The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1901-10-18

ueT ulbcOlnHttu opPoh'h''
for the first time in his life, realizini
that circumstances can exist In whicl
IL Is sweeter to lose than to win.
"You have, indeed" he said, slowly
Then, looking up and smiling, Let m'
congratulate you on beating your
teacher for the first time
THANK you. Mr. Gibson" she an
swered lightly. But | don't believe
you were really trying. Not your best
now, were youF
II am sure was; tried hard"
AS they were setting up the pieces
ready to begin again May expressed
not for the first time, her great ad-
miration for the beautiful chess-table
and men with which they were play
ing.
"They are lovely, and you said they
had a bit Of a history" she went on.
"Twice you've promised to tell 1t me-
but you never have"
"Well, it's not much Of history af-
ter all, and it's subject don't often
talk about The fact Is they were a
legacy-and a disappointment"
May expressed a natural surprise.
They were indeed beautiful set
They were made of the finest African
ivory, red and white, and carved with
exquisite perfection.
The board, too, was unique. Each
of the white squares had in It's centre
a tiny portrait Of chess celebrity, ana
each of the black squares was made
up of smaller black and white squares
so as TO form in itself complete lit
tie chess board or diagram, on which
appeared either a problem or the criti-
cal position Of game won by stroke
of genius, selected from the work OF
the master whose portrait adorned the
adjacent square.
1t had, in fact, been the perfect love
illness OF the outfit as il stood in the
little front room at Ivy Cottage-Mrs.
Gibson's, where she and her mother
were staying for brief summer holi-
day-that had first caught Mays eye,
and prompted "A remark about how
much she would like to learn bow to
play. Mrs. Gibson's son, Frank. had
proffered his aid. And thus had be-
gun an acquaintance now fast develop
ing into higher game, In which both
the players may-and, thank Heaven,
sometimes do-simultaneously secure
a mate
Mrs. Farey had that day gone 10
town on business, and as IL was
Franks half-holday the suggestion to
continue the chess lessons had been
hailed with delight by both parties.
"a disappointment" Frank ex-
planned, smiling, because was led
to expect n small fortune, and l got
only the chess-table and men and
problem"
Were you dlsinherited, thcn?"
"Not exactly disinherted. They
were not my fathers, but Uncle Jeff's
-Geoffry Checkem, of Easthampton.
the famous problem composer; he was
my uncle, mothers only brother. He
was very clever; not only in chess, for
he carved these himself from his own
designs.
"A thorough enthusiast himself, he
was very anxious that | should be
good player, too. He took lots OF trou-
bic, and taught me to play and do
problems, though not like him, of
course"
did you offend him?" asked May.
Il suppose so. Or rather. he took
offence; l meant nothing wrong. You
see, he was very eccentric. as SO many
geniuses are, especially old bachelors,
like him. Good-hearted and all that,
but terribly eccentric; regular stick
Ter for what was proper, everything
must be perfect-just so. And that
was where the offence came in.
IL often used to go over TO his place
Mt Easthampton and stay for n few
days This particular time he had
Just begun carving these men. So he
showed me what he had done, and
admired them very much. Now, the
last game | had played before | went
over was one at the reading room. and
In 1t / had been fortunate enough TO
queen a pawn before / had lost my
original queen. | had been In a fix
to know what TO use for a second
queen. SO. having the point fresh in
my mind, and thinking it would please
the old boys vanity to have a set
more complete than any one else,
quite innocently suggested that he
should make an extra queen of each
color for use in such cases.
He ignored the question, and asked
N a chilling tone If had ever seen
a set with four queens
81 admitted that never had.
"Or draughtsmen, twenty.six to the
setP
II could not at the moment recall
that l had.
oh; then, perhaps he ran on, sar.
castically, you've seen gloves three TO
the pair-or bootsg Or man with
two wives? Or pack OF cards with
eight aces2 Or-or---'
AS he paused | mildly suggested
that l had heard OF such things. That
finished IL. He jumped up and went
On like n maniac.
"Nou-you-confound you. you new.
pr havel Two wives at time. Why
why-that proves him not man but a
maniac. Eight aces! Good heavens,
Swindlcrs, sharpers, thieves, scoun.
drelsl How dare you class me with
scoundrels like thatT"
And did he never forgive youy'
That's the strangest part OF it
After while he cooled down AMI said
NO, no. Frank. my boy. Moruhv an,