The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-11

| We'll, the ungrateful thing united with
| the woman who had tried to keep her out,
formed the new club and quietly dropped
the woman who had helped her to mako
! all these friends Of a kind she had never
known in her life before, That's bridge
| for you"
She sighed contemplatively over the
sad state OF affairs that the game had
caused Then the curtain went up and they
watched the play.
The two laughed at the old Duchess who
came to the bridge party without any money
and had to borrow II, and they were amused
by the old lady's indifference to every
thing but the game. The curtain fell, rose
again to show the group Of actors and
then the music began. So did the woman
who had been talking before.
when they put her out, she went on as
II there had been no pause, "she came to me
in great state Of excitement and wanted
my advice, 1t had dared I would have
told her to take a course in bridge, but she
thinks she's such wonder that I didn't
dare.
Think of it" she said with tears in her
eyes, Me, a Van Benthenzyn. put out for
that nobody whom / got into the club
Why. If told my husband. hoe he d
DO nothing said. you will have to
put up with It and never speak to any OF
those women again. But, my dear Clara,
it is a fact that Van Benthenzyn or Van
anything else don't help you In bridge
You must play the game. II you play it
poorly or slowly and are 80 unfortunate as
to play it both slowly and poorly, why,
there's very little chance for anybody
OF course, don't say that you do either Of
those things. But one must play 80 well
nowadays that course Of lessons Is the best
thing in the world IL you feel yourself get
ting stale
you know I could toll from the way she
threw up her head and sailed out Of the
room, scarcely taking the time to say good
by, that she was furious at me for having
intimated that she was not the best bridge
player In the world. tell you, bridge
would change any woman"
The girl who started this conversation
between the two women 10 a member OF
what has been called the aristocracy of
bridge, and that means that she would not
have been likely to get on in society as she
has but for her skill in playing game that
has assumed the proportions Of a mania
In New York Other fortunate women gifted
like her have found bridge a short cut to
society they were anxious to enter
1t Is not recorded that any woman was
ever taken up merely because she could
give bridge parties, but women who can
play the game well and also give parties
are very much appreciated. And tho girls
who can play the game well and are not
able to do anything else toward the pleasure
OF others are among the most successful
Of the bridge aristocracy
How long the great interest in the game
will last will determine the extent to which
this number will increase this year Ger
tainly there is no sign of diminishing de-
light on the part Of women who play it,
Whether the bridge aristocracy is going
to continue after bridge is a fashion OF
the past Is q question that will not be an
swered until the game has been dead for
some years. But 1t scarcely seems probable
that the women who have made good friends
will lose them.
of course. they will keep the positions
they made for themselves, said the woman
who had been explaining the new aris-
tocracy to her friend. NO woman in the
world would have the nerve TO throw down
anybody she had been as intimate with AZ
most Of the women have got to he with
these good players"
1t has often been said that to be a good
sportsman was the greatest help to man
who was anxious to know a certain set Of
New Workers Tennis champions have
prof1ted by the distinction they won in the
game Success in other sports has done
It's work for other men; but women, until
bridge came along, had no such means Of
helping themselves up by their own eff
forts,