CHECKMATE!
The Café Scacchi, as its name implies, is devoted to chess. Germans
patronize it to a great extent. Politics do not enter into the
precincts sacred to Caissa.
After they had been seated about an hour Buttons entered. He had not
been able to find Francia. To divert his melancholy he proposed that
Meinheer Schatt should play a game of chess with the Senator. Now,
chess was the Senator's hobby. He claimed to be the best player in
his State. With a patronizing smile he consented to play with a tyro
like Meinheer Schatt. At the end of one game Meinheer Schatt stroked
his beard and meekly said--
"Gr-r-r-acious me!"
The Senator frowned and bit his lips. He was checkmated.
Another game. Meinheer Schatt played in a calm, and some might say a
stupid, manner.
"Gr-r-r-acious me!"
It was a drawn game.
Another: this was a very long game. The Senator played laboriously.
It was no use. Slowly and steadily Meinheer Schatt won the game.
When he uttered his usual exclamation the Senator felt strongly
inclined to throw the board at his head. However, he restrained
himself, and they commenced another game. Much to delight the
Senator beat. He now began to explain to Buttons exactly why it was
that he had not beaten before.
Another game followed. The Senator lost woefully. His defeat was in
fact disgraceful. When Meinheer Schatt said the ominous word the
Senator rose, and was so overcome with vexation he had not the
courtesy to say Good-night.
As they passed out Meinheer Schatt was seen staring after them with
his large blue eyes, stroking his beard, and whispering to himself--
"Gr-r-r-acious me!"
[Illustration: Before And After.]