Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1857-01-24
NJ | S c Z L i A n Y.
A ROYAL W HIM.

we are ABOUT 10 tell our 1eduerS very
strange event that occurred in the reign of
w lillian l., of Prussia, father Of the great
Frederick, and man generally dislIked, on
account of his rough and frequently tyrannical
manner, but who was really one Of the best re-
gents Of his fatherland, as lie alone (and 10 this
his son afterwards bore testimony was the real
founder Of its future greatness
This extraordinary man, who should be
Judged by the customs Of the age in which he
lived, in order to prove him extraordinary, both
in his errors and his virtues, had one passion
which far outweighed all others-namely, love
for the chase We remember reading in his
historian, Forster, that within one year he kill
ed upwards of three thousand patridges with
his own gun without taking the other game
into account, in which the queen was the great
est sufferer, as she had to find him, according
to a marriage contract, in pow der and shot gra-
It's. When there was nothing for him to shoot
in his own forests, he never declined the inyl-
tations of the landed gentry pay them visit.
Thus it happened lhai-t might be about
the year l720-ihe rich landed proprietor, ' on
W, sent his majesty an invitation to
wolf hunt. with the humble request that he
would bring his most illuslrious consor with
him, as the noblemans wife had formerly be-
longed to her majesty's suite.
On fine September day, then, the king and
queen, with several officers and ladies Of the
beGchamber, as well as the court, fool, Baron
Won Gundling, arrived at the noblemans an-
cestral chateau. On the very next day the
chase commenced, and Won Gunding, who
found as little pleasure in the sports of the field
as the king did in the arts and sciences, took a
solitary walk in the meadows, and lay down to
read in the long grass.
But before we hear what happened further,
we must first give our readers description o
this strange man. lie was, as we have alrea
dy remarked, the kings fool, and had received
all imaginable titles and honors, in order TO af
ford his majesty and the court still greater sport
In TACT, his Excelency, the Supreme Master
of the Ceremonies, Privy Councillor, and Pres
dent of the Academy Of Arts, Baron NoI
Gundlng. acquired such arrogance through hl'
titles that nothing could be more comlcal thar
the contrast between these digniiaries, and thu
indgniiies he had 10 suffer daily even from
the youngest lieutenanls His eXcelency ol
such occasions would grow very angry-th'
very thing his tormenters wshed-and woul'
lay protest before the king against man q
his rank being so treated which naturally in
creased the general laughter. Through sncl
scenes, which were in that day considered re
$ markably comical, our fool had become a ne
cessty. for the king and court Besides, W
may add, that he was walking lexicon, an
had to give all possible explanations in tn
}, daily meetings of the so-termed "tabaks cole
gien." His pedantry, in fact, was the bes
thing about him; as for wit, he possessed a
little as a mule, but, to make up for it, he coul
be as vicious and obstinate as that amiable an
4. NAL.
The Baron Won Gundlng then lay at fu
length in the grass, in his peculiar dress, tn
+ chief ornament of it being an immense, iul
/ bottomed wig, and in such position that onl
e the locks of his peruke could be seen as h
Z moved from sLe TO side. A gentleman, VIII
+ arrived rather late for the chase, happened I
10 notice it, and taking it for some strange anima
II fired point-blank at the wig, but very fortunate
Mt ly missed it. His excelency sprung up imml
diately, in the highest indignation, and erie
- out
. Ou NdBdUOuu Nv" u"iO you
The gentleman, however, when he perceive
II that the strange animal must necessarily belo1
to the royal suite, did not wait to reply, b.
: ran off at full speed 10 the neighborng tores
The Baron, however, was not satisfied Wi
this but, as he saw a man ploughing sho
nj. distance from him, he called out, in his arr
ie giant manner
"Come hither, mani
lot The reply he received was
10 81 have no time or inclination 70 do SO b
- if you'll speak civilly may"
As His excellency was not accustomed to su
II. II. an answer he therefore walked towards 4
Did impudent ploughman, with upraised stick, a
was about 10 apply it TO his back, when he n
= ticed that it was The clergyman of the visag
-, ~ whom he had seen the preceding evening at
ore nobleman's chateau. The Baron, therefor
e. lowered his stick, and contented himself
6s Furnishing the clergyman with his tongue
" How can he be such an impertnent as