Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1899-03-01
cry ITO the rescue"
Where was the King? Slpping
wine amid painted women.


wine amid painted women.
Where were the people-the people
whom she had loved and delivered.
Alas The people abused the no
bles for betrayiug her. put the signs
of public mourning up in the streets,
aud prayed laboriously for her in the
churches. There was even a process
sion of barefOoted priests at Tours,
which went through the city implor-
ing heaven for her deliverance.
Week after week dragged itself by
as the subtle and cruel Judges. who
had denied her the benefit of coun-
sci, piled her with questions aud men
aces and temptation.
Failing to eusnare her into confes-
sion or determination by these
methods, they threatened her with
torture-that horrible process with
which the authorities of Church and
State were used to tear the flesh.
crush the bones, or rend the limbs of
the prisoner.
Joan is carried into the torture
chamber, and the Bishop of Beau
vais shows her the ghastly instru-
meuts with which her frail BODY is
to be mangled. He points to the ex
ecutioners. standing ready TO seize
her aud do their dreadful work.
No mother. no father. no kinsmau.
no friend. stands beside the maiden
to nerve her with encouragement. to
say: Fake courage: be brave
No; she l. alone-uttrrly alone IA
the dark Of the duugeon-iu the
hands Of relentless enemies who feast
upon her woe and hunger for her life.
Confess" says the Bishop. "or
YOU shall be stripped, and bound, and
tortured,,'
Though you should tear me limb
from limb. would tell You nothing
more
Thus spoke Joan, the bra,est of all
the worlds brave,
Her very courage saved her.
Some of her judges persisted that
she ought TO be tortured. but she was
very weak and might die under it,.
aud as they had already decided, to
condemn her. the torture was deem
ed unnecessary.
She was condemned to death, and
the scuffold was built.
The Judges all agreed that she had
relapsed into her heresy and must be
burned.
Gravely the monks showed her the
dreadful reality that faced her.
She wept piteously and tore her
hair.
The record is made up-made up
for all the ages-made up to be ours
ed aud bitterly despised and hated
10y all the sons of men forever
Let the English heart be satisfied.
la all their race for empire, reek
ing at every step with the blood of
the weak, there is nothing worse than
this.
Let the axes ring as timbers are
cut and fagots laid to make the fu-
neral pile. And away off at the cot
tage of Domremy, hard by the Meuse.
let the old father aad mother bend
their aged heads and pray for the lit
tie girl who used 10 give up all her
coins to the poor, who had soft words
and ready help for all the sick, who
would give up her bed and sleep on
the floor when the tired stranger
came by and asked for rest and shell.
ter! They will see her no more.
Clad IN woman'S long gown, she
is put into cart, and, guarded by
500 soldiers, she is taken through the
crowded streets.
In the old market place they have
built three ScatfoldS-one for tn
Bishops and mobiles who wished to see
the execution, another for Joan and
some priests and officials. the third
for Joan alone.
Soldiers brutally drag Joan to the
third pile, which, as We said. was
made for her alone. She Is fastened
to the stake high mp on the scaffold.
that the flames may be slow in re
leasing her to the dread keeping Of
death.
Up spring the flames, fercelv leap
ing. wildly playing; and they catch
the shrinking flesh in their red and
hungry arms.
But she feels no fear. The good
priest holds the cross almost IN the
midst of the terrible furnace of
flames she is heard CRYING: "JeSus