Jones's First (and last) Solving-Experience.

Otago Witness, Issue 2412, 24 May 1900, Page 52

Jones's First (and last) SolvingExperience.

The contributor of this story says, " Its authenticity is beyond doubt. '

"jToEn!" scieamed a voice from the head of the stairs. No reply. " John Henry!"

Silence !

The owner ox the aforesaid voice descended the stairs and maichcd majestically into tha loom, where her lord and master sat, burning i-he midmghb oil and glaring at a piece-bestrewn chessboard. " Are you coming to bad, Mr J., or do you intend sitting all night, or rather, al) morning, staring at those pieces or wood?"

Her spouse vouchsafed no reply, but only gnawed his thumb, breathed hard, and kept glaring 1 .

"Do you hear? It's 1 o'clock; and you've been sitting there like a mummy since 8!"

"Woman!" said her worse half, savagely, " I intend solving this problem, if I have to sit heie for a week." "Idiot!" (in a tone of withering contempt). Receding footsteps and then silence again! Ten minutes — twenty— half an hour — three-quarters — an hour!

Still he sat there without 'movement, his eyes glued hungrily to the board. Suddenly he leapt from his seat with a yell of triumph.

" I have it! Knight to King's Fourth." He gloated over the discovered key for a time, and then retired to rest with the air of a conqueror. He sent in the solution next day.

With nonchalant air Jones opened his morning paper a week afterwards. He turned to the chess column in older to have the pleasure of seeing his name in print tinder the heading " Correct solutions. '

Was it n nightmare?

" No. 206 has proved a stumbling block to many of our solvers, the very near tr3' : 1, Kt-K 4, etc., having been responsible for the downfall of the majority."

With a howl of rage lie dropped the paper, grabbed the chopper, and went in search of his chess set with a ferocious gleam in his eye.

The housemaid lit the fire with black and white firewood of superior quality the next day. — Norfolk Free Press.