LIVING BRIDGE

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 117, 9 February 1924, Page 15

LIVING BRIDGE

Gay and ever-changing colour, the vivacity of youth, and lively music were combined in the spectacle which, described as a game of living bridge, members of prominent families in Yorkshire presented and attended at the Festival Concert Rooms at York recently (states the “Dailv Mail”). T)|le abject was to augment the funds of the Lord Roberts Memorial Workshops where wart-disabled men are trained and employed. The company being assembled, the marshal, in hose and black and gold doublet, with flashing 'wand and sweeping cloak of Wedgwood blue, called for the game to begin. The ace of each suit led in her followers up to the “ten,” and when these were all in line formation the sheriff’s trumpeters sounded a fanfare upon their silver trumpets to herald the entry of the court cards.

The spades were headed by the Hon. Mrs. Egerton as Queen and Sir William Ingilby as King, the diamonds by Viscountess Mountgarret and Captain the hearts hv Lady Grim.thorpe and Cotbnel ITannernian, and the dubs by Lady Ingilby and Mr. Campbell-Fraser. Each queen was attended by two little girl pages, who carried her train, and'amid all the changing formations no page ever left her queen. These little girls wore smocks of bright dark blue, edged with black, and hats of tam-o’-shanter pattern in gold and black.

The Queens were stately in then royal robes, but tho aces —the Hon. Ivy Stapleton, the Hon. Charlotte Stourton, Mrs. John Shaw,, of Welburn Hall ,and Miss Marcia Lane-Fox—-were even more commanding figures. The whole pack first presented, colour formations in exact design, and to the accompaniment of military music. But the dhanging beauty of these movements was surpassed by the gay and rapid motion of the shuffle and deal.

After this wheeling and circling and merry dancing the playing of the cards was a restful interchange, directed by four men before whom the “dealt hands” were formed up. The hands were played to music.

The following letter has been received by Mrs. Harding, president of the Navy League Work Committee, from the Secretary of the Navy League Overseas Relief Fund in London: — “Dear madam, —I have just received your very kind letter of November 11. and think that it is perfectly splendid that you have been able to send another case of clothing per s.s. lonic. We havo already distributed the first lot of clothes, and are daily receiving letters containing the most grateful thanks from the recipients, who are delighted with the clothes. I am hoping to send you a good batch of letters of thanks before long, as I think they, will help you to realise how very genuinely all your kind efforts havo been appreciated. —Yours very'truly, (Sgd.) V. F. Parsons.”