The sun., 1909-02-28
BRIDGE 4 LEVELLER.
Skill st the Game Certain Means Of %.
tanning Social Success.

LONDON, Feb. 17.-Bridge whist Is
proving the greatest leveller that English
social life has known. Houses which had
always been inaccessible TO the aspirant
TO social success who could not give
good account of family and position are
open now TO the outsider who can make
a good fourth at the bridge table.
The Englishman has a passion for
games, as all the world knows. and the
Englishwoman shares his interest. Gire
and boys are often taught to play chess
at very early age. and they seem To learn
whist in their infancy Yet II il safe to
say that no game played here has en-
crossed 30 many people OF varying station
In life as bridge and no game has lasted as
long in It's first vigor.
Once more the cartoonist Ia busy with
the card table and its followers. as he
was in the past when gaming was In It's
heyday in England. Once more from the
pulpit Of fashionable city churches
preachers thunder forth denunciations OF
the sin OF gambling and once mora
society votes all entertainments dull
where game Of cards is not played.
Bridge clubs flourish; many are mixed.
and men and women members are fairly
matched as To the game. Almaoks IA
the smartest OF these and at six cents a
point considerable money changes hands
in the course of an evening. A rival IN
Almacks has just been founded by Mrs
Frankau. better known as Frank Dandy,
the author of Pigs in Clover &c.
Conservative home loving women who
would not join a woman's club ordinarily
and whose aim in life has been TO c1it
down their calling list to a chosen few
have been persuaded to join this or that
organization for the sake Of a quiet rubber
between engagements. and they play
cheeHully with women whose advances
they would have snubbed under ordinary
circumstances.
So excellent a sportsman is the Eng
lishman and 80 excellent a sportswomsn
Is the English woman that losses and gains
are taken most philosophiosliy. The
professional element rarely creeps into
a club. the professional element in bridge
meaning OF course those players who
are working to win for the sake of the
money added to their incomes.
Many an excellent steady, player who
loses philosophically and u always ready
to play has been surprised at his sudden
social popularity He h1ds himself the
recipient of numerous Invitations FROM
persons he never hoped to know.
The same thing holds good among
women. An afternoon bridge party is
arranged. some one fails to appear. the
hostess telephones wildly TO all her
friends: Win some one bring a fourth
for the incomplete table? Some one
doss and the hostess greets the newcomss
as a deItveres
This happens in houses where invita-
tions used TO be as difficult TO obtain
almost az court presentation. Thus
has bridge levelled the prejudice and
conservatism Of English society.
King Edward is an enthusiastic bridge
player. and when he sends word 10 a
friend that he will dine with him on az
appointed evening the friend knows
that bridge must follow the dinner Tho
King Is not a strong player. and takes
chances that would certainly bring a
lecture from his partner were he a less
august person. His good humor is un-
failing. and no one laughed more readily
than he not long ago at retort Of Mrs.
She was his partner and tho King mad-
IL no trumpe on 50 weak a hand that
when his cards went down on the table
even his opponents gasped. Mrs. Keppel
took one long look and then murmured
softly
The King can do no wrong, but the
Lord help Alice Keppell'
Miss Jane Thornhill 10 the best woman
player in England, ana she is in great
demand for royal bridge parties. as the
King likes skilled players .