St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-03-31
IN CLEvELAND's BoYHooD.
Hotc lie Defeated the BoastiaJ Checker
PLAYER. of the Village.

Hotc he Defeated the Boasting Checker
Player of the VifIage.
There comes pleasant story to my ears Of
President Cleveland, says writer in the
New York Times 'sCleve''-hfs title in the
days [ write of-happened to be spending
| few days at the home of relative in a re-
poseful hamlet. The young mans visit was
during the winter, when the place was desc
late and dreary enough. When he got his
bearings, tired of tramping about IN the
snow and ice, he sometimes dropped into
''Uncle Silas,' the village store. One gray
skied afternoon he came upon the regula-
ton circle of gossips. One of the characters
of the place was sandy-haired, small-eyed,
quicker faced Ike Sanders, prodgious
beaster. This local Sir Oracle was con-
firmed checker player. Lazy and shiftless,
the long winter hours were passed BY him up
at Uncle Silas' where from a favorite corner
he watched for victims. On the afternoon
that Grover entered the excitement over in
the corner seemed to be running over. A
milder-faced, middle-aged little man was
nervously bent over Ike's slow and impress
sivesmoves Of the checkers. The game was
| close, and Sanders opponent, no other than
| the village schoolmaster, held slight adyan-
| tage; suddenly Ike surrendered one of his
men to the foe, who promptly seized the op-
portunity. Another man was yielded, and
| then the trap became apparent, and the
dominic rushed to his ruin.
'Ha-hal ho-ho! Why, you can't play
checkers any more than you can scrape the
| sky,'' was Isaac's taunt as he grasped his
| victory.
The poor schoolmaster, his thin cheeks
pinking with modification, shrank back with
faint excuse for his defeat Ike carelessld
rearranged the draughts, boastfully placey
the board over on the firkin, and looked up
with challenge in his eye. ''Say, Uncle
Silas,'' he called out, "have We got anybody
else thinkin' they can play checkers herea
No? Well, put the board away Uncle
Silas admitted that Isaac was master at the
game, and was making preparations to place
| the checkers on the desk, when the young
stranger, plying the defeated schoolmaster,
found voice.
81 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 Sandersr'
''Well, l would be willing to try''
ooh, come; you can't play nothin' against
me; Pm tired of beatin' this village, any
how. Now, take the advice of friend, and
don't waste your time, young man."
| Il might give you some trouble, though"
'Humph! you're sassy enough about it,
and to take down your conceit peg or two,
I'll let you have a game"
| Once more the tirkn was moved into
place, and the knot of spectators peered over
| the shoulders of the contestants, and old
| Silas again resumed his wonted attitude AS
the game advanced there was no sound in
the room save the clatter Of the wooden
blocks as they changed from square to
| square. The young players black men
wedged themselves boldly in among the
whites" Isaac began to pucker up his
thin lips. Soon his fingers opened and shut
nervously as his fist lay against his hip and
his left foot tapped impatiently on the pine
boards: His moves became hasty and his
manner irritable Lookers-on took in the
situation; chances of relief were inter-
changed, some holder ones nudging their
neghbors, and soon half-suppressed snicker-
ings were heard. Ike ''didnt know what
folks meant by disturbin' the game" When
a few more moves efIectually placed him in
coventry and his remnants were completely
hedged in he began really to understands;
his under lip dropped, and he had only voice
enough to murmur: ''Waal, the first
games yourn, and that's all We kin reckon
on The second game started. The re-
suit was as before. Ike's enemies crowded
round to see him ''put down by that there
young Grove Cleveland" An other 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 his way out through
the door, followed by leers and laughter
from former victims now become tormentors
Young Mr.. Cleveland received enthusiastic
congratulations, his eyes flashing triump PHI
antly and smile lurking in the creases Of
his chubby face. 1t is related 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
plagiarists:
''Some folks do have dod- gasted luck.''