The Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1850-1852, 1850-07-18
Yankee Blade. |

->bSs----
WELLIN AND his WATERLOO
BREECHEs.-The private circles of the
London aristocracy have been enliven-
ed recently by the narrative Of very
comical affair which is said to have
been enacted by the Duke of Yelling.
ton, the bishop of London, and Mrs.
Loudon, the authoress. 1t is certainly
one of the richest things of the kind we
ever remember reading, and give j.
below in the shape in which it hus
crept into the London papers:
"a remarkable story has been in
circulation in private circles for some
days past, which, we think, is too good
to be lost TO the general public, par
ticularly as it numbers among its ORA
MATS rEEsoNm no less pcrsonages
than Field Marshall his Grace the
Commander-in.Ch Chief, the Metropolitan
Bishop, and an accomplished author
ess. 1t is only necessary TO mention
the name Of Mrs. Loudon, TO recall to
the readers memory, the clever writings
Of that lady, on horticulture. She was
lately in the neishborhood Of Strath-
iicldsaye, and being anxious to visit
spots remarkable for fine specimens OF
the vegetable world. she wrote TO the
Duke, conveying her desire to see some
bee ches, FOR which the gardens of his
Grace were celebrated. The letter
was duly delivered, and the dude, rails
ing his glasses and glancing at the con-
tents, his eye caught hastily the sigma
ture of the note, C. j. Loudon, and
he at once came to the conclusion that
it came from Charles James, Bishop of
London, more particularly as the hand
writing bore close resemblance TO that
Of the Righ, Rev. prelate. But whilst
there was nothing remarkable in the
fact of a note from the bishop, the OBJ
ject of it did raise his Grace's most cs-
pccial wonder, for that same rapid
glance which had converted an amiablc
lady into a bishop, metamorphosed the
ma jes,ic bcechcs Of Strathfeldsaye into
the neither garments Of their illuslrious
: owner; in fact the note ran thus . Mat
&C. J. Loudon' (tle ordinary laconic
mode in which Charles James, Bishop
of London, sums up his honors and dig
nities) was dcsirous of viewing the
Duke of Wellington's 'breeches.' How
the Duke looked as le eyed the note,
is not our province to picture, but with
his usual despatch, and thinking that
the reques, applied to the Waterloo in
expressibIes, and that they might be
wanted for artistic purposes, he direct.
cd his valet to look out the article, and
forward j, in polite form TO bis lord
ship.
The packet arrived at the bishops,
and the amazcmcut with which the pre-
lalc received with "F. NJ. the Duke o.
Wellington's compliments" his "Wat
terloo breeches," may possibly be con
ceiyed. But the ludicrous was sooI
changed into the painful, as The idea
J flashed through the mind Of the bishop
thai all was 10, "9uiie right" with the
great veteran, and 10 solve the painful
doubt hi, lordship started of to The
premier TO make Lord John a party II
the extraordinary present he had re-
ccived. Now i, happened that after
the parcel had been despatched, ih'
Duke WAS struck by a similar though
as 10 the mental state Of the right rev
erend prelaie, and he, too, thought j
his duty 10 report 10 the premier Tho
probable state Of one OF the beads o
the church militant. His Grace arriv
ed most arpropos. The Bishop wa
With the premier, Lord John was pom
dering over the mystery Of the brecch
es, when up rode the noble owner o
, them. How he and the bishop lookes
a, each other, is again one Of those ma,
ters in which the imagination Of ,h'
pencil mus, core 10 the duty OF ib'
, pen. But the climax Of The scene was
!. thatihe letter, the source from whence
all the mischief lad arose, Was prodoc
ed, conned over, and q. length right,
interpreted, {. J. Lot,don was subs,i
|, iuted for she Bishop u London, ,h'
beeches Of S,ra,tfe ldsaye for the duke
|, breeches, and TO sum up, Mrs Loudoi
received by return Of post polite com
|, p.iance with hcr request. We hav'
given the above iscts ~ they hAv'