Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-03-23
THE EMIKs GAME OF on Kss.
A, W.

Mohammcd, Emir of Granada, kept
His brother Yusuf captive in the hold
Of Salohrina
When Mohammed lay
Sick unto death. and knew that he must die,
He wrote with his own hand, and sealed tho
scroll
With his own seal, and sent to Khaled, "slay
Thy prisoner. Iusuf"
AT the ehess-board sat, :
Playing the game OF kings, as friend with 7
friend,
The captive and his gaolcr, whom he loved, J
Backward and forward swayed the mimic
Hither and thither glanced the knights
across
The lield-the Queen swept castles down,
and passed
Trampling through the ranks, when in her
putin ~.
A castle rose, threatened a knight in flank -
beware, my lord-or else ! take the Queenl'
Swift, on his word. a Knocking at tho gate =
Nay. but my castle holds the King in
And in the doorway stood messenger:
'Behold Ia message FROM my lord the
Kingm
His hand to take the scroll, and bowed his
head
Ger the Kings seal
Friend, thou hast ridden fast?'-
The man spake painting. and the sweat ran
down
His brows and fell like raindrops on the
81 left Granada at the dawn--the King
Had need of haste"
And Khaled broke the seal
And read with livid lips, and spake no word,
But thrust the scroll into his breast y
then turned
And babe the man go rest, and eat, and drink,
81 u II
But Iusuf smiled, and said, 20 friend-and
Ny brother ask my head of thee ?"
Then he
Whose wrung heart choked tho answer gave
the scroll
To Yusnf's hand, but spake not. Yusuf read
Unto the end, and laid the parchment down.
Yet there is time-shall VIC, not end the
game?
Thy castle menaces my King behold!
A knight has saved the kingm
But Khaled's knees
| Were loosed with dread, and white his lips;
Back on the couch, and gazed on Yusuf's
| face
Like one astonished. Yusuf's fearless eyes
| Smiled back ut him unconquered. Brother,
| what
| So troubles thee? What canMohammed do,
| save send me forth tn find-only, maybe,
| A little sooner than else had gone
| The truth OF those things whereof thou
| anG
Have questioned eft Tomorrow at this
time
shall know all Ahatoun knew, and thou
Shalt know one day.-And, since we have
| this hour,
| Play we the game to end"
! Then khaled moved
/ A pawn with trembling fingers.
i ''See-thy Queen
Is left unguarded Nay thy thoughts had
strayed-
will not take her.
Khaled cast himself
Down on his face, and cried, like one in
/ pain,
'Be thou or more or less-I am but man!
For me TO see thee go unto thy death
Is not mornings paslime."
| "Nuy-and yet
| Were It not well to keep this thought of me
In this last hour together. as il our
Monammed could not conquer2-I perchance
May yet look back But bark =
who comes 2'
| Aloud
The Numbering hoofs upon the drawbridse
OF Andausian stations; and voice
Cried Hail, King Yusuf" drowned in
answering shouts
And hammerins lance.shaft5 thick upon
the gate,
Then Khaled trembling stood, with ashen
lips,
Listening. as in dream And unto him
Came Husuf--caught him in his arms.
Hearts friend
Fear not, alPs well The King shall not
forget
Who loved him. even to the brink Of death
Look up. beloved =
See, thou hast swept the men
From of the board. Twas writ in heaven,
| We two
Should never play that game unto the
| endt'&
For this incident, see Rnsseew St Hlaire "Histoirs
d'Espesne." vol. V, y. &ai.
london Speaker.