The Washington herald., 1911-07-30

are 1eW uRuIeS Ludb ebtHu OuJ
III more brightly on the pages Of history
than that of Joan Of Arc, the Maid
of Orleans. A new equestrian statue
~ Of this heroic girl was recently erect
ed in the town of Chinon, France, at
which place she first met Charles VII, then
the dauphin and put courage into his heart
and that Of his wicked soldiery.
Joan, or Jeanne, dare was born in the
year 1411, at the village of Domremy, in the
Vosges. Her parents were hardy peasants,
and she grew up without knowing how to
read or write, receiving only religious instruc-
tion from her mother
Her conduct to her parents was exemplary,
she was full of unselfsh kindness, abounded
In physical energy, and yet was possessed Of
an abnormally sensitive nervous temperament.
As she grew to womanhood she became in
clined to silence, and spent much Of her time
in solitude and prayer
In the year 1929 the English, through the
alliance and support of Philip Of Burgundy,
were masters Of three-fourths Of French ter
ritory. The infant Henry vi of England had
the dauphin, was passing his time in ease
and pleasure, careless as to what would be
the fate Of his country.
The town Of Chinon is one hundred and
eighty miles from Paris, and lies in that part
OF France which is called Fair Touraine. It's
turesque and fertile valley. Towering above
the town stood the castle, with its high walls,
its massive towers and bastions.
1t was considered the key to lower Tou-
raine, and the Romans, the Visgoths, the
Franks and the Kings Of England by turns
went Charles, pale, languishing young man
OF twenty-sx years.
There he established his court, and passed
his time in ease and idleness, unheeding the
fact that Orleans, the key to the south of
France, was invested by the English, and that
the country was being dismembered by in
ternal confusion and by the encroachments Of
English rule.
Tending her fathers sheep, the voice of the
wind blowing across the meadows seemed to
Joan to be that Of some heavenly visitant
In the village church, where she knelt in the
gray dawn or at sunset, she dreamed dreams
and saw visions.
= Merlin, the enchanter, had prophesied that
France would one day be freed by woman
from the calamties which had come upon
her, and in the country of the Vosges it was
believed that this woman would come out of
the forest of Domremy.
And SO Joan dreamed and pondered, until
the idea became fixed in her mind that she
was the destined deliverer of her country.
She went to Robert de Bandcourt, Gov.
srnor of Vaucouleurs, and begged him to give
her an introduction to the dauphin, and the
Governor, who was impressed by her modesty
and simplicity, her faith in what she believed
to be her mission, and her calm assurances of
success, promised to assist her.
In February, 1929, she set out for Chinon,
accompanied by two knights.
1t was perilous journey, but she made it
in safety, and at last stood at the entrance to
the castle and demanded to see the dauphin.
At first her entrance was opposed but her
importantly prevailed; a message from Joan
was taken to Charles, and he consented to see
her.
So she passed within the gates through
DIM passageways and up gloomy stairs, and
hare IN k.n
Charles was waiting to receive her. The
scene was one which painter would have
loved to look upon. The glare from fifty
flaming. torches lit up the vast room, and
threw fantastic colors on tapestry hangings,
on carved pillars and vaulted roof. There
stood the shepherd maiden, dad in coarse
garments, while standing around, some
sneerIng, some smiling were three hundred
noblemen, dressed in magnificent costumes and
giving the scene life and beauty
In order to try her, Charles put one OF his
courtiers in the place of honor and half hid
himself in the throng. But Joan went up
hesitatingly to him, bent down and respect
fully kissed his knees.
He denied himself to her, but she said:
Gentle prince, this is you and none other"
Very well. What wilt thou have of me?"
he asked.
Most noble lord" she replied, 81 am called
jeanne the Maiden; and I have come to
you yS al aided s!, BY God, to help you make war on
tue
Charles smiled, whereupon Jeanne con.
tinued:
You do not believe me- Well, I tell YOU
that God, in answer to the prayers of st,
Louis and St. Charlemagne, has taken pity
on you and your people"
Who art thou that speaks thus?" demand,
ed Charles.
Il am only poor peasant" Joan answered,
who knows not how to read or write,
God will be your salvation"
Struck by these words, Charles spoke to
her alone for while, and then said to all the
court:
This young girl has my entire conf.
dence."
commission of theologians was appointed
to examine her in doctrine, and they reported