Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1899-01-31
NINE. JAMBE.


surd perhaps, but Nine. Jambe-Mother
Jambe, the soldiers called her-was for
many years cantiniere in regiment of
the line and in this capacity she was a
sort of good angel to the troops. Officers
and soldiers alike all respected her.
She married when about 80 years of
age the quartermaster general of the
regiment His time was nearly up, but
he remained with the colors in order to
help his wife keep the canteen.
After year of married life a son
was born, and Nine. Jambe and her
husband agreed that as soon as he
should attain the proper age he, too,
should be soldier. AT the age'of 16 he
passed into the ranks, antl being smart
and intelligent, he seemed to have a
bright future before him.
But the husband and father died sud
denly in 1869. 1t was terrible shock
to poor Nine. Jambe, and she would
hardly have survived it were it not for
the thought of Ler son and the hope
that he wouid be comfort to her in
her declining years. Sorrow aged her
more than her rough life had done, and
she left the service and settled in lit
tie cottage left her by her parents in
the village of Clusy, near Pontarliers.
A year later war broke out, and this
was another sorrow for her to bear.
She was patriot, was Nine. Jambe,
but she was mother also.
During that terrible winter of 1901
she hardly slept for three consecutive
hours in the a. Always on the alert
for news, she chafed soreIyat the snow,
which almost cut off her little village
from the outer world and made COM
munioation matter of great difficulty.
Suddenly, toward the end of January,
the rumor spread that the army of the
east was. approaching, having failed to
zEelieve Belfort. For nearly week Mere
Jambe kept striot sWatch day and
night, scanning eagerly the road by
which she hoped to see the French ar
rive.
They were signaled at last, but the
Germans were signaled, too, from the
opposite direction, and it seemed evil
dent that the armies would encounter
one another in the immediate neighbor-
hood
And now will let Nine. Jambe take
up the story, for what follows had
from her own lips few months after
lone morning at dawn I heard a
noise at the door of the cottage and
then the sound of breaking glass. rose
hastily and ran down to the entrance.
1 gave a cry; my boy was there, and
behind him stood three of his comrades,
but in what state-haggard, hollow
checked, their uniforms in rags, their
boots almost in pieces, blue and shiver-
ing with ooldl
Mother, you must hide us, he said.
The general has intrusted me with a
message to the commandant of the fort,
but the Prussians have seen us and are
IN pursuit. They must not find u.s.
Give me your order, cried. 4
will take it while you hide here. No
one will suspect woman
81 had no time to finish. We heard a
discharge of musketry, and neighbor
rushed in crying:
The Prussiunsl The Prussians are
herel'
81 pushed my son and his friends in
to storeroom at the farther end of
which. under some hay, was the door
leading into the cellar, where kept
my little stock of wine and cider.
THE PruEsians entered in through
the open door. 1 saw others in the road.
There must have been about 100 of
them altogether. A young officer was in
command.
He came up to me and said brutal
ly:
q Is it you who are Mime. Jambe?'
=" Yes, 1 am she, 1 answered him.
Your son has just entered this
house.
My sonl He is far away from here.
always Eupposing that he is still alive
he is here; am sure of it. Come.
now, where is he?'
You must seek him, them
He made a sign, and 1 was sur-
rounded and prevented from moving nv
position. The soldiers ransacked the
house, l asking myself meanwhile who
could be the coward who had BETRAYED
my gon.
'At last the brutes found him-him
and his friends, and 1 saw them dragged
out covered with the hay in which they
had attempted to conceal themselves.
And my son How brave and handsome
he looked, with his flashing eyesi Yesl
He was my own flesh and blood, and I
felt proud of him. They were rigorous
ly searched for the message they were
supposed to bear, but as it was verbal
one they could find nothing.
''The officer stamped about the little