The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1912-06-27
A Gift Of
Cabbages
By EDWARD D. SIMPLIFY

ago hdus Deldullp yOuhS SOuhhS man
who had never learned anything except
what he could pick up on the farm,
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 up to this
time been a minor, came Of age that
day and would assume the reins of
government.
"And what are those wagons so gay
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
highness. On the way he stopped at a
shop and bought some flags, the largest
Of which he placed over the cabbages.
Then he went on to the palace, where
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. a
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 was 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 bis
cabbages She appeared to be much
touched by the loyalty Of the simple fel.
low.
I'VE would like" she said, 'to have
you In our army. 1t seems a more 1T
ding calling for you than filling the
earth. Would you like to be sol
dierT
Indeed would" replied Hans
"and for so sweet and gracious a SOW.
ereign think 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 fol
his valuable present
We can never be sure Of any hear
into which the little god Of love viii
not send one Of his arrows. The youne
duchess was at a most impressionablt
age, and she could not forget the hand
some face and figure, the honest loya
look of the young cabbage grower. She
gave orders that Hans was to be sem
to a military school, and she kept tracl
Of him, learning that he was a very
apt scholar and bid fair to make fine
soldier. Within a year he was pro
NOTED to be captain and from thai
time forward continued to advance
with equal rapidity till he commanded
regiment
Then one day while the army wa!
engaged In a war with the enemies O.
the state news came to the duchess
that her troops had been beaten, he
commander in chief had been killet
and the foe was marching on the capt
tai. In her distress she thought Of tn
countryman who had said that for 81
sweet and gracious a sovereign b
thought he could conquer all her enc
mics single handed. Ordering he
coach and her mounted bodyguard, sh
drove out toward her retreating forces
When she met them she sent at ono
for Colonel Hans Berault and said t
him:
Colonel, you once said that for m
you thought you could conquer m.
enemies single handed. I wish you t
take command of this retreating arm.
and turn 1t against the enemy"
"Your highness can make 1t posi-
BILE" replied the colonel.
"HowT"
81 will order the army to halt as tn
men come up. and you can tell ther
the story Of how l became their leader
II will win them to your support a
once. ard they will fight for you to tn
death"
Then the troops were collected a
fast as they arrived. and the duches
told how Hans when simple fello'
Of the lowest grade had made her
present of his cabbages and how sh
had received his gift. They heard tn
story with cheers. and when their me-
leader ordered them to reform an
march back against the enemy the
} sprang forward eagerly.