And when King
Edward of England visited Canada as Prince of Wales, he fastened
with his own royal hands a heavy silver medal to the buckskin
covering George Mansion's breast, and the royal words were very
sincere as they fell from the prince's lips: "This medal is for
recognition of your loyalty in battling for your own people, even
as your ancestors battled for the British Crown." Then in later
years, when Prince Arthur of Connaught accepted the title of
"Chief," conferred upon him with elaborate ceremony by the
chiefs, braves and warriors of the great Iroquois Council, it
was George Mansion who was chosen as special escort to the royal
visitor--George Mansion and his ancient and honored father, who,
hand-in-hand with the young prince, walked to and fro, chanting the
impressive ritual of bestowing the title. Even Bismarck, the "Iron
Chancellor" of Germany, heard of this young Indian warring for the
welfare of his race, and sent a few kindly words, with his own
photograph, from across seas to encourage the one who was fighting,
single-handed, the menace of white man's greed and white man's
firewater.
And Lydia, with her glad and still girlish heart, gloried in her
husband's achievements and in the recognition accorded him by the
great world beyond the Indian Reserve, beyond the wilderness,
beyond the threshold of their own home.
Pages:
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85