The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-04

But, Of course, there are limits to that sort
of thing"
Il do not play for money and / find that
l am cut off from playing with the women
l know best somewhat dolefully remarked
a young matron who says she has spent a
small fortune on bridge lessons. Il do
not think many women now play for high
stakes they play too often for that-but
l do find that most women want some sort
of stakes.
"The surest way to be unpopular with
smart society is to balk at playing for
money. The word gambling is never as
ISOLATED with bridge, Tell any woman
who plays a five cent limit that she CANDLES
and she is furious.
Il cannot begin to tell how many bridge
clubs will meet during Lent and how many
extra classes have been formed to meet
in the evening. There are two very smart
clubs Of fifty members each which have
met afternoons once a week during the
winter and which mean to keep right on
through Lent, besides at least ten smaller
clubs of which l happen to know"
How do the nerves of the average
woman stand the strain of so much
bridge" was asked Of frail looking woman
who Is among the most enthusiastic bridge
players.
"On the whole very WE'LL" said she. Il
can't say that playing bridge in all Of ones
spare hours is especially restful to the
nerves, neither do agree with the doleful
peOple WHO pTtulCU al era OIL NERVOUS pros
tration as the outcome Of the wave Of
bridge popularity"
When a teacher Of bridge Of the socially
elect was asked if there were not indications
that the popularity of bridge was on the
wane among the very fashionable he echoed
with a rising infection: son the wane?"
1T is 80 much on the wane,' laug hed his
wife, who also teaches bridge. that we can
not begin to fill the demands on us for
hssons.
The desire to play bridge is sweeping
this country and other countries. Here is
a letter from Poland, in which the writer
requests permission to translate nv hus-
bands book on bridge whist into Polish.
an order to meet the demand for lessons
in this country we are conducting lessons
bv correspondence. Already we have sent
out L. 800 Of the series OF lessons"
What NAV hAppen in the future, no one
can predict. resumed the teacher in chief
"a his wife paused. but this much is GER
tain, that the upper circles of New York
society Just now scarcely do anything with
out bridge. The game follows dinners,
it comes after ldncheons, it fills in the after
Moons.
Where PEOPLE used to sit around bored
after dinner, they now get out the bridge
tables, and young girls as well as their
mothers enjoy the game"
"Is 1t true that, as a club man rem arked
not long ago, there are not half a dozen
women in New York who play a really fine
game of bridge?'
Nonsense" was the emphatic reply.
Il could name dozens OF really fine PLAYERS
among the society women | rave taught.
' The average woman, in fact, PLAYS a better
game thar the averag e man, for the reason
that she practices a good deal more because
she - m ore time to play.
American women are the best card play
ers in the world-among women, | mean.
Their fine playing OF bridge has been com
m,nte1 on in England and on the Cont
nent."
DO not New York women play for higher
stakes than formerlv2'
Not to my knowledge, From what / see
and hear the five cent limit is the most
popular among women
aOf course commented the experts
wife, Considerable none may be lost and
won even with . five cent limit'