Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1899-09-09
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TIE Major S Reward.
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How u soldier Who Had Saved His
Kings Life Was Remembered
In the Hour of Need.

;. How soldier Who Had Saved His 4
o Kings Life Was Remembered o
= In the Hour of Need. x
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The great battle of Torgau was at its
height The mir was thick with hot.
Stiiling smoke. and the cannonade
made the very earth trcmble rs col
umn after column of blue coated Prus.
sian soldiers came sweeping forth
from the wood that sheltered them
from the flaming mouths OF 400 cannon
which Numbered necessarily against
the wood held by the Prussians and
against every living thing that issued
from il.
Twice the assailantS had forced their
way through the pclting shot and
twice they had been driven back with
severe loss after a desperate conflict.
In the mad hurry burly aud confusion
of that terrible struggle the two armies
had got so completely mingled together
that not Il few prusSian and Austrian
regiments had fairly changed places,
and when the third attack began IL
was no easy matter for the Prussian
column of assault To make out where
the key of the cncmy's position lay
or which way they must turn in order
10 strike ii.
But just then appeared out of the
thick of the smoke Il small. lean. sick
~ looking old man. in soiled and
thrcadbare uniform. at the sight OF
whom and at the sound OF the few
short. clear orders that he uttered
everything seemed TO arrange itself NJ
once as if by magic. And we'll might
il bc so: for this queer little fellow was
no other than the King of Prussia him
self. Frederick the Great. who had al
ready sent is name throughout the
whole world as the greatest soldier of
his time.
Just then. however. Il body OF Aus
trian grenadicrs showed themselves
through the rolling smoke at a short
distance and began to pour heavy
fire of musketry upon the Prussians
and their leader. Two men fell wound
ed beside the king, and his own sleeve
was torn by Il bullet.
Your majesty is in danger here. y
said Prussan officer. saluting him
respectfully "Will you not be pleased
to move farther back"
Frederick was just about 10 refuse
for he cared little what risk he ran pro
vidcd his presence could do anything
to turn the fortune of the battle. But
before he had time 10 speak the officer
(who had placed himself in front of the
king. apparently To shield him from the
flying bullets with his own body fell
To the ground as if struck by lightning
Frederick stopped over him with q
look of concern. for he saw that the
been pierced by bullet and naturally
concluded that he must bc either killed
or mortally wounded. But. To his nc
small amaZement. the supposed dead
man suddenly rose from the earth. tC
all appearances quite uninjured, and
took out of his clothes n tlattcncd mus
kct ball. which had been stopped by
the metal cover of miniature that he
wore in his breast.
Il shall keep this" said he. holding
ont the shapcleSS piece Of lead. lin re
membrance of your majesty"
You shall have something better
than that to remember me by. my
brave fellow" answered the king kind
ly. You have saved my life. and you
shall not find me ungratcful. What il
your name?"
The officer told H. Frederick repeat
cd ii ~ - To hill. self as If TO fix il
more surely in his memory. and then b,
said:
VERY good: will not forget you. II
we both live through this nights work
you shall be promoted. And now LEI
each of us 20 To his duty"
And on the following morning. whcr
the battle was won and the Austrian
made good his promise.
Eut, unhappily. the brave officers
good fortune went no further than this
Two years later the war came To NJ
! end. and Frederick. with his treasury
| empty and his whole kingdom lyin:
wasted and ruined around him. wa'
fain To devote every penny that h,
could raise To the putting of matters {,
rights again.
As a matter of course every brancl
" public expenditure had To he GU
down 10 the very lowest point. Among
other economies the army was reduce,
by good many thousand men. ant
the sudden dishanding Of So many reg
imcnis ai uncc was heavy blow I,
hundreds of officers who Unexpected,
found themselves cast upon the worl,
in their old age with no occupation. M
money in their pockets and no visible
way Of getting any.
Among the countless sufferers by thi
measure was poor Major Tapfermann
the hero of Torgau. who, with three
wounds. chronic rheumatism and al
most as little money as he had ten
years before. found il no easy matter
To make both ends meet"
one 10y one he had Ia part with al
the little knickknacks which he had
treasured up 81 long the silver mount
al pistols presented To him by junior
officers Of his regiment. the iicldglass
which he had used during his last cam
pagn and the ivory handled hunting
knife which had been given Ia him by
an Austrian prisoner to whom he hat
shown some kindness. Evca his watci
had to bc sold ut last. But, although
| in this sore strait. he could not brinl
himself 10 part with the chain which
had been gift to him from his wifi,
not Ion. before her death
There was still. however. one hop,
left for the poor old man. King Fred
rrick was now back again in his palace
| at potSdam near Berlin: and. having
10y this time begun To get the affairs ol
his kingdom into some sort of order
| again. he was not So overwhelmingly
| busy rs he had been before. Perhaps
some help might he got from him. and
nj all events. II was worth while I,
try.
TapfcrmaEn' first idea was to draw
up a memorial stating his ease an,
send it 10 lrct,ri"l. himself; hut h,