New York Clipper (Apr 1857)

Vol. IV.-Nft 52. NEV YOBK, SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 1851. Four Cents. WINNING A. WIFE AT CHECKERS. I in ixir Tou oumii, BT T. ElMILTON TANi.irDA. ' 'I BHAU. nivti forget mj feellngB, vhen yoaog, when I 'flnt.Ieoraed the game of oheoken. It was a veiy fashion' atilo game in my natlre oommnnlty, and even the minis- ter of the pariah was said to eqjoy It in hia domestlo olrole. .^0 he Bure tiiere were etraight-UMed Hanhahe, and Iaak< lialred Johnathans, who raised their hands In ploos horror, and called It a speoieB of gambling,' bnt the minority of ilw good people Uioaght It hn. ad' inn'ooent amnsement, Old wlled many an Idle hoar away over the checke>hoard, I It Is somewhat riognlar onder these clrcnmstances, 'that I did not leam tho game of cheoben, nntil I was 'eighteen years of age. Tme, I never had-mneh predilec- ilon for of sports any sort, and even In boyhood, spent more hoars over my books, than I did upon the play- groond. Bat where the game was so common and anl' Tersal, It seems odd, that I never played. I may say, too, that by freqneat observance of others' playing, I bad learned the general prlnolples of the game, and when I 'did set down, one evening, to play with a flrlend, he 'tnoaght me a very apt papU at my fli-st lesson. Vat . there seems to be something pecallar about tho game of checkers. It Is purely mathematical and makes a stronger impression npon the mind than billiards, cards, or any other game with which oar experience hWhroaghtl M inlcontaof f eicepting oheM._Q£.comM..ghlxih-i».upoft the same prlaolple). After olaylng oa hoar, aad having obtained some kaowledge of the game, I went oat to see a friend upon business. I found myself incapable of transacting it. The ohecke>board was stijl before me, with its array .of black and white " men," with here and there a " king," chasing the rest with all a king's prerog- ative. I went back and played another hour, and then went .to my study to read. I took. np.Byron, and tamed over the leaves, from poem to- poem, bat Manfred had .lost. Its fascination, and Don Jaan was a sickly sentlmon' tiJian. Lara was a blaok man on the checker-board of fate, which I endeavored to capture, by moving the white CItio^ Into the middle column of destiny. 'Awhlteyna and a black Oiour oooupied separate corners, and the dark UDg, Sardampaiii, was ohaalng a fair i^Ara for her life, .' I :threw down the book in despair. - My brain was a Chioker-board, and all things—thooghts and Ideas— toned to " men" and kings. In sleep, the diagonal lines appeared, covered wIUi their white and black armies, and I moved my men to battle, always with certain victory, 'I'became, la fancy, a master player, and althongh I 'was frequently beaten the nezt^ay, yet I had worked but in my mind, by its constant presence, the. whole philosophy aad policy of the game. But I am wasting too much time upon this Idlosyncrooy, .and shouldhave told you long ago what first indaced l^e'to leard the game. It certainly, w^ not o^ account of its common practice In the cpmijianlty, tox that had; existed for several yean. Mor was It tlie interest I reallyi took in playing, for In truth, it was to me but dull and nnproStable amusement, and the fact of my brain being a eoatlnaal'cheoke^l)OBrd; was-actually palnfal to me. ' 'Bat' the jnost noted player In'the village, was Olara: May'-^ lovely girl of - slztieri, whoie' sparkling wii, enperlbr intelllgenbe, and enchanting beaafy,'-made'her thi oljeot Of nnlvusal admiration. Clara had beaten '. «iel7body In the village, from the minister down to the whobl-glrliri, and mlde het boast, that the was the cham- pion player, capable of beating any and every one, who dared to pla/wltii her.' Ind[eed she carried her enthtialasffl Ibr tlte game so &r,''as to declare; that her heart andhaiii ooitid' only be'won,' I7'beating her at a iet' game'of oheoiiers; and suadiy love^ioni individuals^ with whom had play,^ the sat, thfongh. 9aprIo^,,pr a.momentary ..^feeling.of (}oqaeti7, b9re,ey^ejioe t^^the.;ftiihfiik^^ iief iqteotioa. Theybiad'los^ui.were^r;^,^^ Let me confess at once, that it was Oiara Hay, ancl my love for that sweet girl, which prompted me to learn'the .game' of cheokere, and follow it wlt|i that .hervoiu and oomtant application) which made'It, for a time, the alK flozldipg Impresalon of my'sonl.', *■ 01^' ,^d 'I' h^'been' whOoVmates together; had •tadled qiit pf the same bo^.b^n rivals, for the honora '<of the aanie olasKa^ and kept nezt td each , other in the plays on the gieen. And wiifni a few years later, the ■ohopl-boolc) were laid adde, and ^ej'tnet .|n the formal olrole of aoeiety, t^eiie Mened io be 1I.0'- ooniventidnalliBi; b;ou oopiinajBloii, al^^re 1;^ Itlll 1^ djiijple^anjll hi^' feoted,iBi wlim sohool-eWdiin.^ I was viain encngii' tOi helleve tliat, I WfuU^irin.^OUia^i ltlV^;.'|id'"rar':the pfit,' 7eac,'had. hee9,''int]&raitq}r''o^^ «n her footsteps, I did-only we were bappy. Nor shall I teU 70a of the Intervening golden yean that ripened oar heaiti Into a ripe consammatlon of our dream. I torn my eyea from the Uble where I write, to lbs opposite aide of the room, where ^Ikr^^mowhat older, but atlll fUr and llpomlng, sits apoa the sofa, by the wli^ow. The oheoke^b6•rd la on the mantle.-I will close thlsdmple, tratbftil siietoh, aod go and play her a game, bnt not fbr her heart tod hand; thoy have been mine, long, long ageil THB BHD. HORSE VBOH A FIBOX Or- GEO U Pi I And thos, when I sat down to play a game of oheoken, always saw Olara Hay at the end of the board^atd seemed to clasp her as ny reward, as I swept the laqt man frvm tlie table. Clara 'Was .not a little astpalihed. when, on a calm summerfe evening, I asked her to pUy a game. "Vhy, meroy,Carl 1" she aaidi "whendid yon leam to play oheoken t" " 0, sometime since," I replied carelessly,' "Aod why did yon'not let me know it before T"-she asked reproachfully. " I am afraid to play wllli you," I said, half mlscblev- ously; " I learned to play cbeckcn to win'yonr heart'and hand, and I am not yet sofflciently expert at the game, to run so great a hazard." Her cheek flushed, add her eye dilated, as d^o looked up Inquiringly Into my face, as though to say: "Ineamest?" ' '• ' Then finding that my face remained serloun, and per- haps reading my love in my eyes, she broke out in a clear, ringing laugh, and eald: 'IVell, OarVI mast say, yon play the lover admira- bly, bdt yoa can't.deoClvcf me 1" Then chatighig her tone to' one of'deep seriousness, and 'fixing her dark eyes' ten- derly In mine, sh'e took niy hand and added-:-" yoa wont deceive We, Carl.t" ' I BDblied in .faiy heak, iholigh the .tears camt'ln my eyes; for all this' okly told m'e 'tliat Olara loved, me> thongh she doatitlesB did not Intend to let me;')mbiv it, tot her serlioiiis loo^ and; words were bat ih'e' mb^entaiy ibnkltlonaof her iieaift, 's6on drowned in the iiaf\tral gaiety Wtof exuberbntsplrlti' . ■ ' ' ' '•' Tfhen she brqbghtthe ohccker-boiard, ,81)4 MtM/y said: ' " Tills'game .irtll''bniy tie Voir aihiiaemeilt; C^l."' '"'[. " As you wHi,'' t rep]l'ed|' ''''you'''Wbnlld'a(t^>'iiabr, ihe by tho'prlViledge'ii'plaJr^g with yobjis a '^^'^ Again she lifted'ihos^',eyea V/^t''^^^^^ tnine/and a keen pugof tte^ jiearl^'f^ to liii'r fbce. She toned paIe,''Bs'alitj 'aaidr^ ' : . ■',' " If yoa wish to play ftr my heart, Carlf do not p^lsy, fpTi it nowj a few .months ezpcri^ce tncheekerplayin'g u'n^i sufflblentr-^well, well, what tii this nsoT-^iet us play a soeial' 'game fb^ amusement.'.' BlieJi^glied.'again. , V '' 1 cinijs^'the g^e,wiUi tlie.jexprMi dfterpiinatfon of beating heri'abd moved iveiry mad with'u mubb caotloii, as if tha fate of empires depended .pppn m^ aqcoeas. Bat' ~)|ii9'b{tw''6r th'e'ottin,' I'ljoni^'h^^^ kej!p.^'.ey,M'OTa|i; ie^tln'jr tiioN oif Olan'f^ itod'eVir' ah^ 'ainoi<,.otts to darhr coria 'irqald/fitU.be^wilen tlie' nieli' aad blind dght Hor small Wliite haada 'Mmi' ib be ' a ilriKud'ii waiid,'tOtbOBfase and misdirect my 'movemeota; and ia b^ hU'my core and watcbfa1nes8,'ilbe' boat'dw, 'gttti 'MfwA^' i»U^Sly> half seHons; " I 'wDl gPfym me-month to.improve yooml(;;iat the .eq^.qf ikmt time, I will play you the eerlona same yoa desira:; you see you are no match for me now." .,. And<if ever.poor mortai hang his hopes «f 'iifeio&.«ae baicard, I did In'thelabbra of thatibbnUi; I bommenced! pii|)r)ng cl^cclcera in tii'c nipmiog, and plia^ed'them'nntfi ';b^4p^0''^ 'i^Pi ^ power, to'jafitreot me Ikom the boardL . I. play.«l .wlth eveiy..bodyi and played etoy game,' Cfaecken became the mllng passion of my ElBtnre.'''If f miked ont upon the hllls,'la (he Morning BilEt>llgiit; I'bdhverlied the grbvca into mefi;|f and the laadsoapc into a chccke^boetd, At Atght, I played with tte stars, and mode, b tony 'Venus oaplure Mara, and' J^piUit cancel SatnnL .t length the. anzloas, ali-linportaot.lumE arrived, m'm-.m^mm'i^ that ny passion for Olara inbreasMirit&'flie itvidlty! ith which I strove to prepare mytolf for tbexontest The mora desperate the chaaceal>oeame, the dearer became the object fbr whlchl pUyed. Clara leemed somewhat excited, whea l called, on the evening proposed, and seemed loth to begin the game. Wb sat and talked over onr bhiidhood, and, all thaioW Venlng incidents of our lives, nntil Obura almost wept, and I thonghtre^etted the foolish vow she bad made aboat this game of checkers. ' Bo^ die was a. determined I glr],.and I knew woald oairy oat her ^lan. One thing, ^hbwever; afforded me great aatisfaotloiL I 'knew ihji loved me—I know It as plain as looks, actions, I had> alAiokt said,'wor^'cMldtell nle. THiatevcr was to-be! the rbsidt of the game, this gratUying thcugbt'wonld be some consolation fbr my blasted hopes; ;.;^t;/^'Iai^;'^h'm ciiira, with^^ a woid, produced the cbockerboaid, and wa proceeded to play.; I moved oaatlontly and calmly, bnt Clan played with noi sp(ri(';'i&ef 'irail bohftiscd'and necha'iitcal in'her move- BH&t&'''6tiU batman ilfler'a)aother waa eaptt^cd, 'and bttf fbree and aldvaatago remalnbd 'eqoitL'' lit ia' oiiedian ladiaeribe the game, ' it'is needlcail to'telt my^aiixlbtr', 'lis wt d^4r'near itheolbse/and I'flniiDy'lbft ii^ailtagonlat' -irlth'bat bili filing wiile I had't#6 reiAaliilni.' It is; STRENGTH OF. THE OSTBIOH. '' An lagenlous Frenchman, long resident In Afrloa^ haa conceived the idea' of turning the romantic bird of tlie desert, the myatcry of middle ages, the decorator of royalty, and tho wonder' of our childhood, Into'a sort of t)arp:door foal, but of an Importance, in an -econprnlo point of view, proportioned It its stse. Tho long-leggtd, Ibng-ncokcd ostrich; as we aco hind in zoological oollectlons, ia certatnly an nngalnly object.' He is, however, a llir more agrccablo.looking creatoro In a state, of fhsedom, and net wlthont that charm whkih attaches to . power and speed, and by no meana tht stupid bird which popnUr Ignorance believes him to' ba Els Ihstinot Bcrves him welI,(thoughItmaynotboofahlgb,o(der, Vfi, inaysay, '"''^i/^iSv'Ji^^^''^^'^'^^^''*''^^^' to.destroy two mamrimiw^ nod idaapon aooa very clever slffllllei) sod niulTf^saylag*, that the oetrioli docs dot hide Its head In a Iinab, ndtl^er does ilfabandpil i^t|ffB, albeit nature has, by a powerfU son ud an arl^ sand, rendered the ordinary incubation of the.pareqt bird iiqperflqoas. The ostrich, Indeed, is not the|nt nnoanth and partly nnintclllgent being who iias poawbsed: valoabla a]id 'ainlablb''(iii«lltles. He'is'a vigfla&t senlbel,'kli^ .wimia, wlih'ldtelllgent qnlpktiHs, otheif graciiog'adfiii^ cf'tiie approach pfmui <nr.pf ))e|i4a of prey{ aiid«!laiii)|'i the ccqrage, la defence ot Its aggi :and yonoft' whloh-tt displaya, is ofaomsan order,' Hov«v«r,MU^anlmatB as We ball onrselvet, it will be more to bar tailba .tb Inqldre into the edible, tbo clcthalSle, the pn'a^ebtal, and 'tbe^pecnnlary profit of the patriob, than to .dilate on; its lostloots and its manners. The speed of the ostrich ii lonlethlDg wonderttal U. AdamaoD,in his "TravelBiaBene'gal,"liaiiapaaage ba'thttte1jMt,'UpbnHbas fbr omlodbii,." Twoibatrich^" B|k^'lije; ^".whlph'iiad boea tamed ai;ld„brbagh|npln'.the ,4isi^of of .Pedpr, gaverqo a sigli(,w^|pli wasjtoo striking .tO:eaeape.mentlon,'i Theaa gigantic bizda, «f irhlch I had .only baaght 'glimpses' hi ny tnlviUi; flii<(rti{(ti the paNhed ;and^'S^'ay pldni t6,ttie laft'of tb;yy''ptp8{i' Inap^plilon, ..TJhey'w^rb; ?o'tam?,..that .twp jlitlp blaok'lM>yi|.Kat/i;i^q,jn»'iuit4d on the back of the larger bird.: iNa.soonei .-did lie .become aware of their weight, than he ran off^'at ■ftali stride, and carried the youngster^'several timet complbtely ronnd the village before it' Wbi pMslblo to stop bim, and then only'tnr getting In'front of Urn, .aiad.Bhoatlng, Tp.teit the strenjlth of these two birda, I.apked a full grown negro to mongt the smaller onei He did ao, and two others got on the larger bird. This ioid, to' my great astonUiment, did Ad^Mem too maoh fbr their strength. -Atfliat, tbey wbat at a 8«rf "bir RiTldldg' ''IrlWV aiifim^il('']«lku^^ <^ spread'thelr wings tp. .t)|6 wind, and want .off (i{t,.iiuV|i tarprLdqg^pige that thty hardly seemed' tp,'°^iiue the grouad, I foel oonrlnoed that the best rauJwnsb wonid have been distanced at the pace,? . ^ Only;. Inuglae. a trial of speed at the OenlrevUle/ValoB or Vaahton ooniat, of these two-legged racers I Who' Icnows bot we may yetseeitf " ' ' .. '. ' \'r ' SPEED OP THE OSTRIOH. Tna cry of the ostrleh s> greatly rMeniblpil tbdt bf itu lion' u'fccasionalfy.t^'deceive evep'tlie'iiati:^^' A ^'gle lilow from ,lt8.giganUc feet (It always etriki^forwiaird) is sofflolent 'to proatnta, nay, tpUll, many beasts of prey, snob as the hyena, tbo panther, the wild' dog, the Jaekal, and others;- The oitrioh Isexeeedlcgly'sWift of (bot,'tin- der ordinary clroonutahbes outruoniog a fleet horae. " Tiniat time ahe llftath lierstlf oa high, she aooreeth the horse and tho rlder.'^ Ob special occasions, aod tot/kilt* tance, Its speed is tnly marvelloos—perhaps not, much lea than a mile In half a mlsate. Its feet appear hardly to touch the ground, and the leogtb between each ^de is not untireqaentlr twolre or fbarlcen f^i lodaed, If «e an tci credit the teatlmbar of Mr, Adaibson, who says ho witnessed the feat In fioaegal, taoh is the rapidity and nhtibflter power of thaoatnch, that even with two men -mounted on Us baok ha will oatstrip an English horse b ^1 jLLlijt.;'iti i i ■^^Y.'i ^ . ipeali Th«oetrlobimoreoTer,lalong.wlnged,Jf wemay needlesB to detelba tbb 'confused; down^Jait look of,- ase the expression; ac that It Is a work of tlmo to«. .batfrt thf . :The fpc^of the ostrich In Its wild state. oimiH» :^t- ipeda iona aod buds of variooa shrabe and ptbbr plaqta,! bat It {■ dtatcqlt to oonceive how It can livp at ul I for tae not anfreqaently meets with it in region* apptieotty destitate of rcgetatlon of Any kind CJIai^as I ehvbf h«r last king into a c<Q7ier and " penned" li;'T^''l^e; lifted^ h^^^^ eirtended her isnds,— ' Kii, wMl-^1 will not toil yen what'aiib did, nor wliiit