General Nelson A. Miles, when head of the army, used to be
continually besieged by cranks with pneumatic rapid-firing guns,
dirigible war balloons, and other martial inventions. But the
general would weed these cranks out with admirable speed. An
inventor, quoted in the New York _Independent_, says:
“I sat in his office with him one day when a servant brought in
a card. ‘Oh, send him in,’ said General Miles. ‘His business
won’t take more than a minute or two.’ So in came a wild-eyed,
long-haired man, twisting his soft hat nervously in both hands.
‘General,’ he said, ‘I have here’--and he took out a small
parcel--‘a bullet-proof army coat. If the Government would adopt
this--’ ‘Put it on. Put it on,’ said General Miles, and he rang
the bell. The servant appeared as the inventor was getting
into the coat. ‘Jones,’ said the general, ‘tell the captain of
the guard to order one of his men to load his rifle with ball
and cartridge and--’ ‘Excuse me, general, I forgot something,’
interrupted the inventor, and with a hunted look he disappeared.”
(3210)
=Text Finding=--See EARLY RELIGION.