The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-08-25
HELPED by A DREAM.
Curious Manner In which a Problem
in Chess Was Solved.


Whether or not there be anything in
dreams is still matter of opinion, but
the circumstance / am about to relate
is in minutest detail and strictly true.
About twelve ears ago 1 was passionately
fond of playing the game of chess. The
gentleman at whose house 1 was staying
at that time was equally fond of the game,
and many a night did the wee sma'
hours" catch us bent over the board. We
were about equally matched, and our bat
ties were fought with hefcehess and a de-
termination to win seldom felt Indeed,
imagine that when Steinitz and Zukertort
faced each other they experienced Just
such feelings.
One afternoon about o'clock | came
in and found my friend engaged in trying
to solve a problem he had found in the
Turf, Field and Farm. He said he had
been studying it ever since breakfast, and
was then apparently no nearer the solution
than when he began.
There were only a few pieces on the
board, and the problem seemed simple
enough at first glance. but on further in
vestigation l found it to be regular
"brain-splitter." 1t proved 10 be one OF
those deceptive positions so common In
chess; the more we studied it the more
variations occurred and the wider the field
of research seemed to grow
Hours passed, and the dusk of twilight
came. but the mystery remained unsolv-
ed. The clock struck ten, and my friend.
tired and worn out. gave up and retired
to his couch. He had been studying the
problem thirteen or fourteen hours.
Alone in the room. the silence was in
tense, almost painful. Not a sound, save
xrrla I vi trt,1 4
one square to another. was deeply in
terested, but for my life could not dis
cover the mystic key move.
1t was long past midnight and the chick
ems were growing, when, completely ex-
hausted, / sank back into a big willow
rocking-chair and propped my feet upon
the table. The light had burnedslow and
was about to go out. My dropping eyes
rested on the chess-board and men, which
were fast becoming a confused blur. The
spots appeared to run together and the
queen shrank to pawn in size. l was
discouraged and Disguised, and my mind
was pervaded with that first thought
which occurs to the mind of chess
player when he fails TO solve a problem.
L. e., 1t can't be done.
While was thus occupied. or, rather.
unoccupied, seemed to hear the sound of
door opened softly, and looked up and
beheld a girl about IA years of age. I
recognized her instantly in the dim light
of the nearly extinguished lamp, as one OF
my schoolmates and one of the sweet
hearts of my boyhood days. She was
dressed in white and her long, BLACK hair
hung down over her shoulders. On the
bosom of her dress was pinned a little
bunch of blue violets, and her face wore
the same smile which had enchanted me
many years before.
/ tried to speak, to arise but could not.
fxr liFe7ha 10. ND
We're dumb. My eyes were riveted upon
the being before me.
She moved slowly up to the table, and
looking down upon the board, appeared TO
be studying for one moment the position
of the pieces which were still undisturbed.
Presently she picked up the queen and
moved her to an obscure square, and en-
tirely from the scene of action. Then she
looked up and again / beheld that en-
trancing smile, but she uttered no word
She stood thus a few seconds, then walked
with noiseless tread across the room and
vanished through the half-open door
seemed to hear the sound of IL closing soft
ly and the dream was ended.
When l awoxe il was dawn. ] suppose
l had been asleep a couple Of hours. The
dream was still in my mind fresh and
clear, and its vividness was startling. I
jumped to my feet and grabbed the board
and carried II to the window in order 10
nave ttkNl tHouBu 10 iHNtshAsdAt- IlONeQ
the queen at once 10 the same spot on
which ] had seen the girl place her. The
move seemed odd and outlandisb but
strange to say. IL turned out TO be the key
TO the solution of the problem. I think !
can safely say that n / had studied a
month / would never have discovered IL
without the aid Of the girl ! saw In my
dream. j. currie Thompson
Cameron. Ga.
--Mother-I am not whipping you be-
cause you went IN swimming, but because
you told me q story about g.
Boy hlubberiugl-Wc II yoa didn't
want 20 whip f1e anyhow Wnaf dfd you