The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1904-04-22
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I JOAN OF ARC. =
The Power of q Little p
Girls Imagination. ~
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FOURTEEN years of age, and fair as
lily, with silky, golden hair, ex-
pressive blue eyes and charming
face; kind and gentle in disposition,
and with a refined simplicity of man
ners that indicated the superior char
acter of her training and environment
such was the description of my
cousin Dolores. Her parents. wishing
to complete her education, had intrust-
ed her to my care to be taken to q
school in Paris.
We left Madrid by the Southern Elk
press, and early in the afternoon OF
the second day, which was in January,
it began to snow heavily. Dolores and
l were seated at one of the small tables
in the dining car, and were just be-
ginning dinner, when the train stopped
and we heard the call, Orleans, five
minutes STOP"
"Orleans!' exclaimed she, covering
her face with her hands.
Yes, Orleans, the birthplace OF Joan
of Arc" said I.
NO." quickly replied Dolores, UNI
covering her pretty face; Joan OF Arc
was not born here. She was native
of Domremy, and if she is known by
the name of Maid of Orleans, it is be-
cause OF her efforts to prevent this
place from falling into the hands Of
the English
1T seems that you remember per-
fectly the history of that remarkable
woman"
Remember it! Even to the slight
est particulars"
The train proceeded on its way and
we were soon going st full speed, in
spite Of the snow that was falling on
the track. Happening to notice two
tears in the child's eyes, and suppos-
ing that thoughts Of her parents were
causing her sadness, I requested her,
in order to divert her mind, to tell me
the story of Joan of Arc.
She began the recital and showed
familiarity with tho story extraordi-
nary in one of her years. She seemed
also to feel an incomprehensible agi-
tation as she related the sufferings OF
the Maid of Orleans. When she
reached the point where Joan Of Arc
was condemned to be burned alive she
was too overcome to speak.
At that moment the locomotive
whistled several times and the train
began to reduce speed, soon stopping
entirely. Wiping off with napkin
the frosty window of the car, I saw
the railway guards signalling with red
lanterns.
what has happened?" I asked an
employee.
There's a small landslide on the
track, but think it will soon be
cleared. We have two gangs at work
now"
Dolores had not stopped weeping,
and the condition of her mind was
such that she was unconscious of hav-
ing attracted the attention Of the other
passengers.
Il Come" said I, wishing to put an
end to this scene; and she followed
me mechanically to our own compart-
ment.
we 1uSCdJlSu OURSELVES IuCAc, aAu uOI
wishing to add to her grief by re-
proof l sat down to look out of the
window. An immense bonfire had been
built, by the light of which wcckmen
were engaged in clearing the road, and
which projected their figures in gro
tesque, moving shadows upon the
snowy winding sheet that covered the
earth.
7: After looking a while at the fantas-
tic picture before me, called my
cousin, who, rising to her feet and ap-
the window, remained a
short time silent and absorbed, looking
1t the flames with fixed and staring
eyes. Then, as if taken with a sudden
stack of insanity, she exclaimed:
II III .''Look! there are my executioners--
they lead me again to torture! And
what torture! Oh, my God, to die by
nro! The smoke suffocates me; the
names seize upon my garments; the
hest burns me; I grind my teeth and
bite my lips; my limbs writhe and
twist, my, body trembles, shrinks, and
yasiinly struggles to be free!" =. ~
was astonished and alarmed at
hearing these words. Poor Dolores!