The San Francisco call., 1905-04-02

Forsooth. is bridge the thing. now
that ii bears the sembIance Of being
wicked.
But is it?
In truth. not more wicked than any
good thing borne to extreme.
The devotees Of bridge are mostly
women. and when the hystericai sex
adopts a cult. an amusement or a re-
nunciatien ii is generally done with a
vengeance-it's a sex individuality. and
why deny it? And herein lies the sin
of l'ridge-not in its use but in its
abuse
Among the noted bridge players in
san Francisco are some of the brain
lest women in the city-and some of the
silliest. But to the former type their
game is but an incident Of a busy day,
what with social duties, philanthropies
and domestic obligations. But 10 the
latter class, their bridge is the whole
day, its morn. its noon. its night: and
the big things OF life-the babys call,
husbands yearn for cOmpanionship.
the obligations TO the home and its low
ing ones-all are forgot in the mad
feverish warfare over the bits of paste
board. Eagerness and sharp retort and
flushed faces" characterize these
games, and it is the prize that is be-
ing played for-not the incidental
pleasure Of the game. This is the sin
Of bridge. II is gambling. pure and
simple whether the prize be cash or
merchandise-and, by the way, it's not
an unheard of thing TO exchange unde-
sirable merchandise for cash. But this
is q secret, and don't you tell it, pom
honor.
A story is going the rounds of a New
York woman, now visiting in Washing
ton, who was known TO be a bridge ia
matte Consequently she was promptly
invited TO join a motley lot Of bridge
cQteries in the capital. where the fever
has reached the virulent stage. Her
declination 10 join was the cause of
much comment and no little ill-feeling.
when she made the frank confession
that her husband had closed a contract
with her TO pay her $4,000 if she re-
Trained from playing bridge for a year
and she was trying a mighty big try
to do il.
Now, while this particular husband
WAS a model of generosity, he was new
ertheless a practical chap. for it costs
pretty near that much for q woman of
the smart set to keep up with her
gowns, her suppers, her losses ana the
loss of her nerves, with the neces-
sary trip abroad to pull them together
again. For sane women-men are
mostly sane on bridge; it's poker
they're weak on-the game is as legiti-
mate, and infinitely more entertaining.
than knitting. and not a whit more sin
ful.
What think you Of the plan pursued
by some Of the big Chicago clubs where
bridge has hit hard-the taxing Of the
members, the captured money to go to
certain prescribed charities? Here zest
is added 10 the game by the clink Of
coin. the money is fairly won, the re-
ward enjoyed. and then the kitty" is
turned over 70 some charity. And thus
is pleasure stated and cupidity thwart-
cd But pray tell me. what would Lent
be without bridge2 One can't sew and
pray all the time
The following were the leading
events Of the week:
MONDAY.
Mrs. John Thomas Porter and Mrs.
Fernando Phngst. "at home
Mrs n T. Messer, ''at home {"
Luncheon on board L. S s. Ohio.
given by Assistant Engineer Lewton.
entertaining Mrs. c. S. Cochran. Miss
Cochran. Miss ruttle, CAPTAIN Tuttle
and c. s. Cochran.
Mrs. J. K. Wilson, hostess at an in
formal tea in honor Of the Misses
Grace and Marie Wilson.
TUESDAY.
Wedding Of Miss Camille Rosenblatt
and Alfred s. Ciump
Mrs. Henry Clarence Breedens host
ess at an informal bridge party.
Miss Eleanor Conneli, hostess at a
studio tea IN honor Of Mr. and Mrs. r
7. Jackson Of THE virginian' com
pany.
Mrs. Francis carolan. hostess at a
lecture on Merchant of Venice" at St.
Francis.
Mrs. Charles Austin Coolidge. host
ess al the Army Ladies Card Club.
Lieutenant Arthur b. Owens. host
at a tea aboard United States steam
ship Ohio, entertaining Miss Burney
owens. Mrs. Owens. Miss Frances
Stewart Miss Dorothy Draper, Miss
Jones and Miss Jessie Moors.
"WEDNESDAY.
Mrs. Edward Rothchild. hostess at a
oinner IL the marble room Of the
Palace
W. H. SeeIy, host at a dinner in honor
OF Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Higgins at