Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-01-07
WON A SPANKING
The Woman Who Played Bridge a
Trifle Too Well.

The victssttudes OF a woman VINO
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
q hint was thrown out as to the lady's
fairness at the bridge tables. Two Ia
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 hVr again, and what follows real
ly 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 Din the secrecy of confidential bed |
room chats at night each other on the
dizziness with which they had managed |
to hold aloof from the cheating one |
and her play and at the same time
prevent their host and hostess from
noting tho fact One night. however,
their wrath rose at the sight 'of the
distress this INSCRIPTIONS 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 playinH 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-oD--kne what they
meant to her. THEY knew the girl,
, and they knew her family, a great
though not wealthy one, one which
even In these censorious days no scan
dial 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 fiattered 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 a 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 will return to
US all you have won from poor little
Laura tonight and also give back to US
, her /. o. us. We insist"
After a feeble and frightened protest
: the money was handed over, and the
pieces of paper signed by the little
= dupe were quickly placed on the red
hot Goals and burned to ashes.
Now we will see that Laura receives
the money which you feeced her out
: Of, and also we will guarantee that
from US she win never learn the truth.
No; you cannot go yet las the tern
, fed little madam turned toward the
DOOR, land il is useless your attempt.
ing to escape, for | have the key Of
: the door. Painful as It Is to us, VIC
have determined to teach you a severe
. lesson. We are going TO beat you. II
you scream you may attract the atten
ton Of some other guests; II they
| come and demand an entrance they
shall be admitted IL they inquire the
o reason OF such drastic treatment We
4 shall tell them the truth. | should ad
wise you not TO scream. Now. are you
!, readyP', Without more ado one lady
held the wriggling. sobbinG small per
son. while the other administered &
|, sound and well deserved whipping.
= The little lady did not desert tbs
4 house party: her Two chastisers were
!. sweetly amiabe TO her for the re
a mainder Of the visit, and. TO their de
: light and every one else's amazement
: the cheat refused to play cards agar
: during the remainder of her visit al
that especial country house.-LondoI