The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1892-01-16
THE FRENCH SENTRY.

The ene1ny had retreated at last, leay-
ing the French masters Of the position.
The sergeant had gone away, after plac-
ing a uonscnpt, Claude Latapie, IS sen
try, on an eminence, under shelter Of q
cottage, which had been half demol-
ished by the grapeshot.
Nisbs Vas coaEne On, and in the deep
ening gloom the young soldier looked
half fearfully at the wintry landscape.
Each object was q huge, weird silhou-
cite, which his simple peasant fancy
Transformed into fantastic specter,
ald ne trelnblingly recalled! the ghostly
legends heard III lis childhood, the wolnl7.
5en crossing themselves. the men shud-
deffn5 and All drawing nearer the glow.
ing shearth, while the wind howleds
metumfnllv Above him the sky grew
more and more Opaque, not 4 star pierc-
ing its blacaness, and the bleak north
sNilid prolonged the tremulous sighs Of
the branches, as they softly rustled
against each other.
/ The sentry tlasped his muai1et firmly
and stood 1lotionless, paralyzed win
vague terror and almostnumb with cold:
His. thoughts Were 50 busy with the
Taeinory of lis home and Of days which
seemed, after all his battling and hard
ship, to IT, long away, that he half for
cot. 1io duly Of keeping watch. IS
Suddenly u moaning sound arose in TIL.
tdaTI.n1Ss fei;r him. Startled from his
lreverie, Claude shock himself, cooked his
lGan auI locked -shout him anxiously.
with eTeE,n,l ear and every muscle ~:
the ,llel.t. Remembering that his com
sralas were ASLEEP and that they trusted
to him to Wsskal tiIQln ia case Of danger.
The tno41,s continued with sound Of
stranglfn9 like !, death rattle; then
faint, hoarse crysefa4ony arose from the.
a,uined walls Of the house. Claude peered
in 1T the doorway, struck match and
saw lying ii Il corner on d heap Of rub
hsisll and held down by the fragments Of
the shattered roof the dark outline Of q
human form. T-.-
A bit If alles end chauced to be ly-
ing near anl Claude lighted this and :
crePt softly toward the corner; in the
dim light he discovered d soldier, one Of
the enemy, whoY had evidently been
|strnc,5 C5;N1! ~ the falling joists, for 4
sb1ala l.r s.4zaas his chest. The young
! Fse.se.l.nla.t 15..gttaEqQ an exclamation e1-
/ pressing fierce hate, and drew his bayo-
! 3inot .-->:,tc1rir@lv; the other man looked
! st Lin with ha4gard eyes. Cl&ndc was
ashamed and drew back; it was indeed
an enemy, but a wounded one, and the
conscript lowered his musket, which
/ struck the frozen ground with a sharp,
clahf'ng sound.
LET linn die" he muttered: but q
choking voice exclaimed inrlorinsly:
Drink
',Eou want drink: Very likely re-
tcrtal the young trooper, laying his
hand on the canteen, which, before tax
ing his place is sentry, he had filed with
warm coffee, generously seasoned with
brandy. Very proper for me to warm
stl enp-ay's stomach at the expense OF .
Frenchlnans..'
He laughed sneeringly, and IS if il de-
fance If tile wounded mans entreatv
opened the canteen and put it to his own
lips. i3uB the first drop seemed to choke
him; after all, thisW retched German was
fellow man, Claude leaned his gun
against the wall, stopped over the suf-
ferer. lifted off the heavy beam and then.
kneelirg down, held the canteen over
the gasping mouth. The other man
raised lis hands eagerly to grasp the
treasure.
.sNone Of that" cried Claude; put
down your paws, OF not q drop shall yon
have The creature thinks | would -
willing to drink after his beery lipsf'
The wounded man understood, for he
had lived in France before the war, and
made movement as if to turn away
from the look Of disgust which accom-
! [Continued on last page.