The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-12-27

and Wilhelmina twcnty-one. Fritz was very
fond of music particularly of his fute upon
which he played exqulsitely, being however,
careful never to sound its notes within hearing
OF his father. celebrated music master from
Dresden, by the name of Quantz, was his
teacher He came occasionally from Dresden
and spent q week or two at Potsdam, secretly
teaching the young prince. The mother OF
Fritz was in warm sympathy with her son, and
aided him in all ways In her power in this graft
fcation. Still it was a very hazardous measure,
The fierce old king was quite uncertain in his
movements. He might at any hour appear ut
Potsdam, and no one could tell to what lengths,
in case Of discovery, he might go in the inten-
sity of his rage Fritz had an intimate friend IN
the army, young man of about his own age,
Lieutenant Katie, who, when Fritz was with his
music teacher, was stationed on the lookout,
that he might give instant warning In case there
were any indications of the kings approach.
His mother also was prepared, when Quantz was
at Potsdam, promptly to despatch messenger
to her son in case she suspected his father OF
being about to turn his steps in that direction.
Fritz, having thus established his outposts,
was accustomed to retire to his room with his
teacher lay aside his tight-ftting Prusslan mill
tary coat which he detested, and called his
shroud draw on very beautiful, flowing French
dressing gown of scarlet, embroidered with
gold and decorated with sash and tags, and,
with his hair dressed in the most fashionable
style of the French court surrender himself to
the indulgence of his own luxurious tastes for
sounds. He was thus, one day, in the height of
his enjoyment, taking his clandestine music
lesson, when Lieutenant Katie came rushing
into the room in the utmost dismay, with the
announcement that the king was at the door.
The willy and ever-suspicious monarch had
stolen the march upon them. He was about to
make his son very unwelcome surprise visit.
bomb bursting in the room could scarcely
have created a greater panic. Katie and Quantz
seized the flutes and music-books and rushed
into wood-closet where they stood quaking
with terror. Fritz threw off his dressing-gown,
hurried on his military coat, and sat down at
the table, affecting to be deeply engaged with
his books. The king, frowning like a thunder
cloud-for he always frowned when he drew
near Fritz-burst into the room. The sight of
the frizzled hair of his son 'kindled the paternal
wrath into a tornado pitch" The king had a
wonderful command of the vocabulary of abuse,
and was heaping epithets of vituperation upon
the head of the prince when he caught sight of
the dressing-gown behind screen. He seized
the glittering garment, and, with increasing out
bursts of rage, crammed ii into the fire. Then
searching the room, he collected all the French
books, of which Fritz had quite a library, and
sending for bookseller near by, ordered him to
take every volume away, and sell them for what
they would bring. For more than an hour the
king was thus raging, like a maniac, in the
apartment of his son. Fortunately he did not
look into the wood-coset. Had he done so both
Quantz and Katie would have been terribly
beaten, even had they escaped being sent imme-
diately TO the Scaffold.