Year: 1878

Or, Marshal de SAKE and the Dutch


Blacksmith.


Maurice de SAKE was the son of the
King of Saxony. and fine lad he was
tail and strong and handsome AID brave
as lion. But the king, like certain
old woman OF whom we have heard, had |
so many chill lref that she didn't know
what to do. and so as Maurice had such |
q lot of elder brothers as to have not
much chance of inheriting the crown,
or anything else that would keep him in
bread and butter, his father sent him out
to seek his fortune, like many another
prince in those days. So he went over
to France and entered the army OF King
Louis XIV.


Now, at that time there was always q
war going on some place or other. and
the French armies were fighting in every
part of Europe; and the king cared very
little who his officers were, or where
they came from, if they we're only brave
men and clever fighters, and ready to go
wherever he liked to send them. So, as
you may think, it was not long before
our friend Maurice, who was quite as
brave as any of them, and good deal
cleverer than most. began to make his
way. First, he got to be lieutenant,
then a captain. then major, then col
onel, and at last, while he was still quite
a young man, he came out as Count de
SAKE, and Field marshal of the Army of
Flanders, with fifty thousand men under
him! That was pretty good promotion,
wasn't it2


Couriously enough the one thing that
his great general specially prided him.
self upon was neither his akill in war;
fare nor his favor at court but simply
his strength There was nothing he en-
Ijoyed so much as showing off the pow
er OF his muscles. and astonishing the
people about him by bending an iron
bar, or telling horse with one blow of
his flst; and he was fond Of saying that
he would give his purse and all the
money in it to any one who was stron-
ger than himself, if he couli ever fall in
with him.


Now, it happened that one day, while
the French and German armies were "
ing pretty close together, Marshal de
SAKE sent message to the enemy's
camp, asking some of the German Off
GERS to dine with him and affer the meal
be began to boast of his strength, as
usual, till at last an old German General,
who sat at his left, said that he would
like to see a specimen Of what his Ex
cellency could do. SAKE made no ans
wer, but took up large silver dish.
which was standing before him, in his
strong white fingers. (for big and pow
erful as his hands were, they were white
and smooth as any lady's, and he was
proud of them, and without more ado,
rolled it up like sheet of paper!


"Can your Honor unfold that dish
again ?" asked he, handing it to the Ger


man and, although the General was a
strong man, and tried his best, he found
the task too hard for him, and was
forced to own himself beaten.


"Your Excellency's strength is very
great" said he, "but nevertheless, / yen-
ture to think that there is one man in
Flanders who can match it."


Sand who may he be2" asked Sake,
frowning.


"a blacksmith in the village of Schev-
eningen, Dirk Hogan by name. All the
country around knows Of his exploits;
and when met with him myself, saw
such things as / should have thought
impossible, had my own eyes not wit.
messed them" ~
| When the marshal heard this, he look
ed blacker than ever; and the first thing
he did next morning was to send off
messengers in every direction to inquire
for village called ScheveningeD, and a
/ man named Dirk Hogan. And, sure
enough. some Of them came back with


news that there was such village, and
that Dirk Hogan. the smith, had been
living there till quite lately; but that


now he had sold his forge and gone


away, and nobody knew what had be-


come of him. asss.s


This was decided disappointment for


our friend Sake, but he had something


else to think of just then. The enemy's


army had lately received strong re-en
forcements, and seemed inclined to at


tack him; and he was riding out one


morning to reconnoiter their position,


when suddenly his horse stumbled and


cast shoe.


"There's village Just ahead Of US,
lyour Excellency," said one of his off,
: GERS. "Shall ride on and see if / can
find blacksmith ?


"Do so," answered Sake and the off,
Ger came back presently to say that he
. had found what he wanted. So the
. horse was led up to the door of the
smithy, and the smith himself came out
Ito have q look at it.
The moment he appeared, the marshal
fastened his eyes upon him as If he
would look him right through. And
well he might; for this smith was such
7 man as one does not see every day
3 Very nearly as tall as Sake himself, and
even broader across the shoulder, while
| upon his bare arms the huge muscles
stood out under the tanned skin like
coils of rope. The marshal felt at once


that he could never be comfortable till
he had had trial Of strength with this
Isturdy.looking fellow; so ho bade him
|, bring out one OF his horse shoes.


The smith did SO; and SAKE, looking


at it, said quietly: "This ware of Yours
lis but poor stuff, my friend; it will no,
: stand work. Look here!'


He took it in his strong hands, and
with one twist broke the iron like bis
cuit. -
The smith looked at him for q mo
ment, and then without seeming at al


taken aback, brought ont second horse


shoe, and third; but SAKE broke then
: as easily as he had broken the first.
g "Come," said he, / see it's no us
picking and choosing among such
t trashy lot; give me the irst shoe tina
;, comes to hand, and we'll cry quits. I
Q The smith produced a fourth shoe an,
fitting it on; and Sake tossed him
French crown-coin about the size Of
silver dollar. The Dutchman held 1t u
}. to the liaht. and shook his head