The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-10-04
THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON.
"Reminiscences of the Iron Duke 10y Bis Son
His Old War Horse.

His Old War-HOfse.
H. R. Haweis. in Contemporary Review.
1 happened to be staying at country house in
Sussex, in 1882, when the Duke of Wellington
drove over to luncheon. Later in the day he
said to me, Come out and take a walk" That
afternoon we had a good deal of conversation
about the condition of the poor-their houses,
their habits, their character, and what should
be done to assist them. Soon
after this, happened to be staying with the
Duke of Wellington at Strathfeldsaye, and had
ample opportunity of aseertaining his views and
opinions on all sorts of questions.
have seldom had more amusing companion;
the conversation never tagged He was full of
anecdote-often about the great Duke Whom
remember seeing once in the House of Lords,
arm-in-arn with Lord Brougham, in 1850, and
whom the late Duke singularly resembled in
face) He told me Of that great mans extraor-
binary accuracy and command of details
This came out especially in the dispatches,
several volumes of which he had carefully edited.
''AIy father he said. used to read them admir-
ingly himself" For my life" he once said to
me- Il don't know how l ever come to write
en-" My father had one odd popularity -weak-
ness if you like to call it so-he would never be
corrected He used to drive himself and always
at great pace. Once my brother Charles was
sitting by his side. The horses were pelting
along at the usual rate, and to his horror
Charles saw that his father had fallen asleep,
still holding the reins. He had the power of
sleeping by snatches. l have seen him fall
asleep at dinner, and no dared either move
themselves or rouse him Well. the horses
neared a turnpike gate. 1t was closed Charles
inevitable. He nudged the Duke just in time.
Mind your own business Charles" said my
father, and Charles got no thanks.
Son another occasion the Duke gave my
brother check fol- Flo, with orders to send 1t
to some poor man who had written in distress
from Edinburgh My brother, before sending
it, made inquiries, and found the man to be an
impostor so he brought back the check. He
thought" added the Duke slyly, that my father
might say you keep the check, Charles Not
at all; my father pocketed the check, and merely
remarked. Charles, 1 told you to send off that
check Why cannot you obey ordersP"
He chuokled over Bradlaugh's idea of giving
pensions like his own (G2 900 year for two lives)
twelve years to run. q quite agreeable.
Personally, I'm all right If they abolish the
Lords 1 shall cross to Belgium. I can still live
in Spain, where [ am Duke of Cuid&o Rodrigo.
And if Spain collapses, l shall retire to Portu-
gal, where l shall end my days as Marquis of
Tarras Vedras and Count of Nimiero.
was walking in the Strathfeldsaye Park
with him one afternoon, when he paused at
rallied off clump of trees. Here" says he, 'lies
know that the famous Up, guards and at them
is not my fathers at all, but Lord Saltouns, and
the right words are Up, guards, and fire low
My father sat on Copenhagen fourteen hours at
a stretch at Waterloo. He was a horse not
much to look at but of great endurance and
spirit The Duke got him in Spain, and rode
him through his Spanish campaigns He was
very fond of him. -Four years before he died he
was kept here as pet, and the ladies were all
proud to ride him up and down the terrace, in
order to boast of having sat on his back He
was buried here very early in the morning. All
the servants turned out, and, to their surprise
the Duke, who was then very old and failing, got
up and appeared at the funeral When the horse
was brought out he Immediately noticed that
one hoof was off. He was very angry but could
not discover the robber. Some months after
ward he thought he should have hoof and
had Copenhagen dug up, but his three
remaining hoofs had rotted away. A farm la
borer hearing of this, asked to see my father,
and told him that he knew the man who had
done the deed. for he had himself bought the
hoof for three shillings six pence. In this way
the Duke recovered Copenhagens hoof, which
he had set, L think the Duke said, as an ink
stand"
Sand has this noble brute no tombstone, no
epitaph?" | asked, as we stood beside the grave.
''None whatever; but if you will be the laureate
he shall have ono"
1 was not eager for the honor thrust upon me;
but as the Duke alluded to it again after dinner
l thought it over when | went to bed If"
said to myself. 'he should ask third time, and
have nothing ready, he might think me un-
gracious"
The next day was leaving l had bid the
Duke good bye over night AS was at break
fast a servant entered and handed me the fol
lowing note from his Grace:
Dear Mr.. Haweis: l shall you wrote this
clerical epitaph if you don't produce something better
Yours WELLINGTON.
This was the Duk's epitaph:
Here lies Copenhagen, etc,
Gods humble instrument of brutal clay,
Should share the glories of that glorious day.
''Was there any answer?' There was Fortu-
nately l had written down my epitaph and had
it all ready. so | sent it up to the Duke 1t ran
thus:
Here full of honor and great memories,