The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-07-12
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wise share Worousky's enthusiasm, he Yielded
they set out at once for the Journey was long and
olhcult, in consequence of the innumerabe precau-
hons necessary to be taken in moving the box in
winch Worousky was concealed Herr Won Kem-
pelen did not quit his friend an instant more than
was absolutely necessary, and did everything in
his power to alleviate the annovances of this con-
hnement and mode of travelling.
AT last, alter many long fatiguing day, they
reached st. Petersburg. The Empress received
nerr on kempelen i'll humoredly enough, saying:
are the roads so bad that it takes you fifteen days
10 come from Nitebsk to st. Petersburg?' 81 pray
your MaIesty's pardon replied the adroit mechan-
ielan' II confess have another excuse" "What
is it? provided it be no confession of H.
of your wonderful machine" ono. vour Maiestyy
having heard that you were an excellent chess
player, have wished to present Won an adver1
saTy worthy of you / was consequently
new and indispensable combinations for SO
formidable an adversary as your Majesty" "Ahl
all" replied the Czarina, smiling. ''And do you
think your new combinations will enable your auto
maton to beat me?'' 81 shall be extremely sur
prised If it does not, your Majesty" "WeIi see"
rtJoined the Empress, shaking her head ironically
and doubtfully. "When ami to see this terrible
adyersaryP' "Whenever your Majesty pleases''
every WELL am so impatient to measure nv
strength with tne conqueror of the most skilfnl
players OF my empire, that / shall receive it this
very evening in my library. Arrange your ma
chime there: shall be there at o'clock precisely
Be punctual'
Herr Won Kempeen retired to prepare for the
evenings game. Worousky was delighted, and
roared at the pleasure he would have in quilting
the Empress. But while Herr Won Kempelen was
determined to risk the adventure, he determined
too, to take every possible precautiOn that his Sc
cret might not be discovered, and that way of
escape might remain for him even in case of dan
ger Therefore he carried the automaton to the
Palace In the very box in which he placed it while
travelling. At O'Clock precisely the Empress at
tended by numerous suite, entered the library and
took their places in front of the Turk
FORGOTTEN
er allowed any body to go behind the automaton
and would never begin to play until all the specta-
tors were in front of the Turk.
The courtiers were all unanimous in predicting
the automaton's defeat. Herr Won Kempelen inyit.
ed every body present to examine the chest of
drawers and the body Of the Turk and after he had
convinced every one that the altomaton contained
nothing but the machinery we have described pre-
parations were made for the game Catharipe was
favored by fortune, which gave her the first move;
she played the first pawn the automaton PLAYED
ana both parties continued the game in the midst of
profound silence. 1t soon became apparent by
Catharine's trowns, that the automaton was not
very gallant to her. and was after all worthy of the
reputation it enjoyed Piece after piece was captur
ed from her, when suddenly the Turk raped vio-
lently with his hand on the cushion and replaced a
piece moved by its antagonist. The Empress had
cheated either to try the talents of the automaton
or to give her an advantage in the game. She
would not confess that she had made mistake so
she replaced the piece on the square whence the
automaton had moved it, and looked as hauphtilv
as she could at the Turk. The automaton instantly
knocked over the pieces on the chess board, and
the CLICK Oh wheels which was heard while the game
was going on instantly ceased The machine stoned
as II something was broken. Herr Won Kempelen
recognized instantly Worousky's boiling TEMPER in
this display of i'll humor and stood pale and tremb
ing with fear to see how this dispute between the
Empress OF all the Russias and the prescribed Pole
would end. "Oh! no! oh! ho Mr.. Automaton!' said
the Empress, gaily, who anything but sorry to
see the game in which she evidently had so little
n n pf 4
are good player, Mr.. Automaton, concede; but
you were afraid OF losing, aSd that is the reason
you Knocked down the pieces see you are a sharp
fellow, and as nervous as you are sharp"
Here V on Kempelen began to breathe apain and
he attempted to destroy altogether the disagreea-
Die Impression produced by his machines want of
respect 81 pray your Majesty" said he, in the
hum9lest tone, 'to allow me to explain the incident
which has Just occurred" "Not at ALL not at all.
Herr Won Kempelen," said the Empress interrupt
ing him abruptly, at is highly amusing, and must
tell you the autOmaton pleases me so much | want
to buy It, SO leave it in this room and call on me
tomorrow, when will settle the terms of the
sale. Without waiting for Herr Won Kempelen's
answer, the Empress quilted the room. 1t is more
than probable CatharinG wished to examine the in
SIDE OF the automaton at pleasure, and that this was
her only reason for insisting that it should be left
at the Palace Herr Won Kempelen had as we have
said, luckily taken his precautions and he carried
Worousky out in the travelling box he had carried
to the Palace. The Turk remained in the library
but Worousky was not inside.
The next day the Empress again proposed to Herr
' on kempelen to buy the automaton, but he told
the Empress that he could not sell it, as nobody but
himself could repair it when it went out of order
which, being very delicate piece of mechanism,
1t was continually doing. The Empress did not
press him more, but, cOngratulating him on his
mechanical genius, made him present of hand
some sum of money. Three months afterwards the
automaton chess player brought before the
public IN England by Mr.. Anthon, to whom Herr
Won kempelen sold it. | do not know whether
Worousky continued with it. He probably did, as
the autoTaton continued to demand immense sue
cess. Mr.. Anthon exhibited it all over Europe
with nvarable success. At bis death the celebrated
Turk was purchased by Maeze who carried it to
America. 1t is probable Worousky quilted the au-
tomaton before it went to the United States as it
was far from commanding the same success there
as it did everywhere in Europe. Maelzel exhibited
there his mechanical trumpet and chess PLAYER for
some time; then he embarked for France which he
was destined never to see, for he died the home
ward voyage of gluttony he was great glutton-
MaelzePs heirs sold his automatons, and it was at
his sale Cronier purchased the celebrated automaton
chess player.
We well remember the excitement created in this
country by the exhibition of the Automaton Chess
Player, and saw him play several games. The ma
chine was always placed behind curtain, or in an
adjoining room, until the moment of commencing
the game. The curtain then rose, or the machine
was wheeled, (it went on castors,) into the exhi-
bltlon room, and the play commenced. In almost
every instance, the au tomaton was victorious but
lie hau, now ana then, a defeat. 1t used to be
quite common question, ''have you seen the chess
player?" or, 'have you tried the automaton?"
And in two three instances no little reputation
was acquired by individuals, by having beaten
Monsieur "EchecP'
And this reminds US that, when the machine was
exhibited in this country, the automaton, by an in
genious mechanical contrivance, (as pretended)
instead of nodding, when he gave a check, used to
squeak out "echec," in the most comical manner.
There were those who, suspecting the trick of the
concealed confederate. fixed upon the very indvid-
ual as the operator. He was who was al
ways seen in the place of exhibition, during its
stay there, but at no other time and he always
among the missing while the exhibition actual
ly going on. But he never manifested any clever
ness on the contrary seeming to delight in nothing
so much as to drink himself stupid. Ore evening,
(in Boston, we believe this occurred the perform
ance was delayed, or postponed, we forget which,
and it so happened that that evening it was on
which the mysterious parsonage was as drunk as
lord.
Maelzel's success in America was prodgous In
con ection with the chess player, he exhibited his
wonderful mechanical trumpeter, and the equally
ingenious rope dancer, both of which genu-
inc scientific machines and their performances beau
tiful exceedingly.