The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1880-04-01
SOLVING THE PUZZLE.
How a Brooklyn Couple Wrestled
with the Fifteen" Agony.

street is one of the most CHEEKY,
cheerful gentlemen in Brooklyn,
and his wife is the soul of good hu-
NOR, says the Brooklyn Eagle.
Friday afternoon Mr.. Spoopens
dyke brought home Fifteen puz-
zle," and told his wife he had bet a
hat he could solve it.
"'Deed YOU can," said she, pre-
pairing to assist him; "Pd like to
know what you ca1't do" and she
busted off the table so he wouldn't
muss his cuffs.
He pulled out the box. "Now,"
said he, "you see these blocks run
four in row up to twelve, and
then there are three, numbers 13,
IA and Is. l muss them around.
and the object is to make them
come out just as they were, consee-
utively, you know"
"Certainly. That's easy" and
she put the 10 block in her mouth,
while she swashed around with the
rest.
"What'n thunder you doing?"
demanded Mr.. Spoopendyke. "You
mustn't take 'em outT
"Ohp' said she, putting the block
back upside down, "you mustn't
take 'em out, eh! well, we'll do it
with 'em in.'
Mr.. Spoopendyke moved the
cubes around awhile and then pom
dered.
"I see," said Mrs. Spoopendyke,
ave got it! put that II down there
and the IL up here, and then move
'em around"
He did it, and they were worse
than before.
"Hold onr' she exclaimed. "Now
put"
"S'pose you hold on" he respond
ed. "This thing works by hand,
not steam. You've got to go slow.
Now I'll put the IA there and that
lets the 13 come up in place. Then
we put the 15 here and slip down
the g."
"That amt right. That makes
it IL, 10, II. You want to get the
9 up and transpose those"
"Lemme be, will YEP Pm going
to fix those. There-now I'll bring
down the II and carry"
"But you can't. You've got"
81 havn't either. There's the IA,
Is, 13 I've only to make them run
13, Ia Is, and then"
"Why, you can't even count.
What are you going to do with The
10, IL, 12?"
(Getting ''touchy"). "What dye
s'pose Pm going to do with them?
Think Pm going to bore hole in
'em and wear them for socks? Talk
sense, if you know any. Now I'll
put the 10 in here, and that lets the
8 in. Then we'll move the IL up
and get the II In place.
''But where's your 13, IA, l5?"
"They are right here, Mrs Spoop-
endyke; did you think they'd gone
to prayer meeting? Confound a
woman around a puzzle, anyway.
just you lemme figure on this alone,
will We? l guess know how to
fix this"
"Of course you do" said Mrs.
Spoopendyke, soothingly; "you can
get it if anyone can"
"Just see now. If can only get
the last three straight I've got it
H'm-ahl yes. The Is goes here.
Now I've got it. Then the 13 and
then the IA. Just move-hold on"
81 see where you're wrong," said
Mrs. Spoopendyke. "You want to
move"
81 don't want to do any such
thing"
eyes, you do; just move"
"Well, if 1 move it'll be about s |
miles from here where 1 can have
some peace"
Don't be so touchy; all you've
got-'
''If you don't let this puzzling
business alone, I'll just make a hole
in the air with it. What do you
know about it, anyway? I've got
it all but three blocks"
"Well, I'll show you how to get.
those"
Loses all patience and the puzzle.
"Then, show me; show me; show
me, that's all. Oh! show me. Why |
don't you show me how it's done?"
Mrs. Spoopendyke moved them
around and then studied awhile.
"Why don't you show me?' de-
manded MIR. Spoopendyke. You
said you'd show me. I'm waiting
to be shown. Go on with your
showing. Let the show proceed"
"If one could only get that II out
of the way so the I3 would come IN,
we'd be all right" unused Mrs.
Spoopendyke.
"Ohl certainly, certainly. If-if
the II had pair of legs and could
build a railroad around the 10, and
then would give the IA a free pass,
be might ride into his place. Say,
Mrs. Spoopendyke, if you'll quit
handling that 15-block like a stove
lid and take your thumb out of the
blank square, I'd De obliged to you.
Lessee now. The IA goes here"
"No it don't; it goes there"
"Goes where?"
Nv ny, Lnere.
ssTherel Where? There, may
mean up the chimney or down my
throat. Where? Where do you
mean?'
"Why, there, of course; can't you
see? l believe you're crazyp'
I'm not crazy, Mrs. Spoopen
dyke, nor am l a woman. l might
Just as well put that block in the
fire as where you say. I'll put it
here"
"Then you're all wrong. 1t goes
here"
"a minute ago you said it went
there, Let it alone, tell you.
Drop it. Put it back where you
found it. Now let things be. IN
move this II down here"
''That makes fine arrangement!
Nobody but lunatic would put it
there. Put it here"
"GSo way from here. You amt
half witted. / can do this puzzle"
3