THE LIVING CHESS TOURNA MENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6811, 15 September 1883, Page 5

THE LIVING CHESS TOURNA MENT.

The grand' cheaa tournament by "living piec63 waß repeated last evening, at Abbott's Opera House, for the third and last time, to a crowded heiise. In fact, if the pageant and entertainment had been in the hands of professionals, it could have been successfully ran for a fortnight. There were some changes in the caste last night. Miss. Bruoe replaced Mrs. Dr. Honeyman as White queen's bishop's pawn, and . became queen elect m the first game; Miss Halcombe replaced. Miss Bruce as queen's pawn, and Miss Ada Steyehson: became, page tor the White queen, instead of Miss Cosgrave. The: tournament seemed, to become more perfect with each successive performance, and the limelight: effects on .the -various , tableaux:, were greatly heightened by the burning of magnesium wire.. At intervals the audience manifested their pleasure by rounds of applause, more especially during the tableaux, the entry of the kings and queens, and the evolutions of the respective armies.

The concert in the interval, between the tourneys was also an. agreeable break in the evening's amusement, and Herr Schmitt (the talented conductor), and the orchestra of the Orchestral Society rendered valuable service. Tbe orcfce-tral music went even better than on the preceding night, and the programme included a new item, the waltz, " Htrbstrosen." Mrs. Alexander sang ''II Baccio," and Miss Stephenson a selection from " Traviita," both ladies being applauded, and receiving floral offerings. The .Auckland public have hot yet got the range of the Opera House in that way, however, and the great maestro who conducted in the orchestra stalls, was smitten On the ear by the bouquet intended for Mrs. Alexander, who was retiring off the stage. Professor Schmitt, after rubbing his aural appendage, amid much laughter and cheers, shied the. bouquet into the " wing" after the retiring ; vocalist. The bouquet intended for Miss Stephenson also missed its destination, striking an aged party in the stalls on the ! place where his hair had been. It was thrown on to the stage, and ofle of the Liliputian pages came forward and took the floral tribute to heart.

The court jesters (Messrs. Townsbend and O. B. Waymputb) also played their parts very , creditably. Some Of the local hits took the. audience. Onij of the conundrums was, " Why is out present Mayor the most useful whom, we will, ever have ? " and the answer was,, " Because he is not above being a Clark to anybody." Perhaps the most, appreciated, by the laughter and cheers that succeeded, was the following : " Why are ■ the Auckland trains like fleas?" and the was somewhat rough on railway management, "Because they crawl over the sieepers!" Another good joke was the remark made by one of the jesters, when the Anglican bishop (Mr* S. U. H. McKinhey) was taken, and moved off the board, " There goes the disestablishment of the English Church." The parody challenge of the White Court Jester (Mr. Townahend) was mot. bad of its kind,, which recited, among, other things, that he Hildebraod Hayward Howick de Brown Jones ard Robinson, Jester in ordinary to Alexander the Magnify cent, stood there in person to maintain that the edifice known as St. Andrew's Church was of the puf e ! ' Aboriginal - .Barn and Peppercsstor " order, frem the Muddle Ages; and he defied Sir Geoffrey Gobelin de Gourmand, Of the Order of Epicurus, Duke of Gulph and Guzzel, Marquess iff Gluttony, Viscount Gorge, and Barou Greed, all in the reign of Gastronomy, to gainsay it. His challenge was posted from Xowiiß(h)snd to I Towtis(n)end. The Tied Herald's challenge ! was couched in terms which brought him into "sympathetic accord" with the audience, and the coronatioD oath, and ita ad- | ministration, also evoked much merriment.

The performance passed off without, a hitch. On the previous evening the two heralds narrowly escaped heing " cut off in the flower of thejr yoath," through tho agehey of " two flats" and the but no such contretemps occurred last night, aud these gentlemen are Spared to realise, it may be, the promise given of careers of much future usefulness.

During the closing tableau of the tournament, the Red king (Mr. E.. W. Page) spoke the epilogue. It had been improved by some allusions to "burning questions" of the day, and the references were greatly applauded. The following are the additional lines

May sleep-born fancy then restore to vies? Our dear Old Caledonia, not the yew. No stirring history the latter tells, Except that ladies there are cannfe belles, Joining their husbands In the blood they spilt, And both admiring very much the kilt. Fidgetty Fiji next may fancy's eye present, Where lted-tape " Gordon" maddened Bulls resent. Bad boys who won't from evil tricks refrain Had better clear from men why raise the cane. Those who from Nature's bosom sweetness bring' Can always guard their rights with venomed sting. There's one thin? more that youpßrchanceinay dream, An acquisition for our ftftble Queen, To raise her growing empire. We, who toil, Protest that statesmen should our emprize spoil, f'rom hard-won gold her portraits now wo make, Arul litxi New Guinea our design shall take. Bother tho siller! Wo must play our part, And for the Empire's future make our mark. Thus waking dreams in sleep We oft repeat— You're nodding—so farewell till next wo meet.

; The gross receipts, will be about £350, and. the net receipts close on £300. We understand that Messrs. Hemus and Hanna have arranged to photograph tho whole of the performers individually, and grouped. No doubt these souvenirs, of the tournament will be much prized. The co nraittee of management of the chess tournament are to be. congratulated on the successful issue of the affair.