St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-11-17
G ENERAL SCOTT AT CHESS AND
WHIST.

The general was fond of the game Of chess
at which he was fairly skilful. often
played with him, and 1 think my game
stood to his as about two 10 five; neverthe
less he beat me as often as four times in five.
Whenever by chance or skill, / gained a
threatening position, he became irritable, and
if did not move quickly he would angrily
calculate, Shave you movedp One day we
were playing in the parlor of the hotel at
West Point, and Mr.. Ogden Hoffman was
looking on Iu the process Of that game,
which L won, my chief was uncommonly
tart took my time, and while was con-
sidering critical position, he reached up
his hand and took up periodical and op-
ened it to an article on geology. ''Do you
think" said he TO Mr.. Hoffman, "That /
shall be able to master this subject before
the young gentleman gets ready TO movel"
After we had separated Mr. Hoffman came
to console me for what might think was
rudeness on the part of my chief "What
did the general say?'' said /; ''being alb
sorbed by my game and determined to beat
him, paid no attention to his remarks; but
if there had been hostile tone in his voice,
/ should have detected it at once. That's
| the generals manner when he is inpatient,
| and it never hurts me-"
If the general beat me easily, it was not so
| with his brother-in-law, Mayo, whose game
was much the strongest Of the three, The
two brothers-in-law agreed remarkably well,
considering that they differed essentially in
most particulars. Mayo came frequently to
play chess, and was able to beat US both il he
chose to do so. Occasionally the general
won party, and that encouraged him to
| conclude that those he lost were accidents
One day their game was close, and they pro-
| longed 1t over an hour. In the midst of il
the general left his chair to spit in the fire
he then had the habit of chewing tobacco.
Finally the game ended in favor of Mr.
Mayo, and the general arose from his chair
and took three or four turns up and down
the room in silence. Then he came near
me, lifted up his spectacles and said:
Young gentleman! do you know why
lost that gamer" ''No, sir,n said l. SIT
was because got up to spit.'
The chief diversion of General Scott, and
! the one to which he was most attached, was
the game Of whist. The idea that without
knowledge of the game of whist mans old
age must necessarily be unhappy is said to
have originated with Talleyrand The old
| Frenchman's smart saying was the simple
expression of the opinion of vast numbers
of people of all nations, that whist and other
| games with cards are the most efficient pro-
motors of cheerfulness in old age.
Whist, although it is the most genteel of
all games, is the one that most frequently
! gives rise to alterations and disputes All
confirmed whist players end every game
with wrangle, and General Scott was not
easily pleased with his partner. Occasion
ally, to make up the complement, I was
called on to take a hand. disliked the
game and acknowledged that played badly;
but the general declared that couldn't play
at all, and when he had me for a partner he
was obliged 20 play against three. / thought
no one conld please him, for he even QUAR-
relied with dummy 1t is a mistake TO sup
pose that confirmed whist player is salts
fed with gaining the stake On one occa-
sion l was invited to take part in game. and
| for that purpose was introduced to a polished
old gentleman who was to be my partner.
/ excused my want of knowledge OF whist;
| but the old gentleman In the blandest tones.
insisted on my being his partner, and as
sured me that my ignorance OF the finesse of
| the game would make no difference The
stake was to be IS, which was more than l
| ever paid before or since. / and nv part
ner won the fret game, but my blunders,
which he gently rebuked, had cleared away
the bland expression of his countenance.
We also won the second game, and then
the old man wss almost rude in the manner
in which he recalled my wrong plays. Final
ly, we gained the third party and pocketed
SIS each; but the old mans passion broke
| loose, and throwing down his cards he de-
clared that he could stand such stupidity no
longer, and left tue table.
The range of General Scott's amusements