Evening star., 1941-08-11
Mother and Father Should Not Monopoze Their Daughters Attention
Poker Just as
Acceptable
AsBridge
Bad Name Probably
Derived From Old
Gambling Days
By Emily Post

BY T. mffy I0Sf
Several times week. at least, I
am obliged to explain in my answer
TO a reader that can't give
definite reply, because what is quite
safe or proper for one to do is
dangerous for another. In answer
to a man who asks if can give any
sensible reason why it is believed
to be so shocking to play poker and
yet quite all right to play bridge, I
can only say that both games can
be all right or all wrong, depending
upon how, and by whom, they are
played.
I have often wondered why poker
is singled out among all other games
and alone tagged bad" Perhaps it
Is a case of give a dog bad name,
and even when he comes forward
with body curving and tail wagging
he is met with screams of Go away,
bad dog, go away!"
Of course, some people are afraid
of dogs; some people are afraid of
the very name of the game called
poker. I can readily understand the
fear not only of poker, but of ev-
erything that can be turned into a
game of chance, by the family of
one who Is by temperament a gam
bier. But do think it is important
to consider the meaning of the
word gambling" Gambling means
taking risk. One who has no in
clination to risk more than he is
ready and willing to spend-one who
simply spends what is to him a
trifling sum to buy some playing
counters much as he might buy
strips of tickets at the merry-go-
round, or shooting gallery at the
county fair, in contrast to another
who can't resist playing for stakes
he can't afford to lose, illustrates
the whole difference between poker
harmless and poker-harmful.
Dear Mrs. Post: am giving big
tea for my husbands two sisters
who are visiting us, one married,
the other single, and as both of
them will be standing with me to
receive, and both are strangers
almost to every one arriving, how
shall I introduce them?
Answer-Since your invitations
undoubtedly read Ito meet Mrs
Henry Brown and Miss Jane Gray"
every one will either know, or find
out, that they are your husbands
than Mrs. Neighbor, Mrs. Brown
and Miss Gray" or, if you think
they may not know who they are,
you can add, my sister-in-law."
To member of your family, or an
intimate friend, you explain: This
is Johns sister Mary and his sister
Ruth"
Dear Mrs. Post: At double we'd
ding of sisters, are their dresses
supposed to be exactly alike? Also,
are their separate groups of attend
ants supposed to wear identical
dresses?
Answer-Not necessarily in either
case. The dresses would, of course,
all have to be in harmony to the
extent of looking well together. It
would hardly be correct for one
group to be in modern clothes and
the other of a different period.
Dear Mrs. Post: A week or so ago
you said in an answer to some one
who had asked how long it was
necessary to make every one wait |
for guest who was usually late
everywhere, that Is minutes at the |
utmost was the requirement., and |
then not to wait any longer. I was |
surprised by this manner, since |
wouldn't it be very rude thing to |
do to the guest-particularly because
1t would be humiliating when there |
were so many other people to wit
ness the incident?
Answer-A guest who is habitually |
late deserves no especial considera-
ton; one who has been unavoidably |
detained is much more comfortable |
If she feels she has not annoyed |
every one else. The allowance of
"15 minutes grace" is one of the old
est and most accepted rules of eti-
ouette. 1t is not considered half as
rude to fail to wait for the one |
guest who is late as to expect the |
many who were on time to wait for !
one delinquent.