The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-04-13
Women and Card Playing.

at fancy
Women and Card Playing.
Card playing is the favorite feminine
diversion of the present season And by
card playing IS not meant euchre or
whist or pinoehle-although these have
their votaries in certain number-but
poker playing. the sport Of men and
kings and presidents, and now OF wo-
men.
While there are young women who are
| enamored of the game of bluffs aid
raises, the great majority of the playing
in this city is done by women of mature
years. Their favorite fashion is to meet
around at the houses OF this or that
member CT their inner circle, visiting the
home of Mrs. A. on one afternoon, Mrs.
B ON the next date of playing, and so
on. The hostess sets out a luncheon,
which is partaken Of whenever the play
ers are 50 inclined, each going to the
sideboard and helping herself, says a
writer in the Sunday Star.
A young woman who does not play
poker very well and is not at all inter-
ested in the game, called the other after
noon at the house Of one of her ae-
quaintances just as a session" was al
its height She noted peculiarities which
the players, long familiar with, had
ceased to find impressive She noted
that the ladies played with an intensity
which she characterized as positively
shameful They had very little time to
waste in inquiries as to her health ana
the news of her intimates They were
intent only upon their game. and they
played in a fashion that the young Wo-
man. with even her limited knowledge Of
the game, detected was amateurish and
essentially Womanly.
There was one feature which the on
locker remarked and about which she
spoke later to a man friend. Parenthe-
tically. the man was much amused and
moved to sundry sayings on the peculi-
arity of women at cards.
when arrived, said the young Wo-
man. in telling about the experience. "the
hostess got up for a second. shook hands
with me, called to the maid to attend to
my wishes and, c0unselling me to amuse
myself by watching the game, resumed
her seat. Shortly after another woman
came and room was made for her at the
table. A white cloth was on the table,
and the first thing I noticed about the
new arrival was that she reached down,
pulled up part of the slack of the cloth.
discovered some pins and fastened the
table cloth into the form Of a pocket di
rectly in front Of her. Into this pocket
she swept all her chips. not leaving one
on the table. Wasn't that funny?"
The man said it was funny, but fem
mime, and added that if a man put his
chips in his pocket or anywhere of the
board he would be hooted at. But then"
he added, sagely, women are privileged
characters, and never more SO than at
the card table,
One Of Queen YictOria's Bridesmaids.
The Duchess of Cleveland is the only
surviving bridesmaid of the late Queen
Victoria, and she is still in excellent
health and one of the most active women
In the nobility. She is the mother of
Lord Rosebery, her first husband having
been the fourth Earl of Rosebery and
Primrose. The Duchess was the oldest
daughter of the Earl OF Stanhope and
she was born in the same year as the
late Queen, in 1919. She wrote the Roll
of Battle Abbey" and has taken a deep
interest in all her illustrious sons liter
airy work.
The Duchess is in perfect health and
attends court regularly in full court at
tire. At Battle Abbey Sussex her eoaIn-
try home, she rides about on a donkey,
which is quite wonderful for a woman OF
81 years. She never follows the example
of her sovereign in wearing old-Iady
clothes. but dresses in the latest sty lc
with smart skirts and jackets and fetch
ing hats Lord Rosebery is devoted to
his mother, and the Ladies Primrose
make a friend Of their grandmother
who is almost as youthful in her inter-
ests as they.-Leslie's Weekly.
A Carpet of VioIets.
One of the most characteristic sights
Of Rome, and one comparatively little
known to tourists, is now in the height
Of perfection-the violets at Hadrian's
villa, says the Commercial Advertiser.
On ascending the long avenue one is
conscious Of a perfume of violets which
perneates the air. AT ones feet, over
the whole length and breadth OF the
enormous villa, is spread a perfumed
carpet OF this lovely hower-not monot-
onous purple in hue, but of many
shades from the faintest red mauve-
one would almost say White-dOWn to
the rich purple, and SO thickly scattered
that il Is impossible to avoid stepping
on them.
Besides this the ruins are beautifed in
the loveliest way by the tiny blossoms
w herever is a Granny there will be one
or more violets, until one can think Of
no smile more appropriate than a huge
bouquet. Some idea can be gained Of how
many violets there are when it IS con-
sidered that the visitors at the villa at
this time of the year average from
twenty-five to thirty daily and that
each person carries off a large basketful.
this promiscuous picking mailing not the
least impression on the millions pr0vid-
ed by prOdigal nature.
IL IS sight worth any trouble to see,
but alas! It only lasts a short time, as
the violet season is not long.
ChicagO's Cat Club.
Chicago has a prosperous cat club. All
the officers are women and tl.ey keep
It's finances in apple pie order says
writer in the Sun.
Al the annual meeting held last week
IN the clubs own rooms in Wabash av-
enue the treasurer reported that the
club spent S1,114 principally ON its an
nual exhibition and had a credit balance
OF sSC0 In the treasury. 1t was decided