The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-06-30
THE THREE GOLD PIECES.
A Story from the Life OF King Frederick
tho Eraat

Early one summer morning, a great
many years ago, boy was lying sound
asleep on a bench in one of the rooms
at Sans-Souci (the country palace of
the King of Prussia with all his clothes
on. Very gay clothes they were, from
the trim blue jacket, with its embroid-
cred cuffs and shining brass buttons,
down to the smart shoes. with their
well polished steel buckles. But the
poor little fellows face was not as gay
as his dress by any means. 1t looked
sadly pale. and as worn and tired as if
he had been up all night.
SO indeed he had; for tough old King
Frederick, who could work from four
in the morning till ten at night with
out seeming bit the worse, sometimes
forgot that his poor little page boy
was not as strong as himself, and
would often keep him on duty till Karl
fell asleep from sheer fatigue, just as
he appeared to have done now.
All at once bell rang sharply in the
next room. At that signal the page
ought to have jumped up and gone in
to receive his orders for the day, as he
had to do the first thing every morn
ing, no matter at what hour he might
have gone to bed. But he was so fast
asleep that he never heard it, and the
bell rang again, still more sharply.
without any answer.
Then the door of the inner room
opened, and out came a very strange
figure, indeed.
1t was a small, lean, gray-haired old
man, in a shabby uniform coat and a
pair of long riding boots, which looked
as though they had not been cleaned
for a month; and as if he were not I'M
tidy enough already, he had smeared
the whole front of his coat with snuff,
which fell off in flakes when he moved.
His face might have been carved in
stone, so cold and hard did it look; but
in the midst Of it there cleaned an
eye SO large and bright and piercing
that it seemed to 90 right through every
one upon whom it rested. But for this
commanding glance, one would most
likely have taken him for beggar
and have wondered what business such
a slovenly old fellow could have in the
palace at all.
But in reality this queer, shabby
little old man was no other than King
Frederick of Prussia himself the great
est General and statesman in the world
and famous throughout all Europe I'M
der the name of Frederick the Great. :"
One could see by the flash of his eye
and the set of his hard old mouth, as he
came striding out, that he was very
angry at being kept waiting. and that
a terrible scolding awaited the poor
little page, who lay sleeping there so
peacefully, knowing nothing at all
about it But as the Kings eye fell
upon the lads unconscious face his
mood seemed to change.
Hunt muttered he, with the very
ghost of smile Pickering over his iron
face. "How famously the young dog
sleeps! l only wish l could have such
nap now and then. One can see that
he hasn't got to worry himself about
governing five millions of men, or car
rying on war against five nations at
once. Ha! what this?''
A crumpled sheet of coarse paper,
which seemed to have dropped from
Karl's hand, was lying on the floor be-
side him.
The King picked it up, and these
were the first words that caught his
eye, written in the shaky, Struggling
hand of very feeble old woman:
II thank you much, my dear child, for the
money that you have so kindly sent me, which
has been a great help. Take your old mothers
blessing for it, and see that you always do your
best to be a worthy and faithful servant to our
master the King, whom God bless and pre-
serve"
AS he read that simple message, the
soldier Kings grim face softened as no
one had ever seen it soften before.
Perhaps the memory of his own moth
er. dead years ago, rose up in his own
mind once more; perhaps he was touch
ed by the old woman prayer for him
self, or by the discovery that tbs had
had been the boys last thought before
he fell asleep.
Were all my subjects like thGt.'' ne
murmured, al should 0e the luckiest
King in Europe. And so he has been
saving money from his wages (and
poor enough wages they are, I'm sure)
to send to his smother! Well done, my
boy, thou'rt true Prussianr'
AT that moment Karl moved slightly.
as if about 90 awake.
The King noticed 1T, and d new idea
appeared to strike him. which must
have been a droll one, judging from
the momentary twinkle that lighted up
his stern eyes.
Yes, that will be the best way" said
he to himself, "and n fine surprise it
will be for him."
Stepping back into the room whence
he had issued (Which certainly had
very little royal luxury" about it, for
it was almost as bare us a cattle-shed,
with no furniture save battered old
deal table and a broken chair, Fred
erick hunted in the table-drawer till he
rummaged out n well-worn writing
case, from one of the pockets Of which
he took three gold coins.