WALKED WITHOUT LEGS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 27, 28 December 1916, Page 2

WALKED WITHOUT LEGS.

A CHEERFUL SUFFERS 1 ?. "This is Tom. He's the happiest chap of the boat."' So said one of the Maheno orderlies in introducing a "Star" reporter to Private Tom Morgan, of the .Maori Contingent, who has returned from the war with both legs severed at the thigh. Only a few years ago such wounds as Private Morgan sustained would almost inevitably have been fatal, and if by chance the victim had pulled through he would have been doomed to the wearying life of a helpless cripple. But one could have passed by Tom without suspecting that anything was gravely amiss with him. Sitting on his cot, with legs outstretched, and wearing a nicely cleaned pair of boots, Tom put up a good bluff, and the energetic ladies of the Patriotic League who plied him with fruit ana flowers wore saved the shock of learning of the wounded soldiers' affliction. When the "Star" man inquired about bis wounds, Tom rapped his legs, and they gave forth a sharp resounding answer like a postman's Christmas knock. "Dummies," he solemnly affirmed. /-.Rubber joints at the to*s and at the knees, which work by cords, and again jointed at the thigh, the whole being worked by a movement of the shoulder which thrusts the leg forward." Tom rattled it off like a musketry instructor describing the parts of the rifle for the thousand and first time, or like a sei-geant-major detailing the position ol attention, working from the toes upwards in accordance with the instructions of the little red book. With the aid of a couple of sticks Private Morgan walks about with ease, and bis demeanour indicated that the title bestowed upon him by the orderly was thoroughly deserved. But Tom Morgan has had little enough to encourage the bright and cheerful spirit, in ail conscience. Wounded at Gallipoli on August 21st, 1915, he has gone through a long travail of suffering. A shell blew off his legs at the knee, and then septic poisoning set in. The brave lad endured five operations, the remainder of his legs being removed before he was able to be fitted up with the magnificent pair ' of artificial legs of which he is now so proud. Still, despite the depressing 'circumstances of bis stay in Kng"huidj "lie is delighted with the Old 'Country, "and" with the kindly . treatment he'received on every hand.'