Life — December 17, 1914 — page 37: what you’re looking at

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

The Unjust Judge “ The woman who wastes her time with bridge whist loses the energy for the old-fashioned habit of con- tinual serious reading.”"—Prof. Hugo Miinsterberg, in a recent essay. Te bridge-players resent the ac- cusation above set forth and de- mand its justification. First, we challenge Professor Miin- sterberg, or anyone else, to canvass the women of any town or city who do not play bridge and discover among them even one per cent. of their total number who have “ energy for the old- fashioned habit of continual serious reading”. We hold that there is no such thing to-day as “ the habit of con- tinval serious reading” among women, but we object to having bridge whist blamed for the fact. Show us the non-bridge-player who employs her leisure time less wastefully, Is it more improving to the mind to cut holes in hits of linen and laboriously sew them up again, meanwhile gossiping or swapping risqué stories? Is it more improving to the mind to wash one's hair and manicure one’s fingernails? Or is it (heaven save the mark!) more improving to the mind to write and read “papers” of pretentious ignor- ance before a woman's culture club? For many years I have been on a still hunt for the woman who doesn't play bridge, but who docs do some- thing with her leisure hours that no one could call “wasting time". Yet, such an one have I not found. Again, we cavil at the use of “old-fashioned” in Professor Miin- sterherg’s fling. All of us remember our mothers, most of us our grand- mothers, Can we look back on a mental picture of these old-fashioned ladies occupied with their habit of continual serious reading? Among the “old-fashioned” people few The Best Regular Services to The Cost of a Telephone Call D?. you ever think how much it costs to give you the telephone right-of-way anywhere, at all times? Your telephone instrument, which consists of 130 different parts, is only the entrance way to your share of the vast equipment necessary in making a call. Your line is connected with the great Bell highways, reaching every state in the union—with its poles, copper wire, cross arms and insulators in the country; its under- ground conduits, manholes, cable vaults and cables in the cities. You have the use of switchboards costing upwards of $100,000,000. You enjoy the benefits of countless in- ventions which make possible universal telephone talk. Your service is safeguarded by large forces of men building, testing and repairing lines. You command at all times the prompt attention of one or more operators. How can such a costly service be provided at rates so low that all can afford it? Only by its use upon a share-and-share-alike basis by millions of subscribers, and by the most careful economy in construction and operation. A plant so vast gives opportunity for ruinous extravagance; and judicious economy is as essential to its success as is the co- operative use of the facilities provided. That the Bell System combines the maximum of usefulness and economy is proved by the fact that in no other land and under no other management has the telephone become such a servant of the masses. AMERICAN TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH COMPANY AND ASSOCIATED COMPANIES Universal Service EGYPT, INDIA, CHINA, PHILIP- PINES, JAPAN, AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND. Round World Trips and Wister Tours in INDIA. PENINSULAR & ORIENTAL S. N. CO. Fall information from CUNARD LINE, 21-24 State Street, N. Y. “The Capewell” Horse Nail— cosy tecognized by this Trade Mark uit on the head formed by owned books, fewer still had accessible public libraries. Their “habit of con- tinual serious reading”, like their ex- cessive decorum and modesty, is a LIQVOR hallowed myth. But the present quarrel is not with the fallacy of our foremothers’ literary energy, but with the injustice of blam- ing bridge whist for the present-day loss of that imaginary merit. Indeed, the woman with brains enough to play bridge is far more apt to do some serious reading than her embroidering, gossiping sisters. Carolyn Wells. MADE IN PARIS Purity certified toby the French Government WILLIAMS & HUMBERT US. Agents, 1158 Broadway, NewYork THE IDEAL WINTER RESORT not Eemtae? BERMUDA PRINCESS HOTEL IS NOW OPEN Ret location art €9) ote nit equipment on the Island. Modem service throughout 2 ing pool, our own Beet of yachts, superty drives, a, stalarhing. 4 hours trom New York KROGER, mons, mamiLtos, RERMCDA comicbooks.com