Show I THE REIGN OF BRIGE BRIDGE Dy By Mrs Ils John A. A Logan Copyright 1907 Thieve There Is 15 scarcely a plu place c In the whole country country especially ca cast t of or the the- tho A where bridge e does dobs not reign supreme Men and anti women have succumbed to the tho Infatuation of the game Poker was wa once called the thi thi national game of oC cards in America Americ In iii m my my ignorance of both pol poker cl and bridge I am unable to explain their relation or 01 the merits of one over the other othet or the thc difference between tho lie demoralizing demor effects of either but from rota tho tIm little that I do know I should say fay there Is scant sant choice choie between tho he two evils evis as ns they both come under the most baneful of or nil all al evils evils gambling I In the old lays days pol poker el players were wele considered a menace t to tl society and ant were wee shunned b by self respecting self people peo peo- pie A gambler had no place amon among rc respectable people Ills Ils Influence was feared There e were no women gamblers gain gam gam- gam biers except those who cre were outside of oC the pale of or Later Latem- people began to go o to Europe frequently and to visit Monte Carlo where the they contracted the mania for Cor gambling The TIme ultra fashionables and amid leisure class at summer resorts ts In clubs eluh and hotels hotel Indulged In imi poker and amal other gambling games gaines games until the moral amoral and amid religious elements of so society so- so cic made so strong a protest that o-I o games of oC cards for Cor mone money ceased e to tobe tobe be played publicly A majority of I women used whatever of Influence they had against t ever every species of gambling and amid could coul bo be relied upon to toai ai aid 11 in iii the tim CrUa crusade l' l against this evil evi and its is accompanying accompanying vices Ices of oC smoking an and amid drinking Bridge has however howe taken token the place of oC poker an and Its Is sway has spread eal so rapidly ly that hint Us Its devotees e arc are Innumerable Tho The astonishing feature Is that full fully as man ninny many women as os men memi are so completely infatuated that thal time the they are arc giving up 1 everything for bridge bridge- home family and friends arc ale neglected neglect neglect- ed Cd for Cor the Ignoble game gnome Morning noon an and night women sit at card ta tables tables ta- ta bles bios putting all al their time line and strength Into handling decorated pieces of cardboard accor according in to certain certain tain alit rules mules hoping by their sl skill 1 to win stakes be they thoy high or low Teams HI ate aio C organized and amid backed by clubs chubs who go from one the city to another playing tot for CO championships and the pot of money risked on the game amo People claim that dinners arc are shortened and one critic says The rhe time the time game occupies has been utilIzed utilized uti- uti util util- by a good many men to take an nit amount of liquor the they would ne never before e the thc great eat vogue ogue of or tho the game gme have ha ha e ha had a chance to drink after oCer a ad d dinner I n n cm Before bridge camo into fashion a man niami sat tom for quarters thice-quarters or half an hour after dinner an and then went home home It I rarely happened that a drink was passed around or that a EUe guest t got gol one ammo But hut bridge has hn changed all al that The minute minue some seine men niemi sit It down to play bridge tile they feel the necessity of or having haying hay hav I hav-I ing a u drink With Hh a glass on the corner corner cor cor- ner ncr of or the card carl table the they sip it I at In In- In Then Th n thc they want to smoke as ns wellI well iveli I have seen men smoke one omie after arel another while they were playing bridge with wih women How Iio many drinks of or Scotch the they may take depends on their consciences and ond the amount of or nerve they have When husbands and wives 8 1 pia play tc they are of 01 course generally opponent opponents opponents nent and anti this rivalry rivah begun at cards cardu eart ends In serious discord and criticism of each ach other ultimately In ho far too man many cases in a separation Like everything everything ev ev- else this titis craze crue for bridge which is founded on waste of or tine time and amid dissipation lon can have ha mare but lut on one one i re result IC suit sult sui an and that hint Is mental an and moral morl de de- de- de I A 4 lad had lady recently nt gave a n musical on Sun Sunday ay afternoon because she was afraid to try to get her hair old oll lends friends s I who had hod gone half Insane InAne on bridge e together on any other oilier da day 4 A lovel lovei lovely t young nung matron among the time guests spied an elder elderly lath lad lady who had hal a few Cew days las la's before invited her hot to a reception to meet two distinguished persons She I rushed up to the he la lady y and amid after most cordial greetings said said- saidI ald I r 1 am am so o sorry that I could coul not accept your our kind Invitation to meet facet teet my old friends who were your our guests but real really I am so absorbed with bridge ge that I have havo not nol the time to accept Invitations tons or to tomake tomake tomake make calls cals The lady lally retorted Allow Allow Allow Al low me mao to excuse you 01 with wih great pleasure pleas pleas- also ure from calling upon me In future anti and I promise you 01 that you OU will wi have no ho opportunity to 0 send your our regrets ets to atm an any social function that I mn may give bhO Women omen whose whoso husbands and fathers fathers lathers fath lath ers occupy high positions commit the rudest i possible discourtesies b by their helm Indifference emico to their social obligations They manifest their Impatience to Jet awa away from entertainments even cn when they arc c given In Iii their honor If I you undertake to talk to them an and you OU are arc not one of the bridge players s the they look so bored an and are ale so absentminded ab ah- ab- ab sent mindel that you 01 have no Inclination ion tion ton to continue the conversation beyond be be- yond yontl the he commonplace exchange of oC salutations I I have In mind th the severe ere s criticism ci heaped upon the widow of or a 0 distinguished distin I person because it I was said sid she played poker for fOI money and amid I I know of much discourtesy tesy having b itt been cn I shown her hem on omi account of or the time report that lint she gambled I have been wondering won ivan dering If some of oC her critics who now pJ play bridge constant constant constantly for COI mone money have forgiven en the poker propensity of oC the he helady lad lady above referred to And I have been wondering wondering if I It Itis itis I is true that Jewels change hanl hands through Jo losses ses at the bridge table It I cannot be 10 denied that hint bridge has de demoralized le- le tantalized moralized its Is devotees to the extent of ot consuming thick their thel time and amid mone money and to the degeneracy of their mental powers powel's an and amid Injury to their consciences consciences con con- sciences It I is to be hoped hOIe that the bridge fad Cal like ce many ninny others that have Im e swept over this country ma may soon lose Jose Its is hold upon the women who should he hesitate late lon long h before ole the lie they are arc willing to surrender their belt Influence for the lie I betterment of mankind |