The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-03-12
Public and Private rambling.

In the Rev Dr. HuNrINGToN ~ Grace
church there Is not a trace - the sensa-
'iunal preacher lie does not pose 20 draw
the applause IL the galleries and he never
passes beyond his legitimate sph"r" as "a
teacher of religion in a quest for secular
and political r-uown when. therefore.
pr H~r>rI>Dro>. IN a sermon on sunday.
declared that the form ~ gambling in \cw
York which i nov most p"rul,ious l. not
that ui the professional gambling estah-
li>hmentS. but that which Is carried on In
fashionable private houses. II may az once
l." assumed that. 10 his own knowledge.
the practice has become frequent enough
90 be "a notable feature ~ the life ~ tho
society 20 which no refers.
Is II true" asked DR. H~vNTiSGToN.
that hustrss.s are found IN fashionable
life who will lot young men whose honesty
i their capital depart Impoverished 10y
losses n cards out ~ drawing rooms into
which they have been invited a. guests"
Evidently the rector or Grace church has
heard the authentic reports ~ high play
N bridge whist which are nov current in
fashionable society. This game" has sud
denly como into great vogioin such circles
both here and Ia London. and the gains
aud losses AZ u. easily made possible 10y
i's character. are often large among both
men and women when. therefore. Or
HrNrINGroN asked If Il Is truethat young
women. reputod TO be Of good family and
honest bringing mp. exhibit with prid"
IN. Jewels bought ONT 81 the profits Of the
gaming table" he spoke from % inside In
formation" We hear OF young mon who
have los, hundreds and even thousands
Of dollars a, the game. "a provided by
hostes ses Of social distinction; md some
of them are put to dire strata TO raise the
money and save themselves from he social
ruin which would be the penalty Of their
default.
With fashion c~ountenanciuS and stimu-
lating such q stat" Of things In luxurious
dwe llings into which no detective ventures
To enter. Dr. HUSTiNGToS may well ask Of
what avail Is " n crusade against policy
shops and poolrooms, whether by five,
fifteen or ffty." He might have gone
farther and suggested that there Ia some
thing pharsaiCal In such m assault. under
clerical direction. on public gambling
when really the portentous fact Ia the pres
ent recrudesccnce Of the gambling mania
Of the early part Of the last century In the
private society IN which conventional
respect for formal religious observance
Is also fashionable.
The truth il that relatively the pro-
fessional gambling establishment IL a far
less conspicuous feature ~ the city's life
than T. was a generation ago, Meantime.
too. gambling In clubs has diminished
notably. But private gambling. under the
impetus Of tho present vogue az bridge
whist. seems 10 be getting back TO the
prevalence ~ the period when II was most
a fashionable mania. Experts in the now
game Al cards are in So great demand rs
teachers that some of them arc giving IN
other business To devote themselves wholly
10 giving the instruction in private houses.
The call for their services docs not come
from this city alone, but also from Boston.
Baltimore and other large towns. and there
il every indication that a revival Of III"
gambling passion on n wide scale and ~ n
fashionable mania il proceeding rapidly.
and In tho very circle Of society in which
move leaders and members Of the COM
miliers now engaged in making So much
noise about the regular gambling houses.
II II i tho Terrible evil and dangerous
vice thcy describe. It's appearance aud
prevalence in the society which sets he
fashions for 81 gr"a' a part of the corn-
mlnity. and generally has n moral influence
80 wide, hav" an alarming significance
which professional gambling spuradiCHilv
pursued in doNarc" or IN" laws has not.