Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1881-12-29
THE FORGOTTEN SENTINEL.

The island of Rugen, in the Baltic,
opposite Strulsund, is strong natural
position strongly fortified. During the
campaign of 1907 Davoust had occu-
pied it with q regiment of infantry and
some companies of sappers and pio-
neers; and one of the infantry men was
Firman Bonard, young soldier posted
one night on little eminence near the
harbor.
1t was midnight when the corporal of
the guard left him, and he expected to.
be relieved at 2 o'clock, which would
give him three hours sleep before morn
'ing. The minutes slowly passed away,
and the two hours, according to the
sentry's calculation, had about expired,
when suddenly he heard sound of foot
steps approaching.
.Good here comes The reliefr said
Firman Bonard to himself, then cried
aloud, Who goes there?"
There was no reply.
And yet | heard something" NUT
tered the soldier, "and l can take my
oath my two hours are up"
Almost Immediately thereafter there
was another rustic in the bushes, then
a bark, and the poodle Capnain, the
dog of the regiment, and warm per-
sonal friend of the young sentry, bound
ed up to him.
On hearing the dog bark the sentinel
at first fancied that som enhing was
wrong, and cooking his musket 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 up to Bonard's feet.
ooh, that's you, old fellow, is it,"
said the soldier. "You found it dull,
did you? Well, Capucin, it is not par
ticularly lively here. 1t is a pity you
didn't think to invite the corporal to
accompany you, for the night is decid-
edly cool and | have an exposition of
sleep come upon me. The corporal's
watch is always slow, and will be till
he takes it to the blacksmith's for re-
pairs"
In response to these words, to which
he had patiently listened, Capucn be-
gan to bark and gambol furiously round
his friend.
ooh, you think / am chilled and
sleepy. l had better warm my blood
and wake myself up with dance, eh ?
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, till finally, losing
all patience, he came up to the soldier,
seized him by the overcoat, and tugged
so heartily at it that he tore away n
fragment of the cloth.
Bonard was not in the best of humor
originally; now his anger was increased
and transferred from the absent corpo-
raj to the present Capucin, and he sa-
uted the animal with a lusty kick.
The dog was visibly grieved to be SO
maltrerted and misunderstood, and re-
tired to some little distance, then slow
" returned, looked reproachfully at
the soldier, and licked his hands.
go Be off with you !" said Bon
ard, steeling the heart and threatening
MIN with the butt-end of his piece.
Capucin, seeing lthat he could not
prveail upon him, at last retired, often
looking back and barking invitingy.
But the sentinel stood resolutely at
his post, and Capucin just reached the
beach in time to embark with the cor
poral in the last boat, for Napoleon had
formed new strategetic combination
and was retiring inland, and had sent
Davoust orders to JON him instantly,
eyacuting Rugen on an hours notice.
In the hustle the corporal-every one
hut Capucin-bad forgotten aoolt Bo-
nard.
Firman Bonard, pacing his beat with
his musket under his arm, heard three
O'clock strike in the distant belfry OF
the old church of Ruien, then four,
then five. The swallows began to
twiuer and the sun came up.
Losing all patience, and IN deperate
defiance of military law, which enIoln-
ed him to remain on post till he was
duly relieved, he descended from the
heights and rsought the guard-house.
If anybody is going to be shot, ne
crowled, it ought to be the corporal,
for the idea of leaving man on guard
for six hours is absurd"
so saying he entered the guard-hous
and found it deserted. The devil y
he exclaimed, and was sorely puzzled,
but after a few moments reflection
came to the conclusion that the regi-
ment had moved during the night to
some other part of the island. Throw
ing his gun over his shoulder, he set OFT
across the island and presently came to
peasant who was Moving in field