The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-04-02
HE DOWNFALL OF CAMERON

national game he abhors, and football
with all Of its cheering brutalities, de-
lights him not. But he has a passion
for the game Of checkers that passes al
understanding. He talks checkers. eats
checkers, drinks checkers, and dreams
checkers, and II is the one ambition OF
his life to enter a tournament with Bar
ker of Boston or Jordan, the young ex-
pert from Edinburg-that is, it was his
ambition until he met Everson.
And thereto is attached a story.
One evening business took Cameron to
a downtown newspaper office where he
met cOugenial friends. all OF them, Ii SC
happened enthusiastic over. checkers
One OF them casually remarked that one
Of the operators upstairs in the tele-
graph room played a tolerably fair game
in fact, no one had yet been found
who could beat him.
Cameron scented battle at once and
was easily persuaded to go upstairs,
where he was introduced TO Everson, a
solemn, sleepy looking operator, who,
| after some bantering, consented TO play
| a game or two.
Over at the side Of the room sat a big.
| quiet, unObtrusiVe looking operator with
| a fierce black mustache and a dropping
eyeIid, apparently at work, sending a
message now ard then, and once In a
while taking one He paid little atten-
ton to the game. although If Cameron
/ had noticed it he always had clear
view Of the checker board.
| The game proceeded cautiously. Cam
eron played deliberately, but Everson
more so, and the big operator with the
/ dropping eyelid over at the side of the
room kept his key constantly clicking.
+ If Caueron had not been SO intent upon
the game he would have noticed that
! when the telegraph sounder was silent
/ Everson deliberated long over the move,
/ but q few vigorous clicks from the key
were always followed by q quick, deci-
! sive play. Try as he could, Cameron
could win no advantage over his oppo-
nent.
! The second game ended the same way.
/ Cameron played brilliantly, while Ever
/ son seemed constantly on the verge OF
! going 10 sleep. Z ne spectators hanging
/ over their chairs watched the game with
] breathless interest, and not a sound dis
! turbed the game except the spasmodic
! clicking of the big operator with the
dropping eyelid. who was apparently in
/ different to the play.
I What annoyed Comeron the most, how
/ ever, was Everson's persistent tendency
/ to so to sleep. And when Everson would
make q move, after a wait Of several
minutes, he would yawn, stretch his
arms and apparently fall into a doze.
Cameron, playing craftily, gradually
4 L
| lem of Cameron's own invention and had
never failed. Everson seemed to be
moving into it unconsciously, and had
but one move to make before Cameron
could spring the trap and sweep the
board
Everson delayed the fatal move. how
ever, and the minutes passed. Finally
Cameron, his nerves on edge, spoke
quietly:
Pardon me, but it's your move"
En-" murmured Everson, starting up.
rs it2 Why, so it is. I beg your par
don"
He rubbed his eyes, yawned, and just
as the big operator with the dropping
eyeiid finished sending another message
he moved. He made a play that fairly
brought Cameron to his feet with d gasp
Of astonishment The hitherto invul-
nerable trap was shattered hopelessly.
Everson gave him white man and
then another, and then Cameron lost four
men and found himself unable TO make
another move. He was blocked com
pletely.
while Cameron arranged the black and
white checkers in their proper positions
for the third game
The chief operator. standing behind Ev-
erson, shook him vigorously to awaken
him. The spectators drew around on
three sides of the contestants. The big
operator with the dropping eyelid on the
other side was suddenly seized with a
fit of tremendous industry, and the tele-
graph sOunder, under his rapid con-
slant manipulation of the key, was play
ing a Wagnerian overture of sounds. The
rapid clicking seemed to act as a stfmu-
liant to Everson, for he sat up in his
chair.
Then Cameron discovered that Everson
moves not down on the books followed
each other in quick succession. Trap
after trap was laid, all of which Cameron
managed to avoid. But he was getting
his men scattered over the board. Over
from the side Of the room the tele-
graph sounder was fairly rioting in a
babel of sounds, and as the tumult of
dots and dashes increased Cameron
found himself being drawn into a position
where disaster was inevitable
Everson moved a white checker on the
upper right corner of the board It was
q totally unexpected move, and Cam
eron, who only dimly saw the impending
disaster, made what he thought was the
proper reply, and then came the crash.
Eyerson gave him a king-just a king
and apparently for no reason.
When Cameron had taken the king he
still had FIVE men left Everson had
two men and a king. lie gave way an
other man and then took every piece
that Cameron had on the board
For q few moments Cameron gazed at
the checkerboard, vainly trying to under
stand the final brilliant play of his op-
ponent. Then he looked up. Everson
,Tas calmly asleep. The big operator
sTith the dropping eyelid. putting on his
overcoat, quietly left the room.
Cameron was astonished. but he did
not begin to get angry until the next
day, when one of his newspaper friends
explained that Everson didn't know
enough about the game to play checkers
with an infant in arms. But every
square on Everson's side Of the board
had been numbered in minute figures.
and Everson only moved as directed by
the big operator with the dropping eyelid
who happened tc be the champion
checker player west Of Boston, and who
telegraphed to Everson careful direc-
tons for every move. Frederick Reece. /
Prepared.
ffATr Su1i5long" BEGAN the youth