Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1854-12-08

OLD SERIES. VOL. 90, NO. 2.
Joan Of Arc.

Joan OF Arc.
The interest attaching TO the history Of
THIS extraordinary female. to whom France
wa, so largely indebted for ih. preservation
Other honor, and perhaps her nationality
bu, who finally received At tho hands other
ungraiciul eounrymen, as 4 consummaiion
Of her glory, martyr, crown, Promis Us to
copy lhi. Characteristic passage, descriptive
of her youog life.
The ponsive and retiring beauty Of Joan,
while il attracted the attention of men. re.
pelled familiarity. Several, nevertheless,
pleased with her grace aud modcsiy solicited
her hand from her plrenis She Perseyered
IN remaining single aud free, possibly ar@
some obscure pressnlimcn' which warned her
that she would ono Jay have TO give biuhso'
10 a family. bat kingdom One Of tic sa.
tors, moro yolcni. had ihc boldne,s TO claim
heI love - of right, swearing before a eoun
~ Justice that she was beirothed t1 him
The poor girl, abasled bot Ind gnani, ap.
pcarcd before the jutgrs At Toul, and contra
di,lcd by oath this ellumny u passion. The
Judges saw through the plot, and scn, her
homo frcc.
While heI beauty l.us cha,mci the eve.
tic composuro of her flcc. tre ,houghlfliuesr
nj hcr features, the soliudc and silence other
lie, aslunislcI her Gihrr, her mother, ani
her brplhes. She possessed only iho grace
lnd ATTRACTIONS NJ her ssr-shs had none Of
Do, week.-mrs., Her lace exhibited neither
her feelings nor the emotions of ler heart.
II, expression, concentrated in her eyes.
seemed rather that Of meditation ihaa oi Esh
inr, vet she va, compassionate ,nd tender,
but her pily and tenderness extended To some.
thing greater and more dslaB, than her i'm
mediate horizon. She PJaycd Increasingly,
spoke lIulc. and avoided tho company Of her
equal, In age. She generally refined alone,
auI piled Lor needle In 4 srclujed nook, uu-
der a hedge behind tie house, from which
sbc could only see the blue SKY, the tower ol
tho church, inI the distant crest Of the noun.
uIu, She SEEMED to hear voice, within her
which lhs au.,c Of the world would have
spIlsd
"shc va, scarcely eigh, years 0f age
When these signs Of inspuaiioa began to ap-
pear 900 her. IN this she rescmblcd tho So
bilso of old, marked from their Infancy with
the fatal ,crl of sllne'', beauty, AMI soil
iuls, anon. the daughters of mcn-ln''ru-
mcn,s Of inspiration reserved iur ofae'e'' and
10 " hum every o,h.r employment Of mind
was prohibited. She loved everything that
suffered. particularly animils-lhose inielli.
cen, being, e.lled With love for US, bat Dc.
pr.yel Of vurls &, convey their feelings. Her
companions say That she was mlli and merel-
nl ,1 birds. She considered them as erea-
igrrs condemned by God to live near men,
In state N transition between soul aud nat.
ter. and ha,iu, in their nature nothing as YET
complete bot the pa y iul faculties Of sailsring
snd love. kll lhl, was melancholy and in.
Iefall, .n tho sound, % nature 'iirieied and
absorbed har. Sho was 81 fond VI shc
sound of bells says the old ChrUiisler.
that shc promised rhe ringer hanks Of wool
lor the autumn gathering Il he would sound
,hc Angelo, longer in the mornings.
&" But her ply Va, most strongly excited
for the kingdom nj France, and Tor lha young
dauphn-mo,hrrlcs' without country, aud
w.hou, 4 throne The tales she dlily heard
i,om monks, soldiers, pilgrims, and bsggars
--rhs oHtlgc ncwsmcn Of the ums-iillod
her heart with compassion icr the young
prIncc. His image was associated 10 her
mipd with ,hc clllmlies Of her fi,horand.--
Il was in him lha, .hs saw 1t perish; Il "A'
through him tina, she prayed to God lor ~
Isl.ysrarce Her spIni was ceaselei'Iy o''
carIed with this Anxiety and 'ldne''.--Lan.
Grii1,