The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1903-01-01

Harry asserted. stretchin,
himself in the easy chair
"It was when | was quite youngste
myself. / didn't have as easy rim
Of 1t then as boys Of to-day. 1 had Il
earn my living when | was thirteen
and before | was sixteen | had beel
around the world twice. | wasn't
cabin passenger. either. but simpl,
u cabin boy which means an all
around ove-worl;ed and nuch.abusec
boy.
when was nearly sixteen we hat
a wreck on one of the islands in til,
Indian Ocean. and we were all WASHED
ashore. There were sixteen OF Us IL
the crew, including one Young fellow
who was considered half an idiot. bu
who always made plenty Of fun foi
the men in the fo-castle. When We
picked ourselves up on the beach We
found we had jumped fgom the frying
pan into the fir2. There stood several
hundred yellow cutthroats armed IL
the teeth with sticaS, knives and
swords. At first they acted as # they
intended TO Kill us. bu; their chlaf came
down and ordered us 10 be carried
away TO Prison.
we were thankful for tblt, bet the
prison was such dirty place that
we nearly died in IL. ! thla,: we would
all have been executed IL It had NOT
been for Straader, the one we called
the half-idiot. who had i'll some way
attracted the chiefs attention. Before
we knew it he was actually serving as
court jester ard entertainer 10 his
Majesty. He was Z good musician and
good player of ail gaines. Ne was
particularly au expert at chess.
Now. Is Il happened. his Majesty
was also I'M expert chess p!aye-. This
same. you know, is m Oriental one.
ana 1t was played Ia tn. Far East
long before America was discovered
Well. this chic. had learned 10 play II
somewhere, ard he was Dlsslonately
fond Of 1t. St:ander could give him
points on the game, however. every
time, but he was wise enough never
to beat the old CHEZ. He would give
him the hardest game he could, but
nlways ut the very cnd he would make
a move which would LEI the chief win
This so pleased the chief taat he spent
nearly every afternoon playing chess
with Strander. Then he grew so boast
ful Of his skill that he challenged
Suander to play for any wish lie liked.
If hc won the wish would be granted.
Then. your Majesty stvander said,
we Will pl9y Tor the lives of the men.
IL | win they are 20 come forth from
tile prison ana he given their llberry.
But IL you win
"'Ah. la" shouted the chief. you
have said il. IL you lose they shall bc
executed at once
"Sfrander turned q Hide pale ana de.
INJURED. but ;he chief insisted upon
tie c0.aDact. 4 snail save -anr life.
thr chief added. IL yol lose. ~or want
yon to play chess with. but your friends
must all die
But II | via % I go free With the
men. too:"
Tile chief sc0wled and thogght .
moment, and then he said: Yes Won
may go With them, too. Rut you viii
not win
$50 the great .amr Of Chess was
planned, ard the chief TO make It moro
impressive. called holiday for II.
More than that. he decided that Il
should be game with human players.
In The public square he ordered n bic
chess board 10 he laid on. with blacl,
and white places for the players Ia
stand on. Then around this SQUARE he
had seats erected for his courtlcrs and
iayorites. Next he caused a sort of
chalr OF state to bc erected on 0ao
side. overlooking the whole scene. ana
another opposite for Strander. In
these chairs the two players wc.e II
sit while they played the!r strang.
game of chess.
I'VE were all led forth from our yils
prison one day and conducted 10 IA,
square. where n crowd was assembled
We had no idea or tie important game
nor OF the responsibility placed upor
Sfrander's shoulders We tOok 0,n
places on The white squares. Will,
the chief ordered some OF his dusk,
warriors 70 take positions on the blac,
squares.
We were all arranged then for ne
tnai playing. |; s.aa Il rather Dlcf;lr
rsque sight from ;.ie ri,ief's high Doiu
OF view. but the Horrible import OF tl,,
whole performance gradually dawue,
upon Ms, and we had 10 eyes for III,
beauty or piciuresqueness OF the seen.
We wntciicd SiIandef vita pale faces
while thai individual returned our gag,
stonIly and ccoily. He was playing 70
terrible stake. and fifteen liycs dc
pended upon the skill OF his moves
Tho chief was no mean player, al
though ordinarily Sirander conl,
easily have beaten h:m. hui the anxictl
OF his position seemed 10 tell sevcreI,
on him. He played apparently will
reckless haste, making blundcrs tha
brought forth harsh laughs from ~,
e'scf and VA ahouis fssas n snAa
.I y .| a