The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1898-12-15
MADAME JANbE.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
You smile at her name, finding it
absurd, perhaps? Do not, however,
BE il too great a hurry to turn it into
aidicule, for she who bore it was q
brave woman, ard worthy OF all re-
spect.
You must know that Nine. Jambe-
Mother Ja,nbe, the, soldiers called her
was for many years cantiniere in a
regiment OF the line, and in this capac-
lty size was sort Of good angel to
the troops. Officers and soldiers alike
all respected h5r.
married, when about thirty
years of age, the quartermaster-gen,
e-al of the regiment. His time was
nearly up, but he remained with the
colors in order to help his wife to keep
the canteen.
The little house was a prosperous
one, for Nine. Jau,be had more than
oae string 10 her bow, and we'll under
stood how to employ her spare time
Frohtably. She had learned the art
lor science, perhaps, it should be
called of hair-dressing, and on the
occasion of any fete was in great re-
GRest with the officers wives. The
thsisty woman was thus able to lay by
a very considerable sum OF money,
which by no means lessened her pop
uiarisy in the regiment.
After 9 year Of married life son was
born, and Nine. Jambe and her hus.
band agreed that as soon as he should
attain tne proper age, he, too, should
be soldier. At the age Of sixteen he
passed into the ranks, aud being smart
and intelligent, he seemed to have a
brs3ht futuse before him.
But the husband aud father died sud
: saeniS IN IS g. It was terrible shock
to poor Niue. Jambe, and she woald
hardly have survived it were it moi
fol. the ttonght of her son, and the
hope that he woald be comfort tc
her in her declining years. Sorrow
aged her more than her rough life hao
done, and she left the service and set
tied in little cottage left her by hel
parents IN the village of Clusv, neal
PoY.arliers.
a yea: later war broke out, and this
was another sorrow for her to bear.
She was a PARROT, was Nine. Jambe,
bat she was mother also.
During that terrible winter of 1870.
Il, she hardly slept for three consecu,
tive hours IL the twenty-four. Always
on the alert TO-. news, she chafed sorely
at tie snow, which almost cut OF hel
litt!e'vi-iage from the outer world, and
made communication matter of great
ii Ic0ltv.
She passed whole weeks in ignor
a2ce o. the progress OF the war, 0.
her sons whereabouts, and then, little
by little, she heard Ct the defeats. and
at last lea, ned that her son, a sergeant
now, he i been attached to the army
Of the east, which was then being
formed under the command of Genera
Bon rbski.
from this time and in all weathers
sac might be seen each day trudgiaa
ihe wea"y, saow-covered miles which
lay between Clrsy and Pontarliers, OF
else climbing to Fort de Jonz, over
looking the Swiss frontier. She sought
news, but news, unhappily, was scarce
and contradictory.
Sud enly, toward the end of Jan
uarv, the runor spread that the army
of the east was approaching, having
failed 70 relieve Belfort. For nearly
a week Nine. Jambe kept a stric:
watch day AL night, scanning eagerly
the rcal by VII cn she hoped to see
the French arrive.
They were signalled at last, but the
Germans were signaIled, too, from the
opposite direction, and it seemed evi-
dent that the armies would enc. unter
one another in the immediate neigh
bo;hoGti.
AMI now will let Nine. Jambe
TAX, up the story, for what followed ]
ha from her own liEs few months
after the events described took
place:
:sOne morning at dawn T heard a
noise at the door of the cottage, and
then the sound of breaking glass. I
rose hastily aud ran down to the en-
trance. gave cry, my boy was
there, and behind him stood three OF
his com AIDES, but in what a state
haggard, ow-cheeked, their uni
forms in rags, their boots almost in
PIE, ,es, blue and shivering with cold
& Mother, you must hide u.s." he
said. 'Ehe general has entrusted me
with a message to the commandaut Of
the fort, but the Prussians have seen
rs and are in pursuit. They must not
find Us.
Give me your ORDER cried, 4
will take it while you hide here; nc
one viii suspect woman-'
q had no time 70 finish, we heard
8 discharge Of musketrv and q neigh
Dor rsshel in crying:
The Prrssians! The Prussians
arg Aere!!'