er the title of Duke Frederick VIII., of
the united and independent province of Sleswick-Holstein.

[Illustration: Reproduced by permission of the Philadelphia Museum. THE
BOURSE, COPENHAGEN. DENMARK.]

This impulsive act led to most important
results. All the German powers to the south, large and small alike,
supported the pretensions of the self-styled Frederick VIII., and before
the end of the year Austrian and Prussian armies entered the province,
which they proposed to hold until the claims of the house of Augustenburg
should be definitely settled.

This threw Denmark into a difficult position. If she wished to avoid
dismemberment she must fight, and to fight against these two great powers
seemed madness. Yet Prussia and Austria pressed one condition after
another upon her, each more galling than the last. England, however,
offered herself as umpire between the parties, strongly favoring Denmark.
In consequence, fully expecting aid from England, a Danish army of forty
thousand men crossed the border and attacked the Prussians.

But England sent no aid and the Danes were forced to retreat and once
more take refuge upon Als Island. As England showed no intention of
helping them with armed assistance, despair followed the patriotic effort
of the Danes, who were left single-handed to oppose their powerful foes.
Yet in spite of their greatly inferior power they made a gallant defence,
their courage and endurance winning the sympathy of those who looked on.

Yet to struggle against such fearful odds was hopeless. The Prussians
occupied one strong point after another until they had penetrated to the
most northerly point of the peninsula. Then, to save his kingdom from
utter destruction, Christian IX. gave way and accepted the terms offered
him, agreeing to renounce all claims on the duchies of Sleswick-Holstein
and Lauenburg and to abide by the decision of Prussia and Austria as to
the future fate of these provinces.

Thus were the weak dealt with by the strong, in the rude old fashion, and
of its once proud dominion Denmark was left only the northern half of the
peninsula, consisting of Jutland and its neighboring islands, a pocket
kingdom of some 15,000 square miles extent in lieu of its once great and
proud dominion.

Yet it was not without satisfaction that the despoiled Danes looked on
when their two powerful enemies, quarreling over the division of the
spoils, sprang at one another's throats like two dogs sna