The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1875-10-27
A Noble Life.

On the 9th oil May, LOl1 L, Uney ceIeuIaIsu
at Nancy, given up to the Prussians, the
obsequies of young girl. The whole town
followed the modest coffin, draped in white
and covered with flowers; fifty French sol
diers, hardly recovered from their wounds,
formed part of the procession, walking amid
the women and children,
This coffin contained the body of Marie
Edmee Pau, young girl little known dur
ing her short life, but upon whose remains
there rests tardy ray of glory, for she
seemed to be true representative of her
proud and gentle Province of Lorraine. Her
story is short but very interesting.
Marie Edmee Pau was the daughter of a
superior officer who returned wounded from
the siege of Rome. She was brought up at
her fathers sick bed; she received his les
sons and those of tender, intelligent moth
er, with reverence, and she early showed
taste for all that was great and noble.
The heroine of her country, Jeanne Arc,
Inspired her with an enthusiastic love, and
she conceived the idea of making drawings
of the history, not of the female warrior,
but of the shepherdess. She visited, with
her mother, the places she had lived in she
saw with her own eyes the Bots Cheme, the
Meuse, the Church of Domremy, Jeanne's
cottage and garden, and the half dried-up
fountain where st. Michael appeared to her.
When her eyes had gazed on these sights,
her mind being full of membranes, she
took up her pen and pencil and wrote a
''History ST 81 Little Sister Jeanne d Arc"
she illustrated it with charming drawings
which represented Jeanne dare in child
hood; she drew her tending her fathers
sheep, plying her distaf by her mothers
side, playing with her companions, praying
in the fields, and listening to the voices in
the shade of the Fairies tree The book
ended with Jeanne's pastoral life when she
handled the sword and headed the troops,
Miss Pau stopped.
She had before her promising future as
an artist. She had studied at Paris with NJ.
Leon Coignet, aud when she returned to
Nancy she opened drawing class, and the
sympathy and confidence she inspired
brought her many pupils. During her lei
sure time she studied hard, and also instruct
ed the children Of the poor.
The fatal war of 1870 fell like thunder
bolt on her quiet and studious life. Her
only brother joined his regiment, and he
was left among the dead after the battle of
Woerth. She loved him dearly, and al
though everybody assured her that he was
dead, she would not be convinced, but set
out to search for him, and at last found him
in miners hut; he had his right hand in
iured, and was also wounded in the leg.
The Prussaus laid claim to him, and wanted
to send him to Germany, but Edmee pre-
vented them, and was 80 fortunate as to
bring back the wounded son to his mother.
1t was the last JOY she had in this world.
Some time after, the young man, being near
ly well, returned to the army with the rank
of captain, and the anxiety of the mother
and sister began again. Edmee now de-
voted her whole time in attending the wound
ed soldiers aud unfortunate prisoners
Trains containing prisoners we're constantly
arriving at Nancy. Miss Pau looked into
every carriage, checking the German rough
ness by her gentleDess and courage. She
distributed clothing and provisions to the
half naked and starving soldiers, and then
she took down their names and the addresses
of their families, and caused them to write,
or wrote herd IF when they were unable to
do SO, TWO Olhree lines to forward to their
friends.
Who can tell how much comfort she gave
by her charitable means? Sometimes even
when her services were not required at the
station, she went to the ambulanCeS and
drew portraits of the dying to send to their
relations. She had even the courage to 60
into the dissecting room, where they had
just put the corpse of young .frGnctsreur,
named Frontart; it was frightfully mutt
lated but she, nowise daunted, copied his
fine head, cut off lock of his hair, and sent
these precious relics to his poor mother.
During the month of January, 1871,
Bourban's army was dying on the roadside
and amid the SHOWS of Switzerland. Ed
mee's brother was among them, and he had
not been heard of for three weeks. His af-
fectionate sister set out second time to look
for him. She went through Switzerland,
stopping at the ambulances, searching anx-
iously among the dead and dying, but she
failed to find him. At last, however, she
learned that he was alive and well, and that
the information was to be relied on. She
set out Immediately, without waiting to see
her beloved brother, to return to Nancy and
carry the good news to her anxious mother.
That was her last sacrifice. Worn out by
all she had gone through, she fell i'll and
died.
Such was Marie Edmee Paus brief life
life of faith, devotion and noble acts
She leaves behind her an everlasting remem-
brance, and also work of art which ought
to be published, so that this lovely flower of
Lorraine may arise side by side with the
memory of Jeanne d'Arc.-Rwal NesO
Yorker.