The evening times., 1899-07-31
Tales Told of Victor Emanuel
Among His Peasantry.
The Late Monarch Once Killed
Faina POaeher Upon an Old
Woman's Chickens-His Present to
n Man Who Ferrfed Him Over
Mountain Stream at Great Risk.
From the London News.)

Sucoto, SQucIIitS, UedleTSy anu Keepers.
On one occasion of the kind he found him
self on entirely unknown ground, and he
climbed down the mountain side to hut
to ask the names of the surrounding peaks
and to have drink of goats milk. To the
old dame who made him welcome and
gave him both drink and information he
said:
Cannot l do anything for you, good
woman?"
gun. Maybe you could rid me of the
polecat that eats my chickens, and even
killed my cat
''And nothing else?" asked the King. II
see no one about the house. Are you
quite alone here?"
She replied sadly: There was the
grandson-the only one of all of them left
with me-and the King took even rim
away. All the young fellows are taken
for soldiers now. Some tell me tbs not
all the fault of the King and that he's
forced to do it. But it is sorely hard on
lone folk, like me-
The King asked: We'll, what's his egi-
ment?"
"Oh. that can't tell you" she said,
but l have letter from him in my pock-
ct. The schoolmaster'H read it for me next
Sunday when / go to mass. Perhaps, now.
you could even make out the regiment
from II"
The old woman produced the letter and
fumbled till she tore open the envelope
with her toil-blunted fingers. and she star
ed hard at the sheet OF paper, which His
Majesty conned to some purpose, for he
gave all requisite particulars to one OF his
officers, with orders that, when found. the
recruit should be sent back with his dis
charge to the old grandmother and the
mountain farm. Moreover, he shot the
faina that had killed cat and poultry, and
the good woman gave him threepence- half
penny for his trouble, besides many thanks
and blessings.
A year later the King passed that way.
and was again alone. The youth and the
grandmother were at work in their potato
patch, and the ex-soldier, in great as
tonishment, saluted. Being agitated, he
struck his temple with his earthy hand
again and again, saying: It's the King,
Grannie, it's the King.
You fooln cried his grandam laughing
heartily, Its only the vagabond l gave
my halfpence to for killing the polecat
It's il cacciatore sportsman or poacher),
that l was telling you about Are you era
zy, lad?'-for the conscript continued his
| frantic saluting.
Laughing, the King looked across the
fence of loose stones till the crone began
roughly shake her boy by the shoulder
| and TO call him hard names. Then. in
mercy lie rof chasseur tas he is called on
| his monument in AostaD volunteered some
| explanations. The grandomther was a
| trifie abashed for a moment, but when she
| brought out jug of milk the trio made
merry together.
Another day, near the Val de Cogne,
| accompanied by one of his generals twho
was as enthusiastic a sportsman as him.
selD Victor Emanuel, tired and thirsty,
begged for "a bowl of milk" at cottage
| door. The housewife thought they were
| two professional channels hunters, and hav
| ing a weight on her mind, took the op-
| portunity OF unburdening herself of it.
| Tell me, kind gentlemen" she began.
| "is it .true what l hear? The neighbors
are saying that the King is coming. Now,
| l must find out when he'll be near for my
girl is very pretty. I'll put her under lock
| and key. You may have heard Of her, for
| she's the finest girl in the valley. They
tell me that the Kings terribly ill-con
| Quoted man. that tries to turn the head OF
every nice girl he sees. Could you not give
me hint of his coming, that l might shut
| up the child in time?'
This ought to have been a capital SER
| mon to the Re galantuomo)
third story shows him in better light.
| He chose once to start before the rest of
| the shooting party. and was stopped short
| by a brawling mountain torrent. Victor
able to wade across and not be drowned,
he would have been what in Ireland is
! called "drownded," and it is no help to a
| days shooting to begin 1t soaked to the
skin. A tall man happened to pass him:
| You've got to carry me over" re-
marked the King.
We'll, comrade, it would take good deal
to make me do that said the big man.
'"You may not be very long. but you're
| broad and YOU re heavy.
"Oh, come; what will you do the Job
for?" asked the King. slightly rufied by
the allusion to his sore point-his bulk.
Not one sou under hundred tfve
francs)," he replied; and / warn you II
you fidget III drop you, even if it should
be in the middle of the stream
"Done!" cried the King. But in mid
channel a fear seized him that his pointer
was not following, and he twisted around
to have look.
"Bourreau You shall pay for this.''
growled the porter; but he did not drop the
burden!
Now said he. depositing his King on
the bank, YOU must pay me, not 100 sous,
but 200 Don't you know you risked both
our lives with your fidgeting?"
The King humbIy pleaded that he want
ed to see if his dog was safe over the wa
ter, and he recognized the right to a dou-
BILE fee, paying his ten francs cheerful Y.
adding, rs there nothing else ! can do for
you?" The big man pondered, AMI
scratched his head to aid reflection. AT
last he said: THE thing / am long wish
ing for is a donkey. If I had donkey I'd
be as happy as king. I'd sell my little
crops in Turin then. They tell me that
there's a splendid market there for cab
bages and every sort of garden stuff
But it's long way to Turin" the King
objected. Would not horse better serve
your turn?"
WHAT a horse and no stable! A don
key fits in the cowshed, or anywhere;
but 1t would cost me many lira before
should have stable built the man said
mournfully. And so they parted.
But the King provided one of his OWE
farm horses-and one of the best. to-
and sent the animal, with twenty golG
pieces to his bearers cabin The wife
was at home, and secuted the idea thai
beast and money were for her husband
The messenger, however, was firm. He
explained that the gift came from the
/. King" This excited the woman's mirth
She shouted down the hillside, derisively
Come home! Here's a horse for you
mani" $50
whats this nonsense?" came bacl
from the breeze.
'And purseful Of gold!' she screamed
''Folly!"
From the King, man! For yourself,'
And she laughed wildly.
And it took the big fellow a long time
| to understand that "all these miracles hap
| Dened hnca,Ise he had hplped a stranger