The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1890-10-23
THE LIVING CHESS-MEN
DY GEORGE Z. WALSH.

"This game reminds me of q great
chess game that once played, ;" said the
Captain ~as he checkrpated his oppo-
nent's king, and drew back his chair to
begin story. ':It was the great game
of my life," he continued, "and shall
never forget it. In fact, we were play
ing with living chess-men. You don't
believe it, eh2 Well, just listen to my
story, and you'll think such playing as
this mere fooling."
We had been playing for nearly two
hours, and the Captains skill had won.
His love for the game of chess was only
second to his love for his profession, and
his life as asoldier had given him plenty
of opportunities to crafty his passion in
this particular.
"You remember spent couple years
in India, when young fellow, and dur
ing that time Imet with many adventures
that none of you have ever heard. Al
though l have seen considerable service
since then. and some hard work and fight
ing, think, on the whole, that these two
years were the most exciting Of my
life. We were on the constant go,
then, and if we weren't hunting men,
we were hunting wild beasts in the jun
giles.
My friend Captain Rawdcn was an
English officer stationed at Calcutta at
the time he invited me to visit him. He
had just taken wife in that far-off
suntry, and they were living happily IN
neat little place short distance out.of
he city. He wanted me to come out
und see him, and, above all, to select
wife from among the English ladies that
were living there at the time. Jack al
ways took a fatherly interest me in this
way, but unfortunately his plans never
worked out WELL
"Wel, to make n long story short, I
went out to Calcutta one year, and found
everything just as my friend represented
it. 1t was delightful place for hunting,
and we did some pretty rough riding
over the country and through the junglcs
in pursuit of game. I managed to secure
my first man-eater shortly after &arriyed,
and several other tough customers. Jack
roamed over the country with me when
ever he could get away from his duty,
and together we succeeded in having a
pretty lively time. Jacks wife was
pretty, piqEnt-loolling lady, the daugh-
ter of an old English officer who had
died in the East Indian service. She
took great friendly interest in me, and
i returned her feelings with interest.
When we were not hunting we would
spend hours listening to Evelyn's playing
or singing, which was truly delightful
recreation.
"Mutual friendship thus grew apace,
and we all three began to look ahead and
regret the time of our parting. My duty
called me back to America in few
months, and was almost as loath to leave
as they were to have me go. Jack vainlY
implored me to enter into business in CAL
cutta, and take up my permanent abode
there; but told him that l had other
ties and interests to draw me away; yet
should have almost decided to stay with
them longer, if an incident had not oc-
CURED which made me rather tired of
India.
"One day rumors came in that there
was trouble with the Hindoos. They
were risings in various paris of the coun-
try, and the British residents began to
tremble for their lives. Jack, as Captain
in the army, had to leave his home to
help quell the rebelIions. I, of course,
was left to protect his home and wife.
There was little or no disturbance around
Calcutta at the time, but the insurgents
soon rose up around us on every side,
until We were completely hemmed in,