The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-06-26
A COUNTRY HOUSE NEED NET
THFS WONIN 4 PRICTICE PLAY
ER or BRIDGE WHIST.
mer Duty u 10 Teach Inc Game 10 Poor
Players Nlthout Thelr knoNinS u
Matrimonial Complication tiood
--FIela Created By Modern custom.

\ 80 ana my DoNfu, eatu NeieN
much IN demand at country houses To
outsidsra | am an invited guest.
sAIl nv time h engaged, sometimes AZ
much a. a year ahead. This summer
am 20 divide my time between three
hounas Az each house there h 90 be
a succession ot house parties, and ~ YOU
Know bridge whist IL the main dependence
ofaIl hos,caass these days. Besides keep
Ing my employer. or a. outsiders say. my
ho~tess. in practice by playing with her
any hour when she can spare the time,
Thave 10 teach the guests who do not play
ulBciently well 20 make them desirable
partners.
sIrnder no circumstances do ] allow
Ehpss poor players 20 guess that am paid
for the interest take IN their game. In
every houss 60 20 I am known a. a bridge
hsnd. 1 have often overheard young
ppople warn each other against me. They
declare that II ever I lay my hands on any
one IL IL impossible % get away until my
victim has paid the toll % one or more
Ramss Of bridge.
sThese Young things little guess that !
hostess. who pays me what have TO admit
n generous salary. gives me one OF the
best rooms in her house. supplies me with
the services Of a maid and altogether
treats me as among her most desirable
guests.
sOf course have had 10 work for all
this. When first began 10 earn living
bridge was just coming into fashion and
teaching women was a real pleasure 20
mo. Indeed Il was - pleasant that !
decided 20 learn somsthing else by which
would b able 20 earn money when the
craus for bridge wore on.
Il took up stenogFaphy and brushed
up both my French and German. have
had uae for both languages in my bridge
playing. which | am now beginning to
look upon a. my life work for the reason
that instead Of becoming LEES popular
the number Of its devOtees IL always on
the increase.
NY day begins generally al 4. NJ
when I am at a country house After
taking my breakfast in my room 20 to
my hostess who IL usually taking hers
At that time. While she nibble- her toast
and sips her coffee We discuss plans for
the day
ANY guest who does not play a good
came IL delivered into my hands. am
supposed TO find ways and means Of in
vuialing him into learning more about
he nme SOmstimes ] am instructed
20 take him 70 some secluded spot on the
grounds and far enough away from the
house for the others to get on on a drive
or morning picnic unseen.
sOf course, once this 10 accomplished
Il IL an easy natter 20 get the victim to
Aniah the morning playing bridge with me
Az least Il Il generally easy. bus on one or
two occasions the plan has not worked
out veil
One Of these failures was a girl with
whom the son Of the hostess was in love
she played an atrocious game Of bridge
and was candid enough To admit that she
dstasted cards. The hostess was willing
enough for the match 10 take place. but
abe felt that the girl could never be a
social success unless she learned more
about the fashionable game was in
structed 70 take her for a walk TO the
chapel Just az the time Il had been planned
Tor the others 70 start on on an all day
picnic.
III Was easy enough for me to induce
the girl 20 go for the walk. but when we
fRund the house practically empty on
our return she refused 20 be ComfOrtsd
by PLAYING cards She finally got me in a
position where / was forced 20 tell her Of
uhs plot and the object Of her hostess
After questioning me down 10 the last
datail she said that 90 long ~ She ~
NAMED In the house she would not touch
a card, and furthermore she didn't in
tend that the Young man should either
She kept her word 20 such an extent that
after they were married her husband gave
10 cards entirely and now refuses 20
Wait his mothers house when bridge "
% be played
'Anothsr Of my failures was a
yDmg man who became 10 enraged when
~ found that he had missed getting on
win the rest Of the house party Tor a
morning drive that h. went up 20 his
room and sulked for the rest Of the dsv
He nsveT allowed me TO come within
speaking distance Of him afterwaTd and |
harmed that he said De- was surs that II he
had would have proposed 20 him.
@Oh. that - an everyday occurrence
Almost every man I am called on 20 take
in hand thinks have fallen madlv ia
love with him. and sometimes Il ~ very
funny indeed Last summer a man from
he West an elderly man. consulted with
his hostess about how he should treat
me.
he confided 10 her that be had decided
never 20 marry and hat though he adj
miPed me very much he didn't feel that
hs could break his vow Of celibacy lie
suggested that Il might he sind for her
70 take the matter in hand and let me-
know that he was not a marrying man
Fortunately my hostess was also nv
friend and straightsned matters out by
telling him the true state OF affairs After
telling him 81 NY position shs explained
that u was az her special request that
had been - urgent In my requests for
biz company.
sIt vas s,ich a hook 20 his vanity that
Z took him days 10 recover hia acr,Is-
toned poise Then he had the good
sense 20 take advantage Of nv services
with the result that he now plays a capital
zane and assures me that he has ten
Invitations 90 every one he had before
Il don't know that ! seriously object
b the older men fancying mo In love
with them. hut when u cOmea ~ hoyz
almost young enough % bs my ans IL il
somewhat humiliating On" ~ these gOs-
hnRs assured me after discovering that
wa only trying 20 make HIM less n a
nuisance IN the CardrnIm that h. had
made only n natural mistake, since every
wsd0N and young married woman ~
hta acquaintance Nas running after HIM
~ come other young fellow H. explained
that il was an easy matter ~ esca.a an
unmarried girl because they hadn' Q
harmed how 10 chasr a fellow, nui
r~kas L. narns 20 - tafgua aUN ruurv. "a