Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1895-03-15
NATE IN SIX MOVES.


tientsi"
yes. Why not? Some of these poor
creatures, although they suffer from vari
Gus forms of madness, are able ut times to
exercise certain faculties Of mind with n
brilliancy that is really remarkable. "
But surely they arc not capable Of
playing a rational and sustained game''
"Oh, ycsl have myself been beaten by
n mad patient. OF course at times their
play is Whimsical and orratic, but even
then, if | may say So there is often good
deal Of method in their madness. 1t Is
rather curious that at tho present time /
have under my charge poor fellow whose
mental arrangement is almost entirely tho
result of excessive chess playing. He in
dwlgod in lis favoritc pastime 10 such an
extent that it ultimately affected his mind.
We DO not now allow him even the sight
Of n chcsshoard, because anything to do
with the game seems to rouse in him tho
worst form OF his madness. Sometimes he
will sit for hours playing with an imagi-
nary opponent, and whenever he has these
fits no always ends by cxclaiming Mate
in six movcsr He then deliberately
counts the six moves aloud and when, In
the final move he becomes very violent
and is then dangerous to himsclfand other
people. He was n remarkably brilliant
blindfold player but whether he actually
retains the power of mentally working out
a game | am unable TO say.
The speakers were myself and DIR. Char
ley, the famous mad doctor, whose p-i-
waite asylum was generally recognized as
one of tho best institutions OF the kind In
the country ! was staying few days
with the doctor, and wo had been spend
ing tho evening very pleasantly over n
game or two Of chess. We had finished
our play, and the doctor was tolling me u
few things concerning his patients, In tho
course Of which he narrated an anecdoto
about game Of chess played by two OF
the inmates Of his asylum, which led to
the conversation above recorded.
Shortly attcrward the doctor retired for
the night leaving me alone to writo n few
letters which was anxious to get of tho
first thing tho next morning. For several
minutes | went on smoking my cigar,
turning over in my mind the idea Of mad
people playing chess and then settled
down to my letters.
had not been writing long when
heard the handle Of the door turn and some
one came in. l looked up, expecting to SEQ
DR.. Charley, but 10 my surprise n COM
plctc stranger stood before me. "Ohl'
thought, "onc Of the doctors assistants
whom l have not happened to meet be-
fore, " but it certainly struck mo ms rather
strange that he should have entered my
hosts private study at time when the
rest Of the household woro in bed, for tho
doctor on bidding me good night had told
me | was the last up.
l naturally waited n moment for my
visitor TO speak, expecting that he would
apologize for the intrusion, or at any rate
explain his presence. TO my surprise,
however, lie stood perfectly motionloss,
fixed his eyes upon me and remained ST.
lont.
who ever you are, " ! thought, you
are a pretty cool customer, and, feeling
annoyed at what seemed 10 mo the fellow !
insoloncc, ! said, with some dignity, /
don't underestimate
You play chest ho interrupted with
ont apparently noticing that / had Mt
tempted To speak and all the timo keep
ing his eyes nXcd upon nae. This certainly
was extraordinary. and as looked at my
strange visitor The truth all at once seemed
TO dawn upon mc-tho man was mad!
am not naturally nervous but l must con
fcss tOfocHng something akin TO fear when
/ realized that | was face to face with a
ipan who, fer all knew, might be dan
Gcrous lunatic.
My worst anticipations were soon real
lied Without taking his eyes off me he
walked 20 the mantclpiecc and deliberately
took up the large revolver which the doc
tor always Kept at hand in case of sur
prise, and which knew to he loaded.
My unwclcomc guest had certainly now
the best Of the position. What was / to
dor To make bolt of it would be TO offer
myself rs n target To this evidently homi-
cidal mailman; 10 shout for help might be
tho signal for him to send a bullet through
me, and yet | could not stand still and be
shot like n rat in II hole must humor
him, | thought and so gain time, as his
absence must soon be discovered
My mind, however, was somewhat re-
licvcd when he repeated in the same quiet
tone of voice, You play choss!" 1t was
something at any rate to know that was
not TO be instantly shot
Yes" / replied IN my most winning
manner. Would you like pamef" With
out speaking ho sat down in front of me,
carefully placing the pistol on the table
near his right hand.
~ ntn ltl' pieces WtTo dTIdnBcu, ne
looked at mr. with ;hU most diabolical ex.
precision on mis- face and said: You will
play fos yout life II / win, / shall shoot
you on the siot; If lose shall kill my.
self, and ho deliberately examined the
revolver. rs II to assure himself that it was
loaded
The reader will imagine what my feel
ings were on hearing this ultimatum. I'm.
agino sitting down To u chess table at
midnight with AN armed lunatic, who tells
you In terrible earnest that he will murder
you If be beats you. What a fendish
whim Under ordinary circumstances |
knew ] was liable 10 make mistakes and
lose game against an inferior player, but
it il difficult to describe what felt at be-
ing Obliged 90 play when "a false move
might cost me my life. a hundred
thoughts flashed through my brain. Could
my grim and terrible opponent really play
an accurate gamer II lac could, should /
bc able to make stand against him till
some one came 90 luy rCscuCi Even IL l
could beat HIM, what guaranteed had that