Evening star., 1897-04-29
WOMEN PLAYING WHIST
Progress of the Congress at Philadel-
phia.
Good Work by the Representatives
From Washington-Orean
tion of the New League.
of The Evening Star.

Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
PHILADELPHIA, Pa, April IS. 1897.
The woman's whist congress has been
organized. Mrs. Joseph R. Hawley pre-
sented the name of Mrs. J. H. Andrews
for president of the league. The nomina-
ton met with hearty acclaim, and the
committees were chosen. Mayor Warwick
was in his happiest mood. and his hits on
the great game Of silence were heartily
applauded.
Walter H. Barney made favorable COM
parison with the mems whist congress
formed six years ago. Mrs. Henry c. Town.
send followed with a few pertinent re-
marks.
The contests for the woman's pair con-
test began with three sections of nineteen
labels each, the compass whist plan being
selected. the highest plus scores of each
section having to play of the match with
each other. Conspicuous in the battle was
Mrs. Hawley, with Mrs. Earle as a part
| ner, playing east and west: two othrr
and Mrs Leach. Mrs. Davis. Mrs. Pillins,
Miss Schmidt and Mrs. Walls are also an
the contest, the latter playing with Mrs
| R. F. Foster of New York. Miss Schmidt
entered with DIR. Walls as partner in
the mixed doubles.
Mrs. Sidney Ramsey was a brilliant part
ner of Mrs. Henry E. Wallace of Staten
| Island, who had a group of strong play
who is also in the contest.
r. F. Foster, the writer on whist. was
present, as were his extreme opposite, Mil
| ton c. Work; A. G. Safford the greatest
mathematical analyst in this country. and
Prof Lewis of Princeton, a great scholar
and lover of the game of mental athletics
The feature of the play was the presence
of six or eight couples of girls of fourteen.
with hair braided down their backs, solving
| the difficult positions they came up
showing intense interest and great insight
1 fnso tha n,,o H. fr.,
top score.
Every feature of play is represented, Mrs
| Baker of Brooklyn, with the boldness of a
veteran, opening trumps or all occasions:
| Mrs. Foster, always the top of nothing in
| her original lead, her partner, a conserva-
| tive long-suiter, adapting her play to cir
curlstances; the New England players ad-
| vocating the common-sense game, with
Washington, Philadelphia Baltimore. Will
| mington and Chicago all strictly working
| the long-su1t game. not sound urbiag
| this mass Of brain workers.
At the conclusion of the first half of the
| woman's pair contest it was found that
| Mrs. Henry E. Wallace, the whist poetess
| and her partner, Miss Rawson. had made
! and Mrs. Frank Williamson, Mrs Clinton
| and Miss Swift in secticn A, and Mrs. Rod
| man Wistar and Mrs. Samuels in section c.
| and this pair was on the team that played
| against the Washington ladies last week
| Mrs. Earle, with Mrs. Leach. made a fine
| showing, being only three tricks behind the
| top scores.
| The ending of the first half of the nixed
pair contest resulted in Mrs. Baker and
Mr.. Baker tfeing Mr.. Hill and partner for
nrst place in section c. The last pair had
eight tricks given on revokes. the first pair
four tricks, Mrs. Earle and Mr. Bristol and
| Miss Schmidt and DR.. Walls tying for sec
! ond place, four tricks behind the leaders
| Mrs Walls and Mr.. Stafford were only three
| tricks from the top, all making a great
| showing for Washington against pairs with
| years Of experience together
The bold, aggressive trump play of Mr.
ana MRS. Baker landed them top score.
| ne nnesses were deep, and the false cards
| OF some of the lady players were we'll timed
and admirably executed.
The standard of whist among some of the
lady players will bear comparison with
| whist played at any of the whist league
matches.
| The play of Miss Schmidt of Washington
| marks her as careful student, a close
| reader of the cards and a daring that ar
| CUES well for development into one of the
| finest players in the country Having met
| her partner for the first time at this con-
gress her score was very creditable, being
| only four tricks from the foremost PLAYERS
| Progress of the Playing.
Later-The league. after a short session,
| in which bylaws governing the league
were adopted in sections, adjourned to
| finish the second half Of the first event of
ladies' pairs, the same partners and posi-
tions being taken. Play commenced on
schedule time. Mrs. Leech has taken the
place of Madame de Sibour. 1t was she
who formerly played with Milton C. Work
and not Mrs. Pilling, as stated in The Star
Mrs. Leech's score in the first half was
credltable, with Mrs. McCrea as partner
There was only one pair in her section that
had a higher score Mrs. Nichols and Mrs.
Davis. another Washington pair, were only
| two tricks behind the leaders, Mrs. Wistar
and Mrs. Samuel, who are a strong pair.
Milton C. Work and Mrs. Toulmin are
still dangerous adversaries, they are
| cEly three tricks behind the leaders in their
section.
Harvey McCay and Miss Goldsborough
of Baltimore finished first in their section
against some strong teams. Mrs. Hawley
is saving her team for Thursday. A little
practice will be had in the morning with
such players AZ Smith, McCay, Barney and
another strong player. playing the Stafford
system for eight players, arranged by Bar
Hey.
The woman pair contest closed with
twelve players to go into the finals n. and
S., E. and W., highest in their respective
sections. the highest four obtaining the
well-earned trophies.
The contest for mixed pairs was also de-
cided, and Mr. and Mrs. Baker of Brooklyn
and McCay and Miss Goldsborough, with
eight other players, go into the finals. to be
determined by the match committee.
The play that Washingtonians are most
Interested N is the contest for teams of
four, Washington having two teams. for
l tiIS w NdSiihSt tOu prize. MIS. f1dWley, Mrs,
McCrea, Mrs. Earle and Mrs. Leech, and
the second composed of Mrs. Pillins, Miss
Schmidt. Mrs. Davis and Mrs. Nichols.
The tournament Is source Of great en-
| Joyment, and every whistler will go away
strengthened with more confidence and the
stage fright rubbed off,
Hill and Mrs. Peasants, who had the
benefit Of four reyokes the first night. We're
| beaten by both Bristol and Mrs McCrea
and Dr.. Walls and Miss Schmidt, the
strong team work of Mr.. and Mrs. Baker
landing them in the finals.
! The final event will be the women against
the men; wives against husbands will be
| the order Of the play
| There are some strong entries, some of
| the Hamiltons, Philadelphias, Baltimore
Art Club, Wilmington and many detached
pairs. Baker Of the Brooklyn and DR..
| Walls OF the c. A. c. CWashington) have
entered
A. AandsOme Residence Sold