Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-02-04
RIVALS IN MUSCLE
Augustus Of Poland and His Sax
on Captain Were Strong.
BUT THEY MET THEIR MATCH.
The Young Swedish Count Whom They
Sought to Impress With Their Feats
Of Strength Took a Hand In the
Game Himself and Dazed the King.

OF Strength ook a manu- J" ~"e
Game Himself and Dazed the King.
On a bitterly cold evening in Febru-
airy, 1907, Il little company OF Swedish
dragons, huntsmen and grooms lead
ing extra horses rode across the draw
bridge Of the castle Of L~iebeverda, on
the banks Of the river Elster, in Sax
ony. They were evidently expected,
for the officer who headed the hunts
mel was conducted into q brilliantly
lighted chamber, where was gathered
q large company OF men at arms. HIS
glances around the room told him that
a drinking bout was in progress, and
in the center Of the gay gathering the
visitor bcheld the former king OF 10.
land-King Augustus, a title he after
ward regained.
Advancing to the place where the roll
licking, royal parsonage sat STEPPED In
wine. the Swedish officer, a young man.
hut tall and broad shouldered, reported
that his master, King Charles Of Swe-
den, would arrive at the castle the fol-
lowing morning to take part in the
boar hunt to which he had been in
vited.
Whereupon the ex-king, looking the
young Swedish nobleman over with APP
praising eye, frowned. then recovered
his composure as he noted the skill
with which the messenger addressed
him without once using the title Of
majesty" He was happy, he said
~complacently. that King Charles was
coming. and he added. 81 have been
told that Count Gustaf Bertelskold"--
for this was the noble messengers
name-"'was a valiant participant in
my royal friends boar hunt"
AS the evening wore on the company
became noisier and the wine flowed
more freely until at length August,
with a gesture that commanded atten-
ton, took from the table a silver plate.
Without apparent effort he bent the
plate to a roll in his right hand and
tossed it as drink money to a servant.
Loud cries of "Bravo!" followed this
princely achievement. The example
challenged imitation. A stockily built
Saxon cavalry captain took from his
Il copper coin. Turning aside
the tablecloth. he laid the coin on the
and with a mighty blow Of his
drove the coin SO deep into the
oaken surface of the table that it stuck
there: New shouts of applause shook
even the heavy beamed ceiling.
King August then ordered several
.horseshoes brought in. Looking them
over carefully. he selected one that
suited him and passed it round the
company so that all could see it was
and perfect in every way. Then
be stood up and, bending the shoe
backward and forward in the middle.
broke it in two equal pieces and held
them out in either hand to show his
muscles were harder than iron even
Shouts Of approval rose louder than
ever, goblets were filled and emptied
again. and the stocky Saxon cavalry
was heard to proclaim that the
king of Poland should n day break
his enemies weapons as easily as he
breaks an iron horseshoe, at the same
time giving the Swedish count a know
Ing look.
Count Bertelskold rose to go, this be-
ing the only reply he considered ap.
propriate. But the aggressive Saxon
captain blocked his way and shouted:
"Upon my honor, I believe the little
Swedish count is afraid OF us. Gently,
gently, my young friend. Your deli
cate fingers would certainly never
break a horseshoe in two. Drink,
drink. l say, to the health Of his maj
esty the king of Polandw
Count Bertelskold's hand went to his
sword hilt like flash. But he check
ed himself. seized a goblet and, drain
ing it to the last drop, exclaimed: AT
the request Of this gentleman ! drink
to the prosperity Of his majesty King
stanislaus. May he live long and
reign happily" No deeper insult
could have been offered, for it was
King Charles of Sweden who had
caused Stanislaus to be chosen elector
of Saxon in place OF Augustus. ;.
DRAW" shouted a Polish nobleman,
confronting Count Bertelskold, "or, by
heaven, l will write this toast. letter
for letter. in red upon your blue coat"
1t was King Augustus who interrupt
ed with the gentle reminder that the
Swedish count was their guest.
LET u.s." said King Augustus, "rath-
er ask him if in the Swedish camp
they do not amuse themselves with
any interesting experiments of the
kind we have just been having"
IF my honored host will permit"
Count Bertelskold, Il will at
something that is customary,
with u.s."
YES, do SO, my dear count" replied
the king. glad to turn the threatened
bloodletting into jest.
"By all means.!' roared the bystand-
erS.
Bertelskold looked around him a mo-
ment without replying. Then, sudden
" Selling the two husky Polish noble
men who had been SO ready to draw
swords against him. Count Bertelskold
raised them both up at once and, hold
ing them. kicking and sprawling. at
arms length, bore them twice round
the table and with perfect solemnity
Al.a., dn,,rn NJ fhn foot Of tho HSf0N-