The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1858-10-01
Death of Joan dare.

We tlidko tne 1OllOWln1 extract ron Hp-
prlon's work, The Worlds Noted Womcn'
1t is from the pen of Mary Cowdrn Clarke ::
There is something indefinitely touch.
ing i'll the saints and hcro's relapse into SIM
! pie humanity aud woul:nhoo1, on the dark,
| unnatural May morning when tho heavy
news WAS told her that she must di. before
sunset. She wrpt bitterly. Like Jcp,ha's
, daughter, she mourncd that her pure and
brantcou, body should he thus early sac
| r'llccd, eNclalming: 'IIc!as me trai;a ton
a'nSi horrih"mcnt ct crucllemrnt pu'iI f,iic
! que mon corps, net ct cnticr, 1ui ne iut ja,
mas c"'rumpn, suit M nurl hui coa,nlnc
ct r"ndn en- ccndrcs! She s|liank an;l
| >hlickrd, aud wri,l,cd at the though, o. the
iian"s, plying herself for the pain. Iiu,
the SAINT triunrhs soOu--cvcn through the
fiery vista before her she secs Il better kim
dom than France Il better home than Dom
rcmy. Even in this death She rccn"nizcs
'Ihc heivcrancc' promised her bv the voice
Sine Appealed 10 God from the injustice
and cruelty Of earth; she parIoo!; Of the
holy sacrament with many tears; she ut-
terrell her tourlin" and tremendous words
! TO the Bishop Of Bcauvai<, Il summons to
answer for her death before God. What
ctIId'hkc na,uralncSs, a rlantivc naivcte
marked the words she addressed to one of
the preachers Standing by: 'Ah, Maitrc
Pierre, where will be this evening"
We can fancy the fearful, wis'iuI look
the terrified trcmb'c Of the bands, and all
the voice broken in srbs with which she
said this. Then, as the priest replied -
Have y"u g"o'! hope III lii" Savonr.' tn:
light OF Reinsurance, the smile. the claspcd
| hands, ih: h"avrnwarl wnzc, the voice clear
and frrviI aS sh" said: oh, yes, God aid
Ing. shall be in Imlo,'
'H"un'l and hoinr in Il cart Ike Il com
mon ni;,iciactor, surrounded hy guard u!
eight humllcl l:n.!i>I, soldiers Joan dare
passed through the street,: Of l;"u"n to the
market i'!ac"; hut il til" eyes "t; She angels
iEht a"u! h"ur mus, hay" thrown into the
>ha'c nll f'',""'nc l."l.I- 81. tliurnrh --",nu-
der To them ili#n the prulrirst c"ni,ucr,,r in
his lrlumlhal car. followed hv lninrciy cap
tiv"s a"l the >poil> of kingdoms.
al til" stake til. maid again hravclv
proclaimed her faith in rhe Voices and no
bly, drtrnlcl her King. Her sublime, yet
meek compoSnrc, her marvellous womanly
Sweetness. filled many Of her Prosecutors
with wonder, pity an'l vain rc,norse. The
people looked on as in - horrible dream,
weeping gr"anin-, PRAYING, hnt powcrl,>S
to help. On: last word of rrproach shivrr-
ed the pctrird heart of the Bishop Of He.
anvalS, cleft its way 10 a deep unsupported
vein of human feeling, and let out in tears.
The scaiioll lowered high above III"
crowd, hug" pile Of Ea.ots lit it at the
base. Il ) yantic altar of the sacrifice, fiery
Calvary.
w lion the flames uncoiich themselves
from below, and dantc'l upward, in angry
il;'.hiI'9 'cuyth>. Kissing AMI wr.hinr--
when they struck their lan%s into her fish.
the flesh cried on, in shrek, ,l,l nus, have
echoed forever though the guilty and era
ven >"ns vino heard
w" ell the Young martyr lrarnc.! the sc.t-
t"r""'i"l sriIt. !" her agony, through the
, flame and smoke of her torment she saw
| The danger Of the ia,hul priest who held
the cruri.iX above, AMI cn'r"acl him to
; leave her. H.: went; he bore from her
sigh, the image Of her crnr;i.:,l I.url, but
he left beside her, in the midst Of the flames
the Lord himself. May not her last cry Of
'lrSus = have been, not cry Of fear or sup.
I.icaion, bnt Of Joy and recognition, rs
She sl'ranS through the fiery patti, Of mar
lv'iom into the wclcomin. arms Of his com
pa>>i"n-i into the bosom OF his infinite
! lneifabIe love-