Mexico Missouri message., 1901-05-16
1--WE HAD NO r.
r. FUSS WITH GOD"

The following article, from the
st. Louis Republic, is concerning
a man known by many in Mexico
and Audrain county. He was at
the State Prohibition convention
i'll this city last year. We have
heard him tell how a certain Iii.
nois friend used to call him" Sober.
yesterday. The Republic says
John Sobieski is a direct descen-
dant of King John III. of Poland,
and his early life was full of dan
ger and adventure. He until lately
resided in South Missouri.
Colonel John Sobieski. formerly
of Poland, but now of Los Angel
es, Cal lis the only" King"in Amer
lea, but Colonel Sobieski, altho II
direct descendant of King John
Sobieski, or John III of Poland,
and would by right of inheritance
have been the monarch of that
kingdom, is a king without coun-
try,a ruler with no one to rule over.
No one realizes this fact better
than he himself. Hence his plain
army title of Colonel" and his
fondness for the freedom of the
United States. Cheerful, affable,
businesslike, he is known and loved
as a story teller and man of affairs.
As a lecturer he has toured Europe
and America, and delighted thous-
ands with wit, sarcasm and stories.
OF King John III, Colonel Sobi-
eski's famous ancestor, Charles III
of England once said, ,"Such a good
King ought never to have died" "
John III rescued Christendom from
the Moslem invasion of 1853 by de-
feating the Turks in a hard fought
battle before the gates of Vienna.
Long after this the patriots of
Poland fell and were portioned of
among more powerful nations
When Colonel Sobieski was but 4
years old his father and grandfa-
ther led a revolt against Russia on.
ly to be captured and put to death
Not knowing what fate was in
store for her, the widow fled tC
Warsaw with her child only to b.
captured and taken to Russia
Then she was ordered back to hcl
native land. She was again com
PEELED to desert her home, and this
| time she went to Switzerland
From there she journeyed to Italy
and thence to England, where hel
health failed and little John was
placed in a Polish family to be ed
ucated. Two years later he wa!
adopted by Prof .kalOski, Liverpool
Here the lad became imbued will
IA desire to live in America. Dee.
1854, the I. $. ship-of- war Con
Stellation entered port at Liverpoo
and SObicski succeeded in cultivat
ing the friendship o. Il midshipmal
Abbott. Careless, free hearted
Abbott formed n strong attachmen
for the little advcnturcr, and whel
John impaired his long cherished
desire to visit America Abbott of
ferred to and did smuggle hin
till they reached New york.
In New York the commander o
the ship discovered the trick be
fore John quit the vessel, He wa
angry but when the mild-mannere'
youth was brought before him fur.
changed to sudden liking and h
asked John what he would like hes
to do in case he was allowed to re
main on shipboard.
I'D like to he Il soldier, sir; fa
the was" piped the little patriot.
why, my dear boy, what coul'
YOU do'" continued the captain.
"Sir, | can blow a bugle."
He was allowed to try, and hi
rcvcille calls proved 80 musical tina
he was retained. His age was T.
When the Civil war opened So
bieski still II bugler, enlisted in tn
Union army. At the battle q
Gettysburg he was shot thru th
stomach. a surgeon pronounce
his wound mortal and advised hin
to make his peace with God.
Doctor, returned the yOuthfu
soldier" We had no fuss with God
The remark became the joke G
the regiment and when it develOpe
that he had not been fatally injure
rejoicing was not alone in the ranks
After ten years service in the [
s. army. in which be took nnrt /