The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-10-20
WON AT CHESS.

thing humorous in the situation as I sat
in my loved ene's snug front paFIor. 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, trem bled awhile at my knees,
and finally oozed out of my boots.
EDO you play chess, Miss Thurscow?"
ono" she replied, ''but I should like
to learn
I quickly arranged the pieces and pre-
pared for game.
"What do all these funny things mean?"
she asked.
She spoke so charmingly and looked 50
delightfully."- puzzled, with such a quaint
| little frown on her forehead, and with her
lips pensively pursed in such a most ag
gravating manner, that felt forced to
proceed.
''Er-ohess is a-very-ancient gsme,'
falteringly said, and then collapsed once
more.
"How nicer' she answered. st love old
games. But what is this?'' she exclaimed,
holding up the king for my inspection.
'That is the king replied, and then
proceeded to illustrats it's moves and
value.
''What a curious affair, - 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
mo, perhaps the queen s" ventured
| to say. you see, the queen has such a
variety of moves and is supposed to be
able to protect and fight for her royal con-
| sort"
''It is evident that you chess players be-
| Iieve greatly in the abilities of us ladies, -
she laughingly replied. But do please
| tell me, what is this2' she asked, point
| ing to the castle.
"Oh, that is q rock, or castle,'' ex-
planned.
"Then let US call it castle, she said.
| eve have already got a king and queen,
| and now castle seems most appropriate;
| besides, it sounds SO much more respecta-
| BILE than rock.
The knight next attracted her attention,
and I had to explain the difficult techni-
oalities involved in the knights move.
| I'm afraid made rather a 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 a heroic attempt to
capture the enemy's oastleP'
I smiled; could not help it, 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 I felt quite bold. and we
| chatted away about the game for some
| time until at last she remarked:
II wish I could write stories; I'd write
! one about chess. First, I 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, I should use the bishops for the
inevitable wedding of course" she said,
looking hard at me and blushing, oh, SO
prettiIyl
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 I had not the heart to
undeceive her. However, I ventured to
demonstrate feebly when she naively at
tempted to annex my queen in spite of
! the fact that it was protected by two other
| pieces and pawn.
''You can only move your queen over
the unoccupied squares, informed her
Dear me, what nuisanceP' she re-
piled. Glow can I move it, then?''
1 endeavored to elucidate the mystery
to her, and she leaned over the board and
| looked straight at me, her face all aglow
with attention and interest. Uncon-
| sciously I also leaned forward until cur
faces nearly met over the center of the
board.
Twas looking at her; she was looking at
! me. Who was looking at the chessmen
cannot say Then 1 noticed the smell Of
! violets-my dead mother always wore vto-
let's This decided me. would
Crash The white king fell to the floor,
| displaced by her sleeve. She picked it up
| and tried to replace it, but she had forgot
ten it's exact position, and after vainly
| trying several squares she gave up In de-
| spair.
I watched her dainty fingers posing
over the board, and reproached myself
because a certain ring that I had long car
ried in my waistcoat pocket was not yet
in it's proper place. At last she sighed
slightly and said:
''Chess is a difficult game, and how
! clever you must be to play so Welt L
wish 1 could. But they say that it takes
lifetime to learn to play chess. -
YES replied, land will use my
lifetime in teaching you how to play
that is, of course. if you viii consent"
Many years have passed since the par
son cried MATER and stopped our little
game, but it was only the other day that
/ discovered the real truth.
In turning out some old papers belong
ing to my wife came across an old copy
of a paper for ladies, and, noticing some
thing UNDERLINED with red ink. read as