The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1896-10-17

ity, as does q favorite perfume used by
the wearer. Detroit Free Press.
PROFESSIONAL CHESS PROFITS.
The Pccuniary Rewards Small In Wow OF
Demands on the Intellect.
Professional chess players, consider
ing the lahorious nature of their work.
the character Of mind, and the long prc-
paratory study required, are probably as
Ill paid as any kind of intellectual
workers. The professional chess player
who earns by his play more than a de-
cent modest living is a highly successful
man. An expert may be hired to run q
chess automaton and play with all
eomers at a salary less than some type
writer's earn. There are in all the world
probably less than half a hundred high
~ skilled professional chess players.
The Hastings convention brought to-
gether %, and the number was notable.
A few professional chess players are
men of means, but for the most part the
passion for the game leads the profess
slonal player to put aside material con.
slderations in order to follow his bent.
Some CT the best known players dress
shabbily and live plainly. The ablest
and most successful usually exc out their
incomes made directly from the game
by writing On chess, discussing prob
lens, and the like. Books on chess sue
coed one another rapidly. but none has
a large sale. They ere costly to produce,
and the stereotype plates are Of small
value. The aggregate of considerable
prizes offered in chess contests through
ont the world amounts in any one year
to only a few thousand dollars, and q
stake OF 81 ,0OO is a large one. Amateurs,
who far outnumber the professionals,
provide the purses and meet the expenses
of the match games. st. Petersburg is an
important chess center, and there the
travelling expenses Of the professionals
are made up by the local clubs.
Professional chess players are rarely
men of liberal education and usually
men of one idea. Chess has been the di:
version OF great and broad minded men,
but it is commonly the business Of men
devoted to u idea. The professional
chess player seems ~tireless in the pursuit
OF b game. One whose duty it was to
play six hours a day with all Corners at
Q place OF amusement was accustomed
to follow his days work with two hours
Of laborious study of special chess prob
lens. 1t was this spirit that made Paul
Morphy Of New Orleans abandon a
promising career at the bar and cling to
the game until his physician warned
him that he must give it up or lose his
Famous as chess has long been, there
are comparatively few really skilled
amateurs, and it is impossible to main
tain anywhere a very large chess club.
One OF the largest in the world is in this ,,
city, yet it is not a large club compared !
with other successful clubs formed on
different lines. 1t is almost impossible
this country to form a large chess
club on any hut socially democratic
lines. Some Of the best amateur chess
are mechanics who would find '
atmosphere of the ordinary social
club quite uncomfortable. There is a
strong contingent of good chess players
in the German quarter. They frequent !
Q locally famous club, lodged in an old
house dowr Second avenue, but known
to chess experts the country over.
There are some oddly placed chess ex-
perts in remote villages who come to
New York perhaps nce a year, Is to
chess headquarters of the country.
Ime. such man is a bank officer and gen
eral factotum in q small border state
,lty. Although occupied with a thou
sand business details he finds time to
conduct games by correspondence with
european experts, to arrange chess tour
,aments and to write upon chess. When
comes to New York, he busies him
'ef among chess players to the neglect
II all his friends not equally devoted to
he game. New York Sun.