The Republican., 1893-05-11
"A WATERLOO VETERAN.
He Was Proud Of His Medal and
His Son.

His Son.
How fate drifted the old veteran into
our little Canadian Lake Erie village |
never new. Drifted him? No; he ever
marched as If under the orders of his
commander. Tall, thin, white-haire
close-shaven and always in knee
breeches and long stockings, he was an
antique and martial figure Fresh
whitefish," was his cry which he de-
ilivercd as if calling all the village to
fall in for drill.
So impressive was his demeanor that
he dignified his occupation. For years
after he disappeared, the peddling OF
whitefish by horse and cart was re-
garded in that district as highly re-
spectacle. 1t was glorious trade
when old John Locke held the steel
yards and served out the glittering fish
with an air of distributing ammunition
for long days combat
believe l noticed on the first day l
saw him how he tapped his left breast
with proud gesture when he had done
with lot of customers and was about
to march again at the head of his horse.
That restored him from trade to his SOL
diership-he had saluted his Waterloo
medal!
There, beneath his threadbare old
blue coat, it lay, always felt by the heart
of the hero.
"Why doesn't he wear it outsider" l
once asked.
He used to-" said my father, It'll
Hiram Scudder, the druggist, asked
him what he'd take for the bit of pew
ter"
"What did old John say, sir?'
Take for the bit of pewterr said
he, looking hard at Scudder with scorn.
I've took better mems lives nor ever
yours was for to get it, and I'd sell my
own for it as quick as ever l offered it
before
"'More fool you,' said Scudder.
You're nowt,' said old John, very
calm and cool, you're nowt but walk
ing dirt From that day forth he would
never sell Scudder fish; he wouldn't
touch his money"
1t must have been late in 1854 or
early in 1855 that l first saw the medal
'0OAhk AloLh SClOOl Ol IL OTlXHU
winter afternoon met old John walk
ing very erect, without his usual fish
supply. A dull, round white spot was
clasped on the left breast of his coat.
''Mr. Locke" said the small boy,
staring with admiration, lis that your
glorious Waterloo medal?'
you're a good little ladr'
He stopped to let me see the noble
pewter
WARS declared against Rooshia,"
went on the old man, land now's right
to show it. The old regiments sailed,
and my only son is with the colors."
Then he took me by the hand and led
me into the village store, where the
lawyer read aloud the news from the
paper that the old veteran gave him. In
those days there was no railway within
fifty miles of us. 1t had chanced that
some fisherman brought old John a
later paper than any previously received
in the village.
''Ay, but the duke is gone" said he,
shaking his white head, land it's curious
to be fighting on the same side with an
other Boney."
All that winter and the next, all the
long summer between, old John dis
played his medal. When the report
of Alma came his remarks on the French
failure to get into the fight were severe.
what was they ever without Boney?'
he would inquire.
But letter from his son after Inlker-
man changed all that.
Gsu,1f ~f III
of us clean tired with fighting" wrote
Corporal Locke. What with bullet
through the flesh of my right leg and
the fatigue of using the bayonet so long,
/ was like to drop.
The Russians We're coming on again
as If there was no end to them, when
strange drums came sounding in the
mist behind us. With that we closed
up and faced half-round, thinking they
gone, so there was nothing more to do
but make out to die hard, like the sons
of Waterloo men. You would have
been pleased to see the looks of what
was left of the old regiment, father.
Then all of a sudden a French
column came up the rise out of the
mist, roaring 'Nive I rEmpereur" their
drums beating the charge. We gave
them room, for we We're too dead tired
to go first On they went like mad at
the Russians, so that was the end of a
hard mornings work. I was down,
tainted with loss of blood, but will
soon be fit for duty again. When
came to myself there was Frenchman
pouring brandy down my throat and
talking in his gibberish as kind as any
Christian Never a word will say agin
them red-legged French again"
'Show me the man that would, E"
growled old John. 1T was never in
them French to act cowardly. Didn't
they beat all the world, except US and
the duke?"