Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1886-06-10
THE JEALOUS SENTINEL.
BY sYLyANUs COBB, JR.

A chill and cheerless day towards
the end of November, of the year 1870.
The siege of Paris was in foil tide oil
determinate execution. For two
months, and little more, the German
host had environed the city with a
circle Of glistening bayonets and loud.
rnouthed cannon cutting off free inter
course with the outside world, and
etiectually preventing the incoming
of provisions; the smoke and tunes
Of burning powder filled the air while
shot and she'll rained down upon the
doomed metropolis, by day and by
night.
The poor were starving and even
the wealthy often went hungry. For
meat, the famlshing ones seizel upon
''everything that had life, and that
could be killed without crime. The
monstrous rats of the sewers We're a
luxury, and the flesh OF horses and
mules fed the aristocracy. Had the
lack Of food been the worst, the horror
would not have been so dire: but
while fool was lacking. drink was
plenty. No meat for the Sa,s c,lottc,,
but wine in abundance. Even the
National Guard, hitherto so orderly
and so correct, driven on by gnawing
hunger, fled TO the wine-cup for relief {;
and the guard was drunk!
Yet, the Parsians hoped. They
hoped that Trochu would fall upon the
environing host in the rear; break
the strong lines; and force the enemy
to abandon the siege. But the hope
was vain. Trochu did not come.
Winter, freezing cold. and gaunt
famine, came instead; and those Of
clearest vision saw final surrender
coming, nearer and nearer, every day.
Near the corner of the Boulevard
Mazas and the Rue de Bercy was sit
uated the wine shop of Victor Rameau,
popular resort Of the middling
classes, but patronized by men of
high standing, and often sought by
those OF the lowest strata of society.
On this chill November day the spa
cious apartment, on the street level,
was well filled by motley assemblage.
There were present representative of
almost every trade, profession and
calling, though the military element
predominated.
At one OF the small oaken tables,
against the wall, sat two men with
whom We have particularly to do and
at the table next to them, also against
the wall, sat third. Ofthe two. one
was sergeant OF the National Guard,
named Jacques earlier, stout middle
aged man, with a heavy mustache,
and a head Of closely clipped red hair.
His face was likewise very red; and
his two eyes We're as nearly OF the
same fiery color as they could be.
The guardsman $ companion was a
short thick-set man, also OF middle
age with dark brown hair, and a full
beard OF the same color His stout
ness was peculiar. 1t did not seem to
be fat, but an unusual size Of body and
limb somewhat as though in his youth
a ponderous weight had fallen upon
his head and shoulders, and knocked
him into that squat, uncouth figure.
His hair was thick and tangled his
face, where the full beard did not hide
it, darkly tanned and seemingly un-
washed; and his clothing Of the very
worst-worn and soiled, and ragged.
He had given his name as Pierre
Dubois, claiming to be from Ariennes.
The third mamie at the other ia
ble-was Colonel De Breze, OF the
National Guard. Both he and the
sergeant were in uniform, and saving
only the rags, neither Of them could
boast OF personal appearance very
much better than WAS that OF the poor
way farer from Ariennes.
Pierre Dubois had dark lines under
his eyes look Of pain and distres,
marked his face while deep-reach
ing rasPing cough ever and amor
shook his frame and interrupted hi.
speech.
Id enlist this moment" he said
If | could be put on duty under coveI
out Of the way OF this miserable win
ter wind. But what should be sooc
| for in the trenches, or at the breast