Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1894-08-17

he took his seat In front Of the chess
table and arranged problem with
trembling hands.
Pacing his elbow on the table,
he rested his chin on his hand and
glanced meditativeiy over the men.
Somehow he could not keep his
mind on tie game, and his eyes
constantly gazed over the board
into space.
How she loves him, that-that
-" murmured he.
Shaking his head fl -rcely, he
turned his thoughts to the game
again, but the excitement was
stronger than his will. An inward
struggle disturbed his peace and
finally caused him to fall into a
state of dull relaxation. The chess
men swan before his eyes and be-
came weird 6gures-grew to enor.
nous size and diminished again.
The lamplight flickered and al.
most died ont, filling the room with
a pale twilight in which black balls
sending out many colored flashes
danced up and down.
Suddenly these balls burst and
flooded the place with a green
light. Cold shudders ran over the
chess p ayers limbs, for right in
front of the table stood siuister
presesence, who held a scythe in
his hony right hand aud all hour
glass III his left.
Through the rents In bis worm
eaten garments CLEANED The white,
fleshless bones. lie shook his
deaths head, from which t1uttered
a single gray lock, aud his empty
eyesockets started so horribly and
his jaws parted in so ghastly a
grin, that the old soldier, who had
stood feallessly in the thIckest Of
many a fight, telt the blood curdle
III bis veins.
"Death! Dealhw gasped lie,
without moving his lipsor stirring.
Death laid his scythe and bis
glass by his side, drew a char to
the table and said: "Come, old man.
We will play game together for
your life"
Paraly zed with fear, Oberst
stretched out his hand for the color
with 6hich he usually played, but
Death raised bony finger.
"Stop! That is my color" cried he
and drew the black men toward
him. AS If by magic they moved
in til er right places on the board.
Life has the first mOve," Oberst
heard his fearful opponent mutter
and as he raised his arm over the
table to move pawn little white
hand was laid hinderingly on his
arm.
Startled, he looked around and
saw a beautiful little girl standing
by bis chair. Her face was round
aud rosy, and her golden hair and
blue eyes we're much like his
sisters when she was a child.
"May mot play for youi" begged
the little one, and then without an
answer climbed into his lap and
made herself comfortable.
Death laughed so heartily at this
performance that one Of his loose
teeth fell out aud rolled on to the
middle of the hoard. "Ho, bo, you
tiny Lifel" be shouted. "Do you
think you Can play against the only
invinclble masteri" Aud he ratified
his bones loudly to frighten her.
Life gazed at him with astOnish-
ed eyes, as though she did not
know who D.ath really was.
This appeared to anger him for
lie roared, Begin"
"Yes, yes," laughed Life, IN pure
10y, and moved a piece so foolishly
hat Oberst's hair stood on end
with fright, for lie feared that this
first play would loose tie game.
But, strangely enough, although
Life had played so incautiously,
Death seemed to be blind and made
no use OF The advantage given him.
Moreover he played hesitatiDglyi
as though he felt himself no match
for his laughing adversary.
The latter appeared to learn
with each move and played al
ways better and more skillfully, sc
that Oterst sighed with reliet and
even entertained bold hopes oI
victory.
lie followed the game 80 closely
that he scarcely noticed that the
burden 10 his lap grew constantly
heavier, and that the child hat
grown to a beautiful girl.
This young woman, with the jol
OF living in bright eyes, moved he
men boldly, almost too boldly