Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1911-04-26

t0nlng to tue sweet Calm6S VI the
bells, and respond ing to their ringing
by pure deep de7 How little
she knew of the tumult and confusion
Of the world without, which was SO
soon to shape her entire life
One afternoon, while she was in her
fifteenth year, a wonderful vision
came to her. A brilliant light ap-
peared above the church and she dis
tinctly heard a sweet voice say,
Joan be good and 60 to church Of
ten Multitudes OF visions appeared
to the amazed girl IN the months fol-
lowing. always in the celestial figures
of Saint Margaret, Saint Catherine.
and Saint Michael. They told her the
sad story of her mother country, of
her helpless king and that she should
save them from ruin. Her weary
heart could not realize the truth of
these revelations until traveller, in
passing through the village, verified
the story. Doubts and fears disap-
pear; no longer is she the listless. in
active, fearful maid but, glorifed by
the God given me ssage of her visions,
Joan of Arc. in the most hopeless
hour of France goes forth the savior of
her country.
Difficulties beset her, dangers as
sailed, but she hesitated at nothing.
Failure was nothing to her, faith
everything. Her God had told her
to stop at no impediment and she did
not Weeks Of delay and Discourage
ments eliminated in her first victory
after, in an audience with the king,
she found herself commissioned to
raise the siege of Orleans.
Within ten days she had carried the
commanding fortressses of the enemy
by storm had marched into the rescued
city with flying colors and with joy
Gus ringing of bells. Within ten days
she had raised siege which for seven
months had defed the might of
France.
Her noble sentiments, pure and ex
allied, were like revelation to dis
tracted country. She carried with
her the breath Of peace to war -desolat-
ed and disheartened France. Hope
was revived, confidence was restored
enthusiasm arose.
A glorious campaign followed; city
after city fell under the wave of her
success. On, on she moved, winning
greater laurels every day. 1t was a
campaign which cost but six weeks of
time but it's political results would
| have been cheap if the time expended
had been one hundred years. 1t was
the beginning of the end. The hope
of France had come
But her mission was only half full
filled. The King had not been crown
ed. Hers it was to accomplish it.
Following the great campaign the
triumphal army marched past sur
rendering towns to the city of Rheims.
Here with great pomp and ceremony
Joan crowned her king.
She had accomplished her purpose,
she had saved her country from ruin
she had crowned her king, she had full
filled her mission. The messenger of
God had done her work.
For many days the skeleton of
treachery had lurxed at her heels,
like some terrible spectre O ershadow-
ing every path. Only too soon Joan
was to realize that her most powerful
enemies were not those who met her
on the battlefield but her jealous ad-
visors who met her in council. They
were plotting for her downfall.
On the eve of ascension day, Joan
with scanty force attempted to cut
way to relieve the siege of Com
piegne. At the close of day, as the
redsglow of fast departing sun was
vanishing on the western horizon, and
the clear belI-like tunes of the Angelus
was floating out upon the battlefield,
Joan paused in the tumult of battle to
offer thankfuIness to Him who had
made possible all her victories. But
what terrible revelation when she
opened her eyes Twenty Burgundians
surrounded Joan and took her cap
tive of war.
The horrors of the following weeks
were almost unbearable. Like some
convict, she was transported from one
prison to another. Her fame, her
virtue. her sex saved her nothing.
Insult upon insult was heaped on her
defenseless head. She was not only
confined In a cell, but she was chained
to the floor; guards were stationed
within her cell as we'll as without
Very soon she was purchased, not by
those whom she had saved, but by
the English
Need | tell you of the disgraceful
proceedings which followed. called by
some trial, by others, an inquisi-