Life — July 23, 1908 — page 14: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

100 *LIFE- “You mean,” said my partner gently, “that you double.”” “Yes, of course,” I chuckled instantly. “You see I'm a fiend on poker. I mean, of course, that I double.’’ (* What- ever that may be," I added to myself.) “I'm satisfied," said Whiskers. I bowed ceremoniously. “I'm very glad to hear it,’ I said. “I was beginning to be afraid you were too hard to please." My partner didn’t give him time to reply. “You may play,”’ she said to me. If any one else had volunteered this gratuitous informa- tion, I should have been inclined to resent it. But somehow, coming from her, it seemed eminently proper. “Thank you," I replied, without a trace of sarcasm. I led the ace of hearts, and followed it with the king. Whis- kers slapped his queen on it. “That was my only weak spot,"” he snorted at his partner, who gave him the osseous smile intended to be encouraging. “No talking, if you please," said I, in a harsh, rasping voice. “ This is bridge, sir. I say, this is bridge. Then I played out the rest of my hearts, and we got the odd trick. While I was dealing I couldn't help but rub it in. “If Thad been in your place, sir,"” I said in an easy {2 tone, “ being without any trumps, I would have passed Whiskers glared at m “Don't you know, sir,"’ he fairly hissed, “that there were no trumps in that hand?" “When you play without," my partner explained to me gen- “that means there are no trumps.” * Bah!'’ snorted Whiskers, “you should learn the rudi- ments of the game, sir “I'm fairly satisfied with the way I'm doing, sir,"’ I re- plied with a fetching smile—for I knew now I fairly had him on the run—“ and just to prove it ''—I had seen my hand— same old hearts—“ I'll make it without myself. Now you, sir, raise me or double if you please.’ “May I play?’ asked Miss Bones, at my left, You may,’’ answered Whiskers, not deigning to notice me. She led a small club, Whiskers put a king on it, while I, having only queen, ace, put on my ace. Then I led out my hearts. In the midst of the operation, however, Whiskers suddenly roared : “You're leading out of the wrong hand, sir? ”’ “Which hand, sir?" said I. “Your partner's hand? ’’ he snorted. “Can you blame me?" I smiled. “ With such a partner and such a hand could anybody be expected to lead from anything else?” Then I gave my partner another look. knew I had scored more than three tricks. At the end of an hour, during which I held mostly aces, kings and queens, the bell rang and we stopped. Whiskers and Bones made some calculations on paper, and then, bringing out a pocket check book he made some vicious dabs at it with a fountain pen, while she murmured something about settling with him in the morning, he handed my partner and myself the two checks, and getting up looked over the heads of every one, and in a faraway voice, low enough to make it appear that it wasn’t intended for publication, and loud enough for every one to hear, said, with a final snort: “That comes from playing with a d—d fool who never has played before. Never knew it to fail.”” As for my partner, she whispered : And somehow, I “YOU SEEM TO THINK THIS IS A FUNNY AFFAIR.” “YAW, POYS—I CAN’T HELP LAFFIN’, DIS ISS GOING TO BE SUCH A GOOT CHOKE ON ME. “We've won two hundred apiece, and you're a dear. Is there any other game you know any better?” And as I searched for the soul in her eyes, I whispered: “Let’s go into the conservatory—and you shall judge for yourself.”” T.L. M. The Immense Change that Has Befallen OES every one realize what an enormous change has come into the mental lives of our vast newspaper read- ing population? There is a new show on the stage; new thoughts that we must learn to think, new men and new things that we must learn to talk about. It seems incredible that we must make this upsetting de- viation in our habits. Neither is it altogether a welcome change. For seven years Theodore Roosevelt has furnished us with by far a larger proportion of our subjects of con- versation than we have ever before owed to any one man, or any ten men, for the same space of. time. It has been good, lively talk, too, that he has purveyed for us. What- ever we shall do without his incessantly various and stimu- lating interpolations of his notions into our minds is very perplexing to think about. The very prospect of it leaves us half speechless and bewildered. Can we ever learn to keep excited and gasping over the admirable Taft? Probably not; nor about any one else. Nobody will take Mr. Roosevelt's place as a conversational inspiration. It is better that no one should, though there will be times when talk will languish.