The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1895-09-26
WHIPPED A PRINCE.
How Poor tom" Benton Fell Foul Of Eng
lands Future King.

How Poor tom" Benton Fell Foul Of Eng
lands Future King.
Tom Benton occupied for many years
lin fact, until his death-a responsible
position II the household Of Queen Vic
toria. Benton, who was of humble birth,
was but 4 lad at Brighton when his par
ents died within few months of each
other. 1t was shortly after these events
when tho queens attention was called
to the young boy under rather peculiar
circumstances.
One day, while Benton was gathering
shells Oh the beach at Brighton to make
pincushions, which he sold to the sum-
mer visitors, q young boy, nicely dress
ed and about his own age, appeared
upon the scene and scattered, with
vigorous kick, the accumulated shells.
Benton gathered Up his treasures, and
placing them again in pile warned the
intruder that if he repeated the trick he
would give him ."'good licking"
The kick was repeated with even more
vigor than before, and the shells were
sent flying in every direction. True to
his word, the "poor boy" soundly
thrashed the stranger. 1t was close
contest at first, as the lads were quite
evenly matched, but the more fully de-
veloped strength of Benton finally
brought him off victorious.
Just as the melee was over gentle
man and lady approached, and the for
mer said: ''You did quite right, young
man. We have seen the whole transac-
ton. This boy is our son, but he was
the aggressor and received the thrashing
he we'll merited" A number of ques-
tions were asked the lad as to himself
and his family. The replies told the
boys life, how the death of his parents
had brought poverty to himself and his
brothers and sisters.
'"This is the queen, said the gentle
man, who was none other than Prince
Albert, land the young man to whom
you administered such a merited whip
ping is the Prince of Wales Turning
to the prince, he continued: ''You must
send his, young man to school and pay
for his tuition out Of your own pocket
money That cannot add to your punish
ment, but can benefit this poor lad with
whom you picked such an uncalled for
quarrel. -
Thus it was that Tom Benton met the
queen of England He was sent to
school about midway between Portland
and Dover. After completing his studies
there he was taken into her majesty s
service and remained there his entire
life. Between Benton and the Prince of
Wales there was strong bond of friend
ship, such as could exist between true
manly men.-New York Herald.
TOM MooRE,s FIRST SWEETHEART.
She Was the Heroine Of His s.Mary. Be-
neved Thee True"
To the present generation the name
of Mary Duff is known only by tradition
and by Moore's poem, says Edward Box
in The Ladies Home Journal Yet her
career reads like . romance. It was in
London that she was born, in 1874. Her
christened name was Mary Ann Dyke.
When she was scarcely Is, she was
known far and wide as one Of the most
beautiful girls Of the neighborhood Her
poverty led her to adopt the stage IS
profession, and she and her two Sis
tiers, also Of great beauty, became dam
GERS at the Dublin theater, where their
singular grace, comeiness Of face and
person attracted immediate attention
and admiration. Whenever the Dyke
sisters appeared. the theater would be
thronged. And Mary seemed to be the
favorite Of the trio.
It was the fashion Of the time at Kill
kenny for gentleman amateurs to give
annual public performances for the ben
eft of the poor Of the city, and it was
on one Of these occasions, when the as
sistance of professional ladies from Dub
lin was invoked, that Thomas Moore,
the Irish poet, was introduced to Mary
Dyke and Immediately found himself
pasaionately In love with her. Il was in
the play, fortunes Frolic, that Tom
Moore personated Robin Roughhead and
Mary Dyke Nancy.
The Irish poet became Mary Dykes
very shadow, and after awhile he pour
ed forth his great love for her and offer
cd her his hand and heart But, for
some reason, the beautiful Mary did not
reciprocate the wealth Of affection thus
offered her, and she rejected him Il
was this which led Moore to return to
his room, and in the midnight hour pen
his celebrated love song, beginning
MARY, I believed thee true"
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