The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-05-01
A BALAKLAVA HERO.

The head of an ogre crouching for
possible victims could have looked no
less grim than the huge, squat work.
house standing back from the road.
Tall iron ratings encircled it like
collar of spikes, and q one Widowed
porters lodge blinked banefully at pas
sers-by.
weary old man helped himself
along with the aid of a stick. He
Strengthened his figure when he reached
the lodge, and seemed to hesitate while
he looked at the building with dim,
weak eyes, and the rushing wind fiut-
tered his clothes like rags on scare
crow.
He made several steps forward, then
retreated. AS he Strengthened him
self to walk, three medals for valor
jingled loosely on his shrunken breast.
He glanced round nervously. There
was no one to watch. He was only
hero, and he hesitated on the thresh-
mold of the workhouse He had braved
the Russian cannon, and had slipped
down rope at Lucknow into ruck of
frenzied sepoys. Why should he hest
tate?
April rain began to pelter down fit
fully. He pulled his worn coat closer
over him and strobe forward with final
resolution.
On the steps of the workhouse he
turned to get a last furtive glance at
the outer world. AS the sun leaped
from behind a cloud it glittered on the
medals on his breast
In the lodge a square, owled man,
with hard, straight creases in his sui
len face, was tapping abstractedly on
an old desk with an enormous key To
an imaginative mind he would have
served as an admirable miniature por-
trait of the workhouse itself.
toward big book
James Redfern, late of the Tenth
Black Watch" answered the old man.
James Redfern was past work and
explained this to the governor who
promptly ordered him to break a hun
dredweisht Of stone as a preliminary
canter; this was probably to take the
freshness out Of him and to disillusion
him as to his incapacity for work.
Redeem was locked in a cell furnish
ed with great jagged Jumps of stone,
and 1t was his compulsory duty to
break them into pieces small enough
to pass through grating in the wall
The old man toiled hour after hour,
but his weak blows seemed TO e rather
caressins the stone than breaking il.
At length, in the afternoon, he fell for
ward over his hammer and the jagged
stones that Uttered the floor.
'Hello," said the square, owled
warder, opening the door None of
this, yer know. This amt a lady's
boodoir. This amt "a"
He jerked the old man face up. His
features were cut with the jagged stone
and black lines of hunger ringed his
eyes.
When the warder, by twirling Red
ferns hand round and round, and by
pinching his arm, had satisfied himself
that there was no shamming, the old
manWas removed to the infirmary He
was very light burden, and a stalwart
casual slung him over his shoulder and
carried him off jauntily, like sack of
flour. When he came to the doctor or
dered him boiled eggs and nourishing
diet for day or two.
a card to this effect was hung over
his bed with string. A pauper in the
next bed, who suffered from epileptic
fits. anathematized the old man garru-
lousy. The boiled eggs seemed partic-
ularly to rouse his ire. Every time the
warder passed TO the other end of the
long room he would lift himself on his
elbw and scream across the interven-
such an amount of condemnation into
this phrase that the other patients took
up the matter, and by muttered and
disjoirtted conversation arrived at the
opiniC that the old soldier was a par
lous ruffian, a pfSuner on generosity,
an interloper and a thief.
In three days the doctor certified
that Redfern was able - >ave his bed,
and the old man meekly toose and hud-
Il ~ f,,I
ments.
Redfern went into the office of the
square-faced warder. who said that he
must return to breaking stones or leave
the house. There was to be a meeting
Of the guardians that afternoon, how
ever, and he had the option of apply
ing to them for lighter work.
The square-faced man took out of his
desk the three medals which Redfern
had been obliged to temporarily sur
render on his entrance
They amt bad medals, are they?"
said the square-faced man. Il suppose
they are worth five bob apiece?"
They are worth more than that to
me" said Redfern.
Wouldn't sell 'em. I suppose?" said
the warder.
mo. / wouldn't sell them for any
thing; they are the only things 1 have
left to remind me that I've been a SOL
dier!'
But they amt much good to you
now, yer know said the warder
Look ere, IN offer yer bargain.
You amt got no regular rights to stop
in this workus, but if you'll make me
a present of these ere medals I'll see
as they don't chuck you out yet
awhile"
If he had said the same thing thirty
years before. Redfern would probably
have broken some of the bones in his
thievish body. AS 1t was he said: "Oh.
no; you must give me my medals. 1
must have them on when l die; you
can have them after-you can have
them after / am the last of the old
regiment. When | die; they'll all be
gone. | must have my medals when |
die: they wouldn't take me back in the
regiment If l parted with them the
colonel would say: 'Redfern, where are
your medals?' Then l should be turn
ed out of my regiment. Yes, l must
wear my medals"
The old fellow had muttered these
last words as though to himself. 1t
was clear that his weakness had rem
dered him slightly delirious
We'll" said the warder. I'll save
them for you. shall I?' Then, with
out further ado, he slipped them, rib
bons and all, into his pocket
IL
The moment he did this his urbanity
vanished and he resumed his ordinary
manner.
Come, get out of here, and get to
work, Don't try to come that old-age
dodge on me-"
He called another warder, who took
Redfern in hand and logged him along