Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1873-08-02
Cbeckmating 4 Peddler.

The Hartford times has a passion
for all sorts of chess puzzles conun-
drums and oddities. In that respect
no one was ever known to check" it.
Being left free to crafty its inclina-
tons, it relates the following good sto-
ry anent the ever favorite game:
Everybody knows how persevering
and persistent all peddlers are, and es-
pecially tinware peddlers. As class
they are the most persevering mortals
that ever traversed the streets of
city. Now one of those itinerant ven-
ders of tinware who. some years ago,
had made a certain New England city
his base of operations, secured the
place so thoroughly and hung on" so
perseryeringly that he had become to
be regarded as pest.
At one house in particular, owned
and occupied by a maiden lady who
kept a single servant, he had met with
constant rebuffs and assurapce that
nothing was wanted; but, asst was
boast of his that he never gave up
calling at place until he sold them
something, he continued his trouble
some visits until the lady Of the house
was at her wits end how to stop them.
Now, it so happened that this lady,
who was chess player, and passion
ately fond of the game, one day, while
playing with lady friend, was exces-
siyely annoyed by the everlasting ped
dler, who had pushed past the servant
girl, as he had repeatedly done before,
and stood before the mistress, and
with oily tongue, regardless of the ap-
parent fact that the lady was deeply
interested in the game of chess, tried
his utmost to force sale of his goods.
To the lady's decided MOI re-
peated several times, he simply re-
hearsed the catalogue Of his wares
again and again, until patience on her
part ceased to be a virtue, and she
wondered if her favorite game, which
said taught SO many things, would not
show her how his impertinence could
be perpetually checked witkout resor-
ting to harshness.
At length an idea occurred to her,
which she shrewdly put into execu-
ton. Interrupting the peddler IN the
middle of panegyric, she inquired !:
Have you any tin wash boilers
Yes, ma am ;" and as it was bitter
cold day, he did not invite the lady
out to examine his wares, but hasten
ed away to get the samples. He de-
posted them on the floor, In front of
the lady, who next asked if he had any
tin pans. Away he hurried to bring
the pans, and chuckling at the success
of his zeal, muttered, There is no
thing like sticking Hereafter my
motto shall be, 'stickP
After the-pa were deposited, the
lady next called for colanders. Away
went the peddler to get the articles,
saying to himself, MY motto is 'stickI
The lady kept on enumerating arti-
cles until the peddler had transferred
most of his load on the floor, in front
of the Unsuitable customer.
Then the lady resumed the game of
chess taking no further notice of the
peddler or his wares. After waiting
till his patience was well nigh exhaus-
ted, he finally asked, is there anything
else you wantma amp
just then her adversary's king was
in a position to be attacked, and she
muttered the accustomed word
check
very sorry, ma am, that I have no
checks" replied the peddler. 1T
must be new article, isn't it ma amp
The lady players looked at each 9TH
er and smiled, and one of them re-
marked, 1T is said to be thousands
of years old"
The peddler relapsed into silence,
and the game went on. 1t was a
slow and somewhat tedious contest,
and the peddler at last quite lost his
patience, and blurted out, this time
with less deferential tone of voice.
is there anything else you want
ma am.
The lady calmly lifted her eyes, and
answered, with imperturbable GOODNESS,
"Oh, no! [ don't want any of these.
| only asked if you had them p
Then it dawned on the peddler that
he had been badly sold, and after.re-
loading, muttered, MY motto is cut
stick.p
The lady lost the game of chess, but
had the consolation of checkmating
the peddler..