The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1915-02-19


! wish to decorate the throne room for
your majesty's reception today"
"Perhaps you have not offered him
enough for Them" said the queen.
81 have offered him thousand
flOrins."
That surely should he sufficient
Why will you not sell me your roses.
my good man:"
Because | have brought them for
birthday gift for your majesty"
"A birthday giftw exclaimed the
queen. surprised.
IL have told him." put In the cham
berlain. that your majesty would not
accept a gift from such us he"
The queen looked down on the scene
below for IL few moments without
speaking The fellow" she said to
herself, has some boon which he
wishes in return for his gift" Aloud
she said:
IL will accept your roses. Is there
anything | can do for you to show my
appreciation for your offering?"
None, your majesty"
The queen was taken aback at this.
but since she had given her royal ac-
| ceptance of the gift she could not take
il back. So she thanked Hans, and
the lackeys carried in the roses, and
Hans drove away, the courtiers and
others who had collected laughing in
their sleeves at him.
Hans drove back to the farm, where
his father, seeing the cart empty, ask
ed him how much he had received for
the roses.
Nothing" Hans replied. Il present
ed them to the queen for birthday
gift"
Hans told his father what had &C.
Cured. The old man was much pleased
until his son told him that when the
queen asked him what she could do for
him he had said nothing" Then the
father abused him for fool. But
Hans replied that If showing ones 10y
atty to ones sovereign were being "a
fool then he was glad to be one.
Queen Wilhelmina waited a month
before taking any further action In the
matter Of her gift of roses, then made
inquiries as to whether Hans had sent
in any request for favor of any kind.
When she was told that he had not she
thought great deal about Hans and
what she should do In the matter. She
considered it beneath the dignity of q
queen to accept gift from sub
ject. certainly not one Of lowly origin.
She sent for him. and when he appear
ed she said to him:
II have need for your services.
am going TO try you In the diplomatic
service. There is boundary dispute
between me and King Carl. whose do
minions adjoin mine on the east. My
prime minister will instruct you as to
the matter. after which wish you to
proceed to King Carl and make as
good settlement as you can"
"But. your majesty" Hans stammer-
ed, II am but countryman. unskill-
ed in
Something tells me-" the queen in.
terrupted. that what others have
learned by study and experience you
know intuitively. This Is not re-
quest, but command. Go and OH
your return report to me what you
have done. My chamberlain will pro.
vide you with the necessary funds"
Hans after acquaInting himself with
the case he was to handle. dressed in
proper apparel. went at the head OF an
embassy to King Carl. and. being clos
eted with him. the king steeled him
self against the ambassador as he had
against others. But Hans began at
once to gain his confidence He learn.
ed from the king on what be had set
his heart and relinQuishcd all claim to
1t. This enabled him to get what the
queen wanted. The result was that
he made very satisfactory agree
ment. When he returned and reported
what he had done the queen was very
much pleased. She created him
noble and placed him at the head Of all
her diplomats.
Hans, after acquainting himself with
sent his father u thousand forms. the
amount he had been offered for the
roses. and the old man. who had heard
OF his sons preferment. about which
every one was talking. wondered how
such fool had been able to achieve
such honors so far beyind his station.
hans grew continually I'm influence
Those were warlike times. and ambas-
sadors had tried to gain their ends by
threatening war. and IL they did not
try threats they resorted to chicanery.
Hans plan was always the one he had
tried with King Carl. He sought to
discover what was for the best inter-
ests of both parties and when he had
done so to convince the sovereign with
whom he dealt Of the fact. In this way
he achieved reputation for statecraft
which was really nothing but common
sense and II Iiberaity which In the end
resulted In his sovereigns profit.
One day Queen Wilhelmina asked
Hans what she could do for him be-
yond what she had done to repay him
for the valuable services he had rem
dered her in preventing war.
Permit me-" replied Hans. ION your
next birthday to send you CARLOAD Of
roses"
When Queen Wilhelmina was .as-
surcd that Hans would name no other