guided by the state of the score as to how much you can risk. Toward the end, you must reckon pretty closely how many points you can afford to risk your adversary’s making without putting him out. If you have enough in your hand to get out on the show, you should not attempt to make a single point in play. Pair nothing, for he might come out with a pair royal; make no runs, for he might extend them.
The Grand Master wouldn t stand still for _anybody s_ making a fool out of the Lodge. Still: Nobody that good is out of captivity, I snapped. I don t believe it. It s not TK that s robbing you. Oh, ridiculous, Rose said, showing his teeth. Gambling is our business, Lefty. Don t you think we could spot any of the ordinary kinds of cross-roading? This is TK, and it has real voltage. We can t spot it. We ve got to have Psi power do it for us. Maybe, I agreed.
How many miles to Barney Bridge? Three score and ten. Will I be there by Candlemass? Yes, and back again. A curtsey to you, another to you, And pray, fair maids, will you let us through? Thro and thro shall you go for the king s sake, But take care the last man does not meet a mistake. --Dublin (Mrs. Lincoln). XI. How many miles to Burslem? Three score and ten. Can we get there by candle-light? Yes, and back again. Open the gates so wide, so wide, And let King George aside, aside; The night is so dark we cannot see, Thread the needle and go through. --Isle of Man (A.
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B. Gomme (see fig. 7). Mr. Emslie has sent me figs. 9 and 10, also from London streets. Newell (_Games_, p. 188) speaks of it as a well-known game in America. Mr. Elworthy (_West Somerset Words_) says, Several of these (diagrams marked on the ground) are still to be seen, scratched on the ancient pavement of the Roman Forum.
| | . | | . | | . | +---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+ ] In order to ascertain if you have the move when it is your turn to play, add together all the men, both black and white, in one of the systems, taking no notice of those in the other system, and if the number is _=odd=_, you have the move. In Diagram No. 10, for instance, if you have the black men, and it is your turn to play, you will find three men on your own system, and therefore you have the move, and must win by playing 10-15.
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The following letter relating to this game is extracted from the _Worcestershire Chronicle_, September 1847, in Ellis s edition of Brand:-- Before the commons were taken in, the children of the poor had ample space wherein to recreate themselves at cricket, _nurr_, or any other diversion; but now they are driven from every green spot, and in Bromsgrove here, the nailor boys, from the force of circumstances, have taken possession of the turnpike road to play the before-mentioned games, to the serious inconvenience of the passengers, one of whom, a woman, was yesterday knocked down by a _nurr_ which struck her in the head. Brockett says of this game, as played in Durham: It is called Spell and Ore, Teut. spel, a play or sport; and Germ. knorr, a knot of wood or ore. The recreation is also called Buckstick, Spell, and Ore, the buckstick with which the ore is struck being broad at one end like the butt of a gun (_North Country Words_). In Yorkshire it is Spell and Nurr, or Knur, the ore or wooden ball having been, perhaps, originally the knurl or knot of a tree. The _Whitby Glossary_ also gives this as Spell and Knor, and says it is known in the South as Dab and Stick. The author adds, May not tribbit, or trevit, be a corruption of three feet, the required length of the stick for pliable adaptation? Robinson (_Mid-Yorkshire Glossary_), under Spell and Nur, says: A game played with a wooden ball and a stick fitted at the striking end with a club-shaped piece of wood. The spell made to receive and spring the ball for the blow at a touch, is a simple contrivance of wood an inch or so in breadth and a few inches long. .
But you can t _control_ what I m going to do next, can you? I grinned. I wonder, she said. Never tried, yet. Oh, no! I groaned. She showed me her buck teeth in a smile. I figger first you ll have them straighten my teeth, she said. You d like a pretty wife. If it s got to be, I said weakly. That would help. I just wish there was some way to handle that hysterical sniffle of yours, that s all.
You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this ebook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook. Title: Vigorish Author: John Berryman Illustrator: Petrizzo Release date: January 21, 2008 [eBook #24382] Language: English Credits: Produced by Greg Weeks, Bruce Albrecht, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net *** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VIGORISH *** Produced by Greg Weeks, Bruce Albrecht, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net VIGORISH By WALTER BUPP Illustrated by Petrizzo [Transcriber s Note: This etext was produced from Astounding Science Fiction June 1960. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.
The English laws give the adversaries the option of calling the card played in error an exposed card. If all have played to the trick before discovering the error, it cannot be rectified; but if all have not played, those who have followed the false lead must take back their cards, which are not, however, liable to be called. _=Revoking Players=_ cannot win the game that hand, no matter what they score; but they may play the hand out, and score all points they make to within one point of game. Any player may ask the others to _=draw cards=_ in any trick, provided he does so before they are touched for the purpose of gathering them. In answer to this demand, each player should indicate which of the cards on the table he played. In the English game, any player may look at the last trick turned and quitted; in the American he may not. _=Taking Tricks.=_ As the tricks are taken, they should be neatly laid one upon the other in such a manner that any player at the table can count them at a glance. There are several methods of stacking tricks; the first shown being probably the best. [Illustration] When six have been taken by one side they are usually gathered together to form a _=book=_; any subsequently taken being laid apart, as they are the only ones that count.
As between two such hands, the one containing the highest card would be the better, but either would be outclassed by a hand with a pair in it, however small. A hand with a pair of nines in it would outrank one with a pair of sevens, even though the cards accompanying the nines were only a deuce, three and four, while those with the sevens were an ace, King and Queen. But should the pairs be alike in both hands; such as tens, the highest card outside the pair would decide the rank of the hands, and if those were also alike, the next card, or perhaps the fifth would have to be considered. Should the three odd cards in each hand be identical, the hands would be a tie, and would divide any pool to which each had a claim. Two flushes would decide their rank in the same manner. If both were ace and Jack high, the third card in one being a nine, and in the other an eight, the nine would win. In full hands the rank of the triplets decides the value of the hand. Three Queens and a pair of deuces will beat three Jacks and a pair of aces. In straights, the highest card of the sequence wins; not necessarily the highest card in the hand, for a player may have a sequence of A 2 3 4 5, which is only five high, and would be beaten by a sequence of 2 3 4 5 6. The ace must either begin or end a sequence, for a player is not allowed to call such a combination as Q K A 2 3 a straight.
S. May a ring is formed by the children joining hands. One child stands in the centre--she represents the Mother. The ring of children say the first, third, and every alternate verse. The child in the centre says the second, fourth, and alternate verses, and the game is played as above, except that when the Mother has said the last verse the children call out, Good job, too, and run off, the Mother chasing them as above. The game does not appear to be sung. (_c_) This game is somewhat of a cumulative story, having for its finish the making angry and tormenting of a mother. All the versions point to this. One interesting point, that of milk-pails, is, it will be seen, gradually losing ground in the rhymes. Milk-pails were pails of wood suspended from a yoke worn on the milkmaid s shoulders, and these have been giving place to present-day milk-cans.
Sweeting). [Music] --Belfast (W. H. Patterson). I. I m come to court Janet jo, Janet jo, Janet jo, I m come to court Janet jo, How s she the day? She s up the stair washin , Washin , washin , She s up the stair washin , Ye canna see her the day. [Then follow verses, the words of which are not given by Chambers, representing Jenny as bleaching, drying, and ironing clothes. At last they say--] Janet jo s dead and gane, Dead and gane, dead and gane; Janet jo s dead and gane, She ll never come hame! --Chambers _Popular Rhymes_, pp. 140-41. II.
The Cornwall version is not so completely an illustration of the capture of a fortress. Barley-break [Illustration: Fig. 1.] [Illustration: Fig. 2.] [Illustration: Fig. 3.] Barley-break, or the Last Couple in Hell, was a game played by six people, three of each sex, who were coupled by lot. A piece of ground was then chosen, and divided into three compartments, of which the middle one was called Hell. It was the object of the couple condemned to this division to catch the others who advanced from the two extremities (figs.