Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1884-11-21
The Duke OF WcllingtOn's Experiment.

In n rround-hOOr room in one OF the
larrc public buildings of London man
Sal writing at table covered with
raprrS. He was short, strongly built
figure, with a prominent nose, ana
1a.r hard and massive as granite
Statue. gearing the set look peculiar
to men who have Sarmountcd great
Difficulties and confronted great perll-.
Few, indeed, had had more practice in
both than thi> man, for he was no other
than the Duke of Wellington, and his
browning victory at Waterloo was still
but few years old.
There was the tinkle of bell outside.
and then murmur of voices in the
antcroom, but the Duke never raised
his head from his writing, even when
his secretary entered and said:
III it please your Grace. that man
with the bullet-proof breastpiatc has
called again, and wishes very much to
see Your Grace for n moment.
The Dukes face darkened, as well it
might. for the man in question was the
most pertinaclouS bore whom he had
ever en- ,oun.ercd. The bullet-pr"of
cuiras, was his own invention. and he
never lost a chance of declaring that
the safety of the whole British army de
pended upon the instant adoption OF
this n,arallcled di covery," wchih
he carried about with him, and ex
h.bited at all times and in all places.
Had this iecn all, he would soon
have been disposed of but, unluckily,
he had conirved to interest IN his in
ven,ion one or two of the Dukes per-
sonal frien IS, and to get from them let
tiers Of recommendation which even
Wellington could not easily disregard.
Something must clearly be done. how
ever; for although the fellow had hth-
erto been kept at Lay, he was evident
ly determined to give the Duke no
pea e till the matter had been fully
gone into.
For moment Wellington looked so
grim that the secretary began to hope
for the order which he would gladly
have obeyed, viz, to kick the inventor
into the street forthwith. But the next
instant the iron face cleared again, and
over it played the very ghost of a smile.
like CLEAN of winner sunshine upon a
precipice
"Show him in," said he, briefly.
The obsrrvant secretary noted both
the tone and the smile that accom-
paned il; and he inwardly decided that
it would have been better for the in
ventor if he hail not insisted ON seeing
the duke.
In came the great discoverer-a tall,
slouchcd, shabby. slightly red-noscd
man, with woulibe iaunry air, VIII ch
gave way little, however, before the
"iron Duke 5" penetrating glance.
81 am glad to think that your G.acc
appreciates the merits of my inven-
tlon," said he, in a patroniling tone.
'Thcy are. indeed. too important to
be undervaiued by any great command
er. Your Grace cannot fail to remcm
Der the havoc made by your gallant
troops at Waterloo among the French
cuiraSs ers, whose b:eastplates were
not bullet-proof whereas. if"
Have you got the thing with yol??'
interrupted Wellington.
The inventor unwrapped very
SNOWY lookin. CUR IS OF polished steel.
and was just beginning a long lecture
upon its merits. when the Duke cut
him short by asking:
ARE you quite sure IL Is Dullet-
proof? -
">iuite sure, your Grace"
Put it on. then, and 60 and stand in
that corner"
The other wonderingly obeyed.
MIR. Temple" shouted Wellington
to his secretary, tell the sentry out
side TO load with ball-cartridge, and
come in here to test this cuirass. Quick.
now"
But uick though the secretary was,
the inventor was quicker still. The
moment he realized that he had been
set up there on purpose to he fired at.
and to be shot dead on the spot if his
cuirass turned out to be not bullet-proof
after all. he leaped headlong through
the open window with yell worthy of
Black DOT Indian. and darling like n
rocket across the court yard. vanished
through the outer gateway; nor did the
Duke of Wellington, from that day
forth. ever Sc, or hear of him again.
Darid Her, IN Hdrper'S Magazine.