The Minneapolis journal., 1902-07-26
6bee g. Story Teller.
The Checker Problem,


The Checker Problem.
afternoon streamed into the library and changed
the oak furnishings into gold that dazzed the
and the light coming through the stained above the
windows filed the with blotches color
BONE great painter having finished his masterpiece that lives
in becomes crazed with his and in his
madness snatches brush drawing the
again and again. filings with wild around the
where the paint cings in sploches still trembling
with the life with which it recently endowed.
With feet stretched toward blazing CRATE fire,
board and sunk in the depths of gigantic
"grandfathers chair, sat- half awake and half asleep
! A pleasing land of drowsyhead it
OF that before the half-shut eye.
Black a. kings % and 30; white 10 g. 81. king 16
White to play and win" For last half hour
comfortable and sleepy from sitting long in the
warm room with the streaming sunshine and trembling spos
a. kings % and 30 white, 40 3d. 80, king 16
White play repeating till lost all
died the spotches of color still trembed
WALL gazed steadily at the checker board and grad
of everything except it and the men
Suddenly board began 1t to twice its
stopped Then of the changed
Could it be were deceivng me? Yes No there
were several moving. earth! What
coming next? of checkers growing into
little pixies couple of inches high
checker pixies dressed in black and red;
while the white and Each
black a spear while the white ones had each a
All had high with long tail feathers
orioles, stuck in them pointed shoes
slashed doublet and wings OF coiors ana
patterns black pixies only stepped black squares
the checker board while white ones the white
eacn
II white tried to the black men rushed to stop
him. pass a black spot occupied
by two black black man pass over a
white square which two white pixies SO
continually each other and gar
ing like Gagged lions.
The black pixies now produced from some unheard OF
place eggshes them into halves by skful
maneuverng they managed to keep the white pixies away
while couple flew to the secretary and
toothpieks and calling cards;
pick to the With these ney hen MADE
the eggshells and at favorable moment when the
white pixies off their guard they jumped in and sailed
away up the sunbeams out OF my ken 49,
: moments the white pixies acted If crazy
Of their enemies jumping shaking their
and making all kinds of luderous faces How
camed and collected in at the
the board then little taller than the rest
walked of the board and stamped six times
square t. which opened like trapdoor
flock Of beautiful big butterflies that settled
board laziy tapped their wings;
the white pixies jumped their backs and the butterflies
slowly the air they disappeared the
gazing up the glowing path where my little friends
had gone for long time so many strange things hap
wouldn't have been surprised If Santa Claus had sud-
denly appeared me- riding balancing
a tree his Therefore, when small
spot the growing larger and larger just
quiet and expectant' Samantha Alien =
The spot bigger and bigger, until it reached the
checker the of white checker this immedi
atey changed white pixie, like Others
in white and green Bowling very profoundly with hand
his heart he in clear high squeakng voice
that Highness king of white pixies requested my
presence at his would kindly accompany his
courier at once"
But my young friend" argued chow do you expect to
such hulkng the sunbeams?
For he held out lily leaf with large drop Of
crystal dew gstening the end and shook
shudder passed through frame; there fash of
light as il OF lightning and-1 stood beside him the
checker board Without sound the pointed the
great mirror in the mantel. I looked tiny
lost In the immensely of the reflection. clothed
in scarlet and had tiny poniard in my belt. ~-
The courier the lily leaf times
dark. The first thing coming myself
great white palace built of jasper with
covered with eerads; the doors
with diamonds bright they dazzled the
litter Of and white and carried the shoulders
eight tiny pixies all around thousands
white hither thither carrying
their backs and others being like myae
air full OF their shri ppngs when turned
guide question voice shreked frightened
me- When entered the palace through great gate
Silver suddenly the air filled with the exquisite
music coming from everywhere; guide
lions Of muscbugs Gagged the building
and produced the music We met high
who said the king engaged very important
business and would be given audience in the
He showed me to room where the
then left The looked orange skin and was
lined with the finest silk by tiny spders