The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1919-02-15
THE COWARD.

Captain Jean Francois, you are one
great coward" f..
1t was not an enemy who said this,
nor yet a Gliding friend, but Captain
Jean Francois himself to himself, as
he sat late one night on duty in the
tent of his commander. For" unused
he, has he not as a raw recruit
screamed in alright when a waggish
comrade had placed a harmless snake
beneath his blankets? And did he not
tremble and grow pale every time the
bullets and shells began their song?
Ugh! the very thought of battle made
him shudder. He was a coward, he
felt, and to acknowledge it did not dis
turb him in the least
Captain Jean Francois had not al
ways been Captain Jean Francois. In
fact, he had been soldier only a few
months. The conscript list had called
him from the peace and quiet of the
Seminary to the hustle and danger of
the camp and battlefield. Jean Fran
co.'s had murmured and even wept
when called from his books; but his
good Superior had consoled him say
ing:
1T is hard, Brother Jean Francois,
but try to do your duty always. And
remember, it is for France
yes, yes, my Father replied Jean
Francois: but what is my duty?"
ITO obey your officers blindly, even
-, l.;
not sin" said his Superior.
'Ah yes; but the battle! how shall I
face it? l who am such a coward ?"
quavered Jean Francois
BE just and fear not.N queth his
Superior; ''and remember, Brother
Jean Francois. to do ones duty is to
serve ones God!' Thus they parted.
At first his feliowsoldiers had been
inclined to tease the quiet Jean Fran
co.'s; but his never failing cheerful
ness and good nature had soon won
their esteem. On one point, however,
they could not understand him; plant
as he was in most regards, Jean Fran
co.'s was as firm as adamant in his re-
fusal to yield to the sinful allurements
of the camp. To the soldiers his con-
duct in battle was simply inexplicable
THAT Jean Francois is a big cow
ard" Soldier Jean Noir had said after
his first battle; did you mark how he
shook and trembled when the bullets
began to HUMP"
NO, you are mistaken Sergeant
Jaques Beaujon had replied; shake
and tremble he did, but he kept his
place with the best of u.s. Why don't
you run?' | asked him; I cannot; my
duty is here, he replied. towards
don't think of duty. l repeat, Soldier
Jean Francois is a mystery to me, but i
he is no coward!' And Sergeant Beau
JON swore a huge soldier-oath to en-
phasize his statement.
Jean Francois had been in only two
battles when he was made a sergeant. \
And strange to say, all the army said
he richly deserved the promotion. It
had happened thus: the army of Gen
eral Joinville driving back the Ger
mans had taken refuge in long line
OF shallow trenches; the enemy also
mad entrenched. Early one morning,
a party of French under cover of a
fog, had attempted a flank movement
on the enemy. Suddenly, however, the J
fog lifted and the party had been ex-
posed to terrible fire from the Ger |
mans. Scarcely one-half of their mum !
Der had reached the trenches, where
they lay, whilst over them hurtled a /
storm OF shot and shell. Among the
soldiers lay Jean Francois, white and
trembling, but unutterably thankful !
that he had not been Of the attacking .
party. Among the last to fall had been
Sergeant Beaujon. who now lay moan.