The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1878-06-29
The Irishman that 0utwitted n Mon
arch.

arch.
George the Fourth, who was remarka
Bile for his dexterity in telling story
when Prince Regent was fond of collect
ing instances of the within and humoi
of the Irish peasantry. One of those
was the h story of Morgan Prussia.
Morgan, the gay and handsome son OF
a low Irish farmer, tired Of home, went
to take the chances of the world and seek
his fortune. By what means he trav.
ersed England, or made his way to
France, is not told. But he at length
crossed France, and, probably without
much knowledge or much care whether he
was moving to the North or South Pole,
found himself in the Prussian territory.
This was in the day of the first Fred
erick, famous for his tall regiment of
guards, and for nothing else-except his
being the most dangerous compound of
fool and mailman among the crowned
heads of the Continent. He had but
one ambition, that of inspecting twice
day a regiment of a thousand grena-
diers, not one of whom was less than six
feet and half high. Morgan was an
Irish giant, and was instantly seized by
the Prussian recruiting Sergeants, who
forced h m to volunteer into the tall
battalion. This turn of fate was totally
out of the Irishman's calculation, and
the prospect Of carrying a musket till
his dying day on the Potsdam parade,
after having made up his mind to live
by his wits and rove the world, more
than once tempted him to think of
leaving his musket and his honor behind
him and fairly trying his chance for
escape. But the attempt was found i'm
practicable; the frontier was too closely
watched, and Morgan still marched up
and down the Potsdam parade with a
disconsolate heart, when one evening
Turkish recruit was brought in; but
Frederick looked to nothing but the
thews and sinews of man, and the
Turk was full seven feet high.
Glow much did His Majesty give for
catching that heathenf' said Morgan to
his Corporal.
"Four hundred dollars" was the an
swer
He burst out into an exclamation of
establishment at his waste of the royal
treasure upon Turk.
"Why, they cannot be got Tor less,"
replied the Corporal.
"What pity my five brothers can
not hear of itw said Morgan. 81 am a
dwarf to any of them, and the sound of
half the money would bring them all
over Immediately"
AS the discovery of tall recruit was
the well-known road to favoritism, five
were worth at least a pair of colors to
tue Corporal. The conversation was
Immediately carried to the Sergeant,
and from him, through the graduation of
officers, to the Colonel who took the first
opportunity of mentioning it to the
King. The Colonel was instantly Or
dered to question Morgan; but he
at once lost all recollection of the sub
Ject.
He had no brothers; he had made
the r. giment his father and mother and
relations, and there he chopped to live and
die"
But he was still urged more strongly,
and at length confessed that he had
brothers, even above the regimental
standard, but that nothing on earth
could stir them from their spades
After some time the King inquired
for the five recruits, and was indignant
when he was told of the impossibility of
enlisting them.
"Send the fellow himself" he ex-
claimed, "and let him bring them
back"
The order was given; but Morgan
was broken-hear ed cat the idea of SO
long an absence from the regiment"
He applied to the Colonel to have the
order revoked, or at least given to some
one else. But this was out of the ques-
ton, for Frederick's word was always
irrevocable; and Morgan, with a dis
consulate face, prepared to set out upon
his mission. But new difficulty struck
him. How was he to make his brothers
come unless he showed them the recruit
ing money! This objection was at
last obviated by the advance of sum
equal to about three hundred pounds
sterling, as first installment for the
purchase of his family Like loyal
grenadier the Irishman was now ready
to attempt any thing for his Colonel or
his King, and Morgan began his journey.
But, as he was stepping out of the gates
of Potsdam, another difficulty occurred !;
and he returned to tell the Colonel that
of all the people existing the Irish were
the most apt to doubt travellers story,
they being in the habit of a good deal
of exercise in that style themselves; and
that when he should 20 back to his own
country, and tell them of the capital
treatment and sure promotion that a
soldier met with in the guards, the
probability was that they would laugh
in his face. AS to the money, there
were some who would not scruple to say
that he stole it, or tricked some one out
of it. But, undoubtedly, when they
saw him walking back only as common
soldier, he was sure they would not be-
lieve syllable, let him say what he
would about rising in the service"
The objection was Ineligible enough,
and the Colonel represented it to Fred.
erick, who doubly outrageous at the
delay, swore a grenadier oath, ordered
Morgan to be made sous officer, or upper
Sergeant, and with sword and epaulet
sent him instantly across the Rhine tt
convince his five brothers the rapidity Of
Prussian promotion. Morgan few to his
home in the County Carlow, delighted
the firesides for many mile round with
his having outwitted King and whole
battalion of grenadiers, laid his recruit
ing money out on land, and became {
man of estate at the expense OF the Prus
sian treasury.
One ceremony remains to be recorded
Once a year, on the anniversary OF thu
- IL d. IL, III