Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol 7.djvu/396

 352 THE WINTER TROUBLES. CHAP through the winter, yet still for a while must be '_. fighting against wet and cold, was commonly, if judged by his looks, a man of wrought iron, dis- closing his quality well enough by a stately demeanour, but hardly by any traces of uniform. Armoured thickly and clumsily against the rigours of climate, he, of course, in his outer self, was a rough -looking sample of masculine strength ; but ennobled by war and self-sacrifice, he perhaj)s was more equal to exalted resolves than luxurious idlers at home, and more capable too of the sentiment that would make tears well to his eyes, if it chanced that on raising the layer of hay, or straw, or deal-shavings in one of the ' Christmas hampers ' he saw a small slip of paper freighted simply — in lady's handwrit- ing — with some word of blessing or kindness for the soldier unknown to whom her present might come ; and, where even no word had been written, he was one who could still find a clue in the delicate, careful enfoldings of many a gift ; for, to look on such traces of tender thoughtful- ness in that spirit of distant worship which sways the heart of the exile, was like coming under the spell of some gracious presence in England, like seeing the gentle hands busied in their labour of love, like hearing a silver voice speak. The moral effect of these offerings upon the mind of the soldier was beyond measure good. It must be acknowledged that in former times, our people at large had not always proved them- selves worthy of the treasure they owned in