The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-07-05

ing for very small stakes. No harm
in that, they said. No, none at ALL
acquiesced. Next, my daughters asked
II they might put something up on the
game. Every one does it now they
said, and what is the harm?' If Bob
and Dick and papa do 1t, why should
not we?' That sounded perfectly rea-
sonable, and we all began to play for
money. Everybody, who is so often
quoted as an authority, doing about
the same thing. But, then, this 'Ev-
erybodY,' who seems to be an occult
power that has no distinct personality,
but yet governs society, began to make
the game subservient to the stakes. No
one cared to play unless the latter We're
high enough to excite interest. SO, little
by little, and almost unconsciously on
our part, we have allowed a regular
gambling spirit to invade the social life
of our young people. That we who are
heads of families are in a measure re-
sponsible for this state of affairs does
not make the problem any easier of
solution. Every parent knows how i'm
possible it is to curtail or even direct
freedom that has once been conceded.
We can open or keep shut the door of
our authority more or less as we
choose, but once open we are powerless
to close it again. That the craze for
gambling, instead. of waning, is greatly
on the increase; that the amounts play
ed for are being constantly increased
that those who cannot or will not play
for money find that their society is not
particularly desirable--all these are
very obvious facts: while another ar
raignment equally serious, might be
made against this universal card play
ing on the score of its stultifying infiu-
ence on the character. 1t destroys am
bition, creates false standards and de-
velops manners and ways which would
have shocked people a few years ago,
but which are now considered quite
permissible. Apropos of the latter eff
feet, some of the stories told are almost
incredible. A young American who
went out a good deal in London last
season, and who certainly was we'll
enough known to be treated as a gen
tlenan, was asked by a woman of po-
sition to dine and play bridge. The
stakes were much higher than he antic-
ipated and as fortune was against him
the amount of money he had with him
was soon exhausted. He went on los
ing, and when they stopped playing he
owed quite a considerable sum. 1 Will
send my checks the first thing in the
morning, he said, thinking the whole
affair perfectly simple: but he was as
tonished to see his proposition received
chillingly by his fellow-players, while
his hostess flushed angrily. we all
ways come prepared to meet contingent
cies, Mr.. b. she said, sharply. Kindly
write your check now But have not
brought a check book he answered
astounded that in a private house.
among people he knew, he was treated
as if he were in a gambling den. I
prefer said Lady NJ, that the matter
should be settled before we break up
I will give you blank checks and you
can insert the name of your bank
You can imagine my feelings as I
wrote those checks said the man af-
terward. of course, there was nothing
for me to do but to treat the affair as
matter of course. Anger on my part
would have been misinterpreted and
they would probably have said that
was nicely caught by Lady M. So l
thanked the latter for her foresight,
with no infection of sarcasm in my
voice, but had a bad attack of anglo
phobia when 1 returned home. Such
thing could only have happened in the
house of a smart English hostess.