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r f§i*f*|(xiti*.
Ki CONDEMNED SENTINEL.
cold, stormy night in the
■Bmth of March, 1807, Marshal
■Hfobvre, with 27.000 French
Bmiop.H, had invested Dantzic.—
city was garrisoned by 17,000
Bltussian and Prussian soldiers,
W and these, together w : th 20,000
lor 30,000 armed citizens, present
r ed nearly double the force that
could be brought to the assault.
So there was need of the utmost
vigilance on the part of the sen
tinels, fora desperate sortie from
the garrison, made unawares,
L might prove calamitous.
I At midnight, Jerome Dubois
B was placed upon one of the most
r important posts in the advance
I line of pickets, it being upon a
Buarrow strip of land raised above
Ho marshy flat, called the pe-,
of Nehrung. For more
an hour, lie paced his lone
gfflme beat without hearing more
the moaning of the wind
n*ud the driving of the rain. At
Bjfuigth, however, another sound
Bkc upon his ear. He stop
HKI and listened, and presently
called :
Who's there
BBkhe only answer was a moan
J sound.
tie called again, and this time
[S*.* heard something like the cry
l-of a child, and pretty soon an
’ object came toward hint out of
the darkness. With a quick, ein
phatie movement, he brought
his musket to the charge, and or
dered the intruder to halt.
“Mercy!” exclaimed a child
sish voice; “don’t shoot me! I
Bum Natalie! Don't you know
Inin r
a “Heaven !” cried Jerome, ele-
C vating the muzzle of his piece,
■gls it you, dear child ?”
B“Yok; and you are good Je-
T rottit*. Oh, you will come help j
c mamma. Come, she is dying!”
It. was certainly Natalie, a lit
tle girl only eight years old,
daughter of Lisette Vaillant.—
Lisette was the wife of Pierre
Vaillant, a sergeant in Jerome's
own regiment, and was with the
army in capacity of nurse.
“Why, how is this, my child ?” j
said Jerome, taking the little one
by the arm. “what is it about
your mother ?”
' r “Oh, good Jerome, you can
hear her now. Hark!”
The sentinel bent bisear, but
could bear only the wind and the
rain.
• “Mamma is in the dreadful
mud,” said the child, “and is dy
ing. She is not far away. Oh. I
i-an hear her crying.”
Hv degrees, Jerome gathered
lrom Natalie that her father had
taken her out with him in the I
morning, and that in the even
ing, when the storm came mi her j
myther came after her. The ser i
geaut had offered to send a man
back to the camp with bis wife ;
but she preferred to return alone,
feeling sure that she would meet
with no trouble. The way, how
ever, had become dark and un-
L certain,and she had lost the path
wandered off to the edge of
morass, where she bad sunk
the soft mud.
“Oh, good Jerome," cried the
little One, seizing t he man's hand,
“can't you hear her ? She will
<lie if von do not come and help
her!”
At that moment, the sentinel
fancied he heard the wail of the
unfortunate woman. What should
he do? Lisette—the good, the
beautiful, the tender hearted
Lisette—was in mortal danger,
|| and it was in his power to save
I her. It was not in his heart to
L withstand the pleadings of the
BnM He could go nml rercue the
Buotherand return to his post
Bdtheut detection. At all events
B co’uld not refuse the childish
■hJcr
me vour hind. Natalie.
yqt,"
jHpN'ith a cry of* joy, the duKl
SKruttyC' (lie soldier's side. and.
bad secured hi- band,
■r burned him along toward the
whejjULbho had lett her
I '''' •* ''“"o >it v
and on. e he
■HUinrihougi! iio >niid, inrn
■■HBijia ‘f.u death.
Bitf
K-t '' 'M / B*' * ■ ;: ’ l ' Ui:: -
B? U '
r> >;■ • --B&J odp •H f
/' ’ T $~ g’-■ r.lKb* be has
the fatal mud. It was no easy
matter to extricate her from the
miry pit, as the workman had to
be very caieful that he himself
did not lose bis footing. At
length, however, she was drawn
forth, and Jerome led her to
ward his post.
“Who comes there ?” cried a
voice from the gloom.
“Heaven!” gasped Jerome,
stopping and trembling from head
to foot.
“Who comes there ?” repealed
the voice.
Jerome heard the click of the
musket lock and he knew that
another sentinel had been sta
tioued at the post lie had left.—
The relief had come while he
had been absent!
•‘Friends,’with the counter
sign !” lie answered, to the last
last call of the new sentinel.
He was ordered to advance,
and when lie bad given the coun
tersign, he found himself in the
presence of the officer of the
guard. In a few hurried words
lie told bis story, and bad the of
ficer been alone, be might have
allowed the matter to rest where
it was; but there were others
present, and when ordered to
give up his musket, he obeyed
without a murmur and silently
accompanied the officer to the
camp where he was put in irons.
On the following morning, Je
rdhie Duboise was brought be
fore a court martial under charge
of having deserted his post. lie
confessed that be was guilty, and
then permission was granted him
to tell his own story.
This he did in lew words; but
the court could do nothing but
pass sentence of death; yet the
members thereof all signed a pe
tition praying that Jerome Du
bois might be pardoned; and this
petition was sent to the general
of the brigade, and through him
to the general of the division, by
whom it was indorsed, and sent
up to the marshal.
Lefebvre was kind and gener
ous to his soldiers almost to a
fault, buthe could not overlook
so grave an error as that which
had been committed by Dubois.
The orders given to the sentinel
bad been very simple, and fore
most of every necessity was the
order forbiding him to leave his
post until properly relieved.
To a certain extent, the safety
of the whole nriny rested upon
the shoulders of each individual
sentinel, and especially upon
those who at night were posted
nearest the lines of Hie enemy.
“1 am sorry,” said the gray
haired old warrior, as he folded
up the petition and handed it
back to the officer who had pre
seated it. “1 am sure that man
meant no wrong, and yet a great
wrong was done. He knew what
he was doing—he ran the risk—
he was detected—he has been
tried and condemned. He must
suffer!"
They asked Lefebvre if he
would see the condemned.
•No, no!” the marshal cried,
quickly. “Should I see him, and
listen to one-half his story, I
might pardon him, and that must
not be done. Let him die, that
thousands may be saved.”
The time lixed for the execu
(ion of Dubois was the morning
succeeding the day of his trial.
The result of the interview with
Marshal Lefebvre was made
known to him. and he was not at
all disappointed. He blamed no
one, and was only sorry that he
had not died on the battlefield.
“1 have tried to be a goad sol
dier." he said, to his captain. “I
feel that 1 have done no crime
that should leave a stain upon my
name.”
The captain took his hand, and
assured him that his name should
be held in respect.
Toward evening, l’ierre Yail
lant. with his wife and child,
were admitted to see the priso
ner. This was a visit which Jer
ome would gladly have dispensed
with, as his feelings were already
wrought up to a pitch that almost
unmanned him ; but he braced
himself for the interview, and
would have stood it like a hero
had not little Natalie, in the ea
gerness of her love and gratitude
thrown herself upon his bosom
and offered to die in his stead.
This tipped the Uriming cup, and
his tears flowed freely.
Pierre and Lisette knew not
what to say. They wept and they
prayed, and they would have
willingly died for the noble fel
low who'liad been thus condom
[tied.
Later in the evening ' eume a
lUmpanion who.if he lived, would
IKiiome time return l Jerome's
Bmiood’irhome. First the con
Sorted thought of hi- wi, loved
THE FIELD AND FIRESIDE—MARIETTA, (GA.) THURSDAY, NoVEMbEU 7, 1878.
mother, and he sent her a mes
sage of love and devotion. Then
he thought of a brother and sister.
And finally, he thought of one—
a bright-eyed maid—whose vine
clad cot stood upon the banks of
the Seine —one whom be had
loved with a love such as only
great hearts can feel.
“Oh, my dear friend !’ he cried,
bowing his head upon his clasp
ed hands, “you need not tell them
a falsehood ; but if the thing is
possible, let them believe I tell
in battle!”
His companion promised that
he would do all be could ; and, if
the truth could not be kept back
it should be so truthfully told
that the name of Jerome Du
bois should not bear dishonor in
the minds of those who had loved
him in other days.
Morning came, dull and gloomy
with driving sleet and snow ; and
at an early hour, Jerome Dubois
was led forth to meet his fate.
The place of execution had been
fixed upon a low, barren spot to
ward the sea; and thither his di
vision was being marched to wit
ness the fearful punishment.
They had gained not more than
half the distance when the sound
of some strange commotion broke
upon the wintry air, and very
shortly an aide-de-camp came
dashing to the side of the general
of the brigade, with the cry:
“A sortie# A sortie ! The en
emy are out in force. Let this
thing be stayed. The marshal
directs that you face about and
advance upon the peninsula !”
In an instant all was changed
in that division; and the brigadier
general, who had tempory com
mand, thundered forth his orders
for his counter-march. The gloom
was dissipated; and with glad
hearts the soldiers turned from
the thoughts of the execution of
a brave comrade to thoughts of
meeting the enemy.
“What shall we do with the
prisoner?” asked the sergeant
who had charge of the guard.
“Lead him back to the camp,”
replied the captain.
The direction was very simple,
but the execution thereof was
not to be so easy, for scarcely
had the words escaped the cap
tain’s lips when a squadron of
Prussian cavalry came dashing
directly toward them. The di
vision was quickly formed in
four hollow squares, while the
guard that held charge of the
prisoner found themselves obli
ged to flee.
“In heaven’s name,” cried Je
rome, “cut my bonds, and let me
die like a soldier!”
The sergeant quickly cut the
cord that bound his elbows be
hind him, and then dashed to
ward the point where his own
company was stationed. The
rattle of musketry had com
menced, and the Prussians were
vainly endeavoring to break the
squares of French troops. Je
rome Dubois looked about him
some weapon with which to
arm himself, and presently he
saw a Prussian officer not far off
reeling in his saddle as though
he had been wounded. With a
quick bound he reached the spot,
pulled the dying officer from his
seat, and leaped into the empty
saddle.
Dubois was fully resolved that
he would sell his life on that day
—sell it in behalf of France—
and sell it as dearly a- possible.
He knew that the Prussians
could not break those hollow
squares; so he rode away think
ing to join the French cavalry,
with whom he would rush into
the deepest danger. Supposing
that the heaviest lighting must
be upon the Nehrung, he rode
his horse in that direction, and
when he reached it he found that
be had not been mistaken. At
Hagelsberg the enemy had plant
ed a battery of heavy guns, sup
ported by two regiments of in
fantry; and already with shot
and shell immense damage had
been done.
Marshal Lefebvre rode up
shortly after this battery had
opened, and quickly made up his
mind that it must be taken at
all hazards.
“Take that battery," he said
to a colonel of the cavalry, “and
the battle is ours."
Dubois heard the order, and
saw the necessity. Here was
danger enough, surely; and, de
termined to be the first at the fa
tal battery, he kept as near to
the leader as he dared. Half the
distance #• had gained when
from the hill came a storm of
iron that plowed into the ranks
of the French. The colonel fell,
his body litterallv torn in pieces
by a shell that exploded against
liis bosom.
The point upon the peninsula j
now reached by the assaulting
column was not more than one
hundred yards wide; and it was
literally a path of death, as the ;
fire of twelve heavy guns was j
turned upon it.
The colonel had fallen, and
very soon three other officers
went down, leaving the advance !
without a commissioned leader.
The way was becoming blocked
up with dead men and dead hor
ses, and the head of the column
stopped and wavered.
Marshal Lefevre, from his ele-!
vated place, saw this, and his j
heart throbbed painfully. If
that column were routed, and!
the Russian infantry charged
over the peninsula, the result
might be calamitous.
But—see! A man in the uni
form of a French private, mount
ed upon a powerful horse, capar
isoned iti the trappings of a Prus
sian staff officer, with his head
bare, and a bright saber swing- ;
ing in his hand rushes to the front
and urges the column forward.—
j His words are fiery and his look
i is dauntless.
“For France and Lefebvre!”
the strange horseman cries, wav
ing his sword aloft and pointing .
toward the battery. “The mar j
shal will weep if we lose this
day!”
The brave troopers thus led by
one who feared not to go forward
where the shot fell thickest, gave
an answering shout and pressed
on, caring little for the rain of
of death so long as they had a
living leader to follow. Hoping j
that lie might take the battery;
and yet courting death, Jerome
Dubois spurred on, and finally
the troop came upon the battery
with irresistible force.
It was not in the power of the
cannoneers to withstand the j
shock, and the Russian infantry
that came to their support were
swept away like chaff. The bat- ;
tery was quickly captured, and
when the guns had been turned
upon those who had shortly be- J
fore been their masters, the for j
tune of the day was decided.
The Russians and the Prussians
—horse,foot and dragoons—such I
as were not taken prisoners, j
made the best of their way back
into Dantzic, having lost much
more than they had gained.
Jerome Dubois returned to the
guard-house, and gave himself up
to the officer in charge. First a !
surgeon was called to dress seve
ral slight wounds which he had I
received. Next, his colonel was j
called to see what should be done j
with him. The colonel applied
to the general of the brigade, and j
the general of brigade applied to
the general of division, and the
general of division applied to
Marshal Lefebvre.
“What shall we do with Jerome
Dubois ?”
“God bless him !” cried the j
veteran general, who had heard
the whole story.
“I'll pardon him to-day, and to
morrow I'll promote him ?”
And Jerome Dubois, in time, j
went himself to see the loved i
ones in Franco, and then he j
wore the uniform of a captain.
The Sarltogian tells of a Uni
tarian clergyman at the recent
conference who saw the placard,
“Leave your dog outside,” and j
tried to purchase a dog in order
to comply with the regulations.
A subscriber wrote to a journal
to make some inquiries about the
next world's fair, whereupon the
wicked editor replied that he was
under the impression 'that the
next world wouldn’t have any
fair.
A pedler, overtaking another
of the fraternity on the road, ex
claimed: “Hallow! What do J
you carry?” “Patent medicines,”
s was the reply. “Good! you go
ahead. I carry gravestones,” wf ■
the rejoinder.
Six years ago two young men
in Philadelphia inherited from
their father about SBO,OOO each.
Since that period one has died
poor, and the other is now driving
a furniture cart for a living. The i
name of the daily paper they
started is not given.
Irate passenger to cabman,
who gets off his box and opens
the carriage-door: “I told you I ,
lived at the top of the hill, not at
the bottom, you blunderhead.”
Cabby: “Whist, your honor,
whist! I'll mearly slam the door,!
and the haste'll think vou'r out.
and go up the hill like the divil.” |
111 effects liable to result from
feeding cotton seed may be obvi
ated bv boiling the seed and mix
ing with other food.
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Dry Goods and Notions)
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(DEALERS IN)
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NORTH-EAST CORNER PUBLIC SQUARE,
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