Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1880-03-17
THE GAME OF FIFTEEN.
Sad Fate Of a Young Man Who Tried to
Solve This Mystery.

He had ciimei the asy ium stair;
Number -. IL, IL
Turned his head and sent him there.
He went shopping with a young
lady. On Lexington street she
went into one OF the numerous mil
linery stores. He followed, aud
felt very peculiar, for all the Young
/ lady clerks looked at him. He was
handsome, aud he knew it, but to
have fifteen or twenty pair of black
blue, grey and brown eyes leveled
upon him AT once made him feel some.
what peculiar. She was all smiles,
for a handsome beau is not to be
had at all times. IL won't be long,
she murmured, as he stood near the
door, twirllng his cane, and nearly
pulling his gloves to pieces.
"Just wait in front while ! 20
back to the ribbon counter He
sat down on one of the little uncon
Portable stools by the counter. Two
pretty girls were behind it, intent
upon some little blocks of wood in
"A little square box. "Move fifteen
down so as to slide in nine" quoth
one, while the other obeyed. See,
now, you have three lines all right"
was the triumphant remark of the
first speaker. "But see said No.
y, "the IA is in front of the 49,
just then some one came in and the
two girls arose. The little box was
put down on the counter. He picked
it up. Unhappy moment! He read
the title: 1.-The Game OF Fifteen
Then there was "A sort of tit.tat.
toe arrangement with fifteen mum.
bers on the lid. Underneath be
read the rule, place the blocks in
the box irregnlarly, then move until
in regular order" Several of the
poor girls around the store. with
haggard faces and sleepless- looking
eyes, beheld this rash youth rush
unto his utter destruction, and were
powerless 10 help him. "What a
simple thing to do" unused the
youth; Irregular child's play. will
amuse myself while watt
With carefulness worthy Of a bet.
ter Cause he mixed those figures up;
| was way down in the left hand
corner, . was in the center. 3 was
far away, and 4, D, g. Z, 8 and all
the rest made a beautiful French
mixture. He began. The brown,
blue, black and sleepless looking
eyes wept afresh for the poor, de.
lnded mortal. was Oh its journey
upward. "Why, this gem puzzle
is nothing; it is very easy" was the
reflection. AS one luckily moved
into it's upper left hand cOrner-its
proper place, came following after
3 had a little difficulty, but the
youth worked bra,ely. 4 would
not go into its place. IL was on
the top line, and the worker did
not know how to get it out. In and
ont, mp and down, travelled poor
little 1. "Let me show you," put
in a mild, little voice, and the
youth looked up. There were three
young ladies watching him.
"Certainly," WAS his reply.
"This way: Move down, slide
. and 3 up; then III down; then 4 up,
and then 3 back, and then ., and
last up again.
He tried to remember all the
moves; l went down, and the IL.
mo, no. chimed in another
voice.
He looked. There was five young
ladies there, and each ready to show
him. He acquiesced. The first
line was all right; six moved into
it's place but five was obstinate.
"Say, mister-you don't do that
right" said a voice at his elbow,
and he saw one of the cash boys
ready to perform the task for him.
So were the young ladies. "Oh,
its easy" explained the youth, "but
you see never saw it before; give
me time" "Just you wait till you
get down to the next line; that's
it JOHNNY" This from
another cash boy on the workers
right. "He, he" giggled the young
ladies behind the counter. The
young man was determined to get
down to the next line and show
them how he could conquer. 8, 8
and z all right; tho same old trouble