Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1891-09-23
L FAMOUS CAFE.
Netch Of the Great Headquarters .
Chess in Parfs.

just across the way from the Com
edie Franchise Theatre stands one of
che dearest old landmarks in Paris. the
Cafe de la Regence, where for more
than hundred and fifty years-the
sign over the door informs you thar il
was founded in l71S-gisnts in the
world of chess have with their toy
armies fought such battles as have
made the place immortal.
Drop in there anv afternoon between
five and six and spend an hour or so
over stesming mazagram, studying a
phase Of human nature possibly new
to you, the passion which impels men,
regardless of money, to devote their
lives to pushing pieces of carved wo d
and ivory over board laid out in
| squares.
Only think of Il; this commonplace,
sawdust strewn floor has been many a
time walked by Napoleon Bonspsrte,
who as young man used to spend
hours massing his battslions of knights
and pawns against the players of his
time; and, singularly enough, although
he used to vauquish Nine. de Remusat
in brilliant fashion, it is pretty clearly
established that the great general pos
sess"d but Indifferent ability as a chess
player. The gsrcons of the cafe still
point proudly to small, stone topped
table in the billiard room at the back
on which Napoleon used TO play, and
where he learned the rudiments of the
game which he afterward studied pro-
foundly during the lonely years of his
confinement in st. Helena.
And both before and after Napo.
Icons day the Cafe de la Regence has
been the trysting place of celebrated
men with love for chess.
The memory of Paul Morphy is hon
ored, almost worshiped, at the Re-
gence. Above the "csissep standing
out prominently from the yellow,
wsinscoted wall, are two bronze busts
by the famous sculptor, Lequesne.
One is the face of Philidor, the "Sthe
of chess the other, moulded from
life, is that of Morphy, and often as
they pass beneath, the chess champions
of France look up reverently at those
''tiery and ferret" ewes which nature
gave 10 Morphy. Who knows what
inspiration those eyes have given?
MoRPHY's FIRST GAME.
And with reason does the Regence
honor Morphy, for it was there he
played such games OF chess as Europe
had never seen. They tell an anus
| ing story of his first appearance in the
cafe. He strolled in there one after
noon, and dropping into a seat near
Harrwitz, the then champion, watched
the game with apparent Indifference.
Harwitz having gained an easy victory
the young stranger modestly asked If
he would like to play a game with him.
Certainly answered Larwitz,
smiling. "What odds shall | give
your
II don't know, sir" said Murphy
Suppose we play one game even, ano
then we can arrange the odds fair ".
The other agreed to this, aud the
play commenced. HarrwitZ COM
menced in a slspdash fashion, not
thinking it necessary for him to take
pains, but at the end of the eighth
move he found, to his great astonish-
ment, that he was seriously embar-
raised, and before he knew whe-J he
was the game was lost.
"H'mp p he exclaimed, ''that's queer
| must have made some silly mistake"
81 guess you did, sir" replied Nor
ply. "Shsll we try ano her."
They did try another, and still an
other. and each time MorPhy won.
Harrwitz became very angry.
DO you know who [ am" lie
asked finally of his presumptuous op-
ponent. 'I am Harrwitz."
81 know you are" was the Amert-
cans quiet answer. do you know
who l am? l am Morphy"
They played several other games,
Harrwitz now exerting himself to the
utmost, but it was no use, Morphy
never lost game.
1t was at the Regence also that
Morphy played his famous blindfo d
games, and an engraving there shows
m almost boy, seated in :he back
room, his legs comfortably crossed,
serenely directing eight simultaneous
games against eight of the finest
players in Paris, defeating seH and
tying two, in spite of the fact that his
ewes were tightly bound with a hand
kerchief, which indeed was hardly
necessary, as the boards were placid
in the front of the cafe.