The Benton weekly record. [volume] (Benton, Mont.) 1880-1885, 1880-07-09
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3
which is il golden collar with tie inscls
w ton: Jaeob-2d Battalion GottIstret
11e Guards. Beneath il are the wor,
- Died on Duty"
las In 1888 a rebellion broke out iii Canat
f' fs- and two battalions Of the Guards We
- sent thither=St to assist in quelling tit
g battalion already mentioned being one
= them. Both corps occupied the Citadel
!. y. Quebec, and in their turn supplied d
" guards which were ordered to be nlosintt
y in different parts of the town and neigl
81 Eborhooa. 49, d.
= Near one of these guards was a farm
= yard which had suffered much from tn
= ravages o. fo1es-lniinals that were 1
- that period 4 great pest to tile coIonists
: and as the farm in question had bee
= suspected Of being the meeting place Q
$ the rebels, chain of sentries was place,
: around it. One day the sentry who's
7 duty it was to watch the entrance to til,
= farm had his attention attracted by nj
unusual noise and on looking toward thu
= goose fleeing toward him closely pursued
by a fox. His first. impulse WAS 10. 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 compelled, therefore, to
remain silent spectator of the scene.
while every step brought the reynard
lleader to his prey. In the height of its
despair, the poor bird ran its .llead and
neck between the legs of the soldier, III
its frantic endeayor to reach the refuge
which the sentry-box could afford :land III
the same moment the willy fox made a
desperate grab ut the goose but too late,
fore he could get Il feather between his
teeth, the ready bayOllct of the sentinel
had passed through his body. Tile poor
goose, by way of showing its. gratitude to
its preserver, #ruDbed its head against his
legs, and made other equally curious de-
nonstfations OF JOY; nor .eotlClsiteFer be
prevailed upon to quit tlepost, but walk
ed up and down day after day with each
successive sentry that was placed there
until the battalion left Canada, when the
goose was brought away with it AS
rcsiincntal pet to England.
The most remarkable thing in conlet-
ton with the story is that the goose in
turn actually saved its preserver's life.
Whether El1e former knew that the sentry
was the same man or not, must Of course
remain a problem; but it so happened
that he was OIL that particular pass about
two months afterwards when a desperate
attempt was made to surprise and Kill
the unwary sentinel. 1t was winter-time. !
and although it was !: bright moonlight I
night, the moon WAS hidden ever and
anon by the scudding clouds which seemed
to presage an approaching storm. In
these moments ofadarkness a sharp OBJ /
server might have haze noticed the I
shadoWsof several men who, unobseryel .
by the the somewhat droWsy sentinel, |
We're endeayoring stealthily to approach
the post where he stood. Suddenly he
heard, OF. thought he heard, a strange.
rustlin@ sound. and bringing his musket /.
to liS shoulder, he shouted loudly. Who il
goes there: Not=:t sound. save tile echo
of his OWL, voice in the distance. and the
sighing of the winter wind among the E
branches of the trees which stood in the
deserted farnl-yard, responded to tile cliaI-
lenge. *
Several minutes elapsed, during which
the soldier marched up and down his Fl
lonely beat followed by the devoted
goose, until, deeming his alarm unwar-
ranted, he again stood at ease before
The sentry-box. This was the enemy's
opportunity, and the rebels were not
ong in endeaVoring to profit BY it. Closer +
md closer they stole up toward the post, =.
he thick SHOW which lay on the ground !,
dcadening the sound of their !,
But just as two of their Num- :,
Der, one on each side of the sentry-box, t :
we're preparing with uplifted knife to .
spring upon the unsuspectin@ man, the =
bird made a grand effort, rose suddenly OH >
is wings, and swept round the sentrv-box =
With tremendous force, tapping its wings ).
light in the facesaf the Would-be assassins. +,
They were astounded, and rushed bIindlv ,
onward; but the sentry, fully aroused to i,
lis danger. bayoneted one and shot at the i
,ther as he was running AWAY. Mean a
while, the other conspilators approached 7
o the assistance of their colleagues: but !.
he bird repeated its tacties. and enabled :.
he sentry to keep them ut bay until the +,
the firing of his mlSkct had
upon the scene and made E
hem flee for their lives. :z9=.z-z=a T.
When this incident became known. poor :.
Id Jacob WAS the hero of the garrison. !,
md the officers subscribed for and pllr- /
hased the gold collar which the bird :.
fterNarTi wore until the day OF his death sF,
On the arrival OF the regiment in Lon :.
lon, the bird RESUMED its old duties with =
he seltitlnfs posted at the barrack gates, :.
md it WIS exceedingly amusing 10 watch :
IS movements ,tS it walked proudly up |
nd down with the sentry. or stood 10
ht.~tte the box when the latter !.
vas saluting i passing officer or gtetitl. -.
Lhe featbered hero wars well fed and cared :,
or, and 4 circular. bath filled with water i,
vas always;lt his disposal. Children were H,
Is special fayoaitcs, as they use to Bring,
he creature all kinds of food isEbtlt jacob
would never tolerate amy liberties except :
when, i'll military parllace, he was .tsstan4lz 4
ng easy.
For many years Jacob seemed to bear.
charmed life: but he was at length run ;,
,vcr BY a van, Every effort which kind :.
less and skill could suggest was made TO +,
ave this extraordinary fEbird; but it was of !,
10 avail, and he died like 4 true English !,
older, 1t the post of duty .;ftele sentry ]
so', Of no less than5twelve wears, ##slv,
Am E1fssHIfbEc sign. 4
The other morning, at the Central Sta 9
ion Court, il prisoner charged with drunk il
.lness made such earnest denials that his q
it his duty TO closely cross Y
.xanlne Tie officer ii tIiecase. 81. II 7
How do YOU. klaoW@tlat tie prisoner 4
Vas drunks.' u be asketl. 4
ell. Ile=5W;ss fHsiHa e balance Ilimselft
j. Il picket fence While be made speech, II
y,s The reply -. II
sHasn'ta citizen i right % stalltlzon. 4
ticket fence # he prefers queiied the
prisoner. II always make NY speeches
rom Tie top5asIe eilce-aI Isars.:'
Any other s;gl1s.s: ;tskesl The court. 5
;Hespoke about II S being tue glorious IS
Fourth, your Honor