The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1903-01-08
q GAME
LIVING CHESSN1EFN
BY George Ethe1bert Walsh.
.ffTHIS happened before you
boys We're born," Uncle
Harry asserted, stretching

I'll
4 Harry asserted, stretching
Il himself in the easy chair.
''It was when was quite youngstel
myself. I didn't have as easy time
Of it then as boys Of to-day. l had to
earn my living when I was thirteen
and before I was sixteen 1 had been
around the world twice. l wasn't q
cabin passenger, either, but simply
cabin boy, which means an all
around overworked and much-abused
boy.
when I was nearly sixteen We had
wreck on one of the islands III the
Indian Ocean, and We were all washed
ashore. There were sixteen Of us IN
the crew, including one young fellow
who was considered half an idiot, but
who always made plenty of fun for
~the men il the fo-castle. When we
picked ourselves up on the beach we
found We had jumped from the frying
pan into the fire. There stood several
hundred yellow cutthroats armed to
the teeth with sticks, knives and
swords. At first they acted IS if they
intended to kill US, but their chief came
down and ordered US to be carried
away to prison.
1--WE were thankful for that, but the
prison was such a dirty place that
we nearlydied in it. think We would
all have been executed if it had not
been for Strander. the one we called
the half-idiot, who had in some way
attracted the chiefs attention. Before
/. we knew it he was actually serving as
court jester and entertainer to his
Majesty He was good musician and
a good player OF all games. He was
particularly an expert at chess
"Now, as it happened, his Majesty
was also an expert chess player This
game, you know, is an Oriental e1e;;
and it was playea-im the Far East
long before America was discovered.
this chief had learned to play it
somewhere, and he was passionately
fond Of it. Strander could give him
points on the game, however, every
time, but he was wise enough never
to beat the old chief. He would give
him the hardest game he could, but
always at the very end he would make
q move which would let the chief win.
This so pleased the chief that he spent
nearly every afternoon playing chess
with Strander. Then he grew so boast
full of his skill that he challenged
Strander to play for any wish he liked.
If be won the wish would be granted.
"'Then, your Majesty Strander said,
we will play for the lives Of the men.
If I win they are to come forth from
the prison and be given their liberty.
But if you win
"tAh. hav shouted the chief. you
have said it. If you lose they shall be
executed at once
"Strander turned little pale and de-
INJURED, but the chief insisted upon
the compact. i shall save your life,
the chief added, If you lose, for I want
you to play chess with, but your friends
must all die
".But il I win 90 I go free with the
men, too?''
''The chief scowled and thought a
moment, and then he said: Yes, you
. may go with them, too. But you will
not win
$50 the great tAgame Of chess was
planned, and the chief, to make it more
impressive, called a holiday for it.
More than that, he decided that it
, should be game With human players.
In the publees96are he ordered a big
chess board to be laid off, with black
and white places for the players to
stand on. Then around this square he
had seats erected for his courtiers and
favorites. Next he caused a sort of
chair Of state to be erected on one
side, overlooking the whole scene, and
another opposite for Strander. In
these chairs the two ple;Jcrs were to
sit VINE they played their strange
game Of chess.
eve were all led forth from our vile
prison one day and conducted to the
square, where crowd was assembled
We had no idea of the important game
nor Of the responsibility placed upon
Strander's shoulders. We took our
places on the white squares, while
the chief ordered some Of his dusky
warriors to take positions on the black
squares.
"We were all arranged then for &C.
tual playing. 1t was rather pictur'
esque sight from the chiefs high point
Of view, but the horrible import of the
whole performance gradually dawned
upon us, and we had DO eyes for the
beauty or picturesqueness Of the scene
We watched Strander with pale faces
while that Individual returned our gaze
stonily and coolly. He was playing fol
a terrible stake, and fifteen lives de
pended upon the skill of his moves
The chief was no mean player, al
though ordinarily Strander could
easily have beaten him, but the anxiety
of his position seemed to tell severely
on him. He played apparently will
reckless haste, making blunders that
brought forth harsh laughs from the
chief and wild shouts from the spec
tatoIs. One by one Strander's pawns
were captured and removed from the
board. Then one of his castles fol
lowed. and next a knight. His king
was also nearly cornered, so that for {
time it looked as if he was caught
The old chief had the word check al
ready framed on his lips wher
Strander seemed to pull himself to
gether with an effort, and by a dex
ferrous move extricated his king from
its perilous position.
The game then proceeded more
slowly. Strander studied the dusky