Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1890-11-12
THE PASHA'S BIG CANE
HOW Won MOLTKE CHECK
MATED HIM.
4 Game Of Chess Between Two Notabl,
Men.

SAT AZ cafe on the Nile terrace in
Cairo. At tables near him were MANY
soldiers who had helped him fight the
a>pies of Sultan Mahmud not many
months before. Several of them had
oeen WIFI him in the battle of sizib.
when he routed the Turkish army un-
der Hafiz Pasha and Col. Won Moltke.
then in the Sultan's service. But
SuleJmann was not thinking Of the
soldiers about him, nor of Hafiz
fasha, nor Col. Won Moltke. nor the
battle of Nizib. His whole attention
was concentrated on a chessboard be.
fore him.
Sulejmann Pssha was famous
chess player In the first few weeks
after his return to Cairo he had beaten
dozens OF times Ulema Reschid Aga.
formerly the champion chess PLAYER OF
northern Egypt. He regarded hi.
reputation as a chess player as some
what skin TO his reputation as a war
rior. He considered chess TO be pre-
eminently soldiers game, and never
tired OF making elaborate comparisons
between strategy on the chessboard
and strategy on the field of battle.
Every afternoon he met CIema Res
child Aga on the Nile terrace and bsai
him two or three games.
On this particular afternoon, almost
hfty years ago, Ulema Reschid Aga
was little late in coming TO his Water
loo, and Sulejmann Pasha was having a
preliminary skirmish with himself
while awaiting his opponents arrival
His diversion was interrupted by the
appearance on the terrace of long.
gsunt, bony young stranger. The
stranger strolled right up 10 the Pasha's
table, and after making a half-miIitary
salute, said SO loudly that every one oD
the terrace could hear:
''Pasha, challenge YOU to a game
of chess"
All the officers on the terrace sat
quite still and stared at the thin, pale
young man who stood before their
great commander. The Pasha looked
him over curiously.
81 am at your service" was his
answer, after e long pause. '.How
high do you usually play"
"You fix the stakes, Pash9."
"Well, hundred ducaty will not be
too much"
The stranger nodded and sat down..
The lots were cast. The game was
begun. AL the officers in the cafe left
their coffee to crowd around the players.
The first few moves convinced them
that the long bony fingers of the stran-
ger had moved chess many times be-
fore. AT the end of twenty minutes
the Pasha's eyes suddenly frightened
and he smiled. He had an invincible
combination. He placed his queen be-
fore his opponents queen. The Off
GERS began to grumble, for they thought
their commander had lost his head.
Only Reschid Aga, who in the mean
time had joined the crowd of specta-
tors, looked hsppy. He had guessed
his friends combination, and he, too,
was sure that it was invincible.
"He will take the queen" comment
ed the spectators.
Then he will be checkmated in
eight moves" whispered back Reschild
Aga, his eyes fixed on the board.
"And if he doesn't take her?"
"Hs will lose his own" said the ex-
champion.
The stranger moved pawn. SuleJ-
mann took his queen. The officers
thought it was all up with the gaunt
young man, and started back TO their
coffee. They were called back, how
ever, by the first words the Pasha's op-
ponent had spoken since he sat down
90 the table.
"Pashs, in twelve moves you Will be
checkmated."
The interest of the Pasha's friends
became intense. They counted each
move aloud. One-two-three-four
and the Pasha was already hard
pressed. ix-seven-eight-
uine-and his men were hemmed in on
all Sides Ten-the Pasha tried in vain
to break the blockade by sacrificing his
queen. Eleven-he drew back his
king into corner. Twelve-"Check-
mate"
There was dead silence, all stared
at the Pasha. He thought hard for
several minutes, without a word.
Then he looked searcbingly at the
stranger and said:
"Once before have seen chess played
a. YOU play it. Your strategy is not
new 10 me, although 1 cannot cope
with it. The game that your playing
reminds me of was much finer than
this. Ii was played with cavalry and
infantry and heavy artillery, till the
ground shook under our feet. The
great chess PLAYER from the North who
was then against me had $50, 900 men.
In his hands they were invincible-
The mad and envious interference OF
Hafiz Pasha ruined his combinations,
however, and, happily for our sids,