The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-11-06
Jerome, and once he stopped as though
he would turn back. He did not fear
death, but he feared dishopor.
.tHark ~ 11ttere ] the child

"Hark ]! uttere the chllQ.
The soldier listened ,and plainly heart
the voice of the suffering woman calling
for help. He hesitated no longer. o.
he hastened through the storm, ant
found Lisette sunk to her armpits in tn
soft morass. Fortunately, a tuft o
long grass had been within her reach, b,
which means she held her head abov'
the fatal mud. It was no easy matte
to extricate her from the miry pit, q
the workman had to be very careful tina
he himself did not lose his footing. A
length, however, she was drawn forth
and Jerome led her toward his post.
"Who comes there?" cried yoic,
from the gloom.
"Heaven p gasped Jerome, stopping
! and trembling from head to foot.
"Who comes there?" repeated tht
voice.
Jerome heard the click of musket
lock, and he knew that another sentine
had been stationed at the post he hae
left. The relief had come while he ha6
been ABSENT
Friends with the countersign p he
answered, to the last call Of the new
sentinel.
He was ordered to advance, and wher
he had given the countersign, he foun(
himself in the presence of the officer o.
the guard. In q few hurried words he
told his story, and had the officer beer
alone, he might have allowed the matte,
to rest where it was; but there were
others present, and when ordered to give
up his musket, he obeyed without q
murmur, and silently accompanied the
officer to the camp, where he was put in
irons.
On the following morning, Jerome
Dubois was brought before a court-mar.
tial under charge of having deserted his
post. He confessed that he was guilty,
and then permission was granted him to
tell his own story.
This he did in few words: but the
court could do nothing but pass sentence
of death; yet the members thereof all
signed a petition praying that Jerome
Dubois 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 generous to bis
soldiers almost to a fault, but he could
not overlook so grave an error rs that
which had been committed by Dubois.
The orders given to the sentinel had
very simple, and foremost of very neces-
sity was the order forbidden him to leave
his post until properly relieved.
To certain extent, the safety OF the
whole army rested upon the shoulde.s of
each individual sentinel, and especially
upon these who at night were posted
nearest the lines of the enemy.
"I am sorry, j." said the gray-haired old
warrior, as he folded up the petition and
handed it back to the officer who had
presented 1t. "I am sure that man
meant no wrong, and yet 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, quick
ly. "Should sec 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 fixed for the execution Of
Dubois was the morning succeeding the
day of his trial. The result of the in
terview was Marshal Lefebvre was made
known to him, and he was not at all dis
appointed. He blamed no one, aud was
only sorry that he had not died on the
battlefield.
II have tried to be a good soldier, p"
he said, to his captain. "I feel that I
have done no crime that should leave o
stain upon my name"
The captain took his hand, and assur-
ed him that his name should be held in
respect.
Toward evening, Pierre Valiant, with
his wife ane child, we're admitted to see
the prisoner. This was a visit which
Jerome would gladly have dispensed
with, as his feelings were already
wrought up to pitch that almost un-
manned him but he braced himself for
the interview. and would have stood it
like hero had not little Natalie, in the
eagerness of her love and gratitude,
thrown herself upon his bosom and
offered to die in his stead. This tipped
the briming 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 fellow who had been thus con-
demned.
Later in the evening came compan-
ion who, if he lived, would at some
time return to Jerome's boyhood's home.
First the condemned thought OF his
widowed mother, and he sent her q
message 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 Someone
whom he had loved with love such as
only great hearts can feel.
ooh, my dear friend |" he cried, bow
ing his head upon his clasped hands,
"you need not tell them falsehood !;
but if tho thing is possible, let them be-
lieve fell in battle!"
His companion promised that he
would do all he could and, if the truth
could not be kept back, 1t should be 80
truthfully told that the name of jerome
Dubois 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 low, barren spot
toward the sea and thither his division
was being marched to witness the fear
full 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:
GA sortie! A sortie! The enemy
are out in force. Let this thing be stay
ed. The marshal directs that you face
about and advance upon the peninsula 7
In an instant all was changed in tha
division; and the brigadier general, wht
had temporary command, thunderet
forth his orders for his counter-march
The gloom was dissipated; and with glat