Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1917-11-08
Shepherdston Jefferson County, Virginia. Thursday November
Two SentrieS.

Two Sentries.
In an appeal for supplies that came one
day to the Paris office of the American
Fund for French Wounded there was a
request for pair of pyiamas for soldier
who was TO get the Croix de Guerre, AMI
who had no garment in which to receive
the decoration. This is the story of that
soldier:
On a night so foggy that the men could
not see The wall of the trench three feet in
front OF them this man was doing sentry
duty. His dog, crouched by his side with
ears we'll forward and twitching nose,
was on the alert for any scent.
To all appearance there was nothing 10
disturb the fog-enforced silence, but sud-
denly the dog began to tremble with ex-
citement and to lick the soldiers hand.
The sentry listened, but the fog was like
cotton wool in his ears. He strained his
eyes, but ghastly whiteness barred his
vision, He shifted his position as he
leaned against the wall OF the trench, and
his thoughts wandered to his home in the
north, to his wife and children.
But the dog again thrust his muzzle into
his masters hand and rubbed against his
legs. The sentry's wandering thoughts
came back With bayonet fixed and
every sense alert he listened, but he
heard no sound. The dog whimpered,
and then, like flash, he was gone. He
ran like mad down the tortuous trench,
evidently in sheer terror.
The sentry was dumfounded. Appar-
emily there was no cause TO give an alarm.
Might there be some mining on that he
could not hear? He stopped and laid
his ear 10 The ground. Not sound.
Then all at once he understood. The
enemy approaching! SoundleSS, invisible,
it came nearer and nesrer-the asphyxia-
ting gas was sluggishly rolling over the
ground toward the trench. The dog had
scented il long ago, and had run from it
in uncontrolled fear. And now the sentry
ran, shouting to his sleeping comrades TO
wake and put on their gas masks. In a
second the trench was in commotion.
Then the enemy began 10 fire. A few
shells burst overhead and hand grenadeS
began 10 fall. But the awakened soldiers
were ready, and nature for a moment
came 10 their aid. A puff OF wind blew
back the fog, blew back the gas, and
gave glimpse OF the enemy pouring out
OF their trenches and rushing 10 the at
tack. With the wind now behind them,
the French counter attacked and drove
the enemy back into their trenches. ST.
lence fell again.
"Where is the sentry ?" the captain
asked. "He saved the regiment"
They looked for the sentry, but he
could not be found that night or the fol-
lowing day. In The darkness OF the sec
ond night the sentry's dog came into the
trench, whining and anxious. He ate
lew mouthfuls ravenously and drank
thirstily and hurriedy; then he whinee,
and paced nervousIY back and forth. He
would not be quieted, and finally ser
geant said:
"Who volunteers TO 60 with me ?"
Four men rose. Running with heads
down, and sometimes crawling on their
stomachs, they followed the dog into The
darkness OF no mans land. Then, halt
ing al a shell hole, The dog whined softly.
The sergeant CROPPED about and touched
a mans boot.
They rescued the half buried sentry
and dragged him back 10 the trench. He
seemed dead, but the dog knew that
there was life in his body. The stretcher
bearers took him TO the ambulance, and
he was hurried 10 the nearest hospital.
There he revived and seemed likely 10
live.
One day the general Of the division
came TO see him.
"You are to be decorated" he said,
with the Croix de Guerre."
"What have done ?"
"You saved your comrades from death;
perhaps hundred men would have died
except for your warning"
at was not l." the weak voice replied.
"My dog saved them"
"Then your dog shall be decorated,
too."
A wan smile passed The sentry's lips
"Where is my dog?"
"On the steps OF the hospital" )" an or
derly replied. eve can't drive him
away"
Bring him in" said the general.
On the breast Of the sentry the general
pinned the medal of honor, and on the
collar OF the dog, too, he fastened the
military RECOGNITION of faithfulneSS and