Year: 1878

capacity OF nurse.


"Why, how is this, my child ?" said
Jerome, taking the little one by the arm.
"What is it about your motherP"


"Oh, good jerome, you can hear her
now. Hark !"


The sentinel bent his ear, but could
hear only the wind and the rain.


"Mamma is in the dreadful mud, said
the child, "and is dying. She is not far
away. Oh, L can hear hear her crying


BY degrees, Jerome gathered from
Natalie that her father had taken her
out with him in the morning, and that
in the evening, when the storm came
on, her mother came after her. The
sergeant had offered to send O man back
to the camp with his wife; but she pre-
ferred to return alone, feeling sure that
she would meet with no trouble. The
way, however, had become dark and
uneertllin, and she had lost the path,
and wanIlered off to the edge of the
morass, where she had sunk into the soft
mud.


"Oh, good JEROME" cried the little
one, seizing the mans hand, "cant you
hear herP She will die if you do not
come and help her !"


At that moment, the sentinel fancied
he heard the wall Of the unfortunate
woman. What should he do? Lisette
the good, the beautiful, the tender
hearted Lisette-was in mortal danger,
and it was in his power to save her. 1t
was not in his heart to Withstand the
pleadings OF the child. He could go
and rescue the nurse, and return to his
post without detection. At all events,
he could not refuse the childish pleader.


"Give me your hand, Natalie. I'll
go with you"


With cry of Joy, the child sprung to
the soldiers side, and, when she had
secured his hand, she hurried him along
toward the place where she had left her
mother. 1t seemed a long detance to
Jerome, and once he stoppedAls though
he would turn back. He did not fear
death, but he feared dishoDor.


"Hark I" uttere the child.


The soldier listened, and plainly heard
the voice of the suffering woman calling
for help. He hesitated no longer. On
he hastened through the storm, and
found Lisette sunk to her armpits in the
soft morass. Fortunately, q tuft OF
long grass had been within her reach, by
which means she held her head above
the fatal mud. 1t was no easy matter
TO extricate her from the miry pit, as
she workman had to be very careful that
he himself did not lose his footing. At
length, however, she was drawn forth,
and Jerome led her toward his post.


"Who comes there?" cried a voice
from the gloom.


Heaven |" gasped Jerome, stopping
and trembling from head to foot


"Who comes there ?" repeated the
voice.


Jerome heard the click of musket-
lock, and he knew that another sentinel
had been stationed at the post he had
left. The relief had come while he had
been absent


Friends with the countersign !" he
answered, to the last call of the new
sentinel.


He was ordered to advance, and when
he had given the countersign, he found
himself in the presence of the officer OF
the guard. In a few hurried words he
told his story, and had the officer been
alone, he might have allowed the matter
to rest where it was; but there were
others present, and when ordered to give
up his musket, he obeyed without a
murmur, and silently accompanied the
officer to the camp, where he was put in
irons.


On the following morning, Jerome
Dubois was brought before a court-mar-
tial under charge of having deserted his
post. He confessed that he was guilty,
and then permission was granted him to
tell his own story.


hn in
court could do nothing but pass sentence
Of death; yet the members thereof all
signed petition praying that jerome
Dubois might be pardoned; and this
petition was sent to the general of the
brigade, and through him to the general
of the division, by whom it was indOrsed,
aud sent up to the marshal.


Lefebvre was kind and generous to his
! soldiers almost to a fault, but he could
not overlook so grave an error as that
which had been committed by Dubois.


The orders given to the sentinel had
very simple, and foremost of very neces'
sity was the order forbidden him to leave
his post until properly relieved.


To certain extent, the safety of the
whole army rested upon the shoulde. OF
each individual sentinel, and especially
upon those who at night were posted
nearest the lines of the enemy.


"I am sorry, said the gray-haired ole
warrior, as he folded up the petition and
handed it back to the officer who bad
presented it. Il am sure that mar
meant no wrong, and yet great wrong
was DONE, He knew what he was doing
he ran the risk-he was detected-hC
has been tried and condemned. HI
must suffer


} They asked Lefebvre if he would sex
the condemned.


| "No, no =" the marshal cried, quick
ly. "Should see him, and listen t.
) one-half his story, might pardon him
, and that must not be done. Let hin


die. that thousands may be saved. "