The Wichita daily eagle., 1891-11-18
TOOK HOLLAND.
A wichita Nan who sat on the Throne OF That
Country.

Colonel Tom Huffney, now of this city,
has the distinction of setting at one time
| on throne and swsying the scepter of
king for about two minutes. Colonel Tom
Is genial, easy gcing Irishman who put
| in nineteen of the best years OF his life be-
| fore the mast. He has seen the waves
lash the shores of every country in the
world and can tell stories about the trials
and tribulations of a sailor that would
make the hair on a mans head stand on
end He goes through the world now with
one arm, having left the other one on the
sand of Cuba's shores IL 1873 when
he made an effort to run the block
ade there and he counts himself
lucky that he did not leave his precious
head there also. He met, in his time, half
the grand raiahs of India and Etheopean
princes and princesses without number.
The most exciting event in his life, how
ever happened in Holland. his employers
sold boat to one of the great merchants
of Amsterdam and Colonel Tom was sent
to deliver it He got there in due time
and turned the ship over to the purchaser.
The purchaser met the colonel and finding
him to be genial and jolly tar, gave him
did that, but showed him the
sights of the drowsy capital OF
Holland. The kings palace caught
the eye of the inquisitive Amenrican
sailor and he expressed desire to
take stroll in it. The merchant secured
pass and they both set out to visit IT.
Hundreds of historic rooms were entered
and the colonel admired them all The
bedroom of the king was reached and the
easy-going Thomas was about to tumble
into the royal couch so that he might be
able to say that he slept in king bed but
the guide prevented him. The stateroom
was entered and the guide having gone of
to a distant portion of the room to show
the merchant some curiosity, the colonel
took advantage of the situation to rest his
weary bones and dropped into the royal
chair on the throne. He threw one leg
over the other and was making himself
comfortable when a few sleepy guards
happened TO see him and they at
once made rush for him fand
took him by the collar to eject him. Tom
was full blooded American citizen, as in
dependent as a hog on ice, and he didn't
propose to be insulted by Hollander or
anybody else. Still they cuffed and col
Jared the gentleman so vigorously that he
became hot and taking hold of the Kings
scepter he was about to break 1t over the
blooming skulls of the Dutchmen when
some more guards rushed to the scene ana
disarmed him. He WAS yanked out OF the
throne in short order and was on his way
to prison when the merchant saw him.
The high mogul of the palace, the custo-
dian or whatever they call him there was
seen bv the merchant who interceded for
his American friend with the result that
the colonel was summoned before
the said high mogul. Thomas was
charged with the desecration OF the
throne of Hollands king. and for the first
time he realized the natureof the pickle he
was in. He explained that he was an
American. and that in America everybody
could sit on the Presidents chair, or any
other chair they saw laying around, and
that he had no designs whatever of usurp-
ing the throne of the royal master of Hol-
land, and gave him to understand that he
would sooner any day to be an American
citizen and a good American sailor, than
king of any little two by four European
monarchy. With good lecture from the
bench of the high mognl in question he
was discharged, and the moment he got
outside the walls of the city he showed a
good pair of heels and never stopped till
he was again rocked in the cradle OF the
deem. From and after that day Colonel
Tom has been known in navy circles as the
''King of Holland"