The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-02-17
FOR FEMININE READERS
SWEET CHARITY OFFERS OPPOR-
TUNITY FOR WOMEN TO GAMBLE.
A System of Obedience Which In
gance of the Black Costume.

believe the cinch epidemic is perfectly
harmless and is overspreading the country
in sanitary guise under the auspices of
sweet charity. This innocent form of gam
bling is for women a thing apart and does
not include their whole existence. 1t is
healthy, since it is an athletic course with
recreation, and in the mad rush for the
first prize at an afternoon cinch party the
physical powers and mental abilities are
alike developed. 1t inculcates lessons Of
self-restraint, patience and amiability un-
der circumstances which would try the
courage of martyr. A woman who can
smile and smile again when she cuts for
that coveted first prize with another woman
is much greater than the traditionary 'vil-
lain"
Women love to gamble in a mild, orthodox
way, but they want always to win and
never to lose. The feminine gambling spirit
enters into their bargain day rushes, their
club entertainments, their church lotteries
and their dear, delightful afternoon cinch
parties. Young things Of the feminine sex
make wild bets Of box of candy or pair
OF gloves, not with each other-they are
much too wise for that--but with members
OF the opposite sex, who feel constrained to
pay whether they lose or win. They begin
in pinafores with the assertion 'Ill bet!"
and 1 have knowledge of a bright miss of
six years who was waiting impatiently
while her pastor and her father discussed
the prudence OF putting up an umbrella as
it was beginning to rain. Tired of waiting
the small person said glibly: "Oh. do hurry
and put up or shut up!'
There isn't bit Of fun in playing a
game OF cards If there isn't something to
win," declared a staid young matron whose
house Is decorated with the scalps Of sue
cessive seasons in the shape of first prizes.
These trophies take the form of pictures,
cut glass dishes, silver tableware, mantel
ornaments, wall bags, unique souvenirs
and books. She is not supposed to have
purchased a single bit of bric-a-brac, but
when caller saw a miniature OF the most
distinguished ancestor OF the family in
ancient painting on ivory and asked her II
Ii was a first prize it needed all the fascina-
lions OF cinch to reassure her.
A charity cinch party, the proceeds of
which &c. TO some worthy object, is a de-
OF the small sting that lies at the root Of
the pleasure, the working of conscience.
me nrst prize represents a virtue; 1t VIII
be souvenir of a noble aim, and TO go in
and win Is the duty of every woman pres
ent. Tho complacent expression of that
fortunate player who carries off the sofa
pillow or wall pocket which constitutes the
first prize is worth studying AT that mo-
ment she could forgive her dearest enemy.
An amusing and frequent episode Of those
charity cinch parties is the appearance of
some unknown guest-unknown at least to
the hostess-who plays winning game and
walks off with the prize. The hostess sup
posed that her guests had brought her, the
guests presumed her TO be friend Of the
hostess, but on comparing notes no one
present knew her. 1t was the ability to buy
card of invitation or pay fee of entrance
for charity that gave some woman with the
instincts of a gambler the opportunity to
crafty them.
There is an unwritten law that the
hostess of a cinch party should not play,
or at least should not play to win but
gracefully concede the prize TO her guests
Or If by any chance she should win to give
her guests the privilege of playing a game
without her and winning Ii over again. But
the woman has not been discovered who
ever did this. 1t would be asking too much.
Indeed, l have recently heard of three
ladies who gave an afternoon cinch party
who had provided a beautiful lamp for
first prize. 1t was won by guest, and
each of the three women cried herself sick
over the loss. Then the husbands came to
the rescue and bought consolation lamps
for the fair gameSters.