The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1858-02-11
Death OF Joan D'Aro,

"'"he tue toiiowing extract from Ap-
pletons new work, " The World. Noted Wo.
men," just published. 1t is from the pen
OF Mary Cowden Clarke:
There is something indefinitely TOUCHING
10 the saints and hero's relapse into sinpIe
humanity and womanhood. on ,ba, da,L
unnatural 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 pu,e and
beauteous body should be thus early socr;
need, exclaiming: 'Heios! me trai6a ON
G'ns' horr'6tement et crueiienaent. qu IL fail
e que mon corps net ct entier, qui ne fut
Jdnan's, eorrompu, soft oujourod hui CON
same ct rendu en- eendres" She shrank
and shrieked, and wriihed, ut the tbouoht
of The flames, pitying herself for the pain
But the saint triumphs soon-even through
lIe tery vista before her, she sees n better
Kingdom than France. a better home ,ban
ioomremy. Even in this death she recog.
n'ze' the deliverance promised her by
the voices
"she appealed 20 God from the Injustice
and cruelty on earth: she partook of the
hol, sacrament; with many tears she utter.
ed ter touching and tremendous words to
the bishop of Beauvais. summons 10 an
swei for her death before God. What q
child like naturalness, plain,ive no;yete
marked the words she addressed TO one OF
The preachers standing by: 'Ah, Maitre
fierse. where will be this evening =
We can fancy the fearful, wislful look.
the terrified iremble of the hands, and all
Tie voice broken up in sobs, with which she
SAID this. Then, as the Priest replied
Have you not good hope in the Saviour p
the light of reinsurance, the smile. the
claspcd hands, the hearenward gaze. the
voice clear and fervid, "a she said Oh,
yes, Hod aiding, | shall be in Paradise
8onnd and borne in a cart, like com.
mon maleiactor. surrounded by guard OF
eight hundred English soldiers. Joan D'Arc
passed through the streets of Rouen TO the
market'place; but in the eyes of the angels,
tEat awful hour must have thrown into
shade all foregone hours Of trinmph-grand
er to them than the proudest conqueror in
his triumPhal car, followed by princely cap.
tives and the spoiis Of kingdoms.
Z" AT the stake the maid again bravely
proclaimed her faith in the Voices and
noIly defended her King. Her sublime
yet meek composure, her marvellous wo.
manly sweetness, filled many of her prose.
eutors with wonder, pity and vain remorse
The people looked ON as in horrible dream
weeping. groaning. PRAYING, but powerles.
to help. One last word Of reproach sbiyer
ed the petritied heart of the Bishop Bauyais
cleft It's way to deep unsuspected vein o.
human feeling, and let it out in tears.
The scaffold lowered high above the
crowd, huge pile Of faggots, lit at the
base. gigantic altar of sacritice, a fer,
cavalry. -.
When the flames uncoiled themselye,
from below, and darted upward, in angry
flashing lengths. Kissing and w.i,hing-
when they struck their fangs into her flesh
the flesh cried out in sbrieks that must hay,
echoed forever through the guilty and craver
souls who heard.
Well had the young martyr learned IN,
self forgetful spirit Of her agony through III,
flame and smoke Of her torment, she saw
the danger Of the faithful priest who helc
the crucifix above, and sntrsa.ed him I,
leave her. He went; he bore from he
sight the image of her c,ucified Lord, bu
ne lett beside hes, ;E The mi2s. of the flames
the Lord himself. May not her last cry o
jesus have been, not cry Of fear, or sup
pIication. but of joy and recognition. as sh,
sprang through the fiery gate Of martyr
dom into the welcoming arms Of his com
passion, into the bosom of his Infinite, inef
fable love-"