The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1913-04-10
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.
On n bitterly cold evening ~ l'ebru.
airy. 1907. little company Of Swedish
Dungeons. huntsmen and Groons lead.
ing extra horses rode across The draw.
bridge Of the castle of I.lebevertln. on
the hunks Of the river Elster. in Sax.
qny. They were evidently expected.
for the officer who headed the hunts
men was conducted into brilliantly
lighted chamber, where was gathered
large company of men AZ arms. His
glanccs around the room told him that
drinking bout was in progress. and
in the center of the gay gathering the
visitor beheId the former king of Po-
land-king Augustus, a title be after
ward regained.
Advancing to the place where the roll
licking, royal parsonage sat stepped in
wine, the Swedish officer, young man,
but tall and broad shouldered, reported
that his master. King Charles Of Swe-
den, would arrive al the castle the fol.
lowing morning to take part in the
boar hunt TO which he had been In
vited.
Whereupon the ex-klng, looking the
young Swedish nobleman over with ap.
pralslng eye. frowned. then recovered
his composnre as lie 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. aud lie added. Il have been
told that Count Gustaf Bertelskold"-
for this was the noble messengers
nane-"was q valiant participant in
my royal friends boar hunt"
AS the evening wore on the company
became nolsier and the wine flowed
more freely until at length August,
with a gesture that commanded atten.
tlon. took from the table silver plate.
Without apparent effort be bent the
plate to roll in his right hand and
tossed 1t as drink money to a servant.
I Loud cries of "Bravor' followed this
princely achievement. Tho example
challenged imitation. a stockIIy built
Saxon cavalry captain took from his
pocket a copper coin. Turning aside
the tablecloth, he laid the coin on the
table and with mighty blow of his
list drove the coin so deep into the
oaken surface Of the table that 1t stuck
there. New shouts of applause shook
even the heavy benmed ceiling.
King August then ordered several
horseshoes brought in. Looking them
over carefully. he selected one that
suited him and passed 1t round the
company so that all could see 1t was
strong and perfect in every way. Then
he stood up and. bending the shoe
backward and forward in the middle,
broke 1t In two equal pieces and held
them out in either hand to show his
muscles were harder than iron even.
Shouts ofsapproval rose louder than
ever, goblets were flled and emptied
again. and the stOcky Saxon cavalry
captain was heard to proclaim that the
king of Poland should one day break
his enemies weapons as easily MS he
breaks an iron horseshoe, at the same
time giving the Swedish count know.
ing look.
Count Bertelskold rose to go. this be-
ing the only reply he considered up.
propriate. But the aggressive Saxon
captain blocked his way and shouted:
upon my honor. believe the little
Swedish count is afraid of US. Gently.
gently, my young friend. Your deli
cate fingers would certainly never
break horseshoe in two. Drink.
drink, say, to the health of his maj
eSty the king of Polnndr'
Count RertelsEold's hand went to his
sword hilt like flash. But lie check.
ed himself, seized goblet and. drain.
ing II 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 II was
King Charles of Sweden who hat
caused Stanislaus to be chosen electoi
of Saxon In place of Augustus
Draw" shouted n Polish nobleman.
confronting Count Bertelskold. "or. by
heaven. will write this toast. letter
for letter In red upon your blue coat!"
II 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"
III my honored host Will permit"
replied Count Bertelskold. II will at
tempt something that is customary
with us"
Yes, do so. my dear count" replied
the king, glad to turn the threatened
bloodletting into jest.
by all mcans!" roared the bystand-
ers.
Bertelskold looked around him a mo-
ment without replying. Then. sudden
ly seizinG the two husky Polish noble
men who had been so ready TO draw
swords against him. Count Bertelskold
Yn{snd than both nm at onca md hold.