The evening world., 1911-01-18

ueTtu Whut IN
tunities for observation would have to
The gambling instinct Is common to
both sexes" remarked DIR. Anna Won
Shelly of No. q East Thirty fifth street.
I'VE have had more nervous break
downs among both men and women
since the bridge craze took possession
Of his country several years ago. and
undoubtedly there Il Q direct relation
between the two phenomena
Symptom, Not q Cause.
''But In my opinion gambling for
money 10 . symptom, not . pause,
OF the great American disease. II
the women who play bridge all day
were not engaged in that psstims
they would be doing something else
inst % futils-running on with .
nsighbor's husband, perhaps, or
reading 1linor 0lyn. Gambling 10
h expression, the outlet, of Q
tense but not Intelligent tsmpsra-
emit Women gamble harder than
men. They win money more ssgsr-
~ ana they lose IL harder.
Tho reason. or course. Is that often
they stake money which is not their
va. uhiEFcu "ViiCH IL ~ NtptAfA
ent on their husbands have not a large
fund for amusement. II they play for
high stakes and lose. they must en-
bezzle the Housekeeping money or use
their allowance for clothes to pay their
debts.
"Ths worry over losses at cards,
the sohsming required TO pay
them, has driven many . card
asnd to nervous prostration.
II have never had q case Of the sort
personally. but there are such cases.
But gambling IL only n Of many
symptoms Of the American woman's un-
rest Or. Won sholly added. Others
are the matinee habit. the tea habit.
the erotic novel habit and the mania
for social ol!mbing-All the pttitul pas
times with which they keep themselves
from thinking.
The American woman la naturally
a very bright. keen mind. but in the
case Of a wife who lives in an apart
ment hotel and whose only duty is to
dress and sit opposite her husband at
dinner. what Is there to I'LL 1t?
Gamble to XIII Time.
II think many women OF this type
gamble Just to kill time and their own
thoughts. They are engaged in the
most fatiguhng occupation in the world.
A woman who works eight or ten u
q day at a gainful occupation Is hap
pier and really does a less wearing
work than the idle wife who jumps
from a morning bridge party to a
luncheon with bridge all afternoon. n
eats Q hasty dinner to have another
rubber or SO before going to bed. Moth
ing Is more ~fatiguing, more
to the nerves han the feverish effort
to hide even from herself her own
futility. But this woman Is OF a limited
type. Gambling Is one of the symptoms
Of her restlessness. but among the more
there are much moro optimistic signs
Of the times"
And they areT"
"a sort OF civic awakening" DR.. Won
shoiiy answered. "a development OF an
altruist!o interest In the Advancement
Of others.
"Ths new spirit 10 manifest
among society women. While the
older generation gave their entire
lives to social leadership, the
younger women, like Mrs. Borden
hartman ana Mrs. Mackay, one
with her campaign for pure milk
started this week, tn other with
her suffrage activities, are interest,"
ing themselves In civic welfare.
OF course there are bridge nsnds
in society and out Of IL. Women
who follow the fad OF the hour,
whatever 1t may be, but no matter
what the results Of their idlensSs,
they are not as Significant for mis-
chief as the new type OF Goctsty
woman 10 for GOOD"
rs there any hope. any cure for the
gambler" / inquired.
Dr.. Won Sholly smiled. 81 should
think the civic awakening I have just
spoken OF might give her something
real to think OF II she were capable OF
experiencing 1t. A pastime like bridge.
which Is really Just a ~kill-thousht quite
apart from the evil physical effects due
to the nervous excitement of the game.
does not even amuse Its victims"
Bridge iends. remember the game
isn't worth the candle which YOU are
burning at both ends
-
d H0T.hN0.COtO THIEF.