Lawrence receives news of his father's illness, and starts with
his wife on a six weeks' furlough -- Voyage to London -- They
meet an agreeable fellow-cab-fare -- Are cheated by Lawrence's
own countrymen -- At last reach his native place -- Excitement
among the inhabitants -- Lawrence is received by his sister, who
immediately asserts her privilege of making him tidy -- First
meeting with his parents -- Reception of his wife by his
relatives -- The inconveniences of glory -- Expeditions to
various branches of his family -- General grief at his departure
not appreciated at its full value by Lawrence -- From
Dorsetshire to Scotland by road -- Mrs. Lawrence distinguishes
herself above her countrywomen and outwalks a British soldier --
Return to Glasgow -- The regiment presented with a new set of
colours.
The barracks at Glasgow we found to be comfortable; and after lying
there about three months, the winter of 1817 set in, and furloughs
were granted for two months to a part of the regiment. As I had a wife
with me and my home was so far away, I gave my furlough to a
fellow-sergeant that he might go to Ireland; but I wrote home and told
them I had arrived in England, and very soon received an answer back
from my mother to say my father was ill, and if I did not come then,
perhaps I should never see him again. I consulted my wife as to the
journey, and she readily consented to come with me, so I made up my
mind to try for another furlough. I accordingly took the old lady's
letter to the captain, who said, "Well, sergeant, there are so many
gone that I don't know whether the colonel will let you, but we will
ask him;" so we went to him, and on hearing the nature of my case he
readily consented to allow me six weeks, and signed my furlough. He
likewise advanced me one shilling per day for the six weeks, and as I
had lately received my Waterloo prize-money which was twenty pounds, I
started off with that, having previously bought some requisites in
clothing and a watch, the sort of things that make one feel a little
more respectable.
My intentions were to proceed to Leith to get a vessel bound for
London, and then to walk the remaining distance, which is upwards of a
hundred miles. The first day's march brought us twenty miles nearer
Leith, and we accomplished the remaining part on the following day;
and the next morning I went in search of a vessel, and finding a Leith
trader bound for London, I took passage in her for two, the captain
charging two guineas and a half including board. We were to sail next
day, and true to time we started, but owing to a heavy wind we were
obliged to run in and anchor at Berwick. While there a revenue cutter
which was cruising about came too close to us and knocked our little
vessel's bowsprit off, disabling her for three days; but when all was
put right we again set sail, and having a fair wind soon arrived in
the London Docks.
It being night we remained on board till the following morning, when,
after having had our breakfast, we started for Piccadilly, which we
found after a good deal of inquiry. A hackney cab then drove up to us
and the driver wanted to know where we were going, and on our telling
him and asking him the way, he said he would put us into the right
road for two shillings. I offered him eighteenpence, but he would not
take that, so we got him to show us the way and proceeded on walking.
We had not got farther than Hyde Park Corner, however, than we were
again overtaken by the same cab, and the man stopped and said that he
thought he could take us for the money now. He had one gentleman, an
Englishman, inside already, but evidently the sharp fellow was looking
out for a double fare; so he asked this gentleman if we might get
inside as we were going in the same direction. He politely and readily
consented, and we were forked in by cabby, who then shot off as if the
whole road was his own.
I was under the necessity of talking French to my wife, as she could
not understand English, which of course I made known to the gentleman,
who replied that he knew a little of that language himself. Then,
noticing my Waterloo medal on my breast, he said, "I see you have been
in the battle of Waterloo, sergeant?" "Yes," I replied, "and in many
other battles besides Waterloo;" and so a conversation ensued and we
soon became quite friends. He wished to know where I was bound for,
and when I told him, he politely asked me to spend a week at his house
on the way, saying I should not want for anything; but I told him the
reason of my hurry, thanking him for his kindness, and his stage
having expired at this period he got out. But he would insist on
giving my wife five shillings and paying our fare: we then shook hands
heartily and parted, he wishing us good-speed on our journey.
After that we walked on some distance till we came to a village where
we found the Salisbury road-wagon put up, and being very hungry we
entered a public-house and had some tea, and waited there till ten
o'clock. I was enjoying myself over my tobacco, when at nightfall some
ten or twelve customers came in and I spun them a pretty good yarn,
making them shake with laughter; but what amused them most, though it
annoyed my wife a little to see them laugh at what she could not
understand, was to hear me and her talk French together. At ten
o'clock the party broke up and I called for my bill, which was
fourpence for a glass of gin for myself and eightpence for the boiling
water for our tea, which was much to my surprise, as we had found our
own food, tea, and sugar. I asked the landlady if it was not a
mistake, and when she said no, I told her I wished she and her charges
were at the other side of the moon. However, I paid her, though I gave
her to understand that if we had been in the enemy's country we should
have got our boiling water for nothing.
We then joined the road-wagon, which was to start for Salisbury at
midnight. I spoke to the wagoner, who agreed to take us for two
shillings and told us we could get in at once; so, as we were very
tired, we did so, and lying down, soon fell fast asleep; and when we
awoke we found ourselves jogging on towards Salisbury, where we
arrived late the next night. I paid the man his well-earned two
shillings, besides which I had treated him to sundry refreshments on
the way; and we remained at Salisbury for the rest of the night,
starting early on the following morning for Blandford. We marched
seven miles before breakfast, and after it did not halt again till we
got to Blandford, where we stayed the night; and next morning, which
was Sunday, proceeded on towards my native village, which is about
eight miles from Blandford.
We arrived there during church service in the morning, and passing
through the churchyard as a near cut, went up the village, inquiring
at several houses where John Lawrence, my father, lived. I found it
was at the same house where I was born, but strange to say I did not
at all hurry myself to get there. I had found from the neighbours that
he was still living and much better, so I was at ease on that point.
At last, however, I strolled into a house, the owner of which I well
knew before I entered on my rambling life, but who was now turned into
an old woman, and I asked her the same question that I had already put
to others in the village, saying that I had seen my parents' son, and
had got a message for them. But woman's piercing eyes are not so
easily deceived, and she recognized me as a Lawrence, though she did
not know whether it was William or John. I certified as to that much,
and she immediately ran off to bring my sister. As may be well
imagined in a country place like that, we two strangers, one of us
dressed as a soldier, and our entering so many houses, had already set
the place all of a stir to know who we were, and now directly it was
found out, it was telegraphed all through the village. Before I could
get to my own door my sister was upon me, and did try to kiss me,
certainly, but I had not shaved since I left Scotland, and now I had a
long thick beard and moustache, so that the attempt was almost a
fruitless task. She cried out, "Come in; why don't you shave?" so I
asked her if there was any barber handy. "No," she replied, "but I'll
shave you, for I always do father," so in I went. My father and mother
were still out at church. My wife meanwhile could hardly make out
these scenes that were transpiring, not seeming to dare to interrupt
the proceedings with one French word to me; and my sister not having
yet thought to ask me who this mysterious woman was, she followed me
indoors without any questioning and like myself sat down. I pulled off
my knapsack, and the shaving-tackle was brought out; but it put me so
much in mind of the ceremony with the iron hoop when we crossed the
Line that I became impatient, and opening my knapsack took out my own
razor and finished myself.
By this time church was over, and putting my head out of the door I
beheld my brother, who could scarcely speak to me owing to his
feelings. I found both my father and mother had stopped to take the
sacrament, but when it was over I suddenly saw the old lady who had
got scent of the matter coming along like a spread-eagle with the same
old black bonnet and red cloak on that she had when I left her. I went
to meet her, but she was so overcome with emotion that I had to lean
her up against the house to prevent her falling, and then I proceeded
on to the old man, who was quite infirm and hobbling along behind on
two sticks, and I need hardly say that he behaved worse than any of
them at my strange and sudden appearance. I led him in and got him
with difficulty to a chair. None of us then spoke for a long time, but
at last the old man gave utterance to, "My child, I did not expect to
see you again." It was indeed sixteen long years since I had left them
at Dorchester.
My wife, though of course she could not understand a word, was much
affected by this scene. I now began to throw a word or two to her
occasionally in her own language, which surprised them a good deal,
and no less were they astonished when I told them she was my wife. No
doubt she felt queer with all strangers round her and in a foreign
land, which to her was like a new world, but by the evening we were
all reconciled to each other; and by that time too we had dozens of
friends and neighbours in to see us. My wife particularly wished to
know what all these people wanted, as so many could not be all
relations, so I told her that they had chiefly come to see her, as
they had never seen a Frenchwoman before; but of course she would not
believe this piece of flattery.
I then thought of wetting the subject a little, but there was no
public-house in the village, the nearest being at Piddletown about
three miles off. However, I got one of my brothers to go even that
distance, and he having brought back four gallons, we made ourselves
comfortable till ten o'clock, when we retired to rest in the same room
that I had slept in eighteen years before.
After a good night's rest we rose early and found all recovering
themselves, except perhaps the old lady, who had not yet done piping.
After breakfast I took a walk round the village and fell in with the
clergyman of the place, who would insist on taking me to his house and
giving me some ale; and when he had once got me there, he kept me for
at least an hour, the chief topics we talked about being the war and
the religion of the countries I had been in. I was glad enough to get
away from there, but I had to spend the whole of that day in visiting
the people of the village; and the next day I had to occupy still
worse, for my mother brought out every letter sent by me during my
absence from the first to the last, and made me listen to them being
read, which by the time night came on had almost sent me crazy. I
advised her to burn the lot, but that only made her put them back in
their place again, saying, "Never, William, so long as I live."
We passed the next two days visiting such of my brothers and sisters
as lived more near, and then as I could not rest in one place for
long, on the third morning I set out with my wife for Corfe Mullen,
about twelve miles off, to see another brother who was a farm-labourer
there. After some few inquiries for George Lawrence I found out his
house, and was answered at the door by his wife, who of course had no
knowledge who I was, though I had known her before her marriage. She
did not ask me in, but pointed out a barn, where she said I would find
George. I went over and he was there threshing, so I said, "Well,
friend, do you thresh by the day or the quarter?" He answered, "By the
quarter, but I cannot do much of it." He stared at me, for I had on my
regimentals, but I did not yet make myself known. Then I asked him if
there was a public-house handy. He said there was one just below, so I
told him that if he would go there with me I would treat him, as his
must be hard work, and he thanked me and led the way.
I ordered some beer and tobacco with pipes, and after that took off my
shako which I could not bear any longer, and he immediately recognized
me as his brother William. We then went to his home to be introduced
to his wife, and we stayed there two days, after which we returned to
Bryant's Piddle and remained with the old people for the rest of the
eighteen days I had allotted for our stay out of the six weeks; the
going and returning taking away above half our furlough. The morning
we left was quite as bad as the morning of my appearance, my wife,
who had got used to the old people, being quite as loud as any of
them; till at last being sick of the whole affair I buckled on my
knapsack, and bidding them good-bye, as quickly as possible took
myself off, leaving my wife to follow with my brother to Dorchester,
he having volunteered to go with us as far as that.
I had planned out a different way for my journey back, intending to
find a ship at Bristol to take us to Scotland and with this view I
proceeded westwards, parting from my brother at Dorchester. We found a
public-house by the roadside a little way from Dorchester, and after
stopping there for the night, continued through Sherborne towards
Bristol. On the way we fell in with one of the light company of my
regiment, called Warren, who said he was going to London to get a ship
back to Scotland; but when I told him of my way of getting there, he
immediately said he would go with us; only he had got no money, and
hoped I would lend him some. I declined doing this as I had very
little myself, but I told him that if he liked to come and live as we
did, I would pay for his food and lodging till we got to the regiment,
to which he consented and we marched on together.
But when we got to Bristol we found there was no ship going to
Scotland, so my wife who was an excellent walker proposed going all
the way by road; and accordingly on the following day we started,
doing generally two stages a day, through Gloucester, Worcester,
Manchester, and Carlisle, and so to Glasgow, a long and tedious march.
Our companion, who was anything but a pleasant one, left us at
Manchester. We returned to the barracks just one day before my time
expired, with only twopence-halfpenny in my pocket and having had to
sell my watch for subsistence on the way. After reporting myself,
however, I drew my remaining tenpence per day for the six weeks, a
penny being deducted from my pay per day for small-beer, which was not
allowed while I was away. Soon after our arrival at the barracks my
wife became very ill owing to having been frost-bitten during the
march, and remained so for upwards of a week.
We had not been here very long before General Sir George Osborne, the
head colonel of our regiment, came expressly to review us; he being a
very old man, and not having seen his regiment for some years. After
going through our facings, we were arranged in a square, into which
the old gentleman entered and presented us with a new stand of
colours; then he addressed us as he said for the last time, and hoped
his colours would endure as well as our old ones had and be crowned
with an equal amount of victory. On them were engraved in gilt
letters, "The Peninsula" and "Waterloo." He then took a farewell leave
of his regiment, as he doubted if he would ever see it again, and we
returned triumphant with our new colours to the barracks. But I may as
well add here that every man received sixpence from the old colonel to
drink his health.