The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1872-03-29
AUToMAToN REM1NIsCENcE.

ENNG J4OOnDlJ oSCA VI AGdIU VI Tue
automaton chess-player which was
exhibited throughout the United
States some years ago. To such,
aud to others, the subioiDed rem
iniscence, " hich we find in a late
translation from the French, will be
found interesting.
Maelzel and Mouret, as partners,
were exhibiting at Amsterdam be-
fore the king and court the king
had announced his intention of
having a game of chess with the au-
tomaton. The day arrived Maelzel
occupied him selfWith the decoration,
toGive the greatest eclat possible to
ihe coming contest between the
king and the machine mere
machine, gentlemen (" The exhi-
hilton was ordered for 1890, and as
u o'clock sounded, his accompice
not being in the dressipg-room, as
was always his custom. Maelzel
stepped across the street to the ho-
tel to hurry him up. Imagine his
surprise TO find poor Mourat in bed,
covered to the nose with the blan-
kcts.
Goodness gracious What do I
see ? What is the matter ?" cries
Maelzel. s-.
cob, I've got fevsrl " coolly re-
plies Mourebt.
ga fever! How so? You were all
right at breakfast"
''Tes; but this has come On since,
like q clap of thunder.
"Wen, but Why, the king is
coming, man alive!' greatly excited.
"Oh, he VIII have to go back!
cool as q cucumber.
EBut what can 1 tell hin?
''Tell him the automaton has got
a fever"
ooh, quit your joking, and get
upl" IN peratively.
"Ah! but I can't, decidedly.
why, we have never received
more money for any one exhibition.
81 know but We can give 1t
back"
"Ths devil you say -Tllrun for
a doctor"
'No; that's useless"
'EWhy? What can [ do? Is there
no way to break the fever?"
COIL now you talk. Yes, there ia
q way-one way"
"Tell me that-way."
"Pay me what thou owest!'
Cob, wells that all? Yes; so 1
viii, when the soiree is over. '.sr-
"No, still mist have it here"
"Now?"
Before we begin. I want the
1000 francs which were paid you
this morning" -.
Can of it2''
Just that and no more-and no
less. Then I will play, and not till
then"
"Maelzel looked the little man in
the eye, but determination was writ
ten there. This was evidently no
time for excuses. He had the mon
ey, and his partner knew it, and,
. besides, was only asking what was
his due. He looked at his watch /;
it Unmarked 1915, and his Majesty,
who was known as model of pune
tuality, would be there at 1890.
He took out his pocket-book, and
counted out the four notes of 500
francs each with a groan.
The cure was marvellous to behold;
for, soon as Mouret's hand closed
on the money, he jumped out of bed,
full dressed, boots and all.
This artful dodger had been
watching for Maelzel from the win
dow, and when ne saw him cross the
street had just time to pop into led.
The soiree came off as appointed,
and never had the automaton seem
ed to play with deeper inspiration.
The King did not move the piece
himself; he simply counselled his
Minister of War, who played tor
him, but the coalition was complete
ly routed in two games. The de-
feat however, was put wholly OF the
shoulders of the Minister. -.-s
Had they won, it would have pro
badly been the King who was the
victor.
In this same city. few days af-
forwards, ended the travels of the
machine in Europe. The partners
separated, the best Of friends, and
Maelzel begun his preparations for
tour of the New World, the de-
tails of which were ably recited in
the Chess Journal, formerly edited
by Paul Morphy and published in
New York. Sehlumberger, a Ger
man, and a very strong chess play
er, directed the movements of the
machine, and the secret was undis-
covered, except by some boys in
Baltimore, who not having the cash
to pay for an admission, climbed
upon some sheds overlooking the
IOomin the rear, and were so star
tied upon the conclusion Of the ex-
hibition to see a little man in shirt
sleeves hop out of the machine that
they nearly broke their necks in
their effort to get away, and, upon
reaching home, repeated what they
had seen.
These facts were published by a
Baltimore newspaper, but Maelzel
had the good sense to buy its further
silence. But their fate was more es-
pecially settled by some of the New
York and Boston papers, who took
them up, of their own free. will, and
combated them as the most pre-
posterous ideas ever put forth, and
worthy of the childish minds they
came from, and the machine con-
tiEued to be considered "the great
est mechanical triumph the world
ever sawl" s.=ss
Oh most learned pundits!
.There-wa one thing among the
numerous instructions which Mons.