The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1898-12-02
WON AT CHESS.

stock joke for ages, but failed to see any
thing humorous in the situation as 1 sat
in my loved ones snug front parlor. with
in few feet of the object of my affections,
exchanging commonplace upon ordinary
topics, while the splendid things I had
previously intended to say ran coldly down
my back, trembled awhile at my knees,
ind finally oozed out Of my boots.
"Do you play chess, Miss Thurscow"
"No,' she replied, "but I should like
to learn
quickly arranged the pieces and pre-
pared for game.
"What do all these funny things meanf"
she asked.
She spoke SO charmingly and looked so
delightfully."- puzzled, with such quaint
little frown on her forehead, and with her
lips pensively pursed in such a most ag-
gravating manner, that I felt forced to
proceed.
''Er-chess is sa-very-ancient game"
falteringly said, and then collapsed once
more.
"How nice!' she answered. 81 love old
games. But what is thisg" she exclaimed,
holding up the king for my inspection.
'That is the king" replied, and then
proceeded to illustrate it's moves and
value.
"What curious affair, 4" she said. "The
king is so important and yet SO helpless
If he is lost, all is lost, although it may
not be his fault in the least"
"No, perhaps the queen's,' ventured
to say. "You see, the queen has such
variety of moves and is supposed to be
able to protect and fight for her royal con-
sort"
SIT is evident that you chess players be-
1xyi In fIn. of lodi
she laughingly replied. But do please
tell me, what is thisY" she asked, point
ing to the castle.
"Oh, that is a rook, or CASTLE" ex-
planned
"Then let us call it a castle, she said.
1--WE have already got king and queen,
and now a castle seems most appropriate;
besides, it sounds SO much more respecta-
BILE than 'rook. -"
The knight next attracted her attention,
and had to explain the difficult techni-
calities involved in the knights move.
I'm afraid made rather poor show, but
she seemed quite fascinated, and said:
"This is really romantic, am sure.
| Just fancy the valiant knight bravely
springing from square to square, fighting
madly for his king and queen, and finally
| perishing nobly in heroic attempt to
| capture the enemy's castle"
I smiled; could not help 1t. My nerv.
business was vanishing fast, and I felt
more at ease. The bishops quite won her
heart, and the idea Of the church militant,
| If only on a chessboard, amused her i'm
mensely.
| Then the pawns took her fancy at once
| She called them "dear little things" and
proceeded to give me sweet little lecture
about the usefulness of humble things,
using the pawns as an illustration. And
when explained that they might possibly
become queens or castles, then she was in
raptures and declared that it was just like
a private soldier fighting his way up to
the rank of general.
By this time felt quite bold, and we
ohatted away about the game for some
time until at last she remarked:
81 wish could write stories; I'd write
one about chess. First, should make
| my king and queen live in the castle and
go out and fight the opposing hosts Of the
| enemy and return victorious, escorted by
their faithful knights and pawns, and
them
"Then whatp" exclaimed eagerly.
"Why, should use the bishops for the
inevitable wedding of course" she said,
looking hard at me and blushing, oh, 90
prettilyl
turned crimson to the roots of my
hair and suggested that we had better
commence to play, SO that I could make
more progress as a tutor. She readily con-
sented, and the game that followed was
very, very nice and extremely interesting,
but it was anything you like-except chess.
| She moved in a most unconventional
manner and transgressed every rule Of the
game, but she seemed to think she was
progressing, and had not the heart te
undeceive her. However, ventured tc
demonstrate feebly when she naively at
tempted to annex my queen in spite o.
the fact that it was protected by two othel
pieces and pawn.
"You can only move your queen ovel
the unoccupied squares" informed her.
"Dear me, what a nuisance!' she re
piled. "Bow can I move it, then?"
I endeavored to- elucidate the myster.
to her, and she leaned over the board ant
looked straight at me, her face all aglov
with attention and interest. Uncon
sciously also leaned forward until ou
faces nearly met over the center Of tn
board.
Twas looking at her; she was looking a
me. Who was looking at the chessmen
cannot say. Then noticed the smell Q
yiolets-my dead mother always wore vic
| lets. This decided me. would
Crashl The white king fell to the floor
displaced by her sleeve. She picked it u
and tried to replace it, but she had forgot
ten it's exact position, and after vainl
trying several squares she gave up in de
, spair.
I watched her dainty fingers poisin
over the board, and 1 reproached mysel
} because certain ring that had long Cal
ried in my waistcoat pocket was not ye
in its proper place. At last she sighe
. slightly and said:
"Chess is difficult game, and ho'
: clever you must be to play so we'll
!, wish could. But they say that it TAKE
I lifetime to learn to play chess.
+ eyes," I replied, land l will use m
s lifetime in teaching you how to play
= that Is, of course, if you will consent"
d Many years have passed since the pa
Q son cried "Mater' and stopped our litt
game, but it was only the other day thu
:, I discovered the real truth.
o In turning out some old papers belong
l. ing to my wife 1 came across an old COZ
n of paper for ladies. and, noticing som
% thing underlined with red ink, I read
70 follows:
IS "Reply to T. N. T-H your lover
bashful, try to divert his attention aw;
from yourself. Pretend to take an inte
est in his work or play, and he may con
le out of his shell and propose"
es "T. N. T." were my wife's initials b
y fore our marriage, and when visitors
n our house ask me to describe the deepe
game at chess have ever played 1 on
look at my dear wife and smile. She u
=. derstands perfectly. ly.-London Sketch.