The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-10-31
TIE MAID OF TOURS.

From the N. Y. Times.
The present European war might aptly be
called the war of constant surprises Not
only have the French army and the French
people been repeatedly surprised, in more
senses than one, but we outsiders, the on
lockers, in the worlds great t.eatre, at the
most stupendous tragedy of modern times,
have found in almost every movement of the
contending forces fresh subject of amaze
ment. Beginning with the unexpected col
lapse, in weeks campaign, of what was
esteemed the finest army of the most military
nation of the world, this unparalleled con.
tlict has been a series of wonders. Here it is
an Emperor. within month of the time he
had fixed to be in his enemy's capital, sur
rendering to that enemy, with an army
large enough apparently to have held his
entire empire. There it is city defended
by half million of men, successfully be-
leaguered by half that number. Again, we
have the spectacle of raw militia fighting like
heroes, while trained troops run-of old
men, women, and children taking up arms
against the common foe, of peasants dying
for their loyalty, and marshals and
princes more than suspected of treason. Add
to these the strange devices for slaughter
and defense-the mjtrailleuse, which literally
mows down q regiment as the sickle reaps a
field of corn, the electric lights which almost
realize Joshuas famous mandate, the threat
ened Greek fire that brings us back to the
downfall of Constantinople, and that other
mysterious chemical agent which Partisan
science is said to have prepared for it's be-
siegers, and which will poison the very air
they breathe; the inundated fields that renew
the time when the sturdy Dutch and Flemish
buTghers fought with fire and water the cruel
energy of Alva and the chivalric heroism of
Alexander of Parma; the systematic balloon
service for transportation of mails and pas
sengers; most wonderful of all, the aerial
combats, which recall the Spanish cavaliers
vision of Santiago's cloudy legions-looking
at all these startling innovations on the rather
| prosaic murderousness of modern warfare,
will not the history of the present strife in
| France read like a chapter of old romance?
Apparently but one thing was needed to
set the seal and climax on this congeries of
marvels. When FRANCE was in her sorest
strait once before, deliverance came to her,
not from any of her accomplished knights
and skilful captains, but from the inspired
| prowess of a village maiden. And now
| when she bids fair to be humbled as Poictiers
and Crecy and Agincourt failed to humble
| her, new Jeanne dare arises to help her
| A young girl of Tours late telegram tells
us, has found that on her shoulders the man
tie of the Maid of Orleans has fallen. Her
eloquence is said to be of the most persuasive
| character, and her own intense conviction
ana enthusiasm I'M ect all whom she addresses
Recruits are enrolling themselves beneath
! her banner by hundreds, and the excite
ment is daily increasing. Before long
we shall doubtless hear that the new Pucele
with Bourbaki, let us say, for her Dunois, has
led her army forth to break the Prussian
leagues before Paris. Who knows but that
she may repeat the amazing triumph of her
prototype under the walls of Orleans Won
Moltke and the Prussian princes are certainly
skilful soldiers, but no less so were Bedford
and Salisbury, Fastolfe and Talbot, the fore
most of their time. Yet their prowess and
experience availed nothing against the mis-
sion of the warlike maid, aud the irresisti-
BILE enthusiasm of her followers To be
sure, the Maid of Tours will have to over
come other obstacles than those which con-
| fronted her predecessor. German enlighten-
| ment in the nineteenth century is a very dIffe-
rent thing from English ignorance in the
fourteenth, and the needle. gun is no respecter
| of missions" But we are in that state of
exhausted amazement that we are prepared
to expect anything, and perhaps people would
scarcely be surprised If our modern Jeanne
dare should eclipse the fame of the ancient
one, by sending the invader whirling back
across the Rhine, and then replacing His
Imperial Majesty on the throne of France.
Let us hope, at least, that the parallel will
not be carried out by the incremation of the
fair warrior.