Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1915-04-16
By F. A. Mitchell

80 80 ~ " -
land inherited their kingdoms when
very young. Their domains joined,
but they had never met. for during
their childhonl their fathers had been
nj continual warfare. When these
two kings ~died-about the same time
the cabinets of both countries decid-
ed 10 make IL match between the young
king and The young queen.
Queen bertha would moi consent to
the mitch 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 10 he attended by three men and
the queen by three N To this
the king gladly assented.
Before leaving for the rendezvous
the queen said 10 II maid of honor,
who WAS also Der bosom friend: Il
wish yuu 10 exchange places with
me Mt this meeting. you TO personate
me. | 10 %pefsonate you. This will be
easy, for have purposely limited the
III ~ III NtA(btttttitF Go 1haN ta(t0
are only two besides ourselves to be
in the secret"
When the king met the substitute
queen. whose name was Catherine,
he was well pleased with her, for not
only the queen herself. but her at
tendants. were beautiful women. Ber-
tina had charged Catherine to treat
her with some severity lest by her &C.
cust0med Difference she betray the Sc
cret. During the first interview Cath
crime spoke to Bertha somewhat sharp
ly, and the kings notice was turned
who bore the reproof with becoming
meekness. Indeed, King Caspar was
charmed that the maid showed no
temper whatever. while the reproof.
which seemed to be uncalled for. pref
udiced him against her supposed mis-
tress.
Queen Bertha had gone to the meet
ing with no other object than to over
look her future husband incognita. But
from the moment she saw him she was
much snlitten with him and resolved
TO win him If possible. She directed
Catherine TO lose 40 opportunity to
show her severity while In the kings
presence. Catherine, who was an ex-
cellent actress, played her part remark.
ably well. Did she order the queen to
do her any service. no matter how
speedily the duty was performed, the
spurious queen would reprimAnd her.
At such times the real queen would
cast down her eyes. bearing the injus-
tice with angelic sweetness.
One morning Catherine sent Bertha
TO the royal garden for some flowers
and when she returned scoIded her for
not getting the kind she wished. New
ertheless she handed several of the
choicest to King Caspar, whose brows
were knit at the harsh treatment of
be selected the most beautiful flower,
a rose. and handed 1t 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 to
show herself an angel Of patience.
This excited the kings sympathy and
admiration for the poor maid to such
an extent that he resolved to break off
the negotiations.
When Bertha considered the fruit
ripe for pincking she contrived to meet
the king in a corridor in the palace as
If by chance. He stopped her and.
despite her pretended efforts to get by
him. forced her to chat with him. This
she did with her eyes bent upon the
floor in well affected modesty. While
they were together a door opened and
Catherine came out into the corridor.
With fire in her eye she ordered Bertha
to her room. then said to the king:
IF this Is a sample of your majes-
tvs constancy think we had better
go no further in this matter"
"As your majesty pleases." replied
the king with a formal bow.
Thus was the king turned from one
woman to another. Queen Bertha and
her maids of honor returned to Finger
land and King Caspar to Walkaria.
Tut the king did not remain there
long before he took a step which he
must take with great care. since his
failure to marry the queen of Finger
land had made him unpopular in both
kingdoms. He sent a confidential
friend TO Zingerland TO learn If he
could marry one whom he supposed to
be the queens maid of honor.
King Caspar had nc hope that be
would be permitted the woman of his
choice. The queen had shown herself
insanely Jealous of her maid of honor
and would doubtless refuse his request
with some harsh accompanying mes
sage. During his messengers absence
he walked the fio0r impatiently and
with anxiety. waiting for his answer.
His emissary returned with a sur
prise. announcing that the maid was
the queen and the queen vas the maid.
Without losing a moment the king
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