The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-02-06
Living Chessnen.

Recently there wss an entertainment
given at Choral Hall, Sewicley, Pa,
which was certainly of unique charac-
ter in this county. l have just read of
something somewhat similar in Robert
Minturn's " New York to Delhi" page
307, though in that case it was back
Cannon or checkers, instead of chess.
Now to the tournament. Choral Hall
was secured and seats were arranged.
ascending in every direction from the
chessboard, so that all might be able to
see the whole affair. Tn. squares We're
made of red and white cloth, each some
two feet square. The figures were all
well known young ladies and gentlemen
connected with the church and congrega-
ton, dressed in appropriate and quite
snowy costumes. The players were R.
j. Nevin and Frank J. Totten. These
gentlemen were elevated on small plat
forms on opposite sides Of the room,
each with chessboard before him. On
these the heralds, Messrs. Harry Priest
and John Tassey, waited and gave out
in distinct voice the moves that were
to be made. These the pursuivants,
Lieutenant Osgood, U. 3. A., Professor
in the Western University of Pennsyl-
vania and Colonel J. /. Nevin, saw were
correctly made. Soon aftereight o'clock
one of the trumpeters, Alexander Irwin,
in a spirited manner, sounded on his
colnet summons to the contest. This
was answered by Mr. Sten, an admirable
cornet-p player, somewhere in the distance.
Shortly afterward the reds and whites,
with trumpetel at their head, entered
the hall and took their respective posi-
tons in fine order. Composed as they
were in large part of some of the pretti
est girls in this part of the State, all
tastefully decorated and accompanied
by their respective kings, knights,
bishops, Eetc., all suitably caparisoned
with shields, spears, armor, flags, etc,
it made really beautiful sight Judge
kirkpatrick served as marshall, and III
though | cannot vouch for the Judges
skill as a chess player, or his knowledge
of the game, he very gracefully, with
some capitally played side hits, as usual
with him, ut some prominent gentlemen
present, introduced the players in the
contest TO the audience as ut old times
at tournaments, though it was suspected
that he drew his lore more from ivanhoe
and Sir Walter Scott rather than from
Hoyle.
The contest for the first move was
with the bow and arrow, by two OF Iii:
beautiful pawns, and resulted in favor OF
the reds. Mr. Il. p Nervin struck out
boldly at once, and was meet by Mr..
Iotten, with equal promptness. For two
hours and over the battle wased with
varying Guccess-with some mistakes
and IMPROVEMENTS, OF course, but
watched, for a country neighborhood,
with int nse intorest-a number of gen
tleman taking down every movement
carefully. and many of the ladies watch
ing with no less interest. The players
were evidently annoyed or startled cut
of their equanimity by an occasional
short, sharp blast of the cornet, remind
ing the player that it was time to declare
his move. Gradually the pawns, knights,
rocks and white queen began todisappear,
Mr.. Nevin sacrificing an important piece
to get the guard of Mr. Tottens pawns
broken; but this done, he seemed to be
constantly on the aggressive, receiving
salutary hints every now and then that
his opponent was not to be triaed with.
But about halt past ten o'clock it was
evident that in three or four moves
"checkmate' would ring out ON the cars
of the whites Very gracefully, and in
excellent splits, Mr.. Totten said: 'rhe
whites surrender; we have done our best,
but in vain" Mr.. Nevin responded, &C
knowledging courteously that, in the ex-
element of the occasion, the rough
reminders of the trumpeter, the applause
of the audience, and some mistakes on
the part of the living chessmen, it was
difficult to keep cool, and that he should
go into another contest with Mr. Totem
with no little trepidation