The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-09-04
MYSTERIES OF THE 1.-TWO TO TWO CLUB TEMPLE OF FASHIONABLE GAMBLING
London's Luxurious New Bridge Monte Carlo Provides
Excitement for the Smartest Women Of the
~s Smart Set, and Keeps Many Of Them
in Town in the Dog Days

Lady Godfrey Clerk, Lord Burnham,
Lady Edward Spencer Churchill, Sir
Francis Burdett. Lady Poltimore and
Lady. Alexandra Paget.
There are women a-plenty in London
who would gladly risk beggary Ito get
I'M with this sci. And 1t can. hardly
be imagined how futile are clerical
crusades against bridge when: such
people go in for it ostentatiously.
The clubhouse is in Berkeley street,
Piccadilly, at the. corner of Hay Hill, In
the heart Of Fashionable Mayfair. On
its site formerly stood the town house
of, the Earl of Ashburnham, which was
sold by that q,1ixotic- peer to provide
him with additional means for indui-
gence in his pet hobby of, supplying
funds to the needy claimants to Eu-,
ropean thrones. 1t faces Lansdowne
house and. overlooks the gardens Of
the Duke Of Devonshire's stately town
residence. sFhe rooms ares sumptuous-
ly furnished in old-fashioned- style to
preserve the sentimental connection
with the original Almacks, but mod
ern innovations have been introduced
Of which the famous bucks. and beau
ties of the time Of George ILL., knew
nothing, Among them are electric
lights delicately shaded pink globes
which will conceal the paIlor Of the
ladies' cheeks and electric fans to
cool their fevered brows when luck
goes against then.
A Bridge Monte Carlo
There are several large card rooms,
containing esix tables each. and two
smaller ones, where gambling can be
INDUCED in in comparative privacy.
The card tables have ash bowls at
each end, surrounded with plate glass
for depositing cigars and cigarettes,
for, unlike the bellies who patronized
the old Almacks s, the fair patrons Of
this New Almack's can take comfort
from the weed divine as freely as the
men without subjecting themselves to
any suggestion Of unladylike. conduct.
Beside each card table is a dainty
refreshment table from which can be
obtained solace in the shape of tea
or something stronger if the nerves
demand it. When members tire Of
play they can retire to the luxurious
drawing room and stretch themselves
on lounges upholstered in strapped
gold cloth, and at the same time, if. it
pleases them, they can have refresh
ments served them on daint occasional
tables Of beaten old gold metal mount
ed on inlaid mahogany There is q
dining room, of course, for the more
substantial regalement Of the inner
man or woman, and the services Of a
high salaried chef have been obtained
to supervise the cooking. And there
is another fman In attendance who has
no official designation, but is equally
adept in mixing drinks to suit mascu-
line or feminine palates. Nothing has
been left dndoner to make this minia-
ture Monte Carlo Of bridge attractive.
OF course the New Almack's has
come in for some severe criticism from
fh0SQ who idnn1Ora fa e hi ON hi fxv'e
complete surrender to the gambling
craze. This has elected a .specious let
ter from the secretary, in which. with
queer assumption of virtuous indig-
nation. he objects to the popular de-
scription Of it as gambling club. He