TRYING EXPERIENCE

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 May 1937, Page 14

TRYING EXPERIENCE

ILL-MATED HUSBAND AND WIFE

' Frederick William V. of Prussia, tho soldier-king, had a great, predilection for tall soldiers. One day as he was riding around the outskirts' of Berlin he saw a husky, well-built

peasant girl of attractive appeal ance. IHo dismounted from his. horse, entered into conversation with the girl, and was overjoyed to learn that she wus 1 19 years old and still umnaiiied* Taking a small notebook from his pocket he wrote the following order to the captain of his own “Regiment of Giants”: — “The bearer of this note must be married immediately to the handsomest grenadier of my regiment. This* command is irrevocable, and the slightest delay will be regarded by me as punishable.”

Whereupon he tore out the sheet: handed itjto the girl, and ordered her to take it to Berlin right away, as it concerned a matter of the highest importance. 'Phe young woman wasn’t any too anxious to comply with the request of this impetuous stranger, hut. promised to deliver the message when presented with some shiny pieces of gold. Totally unaware, however, that she had been speaking with the king, she thought it would be all the same jf someone else took the note to its destination as long as it got there. So she gave it to a goodnatured old hag of a woman who happened to be limping by in the direction of the city. The latter brought it dutifully to the general to whom it was addressed. Naturally the soldier was highly astonished at the contents of the I'tter. but didn't postpone the nuptials, which took place almost immediately, to the extreme horror of

the chosen grenadier. The next day the king expressed the desire to see the newly-wedded couple. He wished to offer them hiss congratulations and in his hearty way" encourage them to fruitful union. When he saw the ill-mated husband and wife he became very angry, but burst into uproarious laughter when he heard how the mistake had unwittingly occurred. The marriage was annulled immediately, and the young man was raised to the rank of corporal in compensation for his trying experience.