The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-05-09
CARRYING THE KING.
AN ODD ADVENTURE OF VICTOR
 EMMANUEL OFITALT.

Hts Majesty DIdn't st cx 10 His Bar
 gain, hut Escaped Threatened Duck
 ing-A Grateful and Unconventional
 Peasant.
 Once, while hunting in the Italian Alps, Victor Emmanuel started before the rest of the party, but was soon stopped by a brawling mountain tor rent. He was not tall, says a Pied mont correspondent of the London Daily News, but even if he had been able to wade across without being drowned he would have been what in Ireland is called drowned" and it is no help to days shooting to begin it soaked to the skin. So when a tall man happened along the king hailed him.
 You must carry me across" said the king.
 Well, comrade," returned the big man, it would take a good deal to make me do that. You may not be very long, but you are broad and heavy"
 "Oh, come, what will you do the job for?" asked the king, slightly ruffled at the allusion to his sore point-his bulk.
 Not sou under one hundred" the man replied, ''and I warn you if you fldget I'll drop you, even if you 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.
 "Borreau!You shall be paid for thisn growled the porter, but he did not drop his burden. ..
 ''Now," said he as he deposited the king on the bank, you must, pay me not 100 but 200 sous. Don't you know you risked both our lives with your fidgeting?"
 The king humbly pleaded that he wanted to see if his dog was safe over the water and paid the price cheer fully and then asked:
 'Is there nothing else can do for you '
 The big man pondered. At last he said: The thing am long wishing for is a donkey If had a donkey, I SHOuIu De happy dS 1 hAiiS' L'o oTAk AA'S little crops in Turin then.''
 But 1t is long way to Turin,'' ob- jected the king. Wouldn't a horse better serve your need?" 4.
 What, a horse and no stable?" A donkey fills in in the corn shed or any where, but it would cost me many a lira before I should have a stable built" said the man mournfully.>
 And so they parted. But soon after ward the king provided one of his own farm horses and sent 1t with 20 gold pieces to his bearers cabin.
 The mans wife was at home and secuted the idea that beast and money were for her husband. The messenger. however, was firm. He explained that the gifts came from the king" This excited the woman's mirth. She shout ed down the hillside to her husband:
 Come home! Here's horse for you, man, and a purseful of gold! From the king! For yourself!"
 It took the big fellow a long time to get it into his head that all these mir acles had happened because he once helped a stranger over the torrent, but at length he accepted it as true.
 That, however, is not quite all the story. One day when the peasant and the cart and the horse were in Turin he saw g. crowd gather, and the, people said the king was coming. Then he bethought himself of his manners. He flung the reins to a boy. straightened himself to his full height and went into the middle of the street, holding up an imperious hand to the coachman on the box of the royal carriage. The coach- man refined up; the mountaineer bound ed to the carriage door and shook the kings hand heartily.
 q am proud to see you, majesty" he said, flor wanted to thank you for sending me that money and the horse. Look over at him there with the cart load of cabbages. He is hale and hearty! And I always wished to tell you I am glad I was of service to you at the stream, and I am sory I called you bourreau."
 The king greatly relished the frank, independent ways of his Alpine sub- feet. his unconventionality and good breeding, as well as the hearty hand shake, which was returned with equal heartineSs.