The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1880-07-30
A FAITHFUL SENTRY.
THE GOOSE THAT IN TURN SAVED ITS PRE-
SERVERS LIFE.

{ Ut W nUtldll- IL CONSISTS OF tile ncdu ana
neck of a goose, around which is a golden
collar with the inscription "Jacob-Second
Battalion COldstream Guards Beneath it
are the words, ''Died on Duty
/ In 1888 a rebellion broke out in our Cana
dian possessions, and two battaliOns of the
/ Guards We're sent thither to assist in quell-
/ ing it, the battalion already mentioned being
one of them. Both corps occupied the cita-
del of Quebec, and in their turn supplied the
guards which were ordered to be mounted in
different parts of the town and neighbOThOod
Near one of these guards was a farm yard
which had suffered much from the ravages of
foXes-animals that were at that period a
! great pest to the colOnistS; and as the farm
in question had been suspected of being the
meeting place of the rebels, chain of sen
1 tries was placed around it. One day the SEN
4 try whose duty it was to watch the entrance
/ to the farm had his attention attracted by an
! unusual noise, and on looking towards the
/ spot whence it proceeded he beheld a fine
/ goose fleeing toward him closely pursued by
/ a fox. His first impulse was to have a shot
at the latter; but this would have alarmed
the guard, and brought condign punishment
on himself for giving false alarm. He was
tator of the scene, while every step brought
/ the reynaTd nearer TO his prey. In the height
of its despair the poor bird ran its head and
/ neck between the legs of The soldier in its
frantic effort to reach the refuge which the
/ sentry-box could afford and at the same mo-
ment the willy fox made a desperate grab at
the goose, but too late, for ere he could get a
feather between his teeth the ready bayonet
} of the sentinel had passed through his body.
/ The poor goose. by way of showing its graft
tude towards its preserver rubbed its head
against his legs, and made other equally Gu
rious demonstrations of joy; nor could it ever
be prevailed on to quit the post, but walked
up and down, day after day, with each sue
ceSsivc sentry that was placed there, until
the battalion left Canada, when the goose
was brought away with it, as a regimental
pet, to England.
The most remarkable thing in connection
with the story is that the goose in turn actu-
ally saved the life of its preServer Whether
the former knew that the sentry was the same
man or not must Of course forever remain a
problem; but it so happened that he was ON
that particular post about two months after
ward, when a desperate attempt was made
to surprise and kill the mwary sentinel. 1t
was winter time, and although it was a bright
moonlight night, the moon was hidden ever
and anon by the scudding clouds which seem
ed to presage an approaching storm. In these
moments Of darkness sharp observer might
have noticed the shadows Of several men who,
unobServed by the somewhat drowsy senti-
mel, were endeavoring stealthily to approach
the post where he stood. Suddenly he heard,
or thought he heard, a strange rustling sound,
and bringing his musket to his shoulder, he
shouted loudly ''Who goes there? p" Not a
sound save the echo of his own voice in the
distance, and the signing of the winter wind
among the branches of the trees which stood
in the deserted farm-yard, responded to the
challenge.
Several minutes elapsed during which the
soldier marched up and down his lonely beat
followed 10y the devoted goose, until, deem
ing his alarm UnwaTranted, he again .''stoOd
at ease" before the sentry-boX. This was
the enemy opportunity, and the rebels were
not long in endeavoring to profit by it. Closer
and closer they stole up toward the post, the
thick snow which lay on the ground complete
" deadening the sounds of their footsteps
But just as two Of their number, one on eacl
uplifted knife to spring upon the unsuspect-
ing man, the bird made grand effort, rose
suddenly on its wings, and swept round the
sentry-bON with tremendous force, fiappinl
its wings right in the faces of the would-be as
[ sasSinS. They were ast0unded and rushed
bIindly forward, but the sentry, fully aroused
: to his danger, bayOneted one and shot tn,
, other as he was running away Meanwhile
r the other conspirators approached to the as
I sistance of their colleagues but the bird re
, peated its tactics, and enabled the sentry I,
2 keep them at bay until the guard-whom tn,
. firing of his gun had alauned-came upol
the scene and made them fly for their lives.
When this incident became known, poo
old Jacob was the hero of the garrison; an,
the officers subscribed for and purchased th
golden collar which the bird afteTwaTd wor
until the day of his death.
On the arrival of the regiment i'm Londo1
2 the bird resumed its old duties with the sen
| tinelS posted at the barrack gates, and it wa
e exceedingly amusing to watch its movement
= as it walked proudly up and down with tn
f sentry, or stood to attention beside the bo
> when the latter was saluting passing Office
e or guard The feathcred hero was well fe
G and cared for, and circular bath filled wit
h water was always at his disposal Childre
d were its especial favorites, as they used
bring the creature lots of food; but Jaco
: would never tolerate any liberties eXcel
!. when, in military parlance, he was 'standin
n easy" For many years Jacob seemed
d bear a charmed life: but he was at lengt
d run over by a van. Every effort which kline
n ness and skill could suggest was made to say
k this extraordinary bird but it was of /
o avail, and he died like a true English soldie
!. at the post of duty, after ''sentTyCo'' of n
II less than twelve years Chambers Journal
" NO, SAMUEL calmly replied Mrs. Bar
e lett, i'm answer to his furious and sarcaSt
questions, mo. 1t isn't because there's !
4 gray cloth in Burlington that patched yol