whistle-jack, n.; sweat, n.

[Jonathan Lighter]

Not on OED, but some kind of (card?) game they used to play:

  1862 in Alan D. Gaff _On Many a Bloody Field_ (Bloomington: Indiana U. P., 1996) 107: Play poker, casino, dominoes, whist, old sledge, eucher, whistle jack and muggins.

  Or you could play "sweat" instead:

  1863 in Bell I. Wiley _The Life of Billy Yank_ (Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill, 1952) 251: Aug. 28: Lost $5.00 at Sweat this morning but won it back again at Bluff....Aug. 30...Lost $10.00 at Bluff & Sweat and set up a board winning more than I lost.

  JL


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