Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1884-08-07
Behind a Shield.

Great men have often found It advisa-
BILE to work behind q shield. Lord
Bacon remarks that there are cases in
which it is wise 80 borrow the name OF
the world and say 'there is q speech
abroad or the world says +'
when a man would not be seen in the
business himself" How often, in the
days of the most despotic monarchs. has
the nominal King of country been
merely the shield behind which some
greater man reigned. Richelieu ruled
France in the name of Louis Kill, and
at one time Wolsey was nearly as abso-
lutte in England until he committed the
mistake of casting aside his shield and
Iroclaiming Ego" before REX meus."
A name or title has often strange in
fuence over the popular Imagination,
and acts which would be bitterly re-
sented if done on a mans own author
ity may te safely carried on under the
shield of some familiar name. Crom.
well found it advisable to profess for a
time to work under the direction of the
Parliament, until the browning mercy"
of Worcester made him strong enough
to throw off the mask. Even then he
took refuge behind that often used shield
necessity and call from Heaven to
carry out his own wishes.
"A sense of duty is a favorite shield
with many people, buckler which
they intcrpose between themselves and
many disagreeable claims. Business
also is useful shield. Protected by
this plea, a man can escape many
domestic annoyances and indulge in
many snug pleasure expeditions.
1t enables us to decline disagreeable in
vitations, to shirk unpleasant duties, to
throw off lawful responsibilities
fact, there may be truth in the ex-
preston: enjoying bad health"
Youth and age may both be turned to
account as useful bucklers. Too
young to be expected to think of such
things" or, too old to be troubled
about these matters" "They said to
the camel-bird ii. e. ostrich), Carry
and it replied: 4 can not, for [ am a
bird They said to it: Fly and it re-
piled: 4 can not, for am BEAST"
runs an Eastern proverb, and many
people are equally apt in their use of
varying SnleluS.
The shield-bearer does not always
succeed in perfectly sheltering himself
behind his buckler Sometimes his
neighbors detect the device and resent
it. 1t is recorded that one of the rare
occasions on which the self-controlled
and crafty Philip, of Spain, gave vent
to burst of rage was when the Prince
of Orange sheltered himself behind the
name of 1.-The Estates" In 1859 the
Prince had an audience with the King
at Flushing, when Philip reproached
him with secretly intriguing against
Spanish interests. The Prince replying
that he only acted in accordance to the
will of the States General, Philip, ''boil-
ing with rage, seized the Prince by the
wrist, enchanting: Non los Estados, ma
vos, vos, vos, >" (Not the estates, but
you, you. you,'O ''vos' in Spanish be-
ing as disrespectful as ''toi'' in French.
There is a story of a Yorkshire parson
of the last century having dispute
with neighbor, who said, angrilv:
''Your cloth is your protection" ut
raay be mine, but it shall not be
yours, was the indignant retort, as the
parson pulled off his coat and prepared
for battle. Horace Walpole relates a
story of French officer who applied to
Marshal Toiras, on the eve of battle,
for leave to 90 home and see his sick
father. go, said the Marshal, seeing
through the pretext '.you do not for
get that those who honor their parents
shall be rewarded by length of days"
London Standard,