The Newport miner. [volume] (Newport, Wash.) 1899-current, 1912-04-25
A Gift Of
Cabbages
By EDWARD D. SH!PLEY


drove into the capital of the dukedom
of Flanders with a load Of cabbages to
sell In the market place. He was sur
prised to see flags flying from all the
windows, the people out in their best
costumes and every appearance of a
holiday
Now Hans, who in his farm clothes
looked greener than the cabbages in his
cart, stopped beside the curb and asked
some men talking there what was the
occasion of the festivities and was told
that the duchess. who had I'D to this
time been minor, came of age that
day and would assume the reins of
government.
And what are those wagons so CAV
ly decorated for? And where are they
going?" asked Hans.
They carry presents to the duchess"
Now, Hans was a good citizen, and
he bethought him that he, too, should
offer his gift to his sovereign, so he
drove his cart toward the palace, in
tending to offer his cabbages to her
h1ghness. On the way he stopped at a
shop and bought some flags. the largest
of which he placed over the cabbaees.
Then he went on to the palace, where
the wagons he had seen were drawn
up in the court, waiting their turn to
be unlOaded. Hans pulled up at the
rear Of the line and waited too. When
his turn came the chamberlain asked
what he had and from whom it came.
"Cabbages from my farm, and offer
them to the duchess as my own gift as
her loyal subject" Hans replied.
With this the chamberlin grew red
in the face and began to berate Hans
for what he called his effrontery,
mere country lout making a gift of
cabbages to the duchess. Then he call
ed for a guard to take him away.
Now the duchess. who was Just eight
cen years old, was nightly interested
in her presents and Sas leaning out of
an upper window looking down watch
ing their unloading. Seeing the pre-
dicament in which the honest Hans
had innocently placed himself. she sent
a messenger down to say that Hans
gift would be accepted. and he was to
come into the palace to be thanked per-
sonally by her royal self. So the coun-
tryman was conducted into a richly
furnished apartment. where the girl
received him and thanked him for his
cabbages. She appeared to be much
touched by the loyalty of the simple fell
low
eve would like" she said, Ito have
you in our army. 1t seems a more fit
ting calling for you than filling the
earth. Would you like to be a sol
dier?"
Indeed l would" replied Hans;
land for so sweet and gracious a SOW
ereign l think 1 could conquer all your
enemies single handed"
Then she gave an order that Hans
should be given a commission as lieu
tenant in one of her regiments, and
dismissed him with many thanks for
his valuable present
We can never be sure Of any heart
into which the little god of love will
not send one of his arrows. The young
duchess was at a most impressionable
age, and she could not forget the hand
some face and figure, the honest loyal
look Of the young cabbage grower. She
gave orders that Hans was to be sent
to a military school, and she kept track
of him, learning that he was a very
apt scholar and bid fair to make fine
soldier Within year he was pro-
NOTED to be captain and from that
time forward continued to advance
with equal rapidity till he commanded
regiment.
Then one day while the army was
engaged in a war with the enemies OF
the state news came to the ducness
that her troops had been beaten, her
commander in chief had been killed
and the foe was marching on the capt.
tai. In her distress she thought OF the
countryman who had said that for so
sweet and gracious a sovereign ne
thought he could conquer all her enc
mics single handed. Ordering her
coach and her mounted bodyguard, she
drove out toward her retreating forces
| w len she UlOl CucLu Sic oCht a. OA~o
for Colonel Hans Berault and said to
him:
Colonel, you once said that for me
you thought you could conquer my
enemies single handed | wish you TO
take command of this retreating army
and turn it against the enemy"
."Your highness can make 1t posi-
ble,' replied the colonel.
Howl
"I will order the army to halt as the
men come up. and you can tell them
the story of how became their leader.
It will win them to your support at
once. AID they will fight for you to the
death"
Then the troops were collected as
fast as they arrived. and the duchess
told how Hans when simple reno"
of the lowest grade had made ner
present of his cabbages and now sne
had received his gift. They heard the
sory with cheers. and when tnelr new
10