When possible, try to arrange men so that you can make two or three lines by successive moves, as, for example, men on 9, 13, 18, 20, and 23. Then 18 can move to 17 and make a line, back to 18 for another, and so on.
Before reducing your adversary to three men, and thus giving him an opportunity to jump, try to arrange your men so that you will be able to form your lines in successive moves. For example: Black has eight men, at 2, 11, 13, 15, 16, 19, 21, and 24; White has four, at 3, 9, 12, and 22. Black moves 24 to 23; White, 22 to 10. If Black made a line at 14 or 20, White, being reduced to three men, could jump either to 20 or 14, whichever was vacant, and thus prevent the second line from being made; but if Black moves 2 to 5, White can not prevent him from making a line either at 4, 14, or 20, even if he can jump.
THE MUSIC-ROOM.
[THE CHILDREN'S CARNIVAL.]
There are matter-of-fact people nowadays who do not believe in the Arabian Nights, and fairies, and Mother Goose, and the wonderful things that we have all read about and heard stories about. I confess that I was one of those people; but I have gone back to dear old Mother Goose, and Aladdin, and Sindbad the Sailor. From henceforth I am Prince Carnival's most devoted subject. And now I will tell you why.
But suppose I ask you to fancy that you are with me at the Academy of Music in New York on the eve of St. Valentine's Day. Beautiful music is heard in the distance, and presently a gauzy curtain is lifted up, and disappears out of sight. Then the music grows louder, as an immense army of fairies and goblins is seen, from the midst of whom a graceful figure issues forth, and dances along in front until he comes to a huge hen's nest, on which is lying a great white egg. The Court Jester—for that is his name—stops when he comes to the egg, hits it with his staff, and, lo! the top falls off, and Prince Carnival, a ruddy little fellow about six years old, is seen waving his wand for the fun to begin.