Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-07-29
NO. l7S.
CHECKMATING A PEDDLER.


The Hartford Times has a passion for
all sorts of chess puzzles, conundrums and
oddities. In that respect no one was ever
known to ''check" it. Being left free to
crafty its inclinations, it relates the fol-
lowing good story anent the ever favorite
game:
Everybody knows how persevering and
persistent all peddlers are, and especially
tinware peddlers. As class they are the
most persevering mortals that ever trav-
crsed the streets Of a city. Now one OF
those itinerant venders of tinware who
some years ago had made certain New
England city his base of operations,
secured the place so thoroughly and
hung on so perseveringly that he had
become to be regarded as pest
AT one house in particular. owned and
occupied by maiden lady who kept
single servant, he had met with constant
rebutls and assurances that nothing was
wanted; but as it was boast of his that
he never gave up calling at a place until
he sold them something, he continued his
troublesome visits until the lady of the
house was at her wits ends how to stop
them.
was chess player, and passionate1y fond
lady friend, was excessively annoyed by
the everlasting peddler, 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
apparent fact that the lady was deeply in
terested in the game of chess, tried his
! n fnrpp q IN n CrnndS
To the lady's decided ''No!" repeated
several times, he simply rehearsed the
catalogue of his wares again and again,
until patience on her part ceased to be o
virtue, and she wondered if her favorite
game, which Franklin said taught so
many things, would not show her how
his impertinence could be perpetually
checked without resorting to harshness.
At length an idea occurred to her,
which she shrewdly put into execution.
Interrupting the peddler in the middle of
a tin panegyric, she inquired. "Have
YOU any tin washboilersp'
YES, ma'am," and as it was cold day,
he did not invite the lady out to examine
his wares, but FASTENED away to get the
samples. He deposited them on the floor
in front of the lady, who next asked If he
had tin pans. Away he hurried to bring
the pans, and chuckling at the success Of
his zeal, muttered, There is nothing like
sticking. If a man wants to succeed he
must stick. Hereafter, my motto shall be,
stick
After the pans were deposited, the lady
next called for colanders. Away went the
peddler to get the articles, saying to him
self, My motto is, stick"
The lady kept on enumerating articles
until the peddler had transferred most of
his load on the floor in front of his insati-
able customer.
Then the lady resumed the game Of
chess, taking no further notice of the ped
dler or his wares. After waiting till his
patience was well nigh exhausted, he
finally asked. lis there anything else you
want, ma am?"
Just then her adversary's king was in
position to be attacked, and she uttered
the accustomed word ''check."
"'Am very sorry, ma'am that / have no
checks replied the peddler. 1T must
be new article, isn't il, ma'amP"
The lady players looked at each other
and smiled, and one of them remarked,
at is said to be thousands of years DID,"
The peddler relapsed into silence, and
the game went on. 1t was slow and
somewhat tedl0uS contest, anu the peOul-
er at last quite lost his patience and blurt-
ed out, this time with less deferential tone
of voice, "is there anything else you want,
mr'am ?'
The lady calmly lifted her eyes and ans
wered, with imperturbable GOODNESS ''Oh.
no. don't want any of these. Ionly asked
if you had them"
Then it dawned on the peddler that he
bol nd off
muttered my motto is cut stick"
The lacy lost the game Of chess, but had
the consolation of checkmating the ped