Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-03-13

without his consent and have caused him less
OF between sa5, 900 and $50, 900, it is claimed.
William goes courtin',
With her silent sits,
Both engaged In Sortin
Wood in little bits.
Not word they utter
Curious kind o'courtfn'-
Now and then they mutter:
"Thlrteen-fifteen-fou
A learned correspondent of the Boston Globe
flies to logarthmS. He says: BY using logar-
ithms the problem Is made quite easy. The log
show many different combinations can be made
with fifteen blocks OF the puzzles The number
corresponding to the particular logarithm is
1907, 674, S6S, 900. We learn from the above
figures that fifteen blocks may be placed In over
1000, DOC, 900 positions"
One of the best results that we have heard
from trying to work out "1s, Is, H." occurred In
sat up until O'Clock In the morning, trying to
'.get 1t, went to report sermon, and having
taken his notes went out, and puzzled on knee,
went at it again. While he was preparing him
self as candidate for the asylum, a lady with
better feeling than sight, seeing him sitting
bent over box on his lap, went up to him and
penny for you, poor man. He gave 1t up.
Here is man who is to be envied. He writes
as follows: For years my home has been curse
through the unbridled tongue of my mother-in-
law. But now all is changed and through the
mystic influence of Fifteen" Oneevening last
week purchased box of the blocks and took
IueIu uOue. My UQOtner 1n-ldW graDDeQ them
up and ever since has not spoken word to any
one, and my home has become a paradise. AS
write can hear the clicking of the cubes In
the little box under the manipulation of my
mOther-in-law. God bless the inventor of Eff
TENN. Y. World.
Some evil-dlsposed member introduced the
game OF Fifteen" on the floor OF the Montreal
Corn Exchange, and with the usual conse-
quences, of course-contentton and strife vanity
and vexat1on of spirit. One member took 1t up
and remarked In seemingly careless tone, ut
nvn.f no opn nHar nft l.ncn rxv1,f,
sented the appearance Of having passed Sleep
less nights assented, while some remarked, "0f
course it can be done" In fact they had
done 1t themselves the first time they had
tried. One of these last, a city miller,
not unremarkable for longheadedness and per-
tinacity of purpose, picked up the box and said
they could fix it any way they liked. Upon this
announcement one of the sceptical said he
would give bag of meal to city charity In
fixed the blocks, and another went a barrel bet
ter. The miller said If he failed he would send
barrel and bag to a charity, and the interest
arranged according to the most approved fash
ion namely: 13-15-14 at the end of the box.
Seating himself on the corner Of one desk the
unconscious victim placed the box on the one
adjoining and went to work. After showing
the squares around for a short time he re-
marked that he twas getting it," and so conf
getic tone remarked that he had not tried It but
| Tor minute and no doubt would have ''got
| it," If he had only gone on. One who should
know, remarked he had gone on" until be was
worked away, and his friends rendered their
| help and lent their advice. In about three
| quarters of an hour after commencing, he re-
| marked, with his eyes firmly fixed on the box:
! 1t will come out all right now in minute
| Tut there were some who knew better. The
| victim at the start had made his moves accord
| observed he was moving wildly. He threw so
much v1gor into his action that the box gave
signs OF wear and tear and shortly the side. fell
! out and was removed. About half an hour
alter the close of the session disappointed man
| with hungry, disconsolate appearance, says
he Witness, might have been observed passing
street, and some charity will shortly have its
supplies substantially Increased.
To show how the thing is going in Hartford,
an incident occurring on one OF the horse-carS
had the puzzle in his hands and the numbers
were thoroughly mixed up. In about five MIN
utes he cried "Eureka!" and he seemed to be
happy over the thought of his conquerlng the
famous problem. gentleman seated next to
him n. quietly but with cynical expression re-
Think can do it." repeated the other in
an injured tone. "Think 1 can do It! l have
done it! Here 1t is now"
The car driver who had not heard, but felt
the subject of dispute, as by intuition, at this
instant stuck his head into the door and re-
| marked: Anybody can do it. l saw fellow
Yesterday who could do It as fast as you could
set 'em up" and he shut the door as il he had
sat down and squ'shed the life out OF the little
joker.
In the meantime the pair inside had engaged
In an animated discussion about the matter.
Tie first speaker said: ''You think you have
| done it. know you have not"
II don't think anything about it. know l
have done it. Look at it; figures don't Iie"
Then the skepttc reached over, took the box
and transposed the figures Is and Ia, leaving it
to read all right up to 10 inclusive. but making
back, remark1ng, with great confidence: 'I'n
bet you 500 to $50 you can't do it now In mil
lion OF years, and here's the money"-.-holding
Sation, and the other man began to haul out his
money. The driver, who had kept one eye on
the crossWalks for passengers, and the other On
the writer had to step off, and we are unable to
state how the argument ended.
Mr.. Gilmore is informed by the Springfield
onion that he would have hit the popular ear
Ii ne mad set the "hfteen puzzle" to music as a
national anthem.
Some person has invented new game called
the Fifteen Block" puzzle and it is funny the
newspapers don't say something about it.-Nor
riStOlrn Herald.
If you want to thoroughly enjoy the game of
three times five, get little box which just
holds four blocks-13, IA. Is, 16-removed the
fourth block, and bang AWAY. T. Commercial.
The porter Of q Danbury shoe store was dust
ing out the place Of business On Monday morn
ing, when ruralist struggled In. He wanted a
pair OF shoes.
"What number is it," querfed the porter
"Thirteen, fourteen, fifteen" said the man.
with an absent look on his face.
"Holy Moses!' gaSped the porter. 'Thre
legs and no two mates! "-Danbury Ne,cS.
Allow me to suggest that the game of elf
teen" may be done, at least as often as lost, by
arranging the numbers in the manner stated
below, which in no way conflicts with the rules
of the game:
F1rstSMix up the numbers and drop them
into the box without regard to arrangements;
then, If there Is not an odd number already In
the upper left corner of the box, move the
pieces without lifting them until an odd one is
In that position.
Second-Let this be followed from left to
right by an even number, then an odd one and
so on until the whole series are arranged in
that order throughout the four rows.
The player can now proceed to move the num-
Ders Into their regular positions, from one to
fifteen, the starting point being of course the
upper left corner Of the box. In most cases the
figures OF the fourth row, will at first, be found
out OF order, even with the arrangement given,
but little patience and careful manipulation
VIII generally bring them into regular position.
on TWO occasions only have found the fourth
row figures Is, IA, Is, incorrectly arranged after
adjusting the three uppermost ones
IN This way have won NUMBER OF games,
each requiring but q few minutes OF time, while
the friend who first informed me OF the odd and
even arrangement, very rarely fails OF success.
Imay add that II figure IA proves TO be the first
number in the fourth row 1t would be well to