Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1870-09-10

at Rheims 1t was one unDfOken course
OF victory and triumph. Her success
was no doubt partly caused by the pam
ic she spread among the English SOL
diers, who always believed her to be a
witch: but 1t was also in a great meas
ure due to her skill as commander.
The 0uickness with which she took In
at a glance every detail OF q battleneld,
aud the art with which she disposed
her troops, were indeed nothing less
than wonderful, and can nfOnly be ac-
counted for by her havinga true mill
tary genius. Most of the old generals
hated Joan. Her prompt action was
so different from their slow, ponderous
tactics. Besides, what business had
this peasant girl to have sword in her
hand instead of a distaff? But the
younger officers loved and admired
her.
Joan never forsook her simple village
habits. She would sometimes go fast
ing through a long, firing day, and her
meals often consisted of Onlya piece OF
bread and cup of wine and water.
She loved, it is true, beautiful horses
and rich arms, and all the bravery OF
war, but she showed it in frank, al
most ehildIike way, which was infin-
itely naive and pretty. She was
thorough woman in the midst Of the
clash Of swords and the blare Of trum-
pets. She would often spring from her
horse to support and comfort a dying
soldier, whether friend or fore; she cried
with the pain wien she herself was
wounded. Her care, also, for the souls
of her soldiers was eminently woman
like. If she could, she would have
made every man in the army confess
and receive absolution before going into
battle. She insisted on having the
camp cleared of all women Of light
character. The fact, indeed, of her not
being in the smallest degree unsexed is
proved by the way in which ladies
crowded around, caressed her wherever
she went, and by the strong attraction
she is said always to have had for chill
dren. Glorious and bright are the
forms which meet our view standing
around Joan as we look back at her in
the hour Of her sunshine. There Is a
knight, whose graceful person and gal
liant bearing might have belonged to a
paladin of old; we know that the IN
ner man answered well to this brilliant
outside when we learn that this knights
name is Dunois. There is middle
aged man, whose bronzed, rugged face
is redeemed by the kindly, almost faith
erly, look in his eyes, as he turns them
ON Joan this is La Hire, the mos
stubborn fighter in the army, There is
a prince of the blood royal clasping
lovely, fearful lady in his arms, and we
hear Joan say, "Weep not, swee
duchess, your handsome lord, you
brave AIencon, shall come back safe t
his home.n
But clouds are at hand, and we mus
hurry forward. Joan's successes wen
OH even after the king was crowned a
: Rheims. De La TremOuille, now be
gan to fear that if she continued mucl
, longer at this rate she would max
/ Charles sopowerful that he would breal
away out of the leading-strings II
| which he held him. He therefore, IL
| some subtle way, persuaded the KIN
: to recall her from the army. For sev
eral months she lived in restless inac
, ton at the French court. Charles en-
, nobIed her and her family. She wa
! pleased, but she wanted to be at he
e work. At last, unable to stay quie
e any longer, she escaped from the court
e and reiOined the army. But her oil
: success did not now attend her. Pei
I haps her confidence in herself was shf
e ken by the fact of her going out to tigf
/ without her kings sanction; perhaI
: the soldiers were less true to her. On
/, day she led sally from the town
!, Compeigne, which was being beseiget
e the French at first charged gallantl
It into the midst of the enemy, and the
IS were driven back. Joan, however, an
y a few faithful followers, among whol
d was her favorite youngest brothe
r Pierrie, was surrounded by the EN-
h lish. The little band fought bFavely
II her defence. Her brother shared h,
'e fate, but not her prison. Never aga
& did the two talk over those sweet o
Ie home memories, which had been
d dear to Joan, even in the day OF h
le highest glory. The stain Of those tv
n most cruel and unjust acts, the tri
fe and execution of Joan of Arc, res
n equally ON France and England. ~
Y one shonld have ransomed her; Il
10 other should have honOred her, thoue
r an enemy. But ungrateful Charles 8
f. still, speil-bound by the arts of DE
+. Tremouille; and the Duke of Bedfor
II the English regent Though besoug
N and reproved by his wife, had not q
r, courage to deprive the common soldie
lg of their vengeance. Joan's trial to'
+ place at Rouen; her judges were
n. most all priests, some English al
IN some apostate French. In the mic
IL of these silver-tongued, serpent-hea
s. ed men, all of whom were bent on h
,h destruction, the girl of nineteen sho
al ed wonderful mixture of quiet digl
nd ty and sharp woman's wit. Th
er coaxed, they preached, they scoldt
" but not one word would she say abC
ot the sign she had given her king. Th
ief did indeed at last cheat her into
ot canting the truth of her mission, |
Id she repented, and denied the words
lie, soon as they were spoken. WhateN
)ts she had done or said, their NAL
Ell would not have let her live. The sta
lis was set up, the fire was kindled, a
zee In the flames of martyrtlom her 81
to sprang up to her God.
er-
ful A London correspondent of the Chi
Iv 90 Tribune writes: "a complete rcct
~, ciliation has taken place between n
al. Dickens and her sister-it seems
~ painful to add-and between Mrs Di,
=" ems and her eldest daughter. A few d
ago there was q meeting between
he three; much shedding OF tears and pc
he nancy OF feeling: but the end is as l h
Ied described. 1t would appear that 1t '
ide the deceased alone who stood In the "
nd Ills death unites the children to the mo
lde er, and sister to sister! One wishes
9TH veteran, Mr.. Hogarth, whose death
To- Cured q few months since, could h
vas witnessed this meeting. Mr.. Hoga
ee who was the intimate friend of wa
ne Scott, and who often sat with Wilson