Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-07-12

| in the unconsciousness of her beauty,
| calmly facing those courtiers who are
| trying so hard to confuse her, for the
Dauphin is simply clad, while those
| around him have reSplendent costumes
For an instance Joan hesitates; then
We see her kneeling before the king
saying.
Very noble lord, the King of the
Heavens tells you through me, that
you will be consecrated and crowned
in the city of Rheims, and that you
shall be his lieutenant in the kingdom
of France"
The people were the more ready to
believe her for the enchanter Merlin
had long ago written that the calami-
| ties of the kingdom would come
| through a wicked woman, while its
| salvation would be owed to a young
| and chaste girl. The wicked queen
| mother Isabella who had betrayed the
| country to the English was responsible
! for all her sufferngs. Now it is the
task of this pure young girl to restore
France to the French by wrestling it
| from their foes.
History has told us how nobly she
stormed the very city that we were in,
until at last she was successful We
| can still see her erect on her white
horse holding aloft in her right hand
her standard, clad in light armour
which glittered in the suns rays, while
| she rode through the town regarded
by the inhabitants of the city and the
soldiers as the angel of war and of
| peace. But harder work was it for
| the Pucelle, as She is so lovingly called
! by the people of France today, to per-
suade the sluggard king to push on to
| Rheims and receive his rightful
| coronation. At last even that is ac-
| complished and attended by his in
spired maid of Orleans, there is King
Charles kneeling to receive his rightful
| crown. If only the King had then
granted the prayer of Joan, when she
| urged him SO earnestly to let her go
home again, how much suffering might
| have been spared her.
But the king DESTROYS of keeping his
good angel with him selfishly refused.
and from that time Joan began to
| doubt herself knowing that soon she
| must fall into the hands of the enemy
| through treachery. See her as the
English gloatingly take possession Of
| her! So positive are they that once
Joan's power is destroyed that they
will again be victorious, that her
death is mentally agreed upon even
| now as they capture her.
1t would have been better to have
had no trial at all, than the mock one
which took place, after so many weary
days Of anguish had passed by.s One
abbot who took the part Of Joan was
cast into prison, while one suggest
ed that he be sewn in sack and
thrown into the Seine. But his brother
abbots bravely came to his rescue
and he was released, but at the same
time he was given to understand that
If he again spoke in favor Of the
| prisoner there would be no power on
earth to save him. Poor Abbot Mich
olas! Condemned to keep silent. when
justice urged him to speak,!
| Then came the final picture now en-
graved or painted in every placeswhere
| France honors her patriots. Her
enemies have done their worst and
already looking like q ~ saint
we see her tied to the stake, facing
that jeering crowd. But there are ono
or two who can face peril and aid the
maid in this last hour When sf1sbeg-
ged for a cross an Englishman present
made one and handed 1t to her, while
the priest Isambart rushed Ito
ncighboring church and taking the
parish cross which was beside the
alter, he rushed back and PLACED 1t in
Joan's hands. AS the flames shot up she
herself begged him to step back lest
he be injured, but holding the cross up
l in front of her he was faithful RI the
last moment, and as a veil Of smoke
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