The daily Alaskan., 1908-11-12
2: 2: KinQ' 'SMessenger
[Orlglnal.l


 "Captaln Piccardt," said the king, "a treaty Is in process of arrangement between us and the king of Prussia favorlng a defensive and offensive al- liance against the French. The final draft has been made, and the Prusslan envoy has requested US to forward n copy of it to his sovereign for ap- proval. King Louis of France knows that treaty is being discussed and is. anxious to defeat it, or if 1t is made to know It's terms The real king of France Cardinal Richelleu, has placed men on every available route between here and the Prusslan capital, and 1t is next to impossible to transmit a copy.
 "You have been recommended to me not only for your daring, but for your ingenuity. Invent q plan for concealing bit of paper which when compressed will be about the size of an almond. Go and bring me solution as soon as you have made It."
 "I have often thought of such a ne- cesslty and have invented such a plan, but several weeks are required for preparation"
 eve can walt that long provided the plan will surely succeed"
 Three weeks from that day spies of Cardinal Richelieu located near the boundary line between Holland and Germany were notified that the mes senger had left Zwalle the day before, though they were not furnished with a description of him. There were few travellers in those days, and the only person the spies encountered was frlar, who said he was starting on q pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
 Good father" said one of the gang, "say q paternoster for us"
 The frlar made excuses which did not satisfy those who had stopped him. whereupon, concluding that he was a sham mendlcant, who didn't know a prayer they searched him. Not finding anything on his clothing, they stripped him and made an eXami- nation that would have discovered an object no larger than a pea. Butthey found nothing and permitted him to proceed.
 Crossing the Ems, he went on, beg glng by the way, till he reached the outskirts of Quakenbouk, where he was met by man, who said to him, "Holy father, I have an order from his eminencc Cardinal Richelieu to in- vIte you to his palace in Paris"
 Lead on" replied the friar. T am houored in an invitation coming from so great a churchman."
 The man turned his back for a mo- ment, and the frlar brought his stan down on his head. He sank on the ground with a broken skull. "You think it heavy?" said the friar. "So 1 1t is. It is filled with lead" Then the ungrateful and unmercIful friar pro- ceeded on his way.
 The next of the cardinals intercept CTS had not been so well informed as to the guise of the messenger of 1 the king of the Netherlands. He was stationed at a ferry across the Weser river and did not suspect the frIar. Ferry you across, holy man" he said. "That l will"
 There was now but one route avail able for some distance, and the cardl- nal had directed that every traveller passing that way be searched. A num- Der of times the friar was stripped and carefully examined. One party even broke to pieces the rosary that hung about his waist. For this the father called down upon the man who com mitted the sacrlege the anOthemas of the church. They were a supersttious people in those days, and the fellow, convinced that the pilgrim was what he pretended to be, begged on his knees that he would withdraw the curse. The frlar told him that he had often been molested on his pilgrimage and would not remove the curse unless he were furnished with an order that he be permitted to travel without fur ! ther interference. This was given him. He withdrew his anathemas and gave ! the party his blessing.
 The friar went on, begging by the way, giving bis blessing to those who gave him sustenance and shelter, till he came to the Elbe. On the banks of { this river the passages were all guard ed by the cardinals secret emissaries, who, had they been known to the ] Prusslan government, would have been hanged and quartered This was the last line it had been thought advisable | to guard. The friar had crossed the river and was tramping through a wood when men sprang from behind trees and downed him. As soon as he could make himself heard he told them of his pass and produced it. They were much astonished, for they had been advised that the messenger was | travelling in the guise of mendicant However, they knew the men who had given him a free passage and let him go. This was the last time he was stopped.