The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1879-06-10
The Sentinel's Stratagem.


opposite Stralsund, Is strong nat
ural position strongly fortified. During
the campaign of 1907 Davoust had ocou-
pied It with regiment of infantry and
some companies of sappers and pioneers
and one of the infantrymen was Firmln
Bonard, a young soldier posted one night
as sentry on little eminence near the
harbor.
1t was midnight when the corporal of
the guard left him and he expected to be
relieved at o'clock, which would leave
him three hours sleep before morning.
The minutes slowly wore away, and the
two hours, according to sentry's calcula-
ton, had about expired, when suddenly
he heard sound as of footsteps APP
preaching.
'Good Here comes the relief' said
Firmin Bonard to himself, then cried
aloud, "Who goes there ?"
There was no reply. "And yet heard
something" muttered the soldier, and
can take my oath my two hours are
up"
Almost Immediately thereafter there
was another rustic in the bushes, then II
bark, and the poodle Capucin, the dog of
the regiment, and warm personal
friend of the young sentry, bounded up
to him.
On hearing the dog bark the sentinel
at first fancied that something was
wrong, and cooking his musket, he cast
searching glance into the obscurity,
holding his breath to listen. But there
was neither sound nor sight of foe, and
Capucin, clambering up the rocks, came
bounding to Bonard's feet.
"Oh, that is you, old fellow, is 1t ?'
said the soldier. "You found 1t dull,
did youY Well, Capucin, it is not par
ticularly lively here. 1t is pity you did
not think to invite the corporal to accom-
pany you, for the night is decidedly cool
and have disposition to sleep come
upon me. The corporal's watch is al
ways slow, and will be till he takes it to
the blacksmith for repairs"
In response to these words, to which
he had patiently listened, Capucin began
to bark and gambol furiously around his
friend.
I" oh, you think that if am chilled
and sleepy had better warm my blood
and wake myself up with a dance, eh 7
But, Capucin, you have no musket to
carry, or you wouldn't frisk So"
Still Capucin continued to bark and
to run, now TO the right, now to the left,
as if possessed, until finally losing all
patience he came up to the soldier, seized
him by the overcoat and tugged so heart
lily at it that he tore away q fragment of
the cloth.
Bonard was not in the best humor
originally; now his anger was increased
and transferred from the absent corporal
to the present Capucin, and he saluted
the animal with lusty kick.
The dog was visibly grieved to be so
maltreated and misunderstood, and re-
tired to some little distance, then slowly
returned, looked reproachfully at the
soldier and licked his hands.
"Gol Be off with you !" said Bon
ard, steeling his heart and threatening
him with the butt end of his piece.
Capucin seeing that he could not pre-
vail with him at last retired, often look
ing back and barking invitingly.
But the sentry stood resolutely at his
post and Capucin just reached the beach
in time to embark with the coporal in
the last boat, for Napoleon had formed
new strategetic combination and was
retiring inland, and had sent Davoust
orders to join him instantly, evacuating
Rugen on an hours notice. In the bus
tie the corporal-every one but Capucin
had forgotten about Bonard.
Firmin Bonard, pacing his beat with
his musket under his arm, heard three
o'clock strike in the distant belfry of the
old church of Rugen, then four o'clock,
then five. The sun swallows began to
twitter and the sun came up.
Losing all patience, and in desperate
defiance of all military law, which en-
Joined him to remain on post until he
was duly relieved, he descended from
the heights and Sought the guard house,
" If anybody is going to be shot," he
growled, it ought to be the corporal for
the idea of leaving a man on guard for
six hours is absurd"
SO saying he entered the guard house
and found it deserted.
1.-THE devil !" he exclaimed, and was
sorely puzzled, but after few moments
reflection came to the conclusion that