Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1875-05-20
A Faithful Sentinel.

StIICJ Vi NCIS SlNSll, 1Cl thO L L us
sian and Austrian spies were
plenty and troublesome. AT
midnight, Pierre Sancoin was
stationed at one of the outposts
} He was stout, bold, shrewd
man, and good soldier. The
Colonel Of the regimentwas with
} the sergeant on this beat, having
requested to be called at mid
night, that lie might visit the
outpost.
pierre" he said, after the
man had been posted, "you must
keep your eyes open. Don't
let even a stray horse go out OF
come in without the pass. Do
you understand"
"Ay, mon Colonel, l shall be
prompt"
The dogs are all around us, }"
pursued the officer, "and you
cannot be too careful. Don't
trust men nor brutes.''
"Never fear" was Pierre's an
8wer rs he brought his firelock
TO his shoulder, and moved back
a pace.
After this the guard moved on
to the next post, and Pierre
|Sancion was left alone. Pierre's
post was one Of the most i'm
portant in the camp, or rather
around it, and he had been
placed there for that reason.-
The ground over which he had
to walk was a long knowl,
bounded on one end by a huge
rock, and at the other sloping
away into 4 narrow rayinr, in
which was a copsc Of willows.
Beyond this copse the ground
was low and bogg;y, so that Il
man could not pass ii. The rock
was TO the westward, and Pierre's
walk was to its outer side.
The night was quite dark /;
huge masses Of clouds foated
overhead, and shut ont the stars;
and a sort Of fog seemed to be
rising also from the marsh
The wind moaned through the
copse in the ravine, and the air
was damp and chilly. With a
slow steady tread, the soldier
paced his ground, ever and a.
non stopping to listen, as the
willows in the ravine ratified
their leaves, OF some night bird
started out with its quick flap
ping.
An hour had passed away,
and the sentinel had seen moth
ing to excite his suspicions.-.
He had stopped for a moment
close by the rock, when he was
startled by a quick, wild scream
from the wood, and in a few
moments more, a large bird flew
over his head.
"Parbleau!' he uttered, after
the night bird had flown over;
could mortal man have stopped
that fellow passing?'
He satisfied himself that he
had done nothing wrong in suf-
fering the bird to pass. He had
walked the length Of his way
two or three times, and was
sure he saw a dark object just
crossing the line toward the
copse.
'HoldT' he cried, bringing
the musket quick to his shoul-
der. "IIold, or l fire!'
And with his piece at aim, he
advanced toward the spot where
the object stopped; but as he came
to within a few yards of it, it
started to move off again to-
ward the camp.
"Diable!" cried Pierre, "move
any further and | fire! What,
Pardieul Te Prince? HO. ho:I
why, Prince!"
The animal turned and made
motion as though he would
leap up on the sentincl's bosom
but the soldier motioncd him off.
"Bravo, Prince" Pierre cried,
reaching forth his hand and pat
ting the head Of the great shag-
gy beast, which had sat upon its
launches. Pierre recognized
the intruder now as a great dog
of the breed of St. Bernard,
which bad been owned in the
for over a year, and
which had been missing for a
bout week. He disappeared
one night from the pickets, and
all search for him had been una
vailing.
"Parbleau, mon grand e
Prince" Pierre uttered, as
though the dog could under
stand every word; "the men
will be happy to see you; where