Weekly Trinity journal., 1879-06-14
THE FORGOTTEN SENTINEL.

L ne lSlNuu OF huSon, III tue DNllC, op-
posite Stralsund, is strong natural po-
sition, strongly fortified. During the
campaign of 1907 Davoust ha6 occupied
it with regiment of infantry and some
companies of sappers aud pioneers and
one of the in!antrvmen was Firmin
Bonard, q young soldier posted one night
as sentry on II little eminenco near the
harbor.
1t was midnight when the corporal Of
the guard left him and he expected 20 be
relieved Mt . o'clock, which would leave
him three hours sleep before morning, 49,
The minutes slowly wore away and the
two hours, according to the sentry's cal
culation had about expired, when sud
denly he heard u sound of footsteps ap.
proachins.
Good hero comes tho reicf!" said
Firmin Bonard to himself, then cried
aloud, "Who goes there ?"
There was no reply. "And yet |
heard something" muttorcd the soldier,
"aLd | can take my oath my two hours
are up" Almost Immediately thereafter
there was another rustic in the bushes,
then n bark, and poodle CdpWcm, the
dog of the regiment, and n warm person
al friend of the young sentry, bounded up
to him.
On hearing the dog bark tho sentinel
at FIST lancied that something was wrong,
and cooking his musket he cast II searchs
ing glance into the obscurity, holding
his breath to listen. But there was
neither sound nor sight of foe, and
Cdpucin, elamboring up She rocks, camo
bounding up to Bonards feet.
"Oh, that's you, old fellow, Is it?,
said the soldier. You found it dull,
did you? Well, CdpWchs, it is not par
ticumrly lively here. 1t is n pity you
didn't think to invite the corporal to ac~
company you, tor the night is decidedly
cool and have an exposition of sleep
come upon me. The coporal's watch is
always slow, and will be ii he takes il
to the blOcksmiths for repairs"
In response to these words, to which he
had patiently listened, Capucin began Ia
bark and gambol turiously round his
friend.
"Oh, you think that If / am chilled
and sleepy had better warm my blood
and wake myselfup with II dance, ola ?
But, C0pHcN, you have no musket to
carry, or you wouldn't frsk so."
Sill CopUciR continued to barl and to
run, now to the right, now to the left, as
ii possessed, till finally, losing all pa
tience he came up 20 the soldier, seized
heartily Mt it that no tore away rrag
ment of the cloth.
Bonard was not in the best OF humor
originally; now his anger was increased
and transferred from the absent corporal
TO the present Copucin, and he saluted
the animal with lusty kick.
The dog was visibly greved to be so
maltrcated and misunderstood and res
tired to some little distance, ;hen slowly
returned, looked reproachlully Mt The sol,
dier and licked his hands.
Go BE of with you I" said Bonard
steeling his heart and threatening him
i with tie butt-end of his piece.
Cdpucin, seeing that he could not pre-,
vail with him, Mt last retired often look.
ing back and barking inyiungy.
But the sentry stood resolutely at his
post, and Cdputn just renched the be""h
in time to em5nrk with The corpora,
the last boat, for Napoleon formed new
strategy combination and was retiring
inland, and hnd sent Davoust orders to
join him instantly, evacuating Rugen on
an hours notice. In the hustle the cor.
poral-eyeryone but Capucin-had for
gotten about Bonard