The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-11-06
The Condemned Sentinel,

A cold, stormy night in the month OF
March, 1907, Marshal Lefebvre, with
$1,000 French troops, had invested
Dantzic. The city was garrisoned by
1900 Russian and Prussian soldiers,
and these, together with 10000 or 10000
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 SEN
tinels, for a desperate sortie from the
garrison, made unawares, might prove
.calamitous.
At midnight, Jerome Dubois was
placed upon one of the most important
posts in the advance line OF pickets, it
being upon narrow strip of land raised
above the marshy flat, 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.
He called again, and this time he
heard something like tie cry of a child,
and pretty soon an object came toward
him out of the darkness. With quick,
emphatic movement, he brought his
musket to the charge, and ordered the
intruder to halt.
"Mercy !" exclaimed childish voice V;
80 don't shoot me l am Natalie ! Don't
you know me?"
"Heaven |" cried Jerome, elevating
the muzzle OF his piece. "Is it you,
dear child?"
eyes; and you are good Jerome. Oh,
you will come help mamma. Come, she
is dyingp'
1t: was certainly Natalia, little girl
only eight years old, daughter OF Lisette
valiant. Lisette was lhe 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 mother?"
"Oh, good Jerome, you can hear hel
now. Hark |"
The sentinel bent his ear. but could
hear only the wind and the rain.
. "Mamma is in the dreadful mud, said
the child, "and is dying. She is not fal
away. Oh, I can hear hear her crying.
By degrees, jerome gathered from
Natalie that her father had taken bel
out with him in the morning, and thai
in the evening, when the storm came
on. her mother came after her. The
sergeant had offered to send a man back
to the camp with his wife: but she pre-
ferred to return alone, feeling sure tha
she would meet with no trouble. The
way, however, had become dark anc
uncertain, and she had lost the path
and wandered off to the edge of thu
morass, where she had sunk into the sof
mud. ..----.
"Oh, good Jerome" cried the little
one, seizing the mans hand, "can't yo1
hear herr She will die if you do no
come and help her /"
: At that moment, the sentinel fanciet
he heard the vail of the unfortunate
woman. What should he do? Lisett
the good, the beautiful, the tender
hearted Lisette-was in mortal danger
and. it was in his power to save her. I
was not in his heart to Withstand tn
pleadings OF the child. He could g.
and rescue the nurse, and return to hi
post without detection. At all events
he could not refuse the childish pleade,
- "Give me your hand, Natalie. II
60 with you.
With a cry of joy, the child sprung
: the soldiers side, and, when she ha
secured his hand, she hurried him alon
toward the place where she had left he
mother. II seemed q long distance :