Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1892-02-04
Old Times.

thing the human mind is Like some
old volumes hid away in some hidden
recess, undisturbed until some one
Overhauling the contents of the shelves
brings it to light. Just so with the mind
things that occurred years and years
ago by some act or word brought up to
our minds just as fresh as if but yester-
day. At my old home the people did
not indulge or permit their children to
play many kinds of games that at the
present day are very common and pop
ular. / can remember that all the
games played by our young folks were
jack straws, fox-and-geese and twelve
men-morris. When we moved to Fling
ton, at the High School, as the institution
was called, we found a different order
of things. There we found boys from
all over the Southern States and West
India Isles, South America and New
England States. We found all the boys
from all parts of the world knew how
to play checkers, chess, backgammon
and a great many other kinds of games
that | had never seen in my old home
town, and, of course, l, as well as my
brothers, soon learned to play all OF
these games. got so, while at school,
l could hold my own pretty well with
any of the boys, no matter what part
of the world he came from.
When we came West and got on the
boat at Pittsburgh, my state-rOom hap
pened to be on the sunny side of the
boat. AS we came down the Ohio river,
on warm and pleasant days, we, the
passengers, would congregate on the
guards of the boat and read and pass
off the hours in games of checkers and
chess and other games. Iwell remem-
ber among the crowd was a family by
the name of Shattuck. They had a
daughter about sixteen years old. A
girl as pretty as girls often grow. !
can well remember her eyes were just
as black, her cheeks as rosy and the
reddest kiss-me-if-you-dare lips, and
just as sweet in her manners. Now
you boy and girl readers wonder if
fell in love with her. No, for | hao
left my Betsy back at the old home but
a few days ago. Mary, for that was
her name, would every day bring the
checkerboard, with the men all arrang-
ed, to ne and say in her sweetest tones,
s.Mr. Theodore, will you please play
checkers with me?" Of course would.
Wouldn't you? | soon found she did
not know much about the game, but
was anxious to learn. It was SO easy
to win the game, and she felt and look
ed so bad when / would win the game.
would make false moves so as to give
her the advantage. When she would
win the game it seemed to give her
courage and she would look so pleased
and sweet / would feel real glad for
her, and so the day passed off so rapid
ly, with no thought of care, like long,
delirious dream. When we left the boat
this family went on, and that was the
last l ever saw or heard of her. What
ever became of her / do not know.
After we reached this Valley we often,
after studies in the. evenings, got the
checkerboad, and whiled away the hours
until time for bed.
In the year 1S42-43, while my father
and brother went back East, one of my
uncles died with that most awful dis
ease, dropsy. For several years before
he died he had to sit propped up in a
large chair. He kept a small table be-
fore him to lean on and catch few
minutes sleep sometimes. He took a
notion that no one could sit up with
him but my brother Giles and myself,
and. to while away the tedious hours of
night, would place the checkerboard
on the stand between us and there we
would sit and play game after game for
hours. Some nights we would not shut
an eye to sleep. Tonight | would sit
up and play with him, tomorrow night
Giles would take his TURN. At rare in
tervals he would give us chance to lie
down on the settee close to him for a
few moments sleep. l would hardly
get to sleep before he would speak my
name. | would spring up wide awake.
At last he died sitting in his chair.
For years after / could not lie down to
sleep without hearing him call my
name, when / would spring up in bed.
1t annoyed me very much: at last it
wore gradually away, and I was per-
mitted to GO to sleep like other folks
During the Christmas holidays / was
sitting reading, while all of the rest of
the family and some friends were play
ing games of different kinds: a friend
said to me, ..Do you ever play check
ers, and would you like to try a gameP''
/ told him in my younger days / was
considered very fair hand at the
game, but had not played for good
many years. and gave him my reasons.
oil f.a1lad mn ftbpSa 1oy,or