Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1892-08-23
ClIECKMATE.

~ Old Mr.. Archer was a devoted chess
s. player and an expert, at that. He held
n chess to be the only game fit for gen
g tleman. There were few of his acquaint-
ances who could cope with him, and but
~ one of them who could match him fair
". That was James Bittles, his lawyer
~ II was close contest between the two
81 first one ahead and then the other.
# Bittles stood high at the bar, but he
y mainly won and retained Archers con.
fidence by his ability as chess player.
b He was barely 40, and Archer maintain
& ed that by the time he reached 60 lie
Ut would surpass all those around
81 Archer had daughter - his only
81 child. Her father had married late in
81 life. and ten years after the birth of the
~ girl her mother had died. Lefty held a
~ place in his heart next to chess Itself A
8 bright. lively and pretty girl was Lefty
nj Archer, and she would be an heress to
81 something over million. Her father
~ feared she would become the prey of
# fortune hunter and endeavored to avert
M it by the provisions of his will. He neg
VA lected to execute his testament. how
81 ever. until Lefty was nearly twenty
q years old, anda spinster still. 1t was none
too soon, for the week after he died sud-
denly of an apoplectic fit.
NJ When the will was opened it was found
a that Bittles was named sole executor and
IL constituted guardian of Lefty until she
81 was 81, and trustee of all the estate, real
ut and personal The conditions of the
81 trust we're that, if Lefty married with
"A the consent of Bittles. the trustee was
81 to turn over to her all the property on
81 the day of the wedding, and so long as
81 she remained unmarried after 81 to pay
81 her the rents and the interest as they ac-
a crued: but if she married without his
81 consent she was TO receive only five
Il thousand a year, and the residue of the
# estate beyond that necessary to secure
81 this payment was to be conveyed to a
S third party or her heirs. This third party
"a was described as:
& catherine Sinclair, daughter of Cor
s don Sinclair. now or late of the city of
& Baltimore, and the state of Mary land. if
she be still single; or. if she be a married
& woman, then to the said Catherine Sim
ID clair, by whatever name she may be now
n known. to her and her heirs forever"
81 A further provision was that in case
81 the said Catherine Sinclair, by whatever
81 name she might be known, was dead
81 and had left an heir or heirs, the proper
u ty over and above the reserved amount
& in the contingency mentioned was given,
e devised and bequeathed to him, her or
them. Who Catherine Sinclair or her
@ father was, Lefty could not tell. nor
could the lawyer. but it was suggested
al that it was an early flame of Archer's.
81 Some thought that the possible legatee
s. was mythical. and brought forward to
scare Lefty from making an imprudent
match. But the power of Bittles in the
matter was as absolute as pen and ink
could make it.
Bittles proved himself to be vigilant
guardian and careful trustee-guard-
ing his ward against adventures, and
managing the estate with prudence and
& vgor Everything went well until about
d ten months after Archer's death. Then
the current of affairs rippled q little.
s Lefty and Bttles both fell in Iove-Letty
with Carter Cooke, a young man who be-
longed to what, before the late war, was
III known as lone of the first families of
81 Virginia. and Bittles. in spite of his
forty-one years, with Lefty, who did not
U care snap for him, looking upon the
middle aged bachelor as a venerable per-
4 son, and bestowing her heart upon his
AZ younger rival Love is like the measles,
and if we be attacked with it in middle
g age. the disorder assumes an aggravated
s form. Bittles had very severe attack
81 indeed.
S. Lefty might well be excused for recip-
4 rocating the feelings of Carter Cooke.
II The young man was not only by blood.
s but by culture and associations. gentle
man. with no censurable habits, and
g with polished manners. He had we'll
nj proportional figure, as well as a pleasing
face: and he did not even drop his RS, as
so many of the tidewater Virginians do.
He was well liked in New York, where
81 he spent about half of the year; and
though not by any means a fifth as rich
Il as Lefty would be, was possessed of a
II handsome competence. Bittles pro-
q nounced him to be fortune hunter, and
& frowned upon his suit, really because it
81 interfered with the one he wished to
Is make. Lefty was not of an age to re-
fleet on the serious consequences of her
81 guardians disapproval, and. had she
been, her cheerful temper would have
led her to optimism. Then Carter Cooke
a was skillful chess player, and Lefty,
who had been taught by her father, was
& about as expert as he. which strength
X ened the bond between them.
The wooing went on in spite Of the
frowns of Bittles, and the latter began
y to show the bitterness of defeat. This
was seen when the young lover, with
q Letty's consent, made formal proposal
& to the guardian for the hand of his ward.
No, sir; decidedly. nor replied Bit.
q ties. IL have nothing against you per.
sonally, Mr.. Cooke. Your responsibility
y is undoubted; but do not consider you,
s. nor will any enc else. a match for Miss
q Archer in fortune. | have examined the
81 statement your counsel laid before me.
and find you have barely four thousand
year, while the property of my ward
II Yields twelve times that ;ssnount. most OF
II It in real estate that is rising in value.
shoul be false to my duty if approved
u or the match under such circumstances. ="
81 Very good, sir, retorted Cooke Far
De 1t from me to say that disappointed
q pretensions of your own prompt YOUR