The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-06-04
Jeanne Dare.

Jeanne Dare.
France had never--has never.-oeen
80 near extirpation. 1.-The people, as
the historian Martin expresses it, ''were
no longer bathed in their sweat OUT
ground in their blood, debased below
the beasts of the forest, among which
they wander, panic-stricken, mutilated'
in quest of an asylum ~ the wi!der-
ness This fervent and sympathetic
Girl came ut lengthto see the desolation
oof her country; her own village was
laid waste and plundered by maraud,
inc band. From childhood she had
been familiar with the legend, France,
lost through a maid, shall by maid be
saved"
The story of her exploits at court, IN
camp, in the field, is familiar to all the
world. A thousand vulgar fctions oo'
scure and degrade its essentla! tr9tn.
What this untaught girl did tor her
country was simply this: She brought
to bear upon the armies OF france tne
influence of what our own western
preachers would call ''powertul rev.
val Of religion" From bands OF rec5-
less and dissolute plunderers, she mace
French soldiers orderly, decent, moral
and devout. Hope revived. She made
the King believe in himself; she made
the court believe in the cause. Men
of faith saw in her the expected
virgin savior; men of understanding
nerceiyed the advantage to their
side Of having her thus regarded. She
NAV. too las some of her warrior COM
rades testified in later years.. have
really possessed some military talent
as well as martial ardor and insplra.
ton. They said of her that she had
GOOD Judgment, in placing artillery.
Later in. her short public career she
showed herself restless, rash, uncon'
trollable; she made mistakes; she in
Cured disasters. But for many months,
during which France regained place
among the powers of Europe, she was
a glorious presence in the arny--a war
rior virgin, in brilliant attire, sp!endidly
equipped, superbly mounted, nobly at.
tended; a leader whom all eyes followed
with contiding admiration, as one who
had been their dcliverer, and was still
their chief. The lowliness of her orr
gin was an element in her power over a
people who worshipped every hour a
Savior who was Graded in a manager.
We can still read over the door of an
ancient inn at Rheims, the Maison
Rouge, this inscription: I'm the yea'
1929, at the coronation of Charles VII,
in this tavern. then called The Zebra
the father and mother of Jeanne Dare
lodged. at the expense OF the City
Council
Her career could not but be brief
When she left home to deliver hel
country, she had lived, accor ling t.
the most recent French authorities
seventeen years and two months. Fiji
teen months later, May "a, 1880. afte
q series Of important victories followet
by minor defeats. she was taken prison
er under the walls of Compeigne, whicl
she was attempting to relieve. Frencl
troops, fighting on the side of the En-
glish, captured her and held her pris
oner. French priests, in the metropol
itan church Of Notre Dame, at Paris
) celebrated her capture by q ct
Deum.'' It is doubtful If her owl
King lamented her loss; for this de
voted, deluded girl belonged to tn
! order of mortals whom the powers Q
! this world often find it as convenient t
: be rid of as to use. It is probable tina
she had expended her power to be q
: service and had become unmanageable
Small, needless failures, chargeable t
!. her own rash impetuosity. had lessene
I her prestige. For the fair and wanto
, Agnes Sorrel the idle King Of Franc
!. would have attempted much; but h
made no serious effort to ransom or
9 rescue the Maid to whom he owed h
j. crown and kingdom. --Ia,ses Parton, I
= Harper' AagQzi,se. '5IEts