The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-06-08

SOlO ner 1Of sum OF money ~ ncT uloI
tai foes, the English: By the laws o.
military honor, she should have been re
CARRIED as a prisoner Of war. But the
English, who were all the more crue
because they had once been afraid of her
preferred to consider her as sorceress
and called court together to try her a.
such. The French King was too selfish
and cowardly TO interfere, and without {
friend to help or advise her, deserted by
the Monarch she had served and the Ma
ton she had saved, poor Jeanne was LET
| to her fate.
Poor, simple girl, puzzled and terrified
she could neither understand nor answer
the charges they brought against her
When she told with simple truthfulnes:
the story of the voices which had spoken
to her in the fields, and hidden her &c
forth to find the King, they scoffed at hel
and said that nobody but the devil would
have anything to say to sorceress
Weary, confused and heart-sick, she even
doubted herself at last, aad when they
brought paper which stated that she had
lied in claiming mission from Heaven,
and had purposely deceived people, she
signed it, hoping that they would spare
her life and let her go free. Her persecu-
tors were sorry that she signed, for wha,
they wanted was an excuse to kill her
They were afraid to let her live, lest she
should escape from them, and the French
army rally round her again. 1t is never
difficult to make an excuse when the
strong desire to Cypress the weak. They
put a suit of armor in her room, and took
away all her other clothes, and when the
poor girl, not knowing what else to do,
put on the armor, they declared that this
Was a sign that she took back her comics
sion, and accordingly condemned her to
be burned alive as witch. TWAS a cruel
and cowardly thing, but cruelty is always
COwardice.
So in the market-place of Rouen, sur
rounded by a great crowd of priests and
soldiers, Jeanne Dare was burned at the
stake ON the last day of May, 1431. The
She was patient and courageous to the
last; and, though her face was covered
with tears, her COnstancy never wavered.
She kept her eyes fixed on the crucifix,
and, when the flames rose up about her,
was heard to murmur: God be blessed Z"
80 ended the wonderful life of the
place in Rouen where she suffered is still
IuIlCu tAC law uC ID L uSC1lC, VI
The Place of the Maiden" and on the
spot where the stake was erected stands
bronze statue of Jeanne in armor, holding
her consecrated banner. The shame Of
her death lies heavily on all who took
part in it; on the Frenchman who gave
her up, the English who slew her, and the
weak young king who did nothing to aid
or avenge her, and who allowed ten years
to go by before he reversed the verdict by
which she was condemned, and pro-
claimed her the heroine and martyr
which she undoubtedly was.
Better things than these, however, can
be said about our Jeanne. Heroism and
martyrdom are great, but to live purely
and werthily is greater still. The char
acter of the maid OF Domremy was spot
less. She was distinguished for her limo
cence and modesty; her hand never shed
blood, and the gentle dignity of her man
ner inspired respect in all who came near
her, and even restrained the violence of
her rough soldiers. She did what we
must call unwomanly things, but she did
them at the call Of duty, and in a truly
womanly spirit, full OF purity, self
sacrifice, and patience. So we, who live
so many hundreds of years after, can
afford to love as we'll as admire her,
which we could not have done had she
merely dreamed dreams and won battles.
Susan Coolidge, IN st. Nicholas for
June.