The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-12-29
CHECKMATE.

from her dropping mien as well as from
the troubled expression Of her pale face
IS she drew her thin mantle more closely
pver shoulders. Her great Hmpid eyes
Eazed intentiy at slight, gray haired man,
who stood, with his back turned toward
her, at one Of the long windows. With
weary, supplicating voice she at last broke
The long silence:
cleo, have you no kind word for me5
Have really come in vain!''
eyes. in vain" he answered harshly.
II have often told you plainly that We are
separated forever, and that you have moth
Ing to hope for from me. You alone have
brought about your loss-against my will
and now you must bear it alone
"You know how loved you, and you
left me to isolation, to an unhappy old
sge-ieft me to follow an adventure
and Why, Because one night at ball he
had softly whispered, Il love you But
now you have found out what this love
meant-sadness and sorrow. Is it not so'"
eyes, Leo, sorrow, bitter sorrow, but
also unspeakabfe happiness. You cannot
understand that, as you do not know my
husband You have hated him from the
first and will not realize his worth. He
could earn a better living for me, but l
honor him doubly because no misfortune
can induce him to degrade his art. He
aims at the highest and will attain it
the great future after ali his better strug-
giles. ] should never have come here to-
day-but-but, the child, Leo-my child
is ILL.,"
The last words broke from her lips Ike
panied cry.
Her brother shuddered, but still stood
at the window, gazing angrily out at the
dark sky.
In q few moments servant came and
lighted the lamp and placed the chess
board under the light, brought polished
box, which held the carved ivory men, and
started from the room.
The man looked unspeakably weary as
he took his seat in front Of the chess table
and arranged a problem with trembling
hands Somehow he could not keep his
mind on the game, and his eyes constant
~ gazed over the board into space.
The lamplight flickered and almost died
out, filing the room with a pale twilight,
in which black balls sending out many
colored flashes danced up and down. Sud
denly these balls burst and flooded the
place with green light.
er's limbs, for right in front of the table
stood sinister presence, who ZELDA seythe
in his bony right hand and an hourglass
in bis left. Through the rents In his
worm eaten garments cleaned the white,
deshless bones.
Death laid his scythe and his glass by
his side. drew chair to the table aud
said, Come, old man, we will play game
together for your life"
Life has the first move" Oberst heard
bis fearful opponent mutter, and as he
raised his arm over the table to move
pawn q little white hand was laid hinder.
ingly OF his arm.
Startled, he looked around and saw
beautiful little girl standing by his chair.
Her face was round and rosy, and her
golden hair and blue eyes were much like
bis sisters when she was a child.
May not play for your begged the
little one, aud then, without waiting for an
answer, climbed into his lap and made
herself comfortable.
Yes, yes" laughed Life In pure joy
and moved piece SO foolishly that Oberst's
hair stood ON end with fright, for he feared
that this first play would lose the game.
But, strangely enough, although Life
had played so incautiously, Death seemed
to be blind and made no use of the ad
vantage given him.
Oberst sighed with relief and even en-
tertained bold hopes of victory. He fol-
lowed the game so closely that he scarcely
noticed that the burden in his lap grew
constantly heavier, and that the child had
grown to beautiful girl.
At last Life overlooked single move,
and Death pushed his knight into the open
Ing. A second poor play, and Life lost her
queen-the most beautiful piece Of the
game and it's principal strength.
Oberst glared angrily at the now ma
ture woman, saw her alter move by move,
saw the color leave her face and the wrin-
kles appear one by one, saw her eye dim
and the gold of her hair change to dull
gray.
"Ee merciful, cruel Death! Let me take
back this enc play. You viii always have
time to win. will not lose just yeti
will not die!''
'Neverr' roared Death, glaring from
his empty eyesockets 'There is no hope
for you, useless Life. You can do nothing
more in the world"
Oberst's heart almost stopped beating,
for he knew that his own life was the
stake of the game.
He saw the end approaching move by
move, Death constantly throwing out
that fearful threat, "Check-a check to
LITER
Life's king was in peril, and there were
but two possible moves-a wrong one,
which would lose the game, and right
one, by which the king could save himself
behind the three remaining pieces.
These three pieces beekened the solitary
king and seemed to have human faces
one the features OF lovely child; the sec
ond, of a sad faced woman, and the third
of man with thoughtful, earnest es-
pression-the face of that hated creature
well loved sister.
Which would she play' If they were
only both good But, looki She grasped
the king and pushed him toward the dan
gerons square.
In rhalevolent glee Death laughed out
right.
Bya powerful effort oberst freed him
self from the charm which held him.
For heavens sake, not chet piay-the
other!' he cried, and, throwing his arms
over the table to prevent the play, no
knocked the figures TO the floor
The sleeper awoke from his CHASTITY |
dream and stared about with wide opened |
eyes. He was alone. The chessmen wers |
scattered over the carpet A horror strick- !
en- servant rushed into the room.
My hat, Joseph, and my coat Make |
haste, and come with mel Be quickr'
A few moments later, when he lighted !
bis master down the steps, he saw tears in |
the old mans eyes and heard him muir