The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1878-12-05

Withstand the pleadings Of the child
He could 70 and rescue the nurs,
and return 70 bis post without do
> tectiou. At all events, be could mol
refuse the childish pleader.
"Give me your hand, Natalie. II
Igo with you"
With . cry Of joy the child spraue
TO the soldiers side and when she
had secured his hand she hurried
him along toward The place where
sho had left her mother. II seemed
. long distance TO Jerome, and once
he stopped as though be would torn
back. He did not fear death /; bu,
be feared dishouor.
"Hark / Uttered the child.
The soldier listened, aud plainly
heard the voice Of the suffering wo-
man calling for help. He hcsitated
no longer. On he hAstsued through
the storm. aud found Lisette sunk to
her armpits in the soft morass. For
tunately . tuft Of long grass had
been within her reach, by which
means she had held her head above
the fatal mud. II was no easy mat
ter 10 extracte her from tho miry
Ipit, - the workman had to DO very
careful that he himself did no lose
his footing. At length. however,
she was drawn forth, and Jerome led
her toward bis post.
"Who comes there Z cried . voice
from tho gloon.
"uesvens |! gasped Jerome. stop
ping aud trembling oil over.
"Who comes there y repeated tho
voice.
Jerome heard the click OF musk.
ct lock,an he knew another sentinel
had been stationed at the post he
had loft. The relief had come while
he he bad been absent !
"Friend with the countersigu, he
answered to the last call OF the new
seminal.
He was ordered to advance, aud
when he had given the countersign
be found himself in the presence OF
the officer OF the guard. In o few
horrid words be told his story. and
had the officer been alone he might
have allowed the matter to res.
where il Was but there were others
preseat,- --GGdl, when ordered TO give
up bis muske:, he obsyed without y
'nurmur, and silently accom- paiued
the officer to the camp, where he
WAS Mt once put in irons
On the following inorning Jerome
Dubois was brought before a Court
martial under charge OF having de-.
serted his post. Iie confessed that
ho had been guilty, and then per-
mission was granted tue sentinal to
tell his story.
This no did in a few words. but
the Court could do nothing but pass
sentence Of death but the members
thereof all signed petition praying
that Jerome Dubois might be par
'loned 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 generous
TO his soldiers almost to fault, but
he could not overlook 80 grave an
error as that which had been com
mitted by Dubois. The orders Civ.
en- to the seminal had been very
simple. foremost, Of every necessity.
was the order forbidding him to
leave his post until properly reliev.
cd. To a certainn extent the safety
Of the whole army rested upon the
shoulders Of each individual senti-
mol, and especially upon those who
at night we're posted nearest the lines
Of the enemy.
81 am sorry" said the gray haired
warrior, % be folded up the petition
aud handed it back TO the officer
who had presented it 81 am sure
that man meant no wrong, and yet
. great wrong was done. He knew
what be was doipg-he ran the risk,
be was detected-he has been tried
and condemned. lie must suffer Z
They asked Lefebvre il he would |
see the condemned.
mo, NO I the Marshal cried,
quickly. "Should see him, and
listen to one.half his story. might
pardon him and that must not be
done. Let him die, that thousands
may be saved thereby.
The day 6xed for the execution OF
Bubois was the morning succeeding
the day Of the trial. The result OF
the interview with Marshal Lefebvre
was made known TO him, and he
was not ct ell disappointed. He
blamed no one, and was only sorry
that be had not died upon the bat
Tie. field. II
II have tried {, be Q good SOLE
der. he said 70 his Captain. NJ feel
that I have done NO crime that
should leave . stain upon my name. L
The Captain took his hand and a..
sured him that his name should be
held In respect.
Toward evening Pierre Valiant,
With bis wife and child, we're admit
ted TO zee the prisoner. This was Q
visit which jerome would gladly
have dispensed with. - his fselings
were already wrought up 10 . pitch
That alunonk n nrnsnnnI hssu h..t IL