The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-07-30
GOOSE SAVED A SENTRY'S LIFE
Rewarded by Being Permitted to Wear a
Golden Collar.

FROM st. Nicholas Magazine.
A goose made its first appearance
near Quebec over fifty years ago, when
some British troops had been sent out
to put down a rebellion of the colonists.
A certain farm in the neighborhood,
suspected of being a resort for the in
surgents, was surrounded by sentries
placed at some distance apart, and one
day the sentry whose post was near the
gate of the farm heard a singular noise.
A fine, plump goose soon appeared on
a run, making directly for THE spot
where the soldier stood, and close be-
hind in pursuit came a hungry fox.
The sentry's first impulse was to
shoot the thievish animal and rescue
the goose, but since the noise of the re-
port would have brought out the guard
on a false alarm he was obliged to de-
ny himself this satisfaction.
The fox was gaining on his intended
prey, when the goose, in frantic at
tempt ito reach the sentry box, ran his
head and neck between the soldiers
legs just as the pursuer was on the
point of Selling it. Fortunately the
guard could use his bayonet without
making disturbance, and he did this
to such good advantage that the pur-
suit was soon ended.
The rescued goose, evidently ami
mated by the liveliest gratitude, rubbed
it's head against it's deliverer's legs and
performed various other joyful and
kitten-like antics Then, deliberately
taking up its residence at the garrison
post, it walked up and down with the
sentry while he was on duty, and thus
accompanied each successive sentry
who appeared ITO patrol that beat.
About two months later the goose
actually saved the life of it's particu-
lar friend in a very remarkable way.
The soldier was again on duty at the
IN a OIL n
when the moon was frequently obscur
ed by passing clouds, the enemy had
formed a plan to surprise and kill him.
His feathered devotee was beside him,
as usual, while he paced his lonely
beat, challenging at every sound, and
then standing at ease" before his SEN
try box. The goose always stood at
ease, too, and it made a very comical
picture.
But some undesirable spectators-at
least of the soldiers movements-were
stealing cautiously toward the place,
under cover of the frequent clouds and
a line of stunted trees. Nearer and
nearer to the post they crawled, till
one of them, with uplifted knife, was
about to spring on the unsuspecting
man.
Then it was that the watchful goose
covered itself with glory by rising I'M
eXpeGtedly from the ground and flapp-
ing It's wings IN the races OF VDe WOuli-
be assassins. They rushed blindly for
ward, but the sentry succeeded in
shooting one of the party and bayonet-
ing another, while the goose continued
to worry and confuse the remainder un-
til they fed wildly for their lives
The brave bird was at once adopted
by the regiment under the name of
Jacob" and decorated with a gold COL
lar, on which his name was engraved
Ever after, during his life of twelve
years, he did sentry duty at home and
abroad, for he was taken to England
at the close of the war in Canada and
greatly lamented there when he died.
His epitaph reads, Died on Duty" and
no human sentinel could have been
more faithful than poor old Jacob.
AS it may occur to some readers who
have not made a study of the interest
ing and almost human ways of many
animals to doubt the truth of so re-
markable a story, they are referred to
the gold collar with Jacobs name and
exploit engraved on it, which may still
be seen at the headquarters of the
Horse Guards in London.