Oxford Democrat., 1915-03-02
NUMBER 9

but since she had given her royal ac-
ceptance OF the gift she could not take
II back. So she thanked Hans. and
the lackeys carried In the roses. AMI
Hans drove away. the courtiers and
others who had collected laushing In
their sleeves ut him.
Hans drove back tn 'he 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 a fool. But
Hans replied that IL showing ones 10y
atty to ones sovereign were being u
fool then be was glad TO be- one.
Queen Wihelmina 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 II favor Of any kind.
When she WIS told that he had not she
thought Il great deal about Hans aud
what she should do In the matter. She
considered It beneath the dignity Of a
queen to accept n gift frcm SUBJ
ject. certainly not one Of lowly origin.
She sent for him. and when be appear
ed she said to him:
II have need for your services.
am going to try you In the diplomatic
service There is a 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 a 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 a re-
quest, but a command. Go and on
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 he had set
his heart and relinquished all claim to
It This enabled him to get what the
queen wanted. The result was that
he made a very satisfactory agree
ment When he returned and reported
what he had done the queen was very
much pleased. She created him q
noble and placed him at the head Of all
her diplomats.
Hans, after acquainting himself with
sent his father a thousand fiorins. 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 a fool had been able to achieve
such honors so far beyind his station.
Hans grew continually In influence.
Those were warlike times, and ambas-
sadors had tried to gain their ends by
threatening war. and II 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 liberality which In the end
resulted In his sovereign's 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 a CARLOAD Of
roses"
When Queen Wilhelmina was as
sured that Hans would name no other
favor she granted 1t, and on the ami
versary Of the day that he had made
the first gift be made another, only
this time the cart was driven by one
Of his servants When Hans went to
the palace to offer his congratulations.
instead, as before, Of being informed by
the chamberlain that the queen would
not accept a gift from such as he, that,
functionary announced to him that her
majesty had decided that proposition
Of marriage from him would be agree
able to her.
There was much debate among the
queens subjects who knew the story
Of Hans birthday gift whether be
made 1t simply as an act Of homage
to a sovereign or whether he aspired
30 her heart and hand But no ono
except Hans knew that and he never
told