Connecticut western news., 1909-01-14
The Poacher.

doing here"
 Shooting pheasants. Isn't this for est public ground?"
 Public? No"
 The poacher looked fixedly on the other
 Have you ever been told that you look like
 Look like whom"
 -"the eInperorT Yes. You are not the first who llaS told me that"
 "I have only seen his pictures, and those taken in uniform. If you were to be similarly dressed you might pass for his majesty without detection"
 Do you really think so" 1T certainly do."
 'I wonder how 1t would feel to per sonate the head of our great German fatherland. I think I should burst with pride. I have an idea. What Il joke it would be for me to go to the emperor's Headquarters, and pretend to be the emperor"
 "I'lI bet you q thousand thalers that unless you run up against the emper- or himself or some of the royal family you can play emperor as long as you like"
 II take the bet. But first promise that you will not give me away"
 T promise that. But are you going to Berlin simply to enjoy the sensation of being emperor"
 His majesty is not in Berlin"
 Where is her"
 Follow me" The two sportsmen, for such they were, moved away.
 "Who arc you?" asked the man who was to play emperor of the other
 q am Heinrich Borngesser, Ger man American citizen. I have return ed to visit my father, who lives near here"
 Do you shoot anywhere you like in American
 Pretty nearly. I live in Missouri. We can shoot anywhere there. Your name is''-
 "Just now I am his majesty En- perior William III. Don't think of mo as any enc else. You might betray me inadvertently"
 "You are right. I will begin by ad- dressing you as your majesty Where arc we going, your majestyT '.-.
 "Ho, ho! Your majesty! Say it again! We are going to q shooting lodge the emperor has some distance from here. He is hunting"
 They walked for half an hour when his majesty said: "The shooting lodge is right up there. Don't. be fright ened."
 Frightened? Do you suppose an American can be frightened at royal ty? Not l. I consider myself as good as the emperor"
 '.The devil you dop'
 "See here," said MT. Borngesser anxiously, Pm not afraid of an en- peror, but l seriously object to skat- ing around with an impostor."
 "Oh, you do? Very we'll, if you are afraid, pay me the thousand thalers."
 Not by long shot. Proceed"
 "The emperor's impersonator led the way to the lodge, threw down his | game bag in which there were two pheasants and said to courtiers who came up obsequiously.
 This is MT. Borngesser from Amer ica. He will be our guest for the day. Let all possible consideration be shown him. | One took MT. Borngesser's gun, an- other his game bag Cbrimful of pheas- ants), and another offered him re- | freshment He looked very uneasy and as soon as an opportunity offered whispered to the impostor:
 Suppose the emperor should sud- 1 >enly appear"
 "1n that case 1 would win my bet. I It would prove that I could not play | the sovereign without detcc sion."
 Dinner was soon served, and the American sat down at table with This majesty" and a small suit at the lodge.
 What do you do with poachers in Missouri?" asked "his majesty"
 ''There arc no poachers, for there are no preserves"
 "We jail them here As a German American citizen we are pleased to honor you, but as a poacher you will have to spend few months in pris- ou."
 The American tried to laugh, but in- stead he turned pale.
 '"Then there will be a few more months punishment for leze majesty"
 "Leze majestyl?"
 Didn't you say awhile ago that you considered yourself as good as the emperor? What do you think of that gentlemen? This resident of the far west in America considers himself as good as ourself"
 "So that's your gane," said the American, firing up, "by pretending to be emperor to get me in here for blackmnil"
 His majesty" burst with an un- controllable fit of laughter. His suit looked dumfounded.
 Count" said his majesty to one of those at the table, give Mir Born Eesser a check for thousand thalers. He bet me this morning that I could