Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-01-29
THE
DEATH OF JOAN D'ARC.
RIDAY MORNING, JANUARY 20, 1858.

DEATH OF JOAN UARC.
We make the following extract from Ap-
pleton's new work, "The World Noted Wo-
men" just published, 1t is from the pen of
Mary Cowden Clarke:
"There lie something infinitely touching
in the saints and hero's relapse into simple
humanity and w~cmanhood, on that dark un-
natural May morning, when the heavy news
was told her that she must die before sunset.
She wept bitterly. Like Jeptha's daughter,
she mourned that her pure and beauteous
body should be thus early sacrificed. She
sbrank, and shrieked, and writbed, at the
thought of the flames, plying herself for the
pain. But the saint triumphs soon-even
through the fiery vista before her, she sees a
better Kingdom than France. a better home
than Domremy. Even in this death she re-
cogrizes the 'deliverance' promised her by
the voices
.She appealed to God from the injustice
and cruelty of earth; she partook of the holy
sacrament, with many tears; sho uttered her
touching and tremendous words to the Bish-
op of Beauvais, a summons to answer for her
death before God. What a childlike natural
ness, a plaintiVe nairete marked the words she
addressed to one of the preachers standing
by: 'Ah, Maitre Pierse, where will | be this
EVENING"
We can fancy the fearful, wistful look,
the terrified tremble Of the hands, and all the
voice broken up in sobs, with which she SAID
this. Then as the Priest replied: Have you
not good hope in the Saviour" the light OF
reinsurance, the smile, the clasped hands,
the heavenward gaze, the voice clear and ter,
vid, as she said, "Ob, yes, GJd aiding, shall
be in Paradise"
Bound and borne in a cart, like a common
malefactor, surrounded by a guard OF eight
huudred English soldiers, Joan Dare passed
through the streets of Rouen to the market
place; but in the eyes of the angels. that aw-
ful hour must have thrown into shade all
foregone hours of acknowledgements to them
than the proudest conquerer 10 his triumphal
car, followed by priocely captives aud the
spoils of kingdoms.
cat the stake the maid again bravely pro-
claimed her faith J. in the voices and nobly de-
Tended her King. Her sublime, yet meek
composure, her marvellous womanly sweet
ness, filled many of her prosecutors with
wonder, pity and vain renorse. The people
looked on as in q horrible dream, weeping
grooming, praying, but powerless to help
Doe last word of reproaGh shivered the petri
fed heart of the bishop Beauvais, cleft its way
to deep unsupported vein Of human feeling
and let it out in tears. .
"The scaffold lowered high aboveth crowd
q huge pile of fsggots lit it at the base, {
gigantic altar Of the sacrifice, a fiery Calvs
ry.
when the flames uncoiled themselve'
from below, and dsrted upward, in angry
flashing lengths, Kissing and writhir
they struck their fangs into her flesh, the fest
cried out in shrieks that must have echoed
for ever through the guilty and craven soul
who heard.
well had the young martyr learned tn
self-forgetful spirit of her agony through sh
flames and smoke of her torment; she saw tn
danger of the faithful priest who held tn
c~rucifix above, and entreated him to leav
her. He went; be bore from her sight tn
image of her cruci6ed Lord, but he LETT be
side her in the midst of the flames, the Lor'
himself. May not her last cry of Jesus
have been, not a cry of fear, or supplication
but of Joy and recognition, as she spran'
through the fiery gate of martyrdom int
the welcoming arms Of bis compassion. int
the bosom of his infinite, ine6able love"