The midland journal., 1911-06-23
Won A SPANKING
The Woman Who Played Bridge a
TrifIe Too Well.
SHE CHEATED HER FRIENDS.

w
md When Her Daring and HeartIess
RApacity In Fleeing the Ladies Of
Her Set Became UnbearabIe Some
thing Startling Happened.
The vicissitudes of woman who
played bridge well, but not too wisely,
and who suffered personal chastise-
ment at country house, are described
by Elizabeth of H."
Her consistent winning, it is said,
was greatly commented on, and many
a hint was thrown out as to the lady's
fairness at the bridge tables. Two la
dies Of title who had been staying at a
certain country house first detected
this petite madam deliberately cheat
ing. Naturally they avoided playing
with her again, and what follows real
" sounds far more like fiction than
plain fact, and yet it is absolutely true.
1t SO happened that these three La
dies again met at another house party.
The two honest danes avoided SO far
as possible playing at the other ones
table. They congratulated themselves
and (in the secrecy Of confidential bed
room chats at night each other on the
deftness with which they had managed
to hold alocf from the cheating one
and her play and at the same time
prevent their host and hostess from
noting the fact One night, however,
their wrath rose at the sight of the
distress this unscrupulous little per-
son was causing young girl who was
her opponent. The two wise ladies'
watched the small, innocent seeming
dame cheat time after time and win.
! The girl was very unsophisticated.
She continued playing, although her
face grew white and drawn, for she
was losing more than she could afford.
Several times she attempted to leave
the table, but each time the other three
players persuaded her to play on. At
length the game ended, and the girl
stood up the loser Of sum that ran
well into three figures. Like a thor
ough little sportswoman, she made no
outcry about her losses, but the other
two-the lookers-on-knew what they
meant to her. They knew the girl,
and they knew her family, great
though not wealthy one, one which
even in these censorious days no scan
dal had heretofore touched.
After the girl had left the room and
gone TO bed the two who knew hastily
held a secret consultation, with the re-
suit that they invited little madam to
the room of one Of them for a mid
night chat She was flattered at the
Invitation and readily accepted.
Both Of them accompanied her to
the room Of the one guest whose rooms
lay farthest from those Of the other
members Of the house party, and some
thing very. very like the following
took place:
You are cheat" one haughtily
contemptuous dame asserted as soon
as the bedroom door was locked on
their victim. I'VE, Lady Barbara and
myself, have watched you on several
occasions. For the sake of your poor,
unfortunate husbands name we have
remained silent, but tonight was too
much. First Of all, you win return to
MS all you have won from poor little
Laura tonight and also give back to US
her I. o. us We insist"
After feeble and frightened protest
the money was handed over, and the
pieces Of paper signed by the little
aupe we're quickly placed on the red
hot Goals and burned to ashes.
"Now we will see that Laura receives
the money which you fleeced her out
OF, and also we will guarantee that
from us she win never learn the truth.
No: you cannot go yet" (as the terri
fied little madam turned toward the
door,, "and 1t is useless your attempt
ing to escape, for have the key Of
the door. Painful as it is to us, we.
have determined to teach you a severe
lesson We are going to beat you. II
you scream you may attract the atten-.
tion Of some other guests; If they
come and demand an entrance they
shall be admitted; If they inquire the.
reason Of such drastic treatment we.
shall tell them the truth. I should ad-
wise you not to scream. Now, are you
ready?" Without more ado one lady
held the wriggling, sobbing small per-
son, while the other administered a
sound and well deserved whipping.
The little lady did not desert the
house party: her two chastisers were
sweetly amiable to her for the re-
mainder of the visit, and, to their de-
light and every one else's amazement,
the cheat refused to play cards again
during the remainder Of her visit at.
that especial country house.-London.
Nxpress.