The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1878-04-19
Young Folks.
The Three Horse Shoes
OR MARSHAL DE SANE AND THE DUTCH
BLACKsMITH.

4 Saxony, ard n fine lad he was-.-tall and
trong and handsome, and as brave as a Al
ion. But the king, like certain old wom- o
IN of whom you may have heard, had so n
many children that he didn't know what to v
10 and 40, as Maurice had such lot of ell E
Ter brothers as to have not much chance of '
the crown, or anything else that r
would keep him in bread and butter, his
father sent him out to seek his fortune, like
many other princes in those days. So he
went over to France, and entered the army
Of King Louis XIV.
Now, at that time there was always a war
going ON somewhere or other, and the French
armies were fighting in every part of Eu-
rope and the king cared very little who
his officers were, or where they came from,
If they were only brave men and clever fight
ers, and ready to go wherever he liked to
send them. So, as you may think, it was
not long before our friend Maurice, who
was quite as brave as any of them, and
good deal ceverer than most, began to make
his way. FIRST he got to be lieutenant,
then a captain, then major, then a colonel,
AID at last, while he was still quite a young |
man, he came out as Count de SAKE, and |
Field-AIarshal of the Army of Flanders, with |
fifty-thousand men under him That was
pretty good promote, wasn't it?
Curiously enough, the one thing that this
great general specially prided himself upon
was neither his skill in warfare nor his IA
vor at court, but simply his strength. There
was nothing he enjoyed so much as showing
off the power of mis- muscles, and astonish-
ing the people about him by bending an
iron bar. or telling horse with one blow
of his fist; and he was fond of saying that
hewould give his purse and all the money
10 1t to any man who was stronger than him
self, If he could ever fall in with him.
Now, it it"happened that, one day, while
the French and German armies were laying
pretty close to each other, Marshal de SAKE
seuta message to the enemy's camp, asking
some of the German officers to dine with
him; and after the meal he began to boast
of his strength, as usual, till at last an old
German general, who sat at his left, said
that he would like to see specimen of what
his Exceleney could do. Sake made no
answer, but took up a large silver dish,
which was standing before him, in his strong
white fingers (for, big and powerful as his
hands were, they were white and smooth as
any lady's, and he was very proud of them,
and, without more ado, rolled it up like a
sheet ofPaper rrrrss -
sCan your Honor unroll that dish again7''
asked he, handing it to the German and
although the general was strong man, and
tried his best he found the task too hard
for him. and was forced to own himself beat
ed .. kl t-
,"Your Excollencys strength is very
gteat," said he, "but. nevertheless, vent
ure to think that there is one man in FlaDd
ers who can match it."
"And who may he be?" asked SAKE
frowning.
:."A blacksmith in the village of Scheven
ihgen, Dirk Hogan by name. All the coun
Try around knows of his exploits; and whel
I'met with him myself, saw such things a
Ishould have thought impossible, had m.
own eyes not witnessed tbem.'
When the marshal heard this he locke,
blacker than ever; and the first thing b
did next morning was to send off messenger
il every direction to inquire for villag
called Scheveningen, and man named Dir
Hogan. And, sure enough, some of then
came back with news that there was such
village, and that Dirk Hogan, the smith
had been living there quite lately but tina
now he had sold his forge and gone away
and nobody knew what had become of hin
This was a decided disappointment fo
our friend SAKE, but he had something els
TO think of just then. The enemy's arm
bad lately received strong reinforcement
and seemed inclined to attack him; and h
was riding out one morning to reconnoita
their position, when suddenly his hors
stumbled and cast a shoe.
There's village just ahead of us, you
Excellency," said one of the officers. "Sha
ride on and see if / can find blacI
smith ?"
do so" answered Sake and the Office
came back presently to say that he ha
found what he wanted So the horse VIZ
led up to the door of the smithy, and th
smith himself came out to have look (
The moment he appeared, the marshi
fastened his eyes upon him as il he woul
look him right through. And we'll he nigh
for this smith was such man as one doe
not see every day-very nearly as ia
as SAKE himself and even broader aero
the shoulders, while upon his bare arms tn
huge muscles stood out under the tame
skia like coils of rope. The marshal felt
once that ne could never be comfortable ii
he had had trial of strength with tn
sturdy-looking Fellow so he babe him brir
out one of his best horse Shoes -...
The smith did so land SAKE, looking at
said quietly "This. ware of yours is b
poor stuff, my friend; it will not stal
work. Look here!"
He took it in his strong hands, and wi
one twist broke the iron like biscuit.
The smith looked at him for a momel
and then, without seeming at all tax
aback, brought out second horseshoe a
third but SAKE broke them as easily
he had broken the first.
''Come," said he, 81 sec it's no use p
ing and choosing among such trashy l.
give me the first shoe that comes to ha
and we'll cry quits.
The smith produced a fourth shoe,
fitted it on and SAKE tossed him Ere
crown-a coin about the size of silver
lar. The Dutchman held it up to the Iii
and shook his head.
.'This coin of yours,.is but poor me
mynheer," said he, saying the words jus
the marshal had spoken his. at v
stand work. Look herep
He took the coin between his finger
thumb and with one ninch cracked /