The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-01-19

of a popular air The empires"
watched the board closely.
1t was a great game, and it is
pity that a record of the moves was
not kept. When the thirtieth move
was made the old farmer blurted out:
''By guml TIL be a drawn
Now. the schoolmaster. who was
! playing the black, was preparing to
move Is, for his thirty-first move.
His hand lowered over the piece but
still he hesitated. Just then Hattie
began whistling a queer little tune.
Much surprised. the schoolmaster
wen. Hattie. that is the dumdest
tune I ever heard" said her father.
ssThat is tune" replied Hattie.
slowly. that has fifty-nine variations"
The schooImaster was just touching
| the piece. but the word variations
stopped him. He stole Quick glance
| at her, but she was looking resolutely
a. Must n be the tune the old COW died
/ ON laughed the farmer. Whlcn
variation was you whistlin' 2"
eT was whistling the fourteenth
variation" she answered.
The strong color surged UP over the
! schoolmaster's pale face. The Lard
4 and Lady, had fifty-nine variations
given in his book, and there on me
hoard before him was the Identical sit
nation that he and Hattie had noticed
/ and studied in the fourteenth varla-
Now he remembered Wyllie's won
derful play of 1870. and black to win.
Holding his breath, he made the
move.
shouted the old farmer. but the SCHOOL
Again 1913. and every checker
nIaver stared in amazement Again
20-27. and then it slowly dawned on
them that the teacher had won the
I game by g series of remarkable moves.
one more move and then the piece
on went the Fong Jump" removing
three pieces and winning the game.
The players rose, and the people
crowded around the successful one
with hearty congratulations.
Bill Keeler slipped into the hall IN
observed, and after putting on his
great overcoat, cap, and huge lambskin
mi+tens. made his way out and started
for the stables. AS he passed the
I kitchen door Edna came out and
stopped him. -,
Are you going home, Mr.. Keeler?"
she asked.
I for. ne answered.
'eYou'u be lonesome drivin' that
twelve miles, all alone" said Edna
symnathetically.
eyes" he answered. 'considerin'
that [ expected to take some one with
me. it'll be dunn lonesome!
The contrast between that moonlit
drive. as he had pictured it to himself.
and as it would now be, struck him
with full force He pulled his cap
over his eyes. His vocabulary was not
! extensive:
! 'Dum' itp' he said and it is doubt
full if any fate could have got more
I than that from him.
'Tm awful sorry for you, Billy.
said Edna. softly. and then he saw
that the pretty, foolish creature was
She had thrown a white woolien
| ''diamond-dusted' thing over her
| head. and her blonde hair blew around
/ her face The sparkling moonlight Cell
on snow crystals, diamond dust and
| tears. making dazzling brilliants of all.
Bill Keeler's mind moved slowly,
| but when she repeated I'm awful sor-
ry," he realized that sympathy is a
! blessed thing He took her hand-she
sliuped into his arms.
| The small boy who saw this scene
| from a ''proscenium box'' behind the
rain barrel. colud never go on from
here in his report "They stood close
| together" he said afterward. IAN they
jest whispered"
Where on earth is Bill Keeler?"
! asked Farmer Bates.
Guess he's gone home" suggested
| Uncle Tommy.
Don't let him gor' exclaimed the
hospitable farmer. Here, Ernest.
you run an the kitchen door
opened. ard there in the doorway
stood Bill Keller with his arm around
blushing Edna.
'I come for wife, an by 1ing! 1
| guess I got one" was all he said.
There was double wedding and a
supper to be remembered.
Sometimes. in these later DAYS when
Professor Field hnds his wife's country
wit too sharp for him, he SAYS:
''You know you really proposed to
me, for if you hadn't helped me to win
that game you would have married
Billy
TO which she replies sedatelv: TT
was purely my interest in checkers.
dear I couldn't bear to see a good
game lost by a foolish move