d; but
nobody dared ask what it might be, for the abbot was of a stern
disposition, and never would brook inquisitiveness. Suddenly he called
for Father John, and that venerable monk was soon at the bedside.

"Father John," said the Abbot, "dost thou know that I came into this
wicked world on a Christmas Even?"

The monk nodded assent.

"And have I not often told thee that, having been born on Christmas
Even, I have no love for the things that are odd? Look there!"

The Abbot pointed to the large dormitory window, of which I give a
sketch. The monk looked, and was perplexed.

"Dost thou not see that the sixty-four lights add up an even number
vertically and horizontally, but that all the _diagonal_ lines, except
fourteen are of a number that is odd? Why is this?"

"Of a truth, my Lord Abbot, it is of the very nature of things, and
cannot be changed."

"Nay, but it _shall_ be changed. I command thee that certain of the
lights be closed this day, so that every line shall have an even number
of lights. See thou that this be done without delay, lest the cellars be
locked up for a month and other grievous troubles befall thee."

Father John was at his wits' end, but after consultation with one who
was learned in strange mysteries, a way was found to satisfy the whim of
the Lord Abbot. Which lights were blocked up, so that those which
remained added up an even number in every line horizontally, vertically,
and diagonally, while the least possible obstruction of light was
caused?

293.--THE CHINESE CHESSBOARD.

Into how large a number of different pieces may the chessboard be cut
(by cuts along the lines only), no two pieces being exactly alike?
Remember that the arrangement of black and white constitutes a
difference. Thus, a single black square will be different from a single
white square, a row of three containing two white squares will differ
from a row of three containing two black, and so on. If two pieces
cannot be placed on the table so as to be exactly alike, they count as
different. And as the back of the board is plain, the pieces cannot be
turned over.

294.--THE CHESSBOARD SENTENCE.

[Illustration]

I once set myself the amusing task of so dissecting an ordinary
chessboard into letters of the alphabet that they would form a complete
sentence. It will be seen from the illustration that the pieces
assembled give the sentence, "CUT THY LIFE," with the stops between. The
ideal sentence would, of