The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-01-01
The Funniest General i'm All the
World.

Ever so long ago there lived and fought in
Germany mighty general, and he WAC
awfully funny. l think he was about the
funniest general IN all the world.
He was very fat and very clever, and, like
all fat clever people. he loved little chill
dren. The fatter he grew, the more clever he
grew, and when he had dozen or so of chill
dren about his knees, he wasn't much of 8
general, as generals ge-not much OF hight
ing general, mean.
But we must give the name and date of
this general, and socreek the historical nut
she'll before we can set before our readers
the sweetmeats OF our story. This we will
do in. a single paragraph, and we shall have
all the rest of the space to tell you about the
agreeable general and the funny things that
he did.
Precopius or PFccope, the famous fat
general, was Bohemian, and became COM
mander OF the Hussites who were almost an
army of giants, in liza. He won many vic
tories with his terrible army, and caused the
princes of Moravle, Austria and Saxony to
sue for terms at his feet. The fame of his
great deeds and wonderful victories filled sll
Europe for IL years, when he was killed IN
battle in 1434 Now, the historical nutshell
is cracked, and we Will have some account
of the funny fat man WIN loved the chill
dren.
In the summer of l432 good natured Pro-
copius and his tall army came marching
through the hot mountain passes into Sax
ony and encamped IN a very lovely valley
on the banks of the Saale. and invested the
old walled town of Eaumburg. Ii was cherry
tiuse-a lovely time OF the year to lay siege
to the tough old town-and the valley was
full of cherry trees, which was calculated to
make fat Procope and the tall besiegers who
were fond of the good things in the world
contented and happy. So, while part of
the army besieged the town, the rest went
cherrying, and very comfortable time they
had
But the Saxons who were shut up in
Nau1lburg were reselute and stubborn and
refused to yield. The golden moon that
hung over the Saale on the still nights when
June perfumed the vale with roses, waned,
and halved, quartereG and rounded again I;
but the SaxOns gave no signs of coming to
terms with that fat general. And Procopius,
although generally SO clever and good ma
tured, began, we are very, very sorry to say,
to lose his patience and bis temper.
1t was far past midsummer. The roses
were falling and the cherries were 1otting,
and Prscope himself was getting sour. So
one morniig he put on his high heeled
boots, and seemed to be unusually out of
sorts, and he sent terrible message to the
good people of Naumburg that, if they did
not surrender the town before the end of
the week, all of the people in it should at
last be put to the sword.
Oh, then there was distress in hamburg
Yet the sturdy old Saxon lords refused to
surrender the town.
But at last the store of food in the town
was nearly gone, and strong walls grow weak
when the people have no bread. The women
began to be hungry, and the children to cry
for food.
What was to be done9 They called coun-
Gil, but the council could do.nothing. The
besiegers were strong Without and the corn
was gone within, and their lives we're for
feited if they opened the gates to the en-
envy.
There came to the council an old German
school master, and whea the lords and chief
men could offer nothing, he begged leave to
say few words to them
'.Procope'' said he, bowiRg very low, SO
that his queue stuck out like horn be-
hind, sis very fat"
THAT will not help our leanness," said
the lords
Fat men are very clever said the spare
pedagogue."
All the more inglorIous to die at the
hands of clever man." said the lords.
And clever, fat men loye children" said
the pedagogue, looking very wise.
THAT does not help our Case" said the
lords.
"a man who loves child will not harm
the pare MT" said the old pedagogue.
But the Hussites do not love our chill
dren."
Every man has tender place in hi,
heart" said the wise pedsgOgue. Get a
that, and one Is SAFE str
But how does that apply to us?'' asked
the lords.
HE.isten," said the pedagogue. looking still
more wise, and bringing the tip of one finger
over into the palm of his other hand in 4
very knowing way. "Procope loves children
and wien they are around him he grow
Jolly aEd mellow, and his heart gets warm
and his stearnness ali melts away like glacie
in the spsing Sunshine. Send the children
of the town out of the gates to him. Tel
them to cling about his knees aud clint
upon his lap. ana when he begins to pit.
them and grow fond of them, tell them t.
beg mercy for " and the foodless town o
Naumburg."
That qciet summer afternoon, the gates o
Naumburg swung open, and long process
sion of little boys az girls issued forth, ant
wendell their wsy through the astonishe'
Hussites to the gay pavilion OF Procopius
We fancy We can see them now, and an oil
German picture We have feen helps on
fancy. This odd picture represents the oil
pedagogue following behind with bundl
Of books under one arm, and brisk switch
in the other hand, with which latter i'm
plement be was Iefreshing the memories o
some Of the little boys in the rear, ~ wis
application In the usual way.
When Procope saw them coming b