Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1878-11-07

And his eyes will hold the beamins
Or the stars toreyermore
" y Times
The CONDEMNED SENTINEL
\ cold, stormy night in the month O
March, 1907. Marshal Lefebvre, witt
$1,000 French troops, had inyeste,
Dantz'c. The city was garrisoned b,
Il, 900 Russian and Prussian soldiers
and these, together with 20, 900 or sc, OO'
armed citizens, presented nearly doubl,
the force that could be brought to tn,
assault. So there was need of the ut
most vigilance on the part of the senCi
neis, for desperate sortie from the gar
rlson, made unawares, might prove ca
lamitous.
At midnight, jerome Debois wa
placed upon one of the most important
posts in the advance line of picket>, il
being upon a narrow strip of land raised
above the marshy fat, called the PENN.
sula of Nehrung. For more than III
hour, he paced his lonesome beat with
out hearing more than the moaning OIL
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
he called again, and this time he
heard something like the cry of child,
and pretty soon an object came toward
him out of the darkness. With a quick,
emphatic movement, he brought his
musket to the charge, and ordered the
intruder to halt.
Yes; and you are good, Jerome.
oh, you will come and help mamma.
Come, she is dyingv"
It was certainly Natalie, a little girl
only eight years old, daughter of Lizette
valiant. Lizette was the wife of Pierre
Valiant, 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 nother?'
ooh, good Jerome, you can hear her
now. Hark!"
The sentinel bent his ear, but could
ACdl Guc Hluu duu rain.
Mamma is in the dreadful mud,''
said the child, "and is dying. She is
not far away. Oh, I 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-
ferred to return alone, feeling sure that
she would meet with no trouble. The
way, however. had become dark and un-
certain, and she had lost the path, and
wandered off 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 will die if you do not
come and help her!"
At that moment, the sentinel fancied
he heard the wall of the unfortunat,
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. It
was not in his heart to withstand the
pleadings of the child. He could 90
and rescue the nurse, and return to bis
post without detection. At all events,
he could not refuse the childish pleader.
"Give me your hand, Natalie. I'll go
with you"
With cry of Joy the child sprung to
the soldiers side, and, when she had
secured his hand, she hurried him along
toward the place where she had left her
mother. It seemed long distance 10
Jerome, and once he stopped as though
he would turn back. He did not fear
death, but he feared dishonor.
"Hark!" uttered the child.
The 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 long
grass had been within her reach, by
which means she held her head above
the fatal mud. twas no easy matter to
extricate 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?" 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 q mnsket.
lock, and he knew that another sentinel
had been stationed at the post he had
left. The relief had come while he had
been absent! '''>'
"Friends with the countersipnl ho
answered, to the last call of the new sen.
tinel.
He was ordered to advance, and when
he had given the ccuntersign, he found
himself in the presence of the officer Of
the guard. In few hurried words hi
told his story, and had the officer beer
alone, ne might have allowed the matter
TO rest where it was; but there wert
Others present, and when ordered tn civ.
up his musket, lie obeyed without a mnr
mur, and silently accompan;ad ~ "a;
Ger to the camp, where he was put IL
irons. F' - =
On the following morning. Jerom<
Dubois was brought before court-m.r.
tial under charge Of having deserted hi,
post. He confessed that he was guilty
and then permission was granted him e
tell his own story. a Z Xxx. -..
This he did in few words; but tn.
court could do nothing but pass sentenc.
OF death; yet the members thereof al
s1gnea a petition praying that Jerom,
Runc's might be pardoned; and thi
petition was handed to the general q
the brigade, and through him to til,