THE FUTURE FORETOLD.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 25, Issue 40, 26 May 1914, Page 8

THE FUTURE FORETOLD.

The King and Queen of Norway's visit to Paris brought forth a very curious story of an adventure which (.he King, as a yoiung man, had with a fortune-teller. In the year 189 C King Haakon, then Prince Charles ol Denmark, was on board a training ship with other naval cadets, when they sighted the port of MaJlaga. The pupils, as soon as they got intc harbour, got permission to go on shore, and before starting they asked the captain was there anything cV special interest that they should not miss seeing. “I know of nothing,’’ he replied, “but the beautiful for-tune-teller, Dolores de Isla. She has a cafe in the Rue del Carmen, and I believe she is wonderful.’’ The evening saw all the young future Danis! - officers in the cafe of the Rue tie! Carmen. Prince Charles, who was in no way to be distinguished from the others, asked the landlady to toll his fortune. She took his hand carelessly, but, after staring at it for a moment, dropped it and looked al him frightened and curious. The Prince, seeing her so serious. fo 'lowed her to a little distance when she whispered a few- words ir his ear. When he returned to it if place he looked so pale and so terribly upset that none of his com- ’ pauions dared to ask him what bad been said. About a month later, as the training ship was entering Copenhagen, Prince Charles said tc Ids friend, Herdebred, who was standing near him : “Do .you remember the fortuneteller of Malaga !’’ ‘T should think I do,’’ replied Hen dchivd. “What she said to mo was cv course nonesen.se, ’’ continued the Prince. “Still, there are between heaven and earth things that scholars have not yet discovered. You hate always been rny most sincere friend, and I want to make a confidante ol you. 1 wrote down what the fortune teller said to mo, and I have enclosed it in this sealed envelope. I want you to keep the packet for mo until I ask for it, unless I die, when you can open it and read it, since in that case it will be all proved to be a lie.” Herdebred took the envelope and put it safely away. The next Lime that the friends met it was in Copenhagen. Prince Charles was then married, and lie invited Herdebred to come to lunch with him and meet Princess Maud. “And,” he said, as they were parting, “if you still have the package I gave you containing the words of the fortune-teller bring it with you.” After a very jolly luncheon the envelope was opened with much laughter by Prince Charles, who read aloud the words : “You will inherit a throne, and you will change, your name without changing your language.” “No one,” he said, “will ever know how much torment these few stupid words have caused me. 1 could only inherit the throne through the death of my brother, whom 1 love better than my life. When Christian got married my mind became easier. Then when his boy was horn I was still more assured. Finally, when his second lusty youngster was born a few days ago, 1 felt f could put all fears for my dear brother aside, so that is all the 1 fortune-telling is worth. Don’t think me too foolish to have let such a nightmare weigh on me all these years. I was very young and impressionable. I was an unknown stranger in a far off land, and the forlune-tel'er’s words connecting me so c'osely with a throne seemed very strange. 1’ now see it was some trickery, or a mere coincidence, on the part of the Dona Dolores de Isla of Malaga.”