The Sauk Centre herald., 1899-07-06
The Majors Reward.
How Q SoldSee VINO Had Saved Hin
Kin9's Life Was Remembered
In the Hour o1 Need.

+ How Q Soldier VINO Had Saved His =
o ktn9's Life Was Remembered o
. In the Hour o9 Need.
oxoxo4o*o*o~o~o<o<oxoxo<ox6
The great battle Of Torgau was at its
height The air was thick with hot,
sitting smoke, and the cannonade
made the very earth tremble as 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 thundered necessarily against
the wood held by the Prussians and
against every living thing that issued
from 1t.
Twice the assailants had forced their
way through the pelting shot, and
twice they had been driven back with
severe loss after desperate conflict.
In the mad hurry burly and confusion
Of that terrible struggle the two armies
had got SO completely mingled together
that not few Prussian and Austrian
regiments had fairly changed places,
and when the third attack began 1t
was no easy matter for the Prussian
column Of assault to make out where
the key Of the enemy's position lay
or which way they must turn in order
to strike It.
But just then appeared out Of the
thick Of the smoke small, lean, sick
ly looking old man, in q soiled and
threadbare uniform. at the sight Of
whom and at the sound Of the few
short, clear onders that be uttered
everything seemed TO arrange itself at
once as II by magfc. And well might
1t be 30; 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, q body Of Aus
trIan grenadiers showed themselves
through the Eoiling smoke at 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 bullet.
"Your majesty is in danger here"
said q Prussian officer, saluting him
respectfully. "Will you not be pleased
to move farther back?''
Frederick was just about to refuse.
for he cared little what risk he ran pro-
vided bis presence could do anything
to turn the fortune Of the battle. But
before he had time to 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 II struck by lightning.
Frederick stopped over him with a
look Of concern, for he saw that the
breast Of the fallen mans uniform had
been pierced By bullet and naturally
concluded that he must be either killed
or ,nortaIly wounded. But. to his no
small amazemen<, the supposed dead
man suddenly rose from the earth, to
all appearances quite uninjured, and
took out Of his clothes fattened mus
ket ball, which had been, stopped by
the metal cover Of a miniature that he
wore in his breast.
II shall keep this" said he, hnlding
out the shapeless piece Of lead, 4in re-
membrance of your majesty"
.'You shall have something better
than that to remember me by, my
brave fellow" answered the king kind
~. you have saved my life, and you
shall not find me ungrateful. What is
your namew
The officer told it Frederick repeat
ed 1t twice to himself, as If to fix it
more surely in his memory, and then he
said:
Every good; will not forget you. If
we both live through this nights work,
you shall be promoted. And now let
each of us go to his duty"
And on the following morning, when
the battle was won and tie Austrian
army in full retreat. King Frederick
made good his promise.
But, unhappily. the brave officers
good fortune went no further than this
Two years later the war came to an
end, and Frederick, with his treasury
empty and his whole kingdom lying
W dotCu 6AAAu I01AbSQ t1lOuuu Allls WIS
fsin to devote every penny that he
could raise to the putting Of matters to
rights again.
AS matter Of course every branch
OF public expenditure had to be cut
down to the very lowest point Among
other economies the army was reduced
by good many thousand men, and
the sudden disbanding Of 30 many reg
iments at once was q heavy blow to
hundreds OF officers who unexpectedly
found themselves cast upon the world
in their. old aze with no occupation. no |
money In their pockets and no visible
WAY OF getting any. n, Ssssss
Among the countless sufferers By <his
81 ais