Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1890-09-18

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rule Tho Rajah was a great chess
player, and he had been indulging in
his favorite game before ! was brought
into his presence. The chess-bo was
ST aEding before him. while a member OF
his court was studying out problem Of
checkmating the Rajah's king. In fact,
the Princes men were cornered, and
the game seemed TO be lost | had al
ways taken lively interest in chess,
and when / saw the predicament in
which the Rajah had gotten his men, l
began to study tho positions of the
pieces while the rest OF the prisoners
were being examined
"Well, in my eagerness / forgot my
position, and when l discovered an
avenue of escape for the nearly check
mated king, ] stepped forward and
made a move with the Rajah's bishop
The court player looked at me in aston
ishment for moment and then moved
ono OF his pawns. followed it up with
another move, and in less than fifteen
minutes had his king checkmated. l
clapped my hands in triumph then, and
on looking up saw the Rajah watching
me closely. He had been an interested
spectator Of the game.
"That game of chess saved my life for
a short time. l was sent 10 prison, but
not condemned TO death. The next day,
and in fact every day for several weeks,
| was brought out of the prison and
commanded to play chess with the
Prince. He was far from being poor
player; but after had met him several
| times felt confident that | could beat
him. From polcy's sake, however,
let him win most Of the games, which
seemed to please him immensely. This
sort of thing went on for a long time,
until l began TO get restless and
anxious to learn what my fate was to
be. / began to look around to discover
some means of escape; but the prison
was guarded so carefully that my
chances were very poor.
Zone day was called into the Rajah's
presence earlier in the day than COM
mon, and instinctively felt that | was
going there to learn my fate. was led
into another part Of the royal quarters,
a place that had never entered before.
| was conducted between two lines OF
soldiers, until spacious balcony, whore
| the Rajah was sitting, was reached. The
balcony overlooked great courtyard,
which was thronged with people and
native soldiers. In the center of the
courtyard was a large vacant space
divided up into largo squares of alter
mating black and whito marble 1t
was, in fact, huge chess board, laid
out in the most costly way.
"As great lover of the game, in
stIlstiyely u.toress- - exclama.ions of
surprise and pleasure. My position was
such that | could see every one of the
sixty-four squares. While | was still
looking the crowd at one side fell back
and four elephants, two draped with
black and two with white, entered, and
took their places at the four corners Of
the strange chess-board. Small CASTLE
shaped structures we're on their backs,
which made them look like the castles
of the chess-board. Then came in the
knights, two horsemen on white steeds,
and two on black These also took
their proper positions on the chess
board. Fools, or clowns, then took the
places of the bishops, which is the Gus
tom in the Oriental countries Two
were Ilindoos, and the other two were
captured Engllshmon. Then eight Him
doc soldiers took the places of the
pawns on one side, and eight English
soldiers were placed in row on the
opposite side The two kings next
entered, one white man, the other a
Hindoo, and both richly dressed in
magnificent robes. The two queens fol-
lowed, carried in on sedan chairs. One
was Hindoo maiden, and the other
we'll, one glance was sufiicient-was
Evelyn, Jacks wifel
The whole matter was getting pretty
interesting by this time and l felt N.Y.
self worked up to feverish heat The
chess-men we're all living ones, and
they were in position, ready for tho
players. The Rajah then told me that
had but one chance for my life. II
won this game of chess | could have
my liberty and also that Of the white
queen, II saved her.
my heart jumped into my throat, so
TO speak, and began to study out the
game, determined to make IL the game
Of my life. | felt more confident than
ever that could defeat the Rajah, and
so summoned all my courage to steady
my nerves.
THE play soon began. The Rajah
had the first move; and one of his
pawns, or English soldiers, he having
chosen the whites, came out two
squares. followed with one of my
Hindoo soldiers After three or four
moves there was an exchange of pawns.
The two soldiers we're carried out, and
in sight of every one they we're ex-
ecuted. This bloodthirsty act unsettled
my nerves so that l could hardly coll |
lect my thoughts; but when was in
formed that the Hindoo soldiers we're
traitors condemned 10 death. and that |
the English soldiers had likewise been !
sentenced TO execution, / partly recov-
cred my composure.
''rhe game then proceeded. The |
white queen OF the Rajah soon began to
make great havoc with my black men. |
and It seemed necessary to take her II | |
intended TO win. Then the terrible |
thought that II took her she would be |
executed the same as the rest OF the /
living chess-men, made the cold sweat I
stand out on my forehead. ! could not
sentence Jacks wife TO the execution
er's sword. not even il lost the game |
aud my life with it. The Rajah seemed /
10 understand this, and he moved his
queen around recklessly among my |
men, taking pawn after rawn. The
game became doubly difficult, for I felt
shat could not take the Rajah's strong
est piece.
Il bent my whole mind to the game,
and tried to lay some trap for the Ra-
jah's men. After little maneuvering
1 succeeded in taking two Of his bish-
ops, one castle and both OF his knights;
but the reckless queen was still hedg-
ing me in on every side, putting her
self in positions where / could easily
have taken her II 1t had not been a
question Of life or death with her. Ev-
elyn's face was pale and anxious as she
watched me play, and l tried to give
her a reassuring smile now and then.
But she saw how difficult it was for me
TO avoid taking her of the chess-board
and having her executed 50 that Icouid
a -.