Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1870-11-17

lIcSSI lii Luoueiu splIliudilsLn. AuLult
them to be the work of Imagination and
you make her the clearest thinker, the
bravest soldier, the wisest statesman,
and the. ablest general of her time. l
believe they were the reflections of her
own soul.
Jenny had a bad time at home, and
an uncle who loved her took her to his
own house, and then went as her enl-
bassador to the Governor to say that his
neiee was sent by God to raise the seige
of Orleans and Crown the King. Fancy
such message brought to Lincoln! The
Governor derides both uncle and neice,
but the girl sways nightly with the
people of the village by her passionate
love for France. She has lovers, too,
and finally she tells one of them her
vision, and says, mo power can bring
help to this unhappy King, but alone
And the young man and an old weather
beaten knight clasp hands. ard VOW to
bring her to him. But meanwhile the
king has heard of her and sent for her
to come. She crosses l0i leagues of hos
tile territory and eight. .bridgeless rivers,
an d the poor court makes itself splendid
to receive this peasant girl. After much
questioning she is judged to be sent of
God.
The command is given 10 her, with
attendant knights. and banner stamp
ed with the lilies of France. Her army
is 5000 rufiians. She goes among them
the embodiment of France, and, by her
faith and her genius, makes them crus-
aders. All vilensss is swept out, and
the camp becomes holy place. She
enters Orleans on black charger, and
clad in snowy armer her face blazing
with hope aud loyalty and inspiration.
The great men in the town believe i'll
the woman, as great men always have
done, [Applause.] But the little men
thought to steal the fruit of Jeeny's ge-
MUS by leading her soldiers slyly against
the enemy. They fail, and she rallies
the dispirited French and leads them to
victory. The next day is the Festival
of the Ascension, and Jenny goes to
pray. Again the little generals rush
out, ind fail. and again Jenny flies to
the front-and snatches victory from de-
feat.
Her plan of campaign was to fight.
Ihe next morning, in defiance of the
generals and the council, she takes the
Held. The governor will not open the
gate, and her soldiers beat it down. They
attack one of the English towers. and
fight in vain from I till noon. In des.
peration Jenny seized ladder and
mounts the wall. An arrow strikes her
shoulder, and she falls into the trench.
The woman weeps with pain; but the
heroine tears out the arrow with her
own hand. The troops rest and eat. and
Jenny prays. Then they once more at
tack the English, who look with terrcr
on this girl they had thought slain.
Thousands sink in death, the bridge be-
tween the towers fall into the river, the
second tower is taken, and everything
is within the grasp of the French. The
next day is Sunday, and Jenny will not
fight, but holds the chafng army still
while the defeated English steal away.
All this has been done in seven days.
and the eight they rejoice. Then this
girl, with the splendor of genius and the
sublimity of common sense combined,
makes Charles consent to be crowned.
To open the way to Rheims she cap
lures town after town, defeats the Eng
lish in the open field, and routs the last
remnert of the magnificent force sent
to conquer France. Then the King is
crowned, and that day is the crown O.
Jenny's life. All that human grandeur
has to spend upon human being is
spent upon this simple girl at Rheims.
And then her work completed, she de-
sired to return home and tend her sheep
once more. The King and the Court
overrule her, and she fights on. But
she is incsssantly in tears and at pray
er. Envy and hate surround her, and
she foresees her doom. She goes to save
COmpiegn, but, in assault, the treacher-
GUS Governor cuts off her retreat by
raising drawbridge, and she falls. into
the power of her enemies.
The Duke of Burgundy sells her to the
English, and she is lodged at Rouen. A
whele year has passed since her capture.
Her King, her army, her people have
l,ovo q
that even God had turned away His
face. She is alone utterly. Alone has
its synonym--death. She hears the hap
py Easter bells and the people singing
in the streets. Her heart breaks! And
then the pink of chivalry, Warwick,
will have her life saved, for the King Of
England has determined she must die o
better death. They place her on scaf-
fold and say, "Recant, or be burned" +"
She stands firm, but at last she affixes
her mark to six lines, promising to let
her hair grow and to wear armor no
more. Then they take away her dress
and leave her only armor, and she, with
naught else to cover innocence, puts it
on and death with it. se-t -
They instantly place her in a cart and
she rides to the scaffold through brist-
ling lines of soldiery and yelling multi
tudes clamoring for her life. AT the stake
are her judges, her murderers, and they
preach sermon accusing her of every
crime. She is silent, but they speak
against her King, and she cries with
deathless loyalty, "You accused the no.
blest gentleman In Christendom." Then