Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1863-12-07

p0SeQ ana unaiy caTIleu Out INV h@- !
ton thus owing to the presence of
mind of one woman their entire liber-
alton. 1t is Of Catherine, we are told
that being, after her husbands death,
styled great, wise, and mother of the
people" she refused all these titles ex-
ccpt the last, which she said she hoped
ever to preserve.
Nor is it only the noble who are
heroines, for still throughout the Alps
is remembered Martha Glar, sprung
from a lowly shepherd line.
This woman at the time when her
native valleys, that had slept undistur-
bed for ages, were beginning to echo to
the rumor of French threats and Gallo
perfdy, sprung forward a woman born
of the times, and convoking around
her a host of her country people,
marched with them against the ap,
preaching enemy, holding first meet
ing in the churchyard, wherein she ad-
dressed them as daughters of William
Tell, and told them the tisle was at
hand when they were to prove them
selves worthy descendants of that de-
liverer of his country.
It is reported Of her, that she per-
formed prodigies of valor at the battle
of Frauenbrun, and that out of the two
hundred and sixty gallant women her
spirit had aroused to follow her, only
eighty left the field alive. Well did
she carry out her own feelings when
she implorcd them "to conquer or to
die: to live or to perish with the free
dom and independence of their dear
country
Ner must we forget Joan of Arc, we'll
! as her history is known throughout the
| world This simple peasan. girl, at the
age of nineteen, was the immediate cause
, Iof the establishment of Charles VII. on
s.a &c E his aneaatass, -and--.af4 the
! afeXpulSi0n OF the English from her coun.
try. Joan appears to- have considered her.
!, self an instrument in the hands of Heaven
e for the deliverance of France. She ap-
peared before Charles dressed as a war;
# rior, then arming herself cap-a- pie, noun
y ted on horseback, and appeared thus to
a the whole people, the king investing her
with the supreme command of his army.
We know how this persuasion in her
u heavenly mission struck terror at last in
i to the hearts Of the English-how she
raised the siege of Orleans-how she
took possession of AuxeIre, Troges, and
Chalons, and opened the road for the
king to Rheims where he was ultimately
J. crowned We know how she fell into
n the hands of the English and was put tc
d death by them on the scaffold. Yet her un
happy fate can but make us admire tbs
~ more this admirable heroine who dared al
dangers for the sake of serving he
- prince and her country.
. There are more unknown instances 0
q patriotism, as in the case of the Silesiar
1T girl, who not knowing otherwise how tC
le contribute to the expenses of the wa
If which her countrymen were waginG
At against the invasion of the French il
- 1913, set off privately to Breslau ant
disposed of her only property. be
80 magnificent tresses for the sum of twt
Ia dollars. The story, however, goes, tina
the hairdresser, touched with the girl
Of conduct, reserved this hair for the man
,h ulacture of finer ornaments, SO that a
f. last, by this generous sacrlnce, no les
- sum than hundred dollars were sub
:. scribed to the exigencies of the state
~ But what imports it to bring fort
III such single instances of heroism whe
ri every page of history but multiple
rt, these examples? Patriotism, as we OBJ
ID served before, dwells in every female be
t. som. The opportunity may not aris
re during lifetime, of exercising this qua
- ity, best known in its noble thought!
~ generous self-sacri6ces, and its exertior
: in the canse of human happiness. Thes
are but other phases of our national 10,
ur now beautifying eur home-hearths.-
l. Long may they dwell there, silent hous
"a hold angels; but we are not the LEI
.et persuaded that the great public to whic
al we belong is never lost sight of, and tn;
=, when the South demands the services
. her daughters, they will rise in one cor
is mon cause, and prove that indeed herois
ny and patriotism is but another name f
he Woman
at
VNx1 1Cz IL J.