The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1878-02-27
The Startling Story He Told the
King of Prussia.

MaTStIdIy WIN Hcipoh tbo IuSilSi ~
gain the battle of Waterloo. Blncher,
disconnected with everything and eve
rybody, left France during the autumn
of the same year he had entered Paris.
Angered by having been reduced to
inactivity, he retired to one of his nu-
merous country seats, where he soou
became prey to profound melan-
chnly, the cause of which no one SEEM
ed to know. He was alsO subject to
attacks of dropsy, and afflicted with
inflammation Of the lungs. the danger
of which he considered more imminent
than it really was. He could not bear
to remain in. obscurity, and solitude he
regarded as bodily torment, and 30
great was the iDqnietude which his
state of health gave rise to, that the
King of Prussia departed for Krieblo.
WITT immediately after hearing that
the old General had often expressed n
desire to see his sovereign before his
death. tss%
At the dead of the night the King
arrived at the castle, and wae at once
conducted to the apartments occupied
BY Butcher, who was then seventy
four years old. The royal visitor
found himself in large, dark room,
the old fashioned furniture OF which
added greatly to the melancholy as
pect OF the place. Divers arms and
trophies Of the chase were hanging mp
on the walls. The old General, snvel
oped in large bearskin, was seated in
nm antique oaken chair, and the only
light by which his wan features could
he discerned was that of the fire which
burned on the hearth. On perceiving
the King, he made an effort to rise to
receive him, but the monarch told him
to remain seated, aud, taking his hand
in bis own, he sat down by his side
Blucher made sign to his attendants
that he desired to be alone with tho
King, and every one retired. Then,
raising himself up with evident pain,
from his half-reclining posture, he
broke the short silence by saying -
"Sire, ! besought you to undertake
the Journey you have made to Kreib-
lowitz, knowing that you were near.
assisting always Mt the annual review
of the troops; but had you been at Ber.
lin, or even the furthest extremity of
Europe, rather than not see you-dy-
ing and all as AMI would have set
out to find you, for I have terrible
secret to reveal But before I tell it.
look at me we'll. Scrutinize the ex-
preston of my countenance, the feat
ures of my face-listen to the tone of
my voice, and pay attention to the or
der of my ideas. Assure yourself that
am in the full possession of my rea-
son, and that I;have not becnme mad.
For, at times, ask myself if am not
nn idiot, who mistakes the dreams OF
the night for events of years gone by.
"Bnt 90" continued he, az he drew
from his breast gold bracelet; "eo,
all il true, all is real, and can doubt
nothing. Listen to ME, sire. When
the seven years war broke ont, in
1855, my father, who dwelt in his man
son at Gross. Reuzow. sent ME and one
Of nay brothers to u relation If ours,
the Princess Kraswisk, who lived in
the island Of .Rugen. was then four.
teen years old, and after having passed
some time in the old fortress without
h"ering any news from my family, az
Gfoss- Renzow and it's neighborine
countries had become the seat of war
l joined a regiment of Hussars in the
Swedish service. I was taken priso
ner at the battle of Luckow, aud til,
Prussian Government arged me tn en-,
ter its army. During a whole year
resisted all persuasion to that effect
and at last obtained my liberty b,
enlistiDg as bugler in the Black Hus
sars, /, however, managed to procure 4
few months furlohgh, for sixteen years
had passed away since last heart
from my ramily, but my mind wal
constantly harassed with fearful
thoughts as to what had become of m'
mother and sisters. / at last startet
for Gross Renzow, and on my way
found all the country near Mecklen.
burg in dreadfully ravaged State
As the carriage / was in moved very
slowly and with great difficulty owe,
the rocky read leading to my ances
tors domains abandoned it, and con
tinucd my route on horseback, accom-.
panied bya servant man. This hap.
pened fifty-nine years ago to-day, on
the twelfth of August, and just about
the same hour as the hand of that
clock you see there is pointing half
past eleven. A tremendous storm had
commenced; the thunder rolled and
crashed with reports like the firing Of
apark of artillery, the lightning fash
ed aud the rain fell in torrents. After
having wandered for long time in the
forrest, arrived at the door of the
castle; and it was only then that per-
ceived that was alone, and that my