DRAUGHTS ITEMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2363, 8 June 1899, Page 45

DRAUGHTS ITEMS.

The " Herd Laddie'a " Funeral. — The funeral of the late James Wyllie took place on Saturday afternoon, April 8, from his residence in Thistle street, Glasgow, to Queen street station, where his remains were conveyed by rail to Leven, Fifeshire, and interred in the family burying place. The funeral was attended by a large concourse of people, prominent among whom were many of his rivals at the " brod." Chief among these was Bobert Martins, now far advanced in years, who on many occasions' had competed with the " Herd Laddie " for the championship of the world. Another prominent figure was James Ferric, who won the championship from Wylhe in 1894. Harry Freedman, who defeated the veteran in the last Scottish tournament, was also present. The following associations and clubs were represented;— Messrs J. .W. Hillhouse. W. J. Wil-

son, and B. K. Melvin, of the Scottish Ass<w ciation; Lang and G. Smith, Bridgeton Club; Alexander Bryson, Glasgow Association; T. Ballantyne, J. Ferric, H. Freedman, Hutchesontown Club ; George Buchanan, South Sids Club; J. Deans, Lanarkshire Association; D. G. M'Kelvie, Stirlingshire Association; J. Scotland, Airdrie Club; J. Lindsay, Lenzie; and Mr Marr, '• Herald," Glasgow. The chief mourners were Mr Dewar (son-in-law) and his son, a graadson of the veteran's. The English Draughts Association sent a wreath inscribed " A token of esteem from the English Draughts Association," which Mr A. Bryson, a former member, kindly undertook to see placed in position on the grave. — Liverpool Mercury. England and Scotland. — It is rather curious to note that not one Scottish player haa taken part in all the international matches -{Eat have been played. Ferric and W. Campbell played in the first match, but were absent from the second. On the English side three players have' appeared in all the contests — viz.,. Birkinshaw, Gardner, and Kear. — Liverpool Mercury. During their stay in Glasgow the English players had most comfortable quarters at St. Bnoch station Hotel, and Mi Gelsthorp, hon. treasurer to the English Draughts Association, who had charge of the creature comforts of the team, is to be complimented upon the way in which he carried out the duties entrusted to him. There was but one drawback — a rather curious one in Glasgow, the " Mecca of Draughts" — not a single draughts board was to be found in the hotel.

Merrs A. Bryson and Co. have secured the copyright of the games played in the late international match, and may be relied upon to make the book of games worthy of the occasion.

Mr E. L. Benson has challenged Mr H. Jacob for the Stephens Cup and the London Wanderers' championship. This has been accepted, and the match, upon which a email stake depends, will tako place shortly. Swallowed & Preen! — G-eordie Thomson wis a gran' player at the brod, an' got sometimes sac absorbed in the game that he wis quite oblivious o' his surroundin's an' a' thing else except the problem in han\ Ac day he wis playin' in his am hoose wi' his frien' Willis Saunders, an' gettin' gey hard pressed too. Whilst deep in the intricacies o' a critical position, his wife cam' rushin 1 into the room, cryin', " Geordie, Geordie, Johnnies swallowed A proen!" Geordie nevei heard her, seeing which she took him by the shoulder and repeated the maitter more emphatically than afore. Geordie, but dimly comprehendin' the import o* her attack, an* wi' his een still on the brod, at last grunted oot, somewhat angrily, " Sorra, 'uman, fat's aboot a preenV Gie 'im anither ane." — Draughts World.

lu_an article on the Otago Central Kailway the Dunstan Times says : " There are only about 60 miles from Ranfurly to Clyde, but at Poolburn Gorge there will have to be encountered about five miles of heavy work, and about two miles at Tiger Hill. We, therefore, contend that it is the duty of our different members and the railway leagues, local ones as well as Dunedin, to impress on the Government the necessity of going on at once with the heavy part of the work which we have mentioned so that there will be no delay, as the other parts are oompartively easy. Now is the time for Central Otago residents to wake up and demand the railway. Oui district is before the eyes of all New Zealand, and leading in the way of dredging, and still we are left without railway communication, which must seriously, and doe 3at present, ' block our dredging industry." It may surprise many people who have made the journey from Christchurch to Dunedin by rail to learn that the Chertsey station, 378 ft above the 3ea level, is the highest station on the line. Dromore and Mihiwaka tie for second place wish an elevation of 373 ft, while Hakaia, the scene of <- the fatality of' March 11, comes third with 348 ft of altitude. The Sydney Bulletin says: — " According to postal • officials, Maoriland's contribution to ' Tatt's ' sweeps is materially decreasing. And no wonder. People grow sick of drawing horses that never start merely because drawers will not conciliate the owner of the prad, the trainer, the jockey, the lad that lead the 'osa round the paddock, and the cat tliat sleeps in the prad's loose-box." The dairymaid pensively milked the goat,

And, pouting, she paused to mutter: " I wish, you brute, you'd turn to milk !" And the animal turned to butt her.

The story is told of an enthusiastic troub angler who paid a visit to the Pomahaka River some years ago in quest of sport and health. Regularly each morning foi\ about a week, he made his way to the river and spent the days endeavouring to induce the speckled beauties to try his bait. But they were not to be tempted, and no luck attended the fisherman beyond catching somo "snags." Returning one evening he was plied as usual .by his host with queries as to what luck he had had. The inborn patience and hopeful disposition of a keen enthusiast were revealed in the reply that he had not caught anything, " but, man, I had a glorious nibblo" !

A fish has been caught at Rotorua which is supposed to be a cross between the brown trout and the fontinalis. It weighed 51b, and proved a much greater delicacy than- the brown trout. *