The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1915-05-07
lncognita

their childhood their fathers had been
at continual warfare. When these
two kings died-about the same time
the cabinets of both countries decid-
ed to make a match between the young
king and the young queen.
Queen Bertha would not consent to
the match without some acquaintance
with the man she was to marry. She
therefore insisted on their meeting in
one of her palaces near the border
line between the two kingdoms. the
king to he attended by three men and
the queen by three women. TO this
the king gladly assented.
Before leaving for the rendezvous
! the queen said to a maid OF honor,
who was also her bosom friend: II
wish you TO exchange places with
me at this meeting. you to persOnate
me, | to %pcrsOnate you. This will be
easy. for | have purposeIy limited the
number Of my attendants so that there
are only two besides ourselves to be
in the secret
When the king met the substitute
I,leen. whose name was Catherine.
he was well pleased with her. for MOI
nnly the queen herself, but her at,
| tpnGAnts. were beautiful women. Der.
tia had charged Catherine to treat
her with some severity lest by her AZ
cuSlomph Difference she betray the Sc
cret. During the first interview Cath
crime spoke to Bertha somewhat sharl
~. and the kings notice was turned
from the spurious to the real queen.
who bore Ne reproof with becoming
mrekness. Indeed, King Caspar was
| charmed that the maid showed no
temper whatever. while the reproot.
which seemed to be uncalled for, pref
udicel him against her supposed mis-
trcSS
Queen Bertha had gone to the meet
inE with no other object than to over
lock her future husband incOgnita, But
from the moment she saw him she WHS
mach Snllt"u With him n resolved
to ~in him i. possible. She directed
Catherine to lose NO opportunity t.
show hvl severity Nliir in the king
presence. .lIlrilin.. who was an e%
cellent actress. played her part remark
ably wei. tx. >hv order the queen 70
do her Nns HerEl"c. no matter how
spppuiiy tli> Gnty was performed, tn"
spurious queen would rcpIiniand her
Al <4ch times the rrai queen would
cast down her eyes bearing the injuS
tice with angelic sweetness.
One morning Catherine sem Bertha
to the royal garden for some flowers
and when she returned scolded her for
not getting the kind she wished New
ertheless she handed several of tn.
choicest to King Caspar. whose brow
were knit at the harsh treatment OF
the maid Of honor. Taking the gift
he selected the most beautiful tiOwei
ii rose. and handed it to Bertha
AS might have been expected had
the play been a reality. Catherine after
this. with the queens concurrence. re-
doubled her harshness to Bertha. who
awaited herself of the opportunity
show herself an angel of patience.
This excited the kings sympathy ana
admiration for the poor maid TO such
IN extent that he resolved to break of
the negotiations
Nhen Bertha considered the fruit
ripe for plucking she contrived to meet
the king in a corridor in the palace -
If by chance He stopped het ana
despite her pretended efforts to get Ia
| him. forced her to chat With him This
| she did with her eyes Dcnt Upon the
N,,, =. ,,-,FI ,g,--. ,,,.l,+- Whit.
t.pr We're io&utApr Il door opened and
C~Hthr,lnp came Uut into the corridor
With IRE in her eye she ordered Bertha
t. hey rnoi. then sud to the king:
IF this il "A sample of your mates
TVS "OnstancH think we had better
20 no further in this matter.
'AS our majesty pleaSeS." replied
the king With :; formal bow.
THUS was the king turned from one
wuilin to another. Queen Bertha and
her maids Of OnO returned TO Finger
land and King CaSpar to Walkaria
But the king did not remain there
long before be o o a step which he
must take with great care. since his
failure tn marry the queen Of Finger
Iallu nil iiihut Hiul uHIfOl'hthT III uolh
kingC ms He ser a confidential
friend to Iingerland to irarn il he
could marry one whom he supposed TO
be the r~ueen's maid OF honor
King LaSplr had no hole tat be-
would be permitted the wUun"u of his
choice. the queen had shown hHrsnif
i~nsanely jealous Of her maid II honor
| and would drnntle$S refuse his request
with some hur&l accompanying mes
sage. During his '~nessenger's absence
he walked the TOO imDatientiy ard
with anxiety. waiting for his answer.
His emlSslry returned With a sur
prise. announcing that the maid WAS
i he queen and the queen was the maid.
without losing II moment the king
mounted has horse and NuMmOning his
escort. rUi" niG!lt and day to the capt.
tai of Iin"""iHnd and. appearing before
Queen ~tirriiiA irsin't"rtsi with mud
iron, H. "';i,n ri:t !;lrii iirfure hex
and !>l>>.! ti;f hand When l,r OOked