The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1876-07-21
Miscellaneous.
Jeanne Dare.

III IS more than TOUR hundred ana htty
ears, since 10 the village of D0mremy on
he river Meuse, was born little girl to
whom they gave the name Jeanne lin En-
klisb, Joan or Jane). 1t is possible that
her father, a poor and respectable peasant
vas named Dare. Later, when the little
kirl had grown famous, people altered the
iane and called her Jeanne d. Arc (of Arc)
which Is as though one of you should be
alled Kate OF Rochester, or Lucy of Min.
ieapolis France was not then the rich and
powerful country which it has since become.
For long time it had been governed or mis-.
governed by n king who was insane, and
irst one party and then another, getting tir
ed of his rule, had thrown it off, 50 that the
nation was in Il state of civil war.
II was in the midst of these unhappy
lines that Jeanne was horn, and grew TO be,
irst hardy little girl, an then vigorous
maiden, with noble, beautiful face, though
its expression was thoughtful and sad. She
had rough, hard life, working in the fields
aud caring for the farm animals; and when
feeding the oxen or tending the sheep in the
dim twilight, she had plenty of time to think
of the mlseries amid which she lived. The
peasants in that country used to repeat an
old prophecy that France, in her time of
deepest dis ress, would be saved by a mai
den. Nobody knew who made the prophe-
cy, but every one believed it, for those were
superstitious days, and people put great faith
in legends and olds saying. There were no
books and newspapers, as there are now, to
make persons wide-swake and intelligent.
Jeanne believed with the rest. And when
she felt sad and hopeless at the suAerings
she heard about, she thought great deal
about this prophecy, and wondered when
the wonderful maiden would come to aid
them.
She DIV elt so much upon these things that
at last it seemed to her that vo ce spoke,
whether from within or without she could
not be sure, and said that she was the maid
en- appointed to save the land from its trou-
bles. Just then the crazy King died, and
his son, Charles VII, young man of twen-
| ty, succeeded to the throne. 1t was mis-
cradle inheritance truly, for few 'acknowl-
| edged his authority, and he was too poor to
pay for soldiers, who in those days were al
ways to he had for pay. He and his little
army which he contrived to get together,
fought two or three times with the English
and were beaten, and at last the only i'm
portant city left him, the city OF Orleans,
WAS closely besieged by the enemy. For
months it held out, but little by little the
foe gained, till it became evident that before
a. H.. ,,ia alI nj
with it would go the last hope of the royal
family of France.
Jeanne Dare was eighteen years old at
this time, and the ''voices" which had been
speaking to her tor five years were growing
each day louder and calling her to do some-
thing she knew not what, to save the coun-
try. At last she became so certain of her
divine mission that she could keep silent no
longer, and she persuaded her uncle to take
her to Baudricourt, one of the kings officers,
who was governor of the town of Vsncou-
leur. 70 him she explained about the vol
ces, aud asked him to send her to the king,
promising that il he would do so she would
raise the siege of Orleans and that the king,
in less than three months, should be crown
ell in the city of Rheims, which was at that
time fast held by the English. The COVER
nor did not believe in her bit at first, but
matters had got so desperate that he was
willing to try anything, so at last he sent
Jeanne to Chinon, where the king was resi-
ding.
1t must have been singular sight, Jeanne
in her simple peasants garb in the midst OF
the gay court. But she was too much in
earnest to think about herself or be fright
enc |. The king stood among the other gen.
tlemen, dressed exactly like then but Jean.
ne went straight up and knelt before him
without a moment's hesitation, which sur.
prised everybody very much.
So eloquent was she. 80 null Of enthusi-
as m and confidence in her own powers, that
the king and his counseiors believed in her
at once. They gave her suit of armor and
q horse, which she knew very we'll how to
manage, for she had ohen hidden the horses
to water in Domreniy. When they fetched
the sword which belonged to the armor, she
rejected it, and begged them 10 send to the
Church of st. Catharine of FerbOis, where,
buried in the ground, would be found a
consecrsted sword which it was meant she
should carry. They did so, and, sure enough,
the sword was discovered just as she had
said, which made people believe in her more
than ever. Thus equipped, with white
banner in her hand, she took command of
ten thousands troops headed by the brave
Dunois, and marched straight to Orleans.
The news of this wonderful event spread
everywhere. The Euglis1, who were as sli.
per-titous as the French, took fright
Whole regiments deserted 'for fear of the
Maybe" for their is nothing like supersti.
Jeanne's own soldiers, fired by her noble
courage, fought ~ il inspired. In less thar
week the siege of Orleans was raised, anC
the enemy wa' in full retreat Other battle,
followed, in all of whicl Jeanne was victor
ous. Rheims vas gW"n mp without blow
and there, in three months from the time o
Jeaune's first appearance at the courts
Charles was solemniy crowned ,-th
"Maid of Orleans" as she WAS now called
standing beside him in lull armor, with he
white banner in her hand She lad KEEP
her promise, and the work WAS DONE
From 'Tae Lihe Maid Of Donremy," b
SIsaa C5oHdqe, 81 Michoias far Jlne.
u
REsTLEssNEss IN CHILDREN.-If 70
watch the management of child by moth
er OF small capacity, says Herbert Spence
you may be struck by the inability she be
trays to imagine the chid's thoughts All