Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1899-03-01
to the very forefront of the strug

watch my standard; when it
touches the walls, the place will be
ours,,"
And the heroic girl would press it
forward, ever forward, until the silk
en- folds of white and gold touched the
walls, and her glad cry rang out,
"rhe victory is ours.''
Time and again she rallied the
broken ranks Time and again she
compelled triumph by refusing to
fall back when the men said retreat.
And the final overthrow of the
English and the breaking up of the
siege of Orleans were due to her in
domitalle pluck in continuing to
fight when the chieftains had order.
ed retreat.
The common people crowd about
her as she Journeys from Orleans TO
Tours. They hail her with tears of
JOY; they reverently touch her hands.
her dress; even stoop down and kiss
the footprints of her horse,
The King comes to meet her. He
offers TO confer nobility on her-as if
God had lef; that to him,
At the head of the victorious
French Joan followed the retreating
English. She met them in fair fight
IN the open field and beat them-the
first time such thing had befallen
the English at the hands of the
French in scores of wears She took
from them city after CITY. until the
WAY was clear for Charles TO 90 to
Rheims and he crowned King of
France.
Riding through the streets after
the coronation, side by side with the
King, cheered joyously upon all sides.
she was noticed to be sad
Il would that God would allow me
to return to my home, to nv sister
and my brothers, to my father and
my mother"
This ended her mission. She said
that her Voices had not charged her
with any work further than she had
already done.
But the King would not have it So
Many cities and towns vet remained
in the hands of the English. He
knew the soldiers and the people had
faith in Joan, and he wished to prof
it by her further service.
The poor girl yielded, though un
der protest. She had enemies near
the King who hated her for her Clio
ry and for her influence. They now
took every means to discredit her.
Plans which she proposed were re-
iected. Plans which she disapprov-
ed were accepted. She was made to
attempt military movements which
she did not sanction, and she was
not supported in those which she at
tempted.
Greatly did she suffer and keenly
feel the ingratitude of him she had
made KING.
The danger from the English hav-
in passed, the male commanders grew
restive under Joan's leadership.
These wretched curs whom she had
inspired to bravery and success ac-
cused her of being dictatorial.
1t is the old, sad story.
The poor girl was led away to cap
tivity and chains.
For more than a year she lived,
suffering every day.
Brave? All, greatly and divinelv
brave, because it was never possible
to wiring from her lips one word of
complaint against the graceless
wretch she had enthroned, aud who
now dallied with lewd women, idling
away the time in the luxuries of the
wealth which she had brought him,
and who yet never by word or letter
or act tried to save her!
Dead these five centuries are those
two, the maid and the King; but ev-
ell now one shudders to think that
the same God made them both.
The immediate captors of Joan
were Burgundians, allies of the Eng
hSh
The man who took her carried her
to his master, Il noble called the Bias
tard of Nendome.
This noble sold her to his master,
another noble named John of Lux.
emburg.