The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-05-17
A WHIST CONFERENCE
Aud the Part Which Portland
Ladies Took i'm Ii.
A Lively Description Of the AFFAIR by
Portland Lady.

seven nOntns dkOs tiac Ns
woman's Whist Club, auxiliary to the
Woman's Whist League, existed only as
long cherished desire in the mind OF Mrs
F. y. Dyer. Last October she deter
mined to make the desire an accomplished
fact, and what that involved OF courage,
discretion, tact, unfail!ng courtesy, ana
knowledge of whist, cannot be estimated.
The Howell system of Duplicate Whist
and Scoring, was the oue.decided on for
the Portland club, most fortunate
choice, as it proved to he the one used at
the Congress in Washin gton. The clear
ness OF apprehension, the steadiness OF
nerve, necessary to successfully direct five
and six tables OF players using Is to ~
boards cannot be comprehended, even by
those ow somewhat familiar, with the
intrlcacies of the game. That all TINS
has been accomplished, has called forth
expressions of establishment from proDi-
ne at players outside of Portland. us 1t
posi- BILE you have a woman's club In
Portland belonging to the League and
using..the Howell system ~ exclaimed
noted Boston whist man. The remark
was deserved tribute to Mrs. Dyer S
indomitable energy and public spirit.
Whist League was appointed to be held at
Washington, ID. G., April 20 to rs in
elusive, their headquarters being two
we'll known hotels, the Ebbitt and Will
lard. All or any members OF clubs be-
longing to the League were entitled TO
attend the Congress, and enter the diner
ent contests in teams of four. AS pairs, or
us individual players. In this way, no
member is debarred from the congress-
and 1t is optional with each member 10
play whist or not. Unforeseen circum-
siances prevented our President and vice
Presidsnt-Mrs. Jordan and Mrs. Cox
from carrying out their Intention OF being
present at the Congress, but fortunately
Mt a little past the twelfth hour, Mrs.
G. F. West decided to meet our Secretary
Mrs. Dyer and that other delegate whom
we shall call Mrs. Fillabreach at the
Union Station en- route for Washington.
Everything in the shape of home, hus-
hand, children and care was left behind.
One Thought absorbed each club mem
ber-whist. There was fourth friend
in the party not, alas u whist player
but the unvaryiug patience with which
for seven days she listened to such CONVEX
sation as with four trumps and three
weak suits lead the top of nothing as a
strepgthe ming card" or lido you echo to
your partner four trumps when trump
ing it?" were lessons in politeness and
unseltishness which we trust were not
lost. One thoughtful friend presented
each traveller of our party with tag
duly inscribed with the name and appro-
pirate sentiment, the inference being
that our minds were so filled with large
game that we could not attend to such
small quarry as ourselves, and needed to
be labelled, In case of being lost, strayed
or stolen, One tag read as follows: Can
play the piano, thinks she can play
inlet ho 5aap and hittar sipnificanCe
of which was only fathomed later.
There ARE people who have been known
to declare the Journey from Portland Via
the Boston g. Maine railroad TO be most
tedious. We are positive those misguided
individuals did not play whist on the
way. With us the moments flew. as our
patient friend served in place of dummy,
and before we realized it we were in Bos
ton and OH the lookout for whist dele
gates. THAT woman in the lnvendar
waist and hat, with the huge bunch OF
violets. / know is going" whispered
Mrs. W. Sure enough the surmise was
correct, for 1t proved to be Mrs. Water
house, from the Howell Club OF Boston,
When we reached Fall River. and boarded
the priscilla" the whistles swept down
like the Assyrians of old. There were
MIR. and Mrs. Barney of Providence. with
a large contingent from the Providence
Athletic Club. MIR. Barney is an author
ity ON the game, and scoring is hobby |;
he has invented new system which he
claims has advantages in the way OF fair
ness over sthose now in vogue. There
were with US large women and small,
tall women and short, but height and
breadth counted not.-they one and all
had the same whist" expression, and
were talking the whist language. Early
Sunday morning We anchored In New
York harbor, after calm trip. AS we
we're personally conducted party, we
renewed a search begun over night for
the gentleman who was to guard us from
all care and unpleasantness. In our wan.
behring's up and down tho priscilla,
we encountered groups of women who
we knew were on the same errand, as
mingled with lead knave," would be
heard the inquiries Where is he?' what
shall We do about breakfast etc. When
the time warned us that in 20 minutes
we would lose our morning meal, we re-
luctantly gave up the chase and ate
delicious breakfast, first sending our let
ter to the. steward, and feeling secure in
our pocket books, revelled in ripe straw
berries the size of plums. Leisurely leav-
ing the dining room, our surprise may be
imagined when the rear party was called
upon to "stand and deliver 1--WE
have paid for our breakfast as this letter
shows" was said quietly by our captain.
"There Is some misunderstanding" an
swered the steward. politely. "a number
of people have had the same expeI ienoe,
but we have not made any arrangements
for any party Settling the account.
four women said simultaneously, THAT
conductor must be found In less than
five minutes very small, thin, sandy
haired man. was making protuse apollo
gies promising returns to our pocket
books, fulfilled later, and explaining his
fruitless search for the Portland party.
He q lew from group TO group, like be-
lated bumbls-bee, suddenly awakened to
the. fact of neglected duties. "You must
all know each other. Let me introduce
Mr.. Hawkes.. editor of the Whist Weekly
Have you met Mrs. Swallow? This Ii
her partner, Mrs. Thayer." We were
soon busily talking, and at ten O'Clock
were seated in the train on our way to
Washington. The weather was all that
could be desired, though the temperature
kept rising in q way alarming to women
who had left shirt waists behind and car
ried fur capes. Some pastures along the
way showed brighter green, ana The
fruit tree blossoms swelled and burst into
flower before our eyes. Trees everywhere
in full foliage, flowers blooming, and we
had sprung from winter into summer.
The six hours ride passed quickly as we
were constantly meeting new people. Mr..