The Sauk Centre herald., 1899-07-06

measure was poor lIajor Tapfermann'
the hero of Torgau, VINO, WIN .i1e
wounds. chronic rheumatlsm anu q
most as little money as ne hau .e.,
wears before, found 1t no easy nas'e.
to ..make both ends meet.
One by one he, had to part Win al.
the Iittles knickknacks which ne nad
treasured up SO long the silver mount
al n,stoIs presented to him by junior
officers Of his regiment, the neidsllsS
which he had used during his last eau
paign and the ivory handled nuno
knife which had been given 20 MN ~
an Austrian prisoner to Wnom ne ~
shown some kindness. Even his Wd1cn
had 10 be sold at last. But, aitnougn
In this sore strait, he could not Dfins
himself to part with the chain winch
had been gift to him from MS Wiie
not long before her death.
There was STILL however, one nope
left for the poor old man. King Fred
erick was now back again in his palace
at Potsdam5 near Berlin; and, having
by this time begun to get the anairs ol
his kingdom into some sort or oruer
again, he was not 70 Overwhelmingly
busy as he had been before. Perhaps
some help might be got from him, ana,
at all events, It was worth While tO'
try.
Tapfermann's first idea was to draw
up memorial stating his case ana
send it to Frederick himself; but ne
then remembered that 1t would have to-
pass through several hands before
reaching the king and might possibly
never reach him at all. In any case
he could not afford to wait long for an
answer, being almost down to his last
penny as it was, so he finally determin--
ed to present himself at the palace and
see what would become Of It.
The very next morning, accordingly,
the major smartened up his worn and
faded uniform as well as he could, and
concealed the absence Of his watch by
fixing the chain In its usual place and
keeping 1t there by attaching to one
end of it the memorable "fiattened bull
iet'' Of Torgau, which he had preserved
as q souvenir ever since. Then, tax
ing his stick in his hand, he set out for
Potsdam.
He had to do the whole nine miles on
foot, the hire Of horse being far be-
yond his means, poor fellow, and when
he reached the palace he was heated
and covered with dust and altogether
very strange figure to appear at q
kings levee, as the scornful glances' Of
the smart officials plainly told him.
and malicious fellow, Hugo Won Wake
nitz by name, who held the post Of
chamberlain Of the palace. and. being
mortally jealous Of every one whom
the king seemed inclined to favor, and
more especially Of Fredertcks old off,
GERS, always did his best to keep them
away from the royal presence. It hap
pened by Ill luck that just as Major
Tafpermann opened his uniform to ad-
just his chain (Which he had got out Of
place In the course Of this long march,,
the chamberlain, looking down from
one Of the windows, saw what he was.
about.
The courtier's quick eye detected at.
glance that the chain had a bullet in
stead Of watch attached to it, and, far
from plying the old warriors poverty.
as any true man would have done, this
| spiteful rogue at once resolved to get
rid Of him by putting him to open
| shame before the whole assembled
company.
And 1t really seemed as if circum-
stances themselves had conspired to
aid his cruel project, for when the king
made his appearance his first remark
was:
my watch must surely be wrong, for
had no idea that it was anywhere
near my hour for receiving visitors
Wakenitz, what says your watchY'
"Most unfortunately, your majesty,
mine has just stopped" answered the
chamberlain: "But see this worthy
officer here (glancing at Major Tapfer-
mann) has brought his along with him,
and he win doubtless be able to tell
your majesty the true hour."
The spiteful tone and look OF the,
speaker did not escape the shrewd
king; but before he could make any
comment, the stout old major, drawing
himself up proudly, answered Freder-
ick's inquiring glance by holding up
the useless watch chain and the fat
tened musket ball which hung to It SO
that every one could see them.
At the sight Of the flattened bullet
and the sound Of the old warriors
voice the recollection Of his rescuer on
the field OF Torgau flashed back upon
the kings memory in a moment, and!
one glance at the brave old mans
threadbare dress and at the malicious
grin upon the face Of the chamberlain
sufficed to tell him the whole story.
Here is watch for you, my old
comrade, which will tell you the right
time" said Frederick, taking of his
own watch and handing it to the ma
5or, "and that you may have chance
of using 1t in my service give you =
place In my household from this day
forth, and as for you, you rascal" he
added, casting terrible look at the
discounted chamberlain, ''since YOU
are mean enough to insult an old man
who has fought bravely for his king
and country, get out Of my sight. and