The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1878-11-30
The CONDEMNED SENTINEL

A cold, stormy night in the month of
March, 1907, Marshal Lefebvre, with
$4,000 French troops, had invested
Ddntzic. The city was garrisoned by
1000 Russian and Prussian soldiers,
and these, together with 70, 900 or 80, 600
armed citizens, presented nearly double
the force that could be brought to the
assault So there was need of the ut
most vigilance on the part of the senti-
nels, for desperate sortie from the gar
rlson, made unawares, might prove ca
lamitous.
At midnight, Jerome Debois was
placed upon enc Of the most important
posts in the advance line of pickets, it
being upon a narrow strip of land raised
above the marshy fiat, called the PENN
sula of Nehrung. For more than an
hour, he paced his lonesome beat with
out hearing more than the moaning of
the wind and the driving of the rain.
At length, however, another sound broke
upon his ear. He stopped and listened,
and presently he called:
Who's there?'
The only answer was moaning sound.
heard something like the cry of a child,
and pretty soon an object came toward
him out of the darkness. With a quick.
emphatic movement, he brought his
musket = the charge, and ordered the
intruder to halt
Yes; and you are good, Jerome
Oh, you will come and help mamma.
Come, she is dyingw
1t was certainly Natalie, little girl
only eight years old, daughter of Lizette
Valiant. Lizette was the wife of Pierre
Valiant, a sergeant in Jerome's own
regiment, and was with the army in
capacity of nurse.
Why, how is this, my child" said
Jerome, taking the little one by the arm.
What is it about your mothers"
Oh, good Jerome, you can hear her
now. Hark"
The sentinel bent his ear, but could
hear only the wind and rain
Mamma is in the dreadful mud, !"
said the child, land is dying. She is
not far away. On, | can hear her cry
ing"
BY degrees, Jerome gathered from
Natalie that her father had taken her
out with him in the morning, and that
in the evening, when the storm came on,
her mother came after her. The SER
geant had offered to send a man back to
the camp with his wife; but she pre-
terred TO return alone, feeling sure that
she would meet with no trouble The
way however. had become dark and I'm
certain, and she had lost the path, and
wandered oft to the edge of the morass
where she had sunk into the soft mud
Oh, good Jerome" cried the little
one, selling the mans hand, can't YOU
hear her? She viii die if you do not
come and help her!"
At that moment, the sentinel fancied
he heard the wall 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 her. 1t
was not in his heart to withstand the
pleadings Of the child. He could 90
and rescue the nurse, and return to his
post without detection. At all events,
he could not refuse the childish pleader.
!" Give me your hand, Natalie I'll 60
with you
With cry Of Joy the child sprung to
tue soldiers side, and, when she had
secured his hand, she hurried him along
toward the place where she had left her
mother. 1t seemed a long distance to
Jerome, and once he stopped As though
he would turn back. He did not fear
death, but he feared dishonor.
Hark! uttered the child.
Inc soldier listened, and plainly heard
the voice of the suffering woman calling
for help. He hesitated no longer. on
he FASTENED through the storm, and
found Lisette sunk to her armpits in the
soft morass. Fortunately, tuft of lorg
grass had been within her reach. by
which means she held her head above
the fatal mud. 1t was no easy matter to
eNtrlcate her from the miry pit, as the
workman had TO be very careful that he
himself did not lose his footing. At
length, however, she was drawn forth,
and Jerome led her toward his post.
Who comes there?n cried A voice
from the gloom.
:, Heaven" gasped Jerome, stopping
and trembling from head to foot.
+" Who comes there?" repeated the
voice.
Jerome heard the click of musket-
lock, and he knew that another sentinel
had oeen stationed at the post he had
LETT. The relief had come while h had
been absent
Friends with the countersign. he
answered, to the last call of the new SEN
tinel
He was ordered to advance, and when
he had given the ecuntersign, he found
himself in the presence of the officer of
the guard. In few hurried words he
told his story, and had the officer been
alone, he might have allowed the matter
others present, and when ordered to give
up his musket, he obeyed without muir
mur, and silently accompanied the Off