SEBASTOPOL DAY.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 10758, 11 September 1900, Page 5

SEBASTOPOL DAY.

'AN AFTERNOON WITH THE VETERANS.

MEMORIES OF BATTLE.

(Br- Mbs Malcolm Ross.) WELLINGTON, September 10. Over forty years ago Sebastopol was cap* tured by the Allies, and Russia, spent by the struggls, consented to terms of peace. Last Saturday, the anniversary of the greatday, her Majesty's veterans were entertained at luncheon by his Excellency the Governor of New Zealand and the Countess oi Ranfurly.' The idea was of the happiest, and coming us it did when the clamour of war is in the air and the Empire is bcmdod together against a common foe. the -function was intensely impressive. It w-ius no ordinary smart crowd that wea* gathered, at the doors of Government House on Saturday. All were old, most greyfcaired, and some pathetically frail and weak. It was .pretty to see the care tho more stalwart veterans took of these, goid* 'uxg and supporting them with «i protecting tenderness. Many were there long he* fore their time, fearful of missing any parfc of what they had been looking forward to aver since they received the largo invitation card—itself n sacred souvtnir. Some of the veterans are employed about Wellington selling various things. Their trade latterly must have sullY-re'd. so excited have they been at the prospect of dining at Govewiuienr House. "Are you , «oing?" asked one. "Yes! Ah. well. we'll be all equal to-morrow, anyhow." I assured him lie was much the sup&rior, for 1 was uofc

a veteran. Some of the guests had come :v long way —from Napier. Taranaki, and Nelson : but as oxie ready Irish tongue put. it afterwards, '\Saure, no way's too f*r to travel to get sudi kindness." . RECEIVING "THE OUESTS. It was a pleasure to Avatch the guests ac they filed into the drawing-room, and were greeted by Lord and Lady Ranfurly. It was a rather -irregular procession, for now and again the way was stopped by a man who wanted a little conversation with Jus Excellency. Some, too, were frail; and had to crtep very slowly, and others, who had fallen behind, had to be guided to where Lady Ranfurly, with outstretched, kindly hand, was waiting to welcome them. The force of habit was stwwig in. these soldiers. The bent backs were straightened-, and! up went fche wrinkled hands to the forehe&da in soldi en , salute as they came opposite their host and hostess. One old greyheaded man stooped and kissed the hand of the Ccuntess in the courtliest style, and others, unnerved, completely wandered, and never saw his Excellency standing to ire*

ceive them. The medals made a brave array. Lord ■Xtpfiftiriy %vlls wealing his decorations, and the Premier, 'who with Mr Ward, -Sir Arthur Douglas and a few others, was ■watching the guests file in, hud also a medal :bcsides las buttonhole. Borne of the yete». rans wore three or, four decorations. Others had in addition adorned themselves with 4?ed, white and blue rosettes, and -cne had this sergeant's gold stripes sewn on his worn tweed «oat. One of the .veterans, poim> ing to hia breast, told us that he had lost all Ms medals in a. fire. It pioba'bly meant more to him than anyone could realise.

Here and tbere * stately figure was seen •among, tile crowd. Inspector Pender and Colonel P«ntoii towered like Sauls among ■the prophets. Three or four lyright raii; forms jjiade aplasias of colour amid the general grey and brown. Among the guests were names well knovnn in 'New ZealATrd <histarr. Men who had. led brave soldiers against as- br&vt* a foe in the 'Muori war, ■cofflinaudera hi the Royal Navy, captains, colonels, sergeants, privates—ail sons ami conditions of men were present. Very srnwt were some of these, but the majority vote ordinary clothes. However, one oldl •Bia2i, drawing himself up. said that vre should have seen him. in his soldier's dresa —'he wus worth looking at then.

THE .SCENE AT THE TABLES.

Very soon the guests—about; one hundred and fiffcv in nuaiboi —were sitting at the long tables -fliM' flrere placed down the ball-room. Masses jo£ foliage gcresraed the door o£ ,Lady Ranfuriy's 4itting-rooin, and great bowls «f arum lilies and daffodils were •placed on the mantel-shelves, which, "ware .draped with briiiiaat silken embroideries; but the tables were decorated only wibif palms, a most appropriate decoration, considering the victory the day commemwated. His .Excellency sat at the head of one long table, and tike Premier, us Minister of Defence, at the oilier. Lady Constance and Lady Eileen -b-alnedi to wait on. the guests, and it was iTu-etty to see the pleasure of "the old mcii.as tlwsy watched the busy -girlish tignres. '-I'be Hon. C. Hill*: Trevor and .the Hon. ftlr Butler, too, weaw .most assiduous. After -the dinner was over a-nd "God Savd .the Queen" hud been kuh#, with immense .enthusiasm, cigars wera handed .round, , , and soon soft blue clouds were rising übDve the ilojig lines of hs«py old face s* J^. ■gossip of the Veterans. It was easy to get some to talk. The t>Li Crimean veterans espseiaDy were full of i anemones. Many of -these' were tragic, f>t 'the terrible Russian winter, and the feirfql ffxposurs in the trenches tfliat was accouKtabte lor such loss of.life. Lady Banfnrlys lather was,in the- Coldsti'eam Guards during the Crimean war, and endured terrible privations. The Ooimtess, therefore, keeps a kindly corner in her heart for these veterans who underwent co -nxavh for the sake of England. One weather-beaten soldier—the man whose sergeants stripes weie sewn on his tweed coat, and who had been in many great battles—talked of the Crimea. "I mada a pair of bieeehea out of a blan.ket/' said he, "and if it hadn't been for those breeches, I should not be sitting.here ■to-day, my lass. My word, it was bitter cold."

On being asked what he had been doing that afternoon, forty-six. years ago. Inspector Pender, a .Crimean* veteran, said lie had been creeping up a rnxiiiie with his <2onir&des to join the rest of tlie army. The Rovai Navy men, too, Imd deeds of daring to* rekt-e, and the New Zealaad veterans told of Maori bravery, as well as British pluck. One old greyhead had seen Ton Tempsky die. There were no Victoria Crosses among the decorations, although it. is said there are at least two men in New Zealand who own this coveted honour. One is tho stationmaster of Wangtnrai, but he could not leave hi* post. Very ■.-sorrowfully the onlookers accosted" one man -srho.se right aUeve hung empty. "Iv what battle did you lose your arm" I asked, looking at the array of medals on his breast.

"Oh! I've been in many, but I never got) a scratch. I lost my arm moving a house lately."

This was too prosaic a cause for the curious ones, who retired discomfited.

A young-looking, dark-haired veteran "was the subject of much curiosity. He seemed to be too youthful to be among those greyheaded men.

"He must have been a mere baby at the , time of the Maori war," said some one. "Yes," retorted a man, "an infant in arms."

Mr Prouse sang "Hearts of Oak splendidhv and as the refrain "Steady! boys, steady f rang out, ope old man lifted his trembling hand and repeated the words like a command in time of battle. "Many a time I've heard that order," he said. A recitation by the daughter of one of toe veterans was received with great delight. INTERESTING MEETINGS. Then, came an adjournment, when pSbto/ graphs were to be taken. Watching the groups form and re-form on the lawn ww fascinating employment. Comrades in arms met who had not seen each other foimany years, and little clusters of veterans talked * over past campaigns, shouldering their *tick» and showing how., fields jj&Bxe

this New 7«..1n,! 1 p f wbom wore d»tingo7.brf bm-e^af V 7 & «* ° f The story nf I," i-r' M a fam »us scout. quill'v" "«'"»'■■■ o=e man aied ber?" 5 a Do Jou remem-

•olwd to make room for other, In Wt I. ! <Jn S , aturda y. »ne hearing hi, .cathed through the wakrf ***** UD "

LOUD ROBERTS TOASTED £win Uy V n **» afternoon he would give unotl«r, the health of Lord 25? l*\i CneS f of , greeted the name! ""I of the liUle «P«*fa. when the toast was drunk, uvea waved their hats length ' aßd Cheered with aU their fedin J*? H g " Her Ma J Mt y" with intense in h?' Ac Bpirited ref ™ in was taken I 1" ;' et I craM - J t have been difficult to nnd a more enthusiastic or apPWfiv* gathering. The long rowa of hi fl.r 1" *«*»'Joften«lin the distance IVrh fi. SillgeiS were mmt Picturesque. t th r° T% ft PPreciated item xZ a fn?m w y R«nturly had ji, st received from Home, Bung hy Mr HU j Jfc j^ &«g * Song of Victory," and the refrain, hands and sticks, ran somewhat m follOWS: — 1 " is tho mother, lhe table is tho. Statei Aad we're all very busy Wiping something oil a plaia. If you to we the finish, Come at once or you'll be /ate, *or we march mto Pretoria, in the morning One old man, who ha<J*been straneely «]«ot in the midst of talk, was fairly roused by the chorus Pit-king it up quickly, he rawed hl» feeble voice with the others, keeping time with both, hands and hist head. By the time "Rule Britannia" had been coM, there was tremendous enthusiasm. AnJd Lang Syne" came next, and the vetertsna—colonel and i«ivate, Premier and Oovernor—all took liands aa the sweet old «ur was sung. Lady lUnfurly, stepping forirar, joined the circle, and took the hands ol U*e ITemier and a very old veteran who had ceariv lost his life in tho Russian trenches. By this time all, even the onlookers, were fairly carried away with excitement, and so we linked hands and mag lustily. "Auld Lang Syne" can never grow hackneyed. Aa MM Guards, a mere haadlful of the glorious regiment that had left "London for the Crimea, marched through the street* when they came back, the same air waa played by the bands, and that was nearly fifty ytMs ago, when tho glorious battle of the Alma had just been fought and won. Led by the Premi/jr, ringing- cheers were given for the Governor and Lady Ranlurly. Then came the leavetakings. The little broken phrases spoken aa the men pressed forward were fraught with meaning. 'Til never forget Ivhis day," and one or other told his Excellency that he bad met men to-day that he had nob eeen for forty years. "I'm a proud man declared a Cr-nadred veteran as he wished Lady furly all sorts of jjod wishes. "Eh, your Lordship, fVut I'll never forget ton, cried another. '%'» the reddest letter day of my life." _ It was all very different to the conventional "Thank you for a pleasant evening" that too often comes only from the lipa. Lord and Lady Ranfqrly must have been tired, but they had t£«e supreme satisfaction of having igiveo a most (successful entertainment. 'i'hey would have recognised this had they ht nurd the comments of the old men aa they : filed down the drive. The guesta were all enthusiasm and delight

"Ahl" said one, shaking his grey head, 'it a many has the power, Bill, bnt it auafc everyone as has the will." The pleasures of that afternoon will probably be a "£& °* conversation for a very long time. The Premier told mc that one veteran, evidently a philosopher of the first -water, we* so excited over the coming banquet that •» 1?ot locked , up h etfore the festivities began. "r*evtT mind," he> said cheerfully, as the kmj was turned on. Mm. "If I've not been etftertained by the C-ovemor, at any rate I W.n by the Govfjnrais nt." _ We are all patriots these days. It is the fashion to wear Kjtch<mer at our belts, BadenPowell on our wattdi-chaina, and "Bobs" fastening our veils. A successful soldier is a hero, but there are many heroes whom the world acclaims not. and looking down those rows of toilworn, care 'ined faces, one longed to hear their individual histories. A suggestion eagerh* grasped by little Lady Eileen, "who eyed the old soldiers with wistful cariosity, was that each veteran should tell Jiis history in turn. iSh-e said she would IMke .one on each wee'fc day and two on Sundays—a sort of up-to-date Arabian nights. After all, these are the men who have helped in "the sudcten making of splendid names," have helped, too, to make the Empire. Some of thorn have been so busy Empire-building tliat they have had no time to gather aught for their old age, and have fallen on evil daiys. It is the people'e <laty, their prerogative, to help those who faave helped the nation in the nation's need.