The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1897-01-20


chapel. She became more pensive,
more thoughtful; strangely stirred
and pleased by the sound of the mel
low church bells.
Wars and rumors Of wars were all
about her. The air was full of the
clash of arms. The wounded soldier
often stopped in for nights shelter,
for nourishment and for nursing.
Once the alarm came that Domremy
was to be pillaged. and the villagers
had to flee for shelter.
Thus around the fireside at her faith
ers house, Joan was in full contact
with the troubled times. She heard
all the strange stories which were
afloat, and the miseries cf her country
spoke to her every day.
She heard how strange man had
suddenly sprung out of the woods.
20, King! go no further; thou art be-
trayed," "and had been beaten off by
the attendants, and had still followed
at distance, crying, with loud voice,
Thou art betrayed!'
They told her how the king had
thereupon fallen into deep filoom as
he rode on; and had then, at the acci-
den tai clash of lance upon helmet
behind him, furiously drawn his sword
and had cut and slashed and fought
his friends until he had fallen exhaus-
ted-and then had gone mad, and was
even now mad-he, the poor, insane
king, whose wife was making war upon
his son, running the land and deliver
ering it over to its foes.
She heard them speak in the low
tones Of deep hatred against this false
Queen Isabel, this shameless wife, this
| unnatural mother.
She heard them talk in awe and
vague hope of the old prophe-
cy of Merlin, that "France, lost by a
woman, will be saved by woman"
Her wonder grew as she heard them
| tell that the woman who was to deliv-
er France was to be Virgin and was
| to come from the marshes of Lorraine
her own country.
The heroines of the Bible aroused
her imagination: the needs of her
| prostrate and bleeding country wrung
her heart; the intense religious zeal
within her turned her thoughts to
| God: and the unutterable yearning of
all the people round her for Divine
| help, for Divine deliverance, led the
wishes, the hopes, the aspirations Of
this pious, superstitious, imaginative
| girl, until they burst into the holy
| flame of faith.
She believed that Merlin's prophecy
applied to her. She believed that the
heroines of the Bible were to live
again in her. She believed that voices,
voices from on high. called on her to
| 60 forth and deliver France!
Alas! And the fate of the martyrs
taught her their sad lesson, too. She
fo1% ,1> 1,ou fD
in saving France.
| Joan was 16 years old when she con-
fided her plans to her uncle and begged
his help.
She wanted to be carried before the
governor of neighboring town, Vau-
coulors, in order that he should pro
vide her with means to 60 and see the
king.
After much persuasion, the uncle
consented.
He went with her to the governor.
"Send and tell the Dauphin that
the Lord will give him help before
mid-Lent. In spite Of his enemies he
shall be king, and l myself shall lead
him to be crowned"
Thus spoke Joan to the governor.
Garry that girl home to her father
and whip her WE'LL"
Thus spoke the governor to Joan,
laughing.
She returned to Domremy, neither
discouraged nor shaken in faith.
Her father dreamed that she had
gone away to the wars with the sol
diers. He was much disturbed and
said to her brothers, IF l thought
such thing could happen, l would
bid you drown her; and it you refused,
would drown her myself
TCOntinued nert ,reek