THAT CHECKER-BOARD.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3295, 14 July 1879, Page 2

THAT CHECKER-BOARD.

Dp to three evenings ago such a thing as a checker-board was never known in Mr Grattan's house. He and his aged partner have managed to pass thp long evenings very pleasantly, and he supposed they, were happy enough until a friend frotn the East paid them a flying visit and asserted over and over again tb«fc the game of checker was not only all the rage there, but thai it served to quicken the perceptive faculties, enlarge the "mind and render the brain more active^ After giving the subject due thought, MJGrat* tan walked down town and purchased a checker-board, and when- evening came lie surprised his good wife by Bringing it in from the woodshed and naying; 1> " Well, Martha, we'll have a game or twoA before we go pver tojthft^ial. I expect to beat you all to flinders, but you Of course not, and if I beat you, why, you won't care," she replied. They sat down, and he claimtetthe first move. She at once objected, but when he- began to growred in the~faee"'«he yielded and. he Jed off, At the fourth move she> took a man, chuckling as shV. raked him in. H| I "I don't see anything to'gfityjtf," he sneered, as he moved a man backwards. " Here ! you caa't move that way I" she called out. ' ' >J ' " I can't, eh ? Perhaps I never played checkers before you were born." She saw, a chance to jump twQ^more men and gave in' the point; but 1 as she moved he cried out:, " Put them men right back there. I've concluded not to move backwards, even if 'Hoyle does permit it." Sb6 i .Kare .w.again, but when he jumped a man her nose grew red and she cried cut': xT^ idw mean t0 m(>™ M»ere,l r wag thinking of the social. ""' " Can't help the, soejal, Martha—we must go by Hoyle." In about two minutes, she jumped two men and went into the king-row, shout, ing-:, , _ .'.<[,,; jV f5 "Crown him! Crown him! I're got a king I" ■• .. .. !,••-, t ,«i.;.-.,•) "One would think by your childish actions that you never played *i game before," he growled put. " I know enough to beat you." " You do, eh ? some folks are awfu. smart." s« " And some folks aint!" she snapped, as her king captured another man. *." What in thunder are you ittmtfh* that way for?" ./. . . 1. " A king can jump. any way!" "No, he can't!" ' ' *>- " Yes, he can!" " "Don't talk back, to me/(Martha Gratlan!,l was playing. checkers when you were in your cradle!" " I don't care! - I can' jump two men whichever way you move !" ' " ' ',; '^ ",C He looked down on the board^aw that such was the case, and roared,-oq£;:f " You've moved twice to my onoeJ'' > "I haven't!" . . -^ 'n . vUI '■' I'll take my oath you havefl ilroanVt play against any such black-legT practices l"v,) ' ■''::;>-« r 7*f^*»~>> ."^ Who's a black-leg? You not only cheated, but you tried to lie out of it!" Board and checkers fell bttwaenj (fatm. He. could get on his hat quicker than she could find her bonnet, and'that, was'the only reason why he got out of tn'e^house. A grocer found him sitting,on a basket of cranberries at the door as he was closing up for the night, and asked him.if.he was waiting for his wife to come along. " t Well, not exactly ;;I stoppedOherfL'to feel in my pocket for the key of the tynfc. I shall sleep on the hay to-night and see if it won't cure this coki in my head! "— Detroit Free Press.