Double Take

In 1872, as any 15-year-old might, Walter Smith whiled away the monotony of a long church service at Britain's Windsor by chatting in furtive whispers with two kindred spirits in the same pew.

For years afterward Smith used to kick himself mentally because he learned too late that the sprigs he talked to were 1) H.R.H. the Duke of Clarence, and 2) his brother, the future King George V.

Last week, now a hale 90 and almost recovered from his chagrin, Walter Smith attended a large reception in South Africa's Orange Free State. An amiable gentleman soon singled him out for conversation. It was brief but pleasant, and afterwards Mr. Smith turned back to his old friend Mr. Fowkes. "Who was that gentleman?" he asked.

"That," said Mr. Fowkes, "was His Majesty King George VI."

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