The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-04-01
president CLEVELAND.
An Interesting Story of Hts Young Days
How He Beat the Village Champion ai
Draughts.


Drsughts.
New York Times
There comes pleasant story to mr. ears OF
President Cleveland. Ii goes to show that
in his younger days, before ambitious
thoughts began TO surge through his brain.
be could not hsve been the contentious,
phlegmatic person over whom Washington
correspondents are worrying themselves TO
death with bits of description Just nov On
one occasion. al least, he saw the humorous
side Of little episode and enjoyed a quiet
laugh. Young Mr.. Cleveland-''Clevei was
his title IN the days ] write of-happensd to
be spending n few days at the home of 8 rel.
alive in 2 reposeiul hamlet. one of those
places whose placid excitements alternated
among the railroad station, the meeting house,
and the village store, where the mail WAS
pigeon boled and everything from rum and
calico 10 iiat-heaG nails ana ginger-cake was
doled out. The young mans visit was
during the winter, when the place was desc
late and dTcary enough. When he got his
bearings, tired of tramping about in tie
Snow and ice, he Sometimes dropped into
Uncle Silas', J" the village store. One gray
skied afternoon he came upon the regulation
circle Ct gossips The familiar Old Franklin
was blszlng out II heat over liz the corner,
and the solons were busy Illuminating aud
and varying the monotony of their thoughts
with frequent "chawS." One oil the charac.
tiers Of the place was sandy haired. small
eyed, pucker-faced Ike Sanders, a prodigious
booster. and self constituted authority,
from the text Of the parsons last sermon
to the shingliDg Of the dilspidated
school house. This local Sir Oracle was
a confirmed checker player. Lazy and
shiftless, the long winter hours were passed
by him up at Uncle Silss', where from a
fayoTite corner be watches for victims. On
toe afternoon thai Grover entered the ex-
element over in the corner seemed 10 bs
l. :
bis seat behind the counter. and WITH his
spectacles perched up among his thin locks,
his hands clasped on his backbone he stood
eagerly watching the checker-board A
milder-iscsd middle aged little man was
nervously bent over Ike's slow and impressive
moves Of the checkers. the game was close.
add Sanders opponent, no other than the
village schoolmsster, had held slight ad-
vantage; Suddenly Ike surrendered one eff
his men to the foe, who prOmBtlT seized the
opportunity. Another man was yielded,
and then the trap became apparent, and the
DEVOTED dominic rushed TO ma ruin.
"Hs-hs ho.hol Why, you can't play
checkers any more than you can scrape the
sBy," was Isaac's tsunt as he grAsped his
victory.
''It ye'd set down and study the board for
couple O. year yes mout win game oncs
in a while, but sho' yer all poor fool folks at
checkers roun here anyhow"
The poor schoolmaster, his thin cheeks
pinking with modification. shrank back
with q faint excuse for his defeat. Ike care.
lessly arranged the draughts, bosstfuly
placed the board over on the frkin, aud look
ing np with challenge in his eye. Say,
Uncle Silss" he called out ''have We got
any body ess thinkin' they eau play check
ers here? No? Well, guess yer naint; SOS
nobody wants 10 try 3 bout with me, yes
mout IS we'll put the board away" acle
Silas rubbed HE wrinkled hand across ais
forehead, admitted that Isaac was master
at the game, and was making parations
TO place the well-fngered checkers bshind
him on the desk when the young stranger,
plying the defeated schoOlmaster, having
watched the game with some interest, and
inclined TO attribute its loss more to nervous
ness than lack OF skill, found voice.
~ say, Mr. Sanders, would you mind try
ing a game with me?'
with you? Sho, young fellow. you don't
want TO play against Ike Ssndersl"
We'll, 1 would be willing to try"
"Oh, come; you can't play nothin' against
me. I'm tired of beatin' this village, any
how. Now, take the advice of friend and
don't waste your time, young man."
II might give you some trouble, though"
"Humphi you're sassy enough about it,
and to take down your Conceit q peg or two
Pll let you have game"
Once more the frkin was moved into
place. and the knot of spectators peered
old Siles again resumed his wonted attitude.
As the game advanced there was no sound
in the room save the CHATTER of the wooden
blocks as they changed from square to square
The young players black men wedgsd
! themselves boldly in among the whites"
Isaac began to pucker uD his thin lips. Soon
mis- fingers opened and shut nervously as his
fist lay against his hip aud his left foot
tapped impRtientlY on the pine boards. His
moves became hasty and his manner irrta'
BILE. LookeIs-on took in this situation;
! chances of relief were interchanged, some
| bolder ones nudging their Deighb 0rs, aud
| soon halfsuppressed chickering's were heard.
| Ike didn't know what folks meant by dis
| turbin' the game" When lew more moves
effectually placed him in coventry, and his
! remnants were completely hedged in, he b.
| gan really to understand. His mouth
| dropped, and be had only voice enough to
murInur: "Wa'al, the first games yourn.
and that's all ye kin reckon on"
! The second game started. The result
was as before. Ike's enemies crowded
forward to see him put down by that there
young Grove Cleveland" Another and
| another victory was wrested from the crest
fallen Ike. When the fifth contest failed TO
! change the tide, Sanders, unable to control
himself longer, dashed board and checkers
| TO the floor and pushed MS way out the
] door, followed by jeers and laughter from
/ former victims now become tormentor5.
| Tie little schoolmaster's piping crosk was
! the weakest instrument in the orchestra.
! Young Mr.. Cleveland received enthusiastic
congratulations his eyes flashing trium.
| phantly and a smile lurking in the cresses
| of his chubby face. IL is related that he
only laughed quietly the next day when he
heard the dictum of Mr.. Isaac Sanders,
/ which has made good many folks in these
| later days rank plsgisrists: