The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1914-12-31
OVERSEAS. FRANCE.

meaning tne Tree, CohpiiSeS .no AsS0S
part of the region known by the Romans
of Caesar and Tacitus as Gallia Trans
Alpipa. 1t occupies the western end OF
the central part of the continent of Eu-
rope, an area of little more than 2OO.-
900 square miles 1t is bounded north by
the North Sea and the Strait of Dover,
northwest by the English Channel, east
by the Alps, the Jura and the Vosges
Mountains, its wall against Italy. Swift
rland and Germany; south by the
Pyrenees, its wall against Spain, and by
the Mediterranean; west by the Atlantic
Ocean and the Bay of Biscay.. 1t is
known as the land of sunshine. The
climate is varied, however, being quite
rigorous toward the Rhine provinces and
northeast Belgium, mild, like England.
in the northwest, because OF the IN
f1uence of the ocean currents from our
(Gulf Mexican) coast, Alpine in night
summer chiIls in the southeast, where
Mt. Blanc, the monarch of all European
mountains, shows his mighty head IN her
domain, never gray, but always snowy
white within the memory of man. On
the south the hot winds of Africa
in early summer cast their breath on
her lovely coast, exquisite in art as In
native beauty. She has within her do
main many lovely vineyards. She has
over her goodly areas many fine fields OF
wheat, the laws of the republic favorlng
the raising of this staff of life. Her
rivers do not compare with ours at all IN
grandeur or loneliness of valleys, so to
me. except possibly the Rhone, which
streams out of the high Alps, through
Lake Geneva, past Lyons and Marsellles
and into the Mediterranean, which has
no visible outlet, but into which the At
Iantic PUSHES at Gibraltar forever with
fourteen mile gait, the air over 1t ap-
Darently taking up the water to torn
the clouds of heaven as fast as IL Is
dropped down and run in. Off against
her in Africa she has a stretch OF thou
sand miles of colonial coast in Morocco,
Algeria and Tunis. Also West Congo.
Madapasca. French Guiana, some OF the
West India isles, ST. Pierre and Mique-
Ion. In Asia she has Lower Cochin China
Her highways, cities and villages on the
coast Of Africa all speak to her credit In
colonial development. Algiers is city
of drec my ideal beauty. The coast has
a fruit belt, grain belt, then a trend OF
mountains, then the Sahara or Great
Desert.
At an unknown period Of antiquity a
great tribe Of warrior Celts, later known
to the Romans as Gauls, believed to
have migrated from the central regions
of Asia, settled in what are now the 90,
mains of France, Belgium, Holland and
parts of west Germany and SWltzerland
and North Italy. 900 B. G. colony OF
phoenecians founded Marseilles, now
the first sea port of France. The Greeks
followed. with their Incompatible archl-
lecture and philosophy. Two hundred
miles up the Rhone is Lyons, the second
city of the Republic. Its origin is un-
known, Caesar, invading Gaul, found it
a place of importance, and several OF
She Roman emperors made temporary
residence there, and adorned the city.
It early received Christianity. Its first
Bishop. Pothinus, died martyr there
in 1877 A. D., as did 1renaeus, one OF the
Christian Fathers, in POP A. D. North
erlv of Lyons, $50 miles distant, is Paris.
the Metropolis of the worlds art, the
city of the typical Franks, such people
only as is produced by mix OF races,
Gauls, Romans, who camPed on them, so
to speak, nearly 500 years, or until the
empire broke up: then Goths, Burgund-
ians and Franks, Germanic tribes, who,
under the genius of Charlemagne, threw
them into that wonderful system OF
feudalism that bossomed into the age
of cbivalry, most unique in human his
tory. OF the many wonders in their
intricate history, but two things can
claim place in this brief resume. One
is the career of Joan of Arc. The other
is the rise and persecution of the Hugue-
nots.
Joan of Arc, the Maid of Orleans,
she most illustrious heroine of history,
was born in the hamlet of Dom Kenny
in Lorraine. 14l1, of poor but religious
peasant parents, who imbued her spirit
with exalted and patriotic enthusiasm
Tn country was far along In the strug-
gle of centuries for the establishment OF
stable monarchy. but the period was one
of feuds and national weakness. Chris
zianity was noted for many studious and
noly men, many worldly and ambitious
adherents. The Europe of today shows
ma..y monuments of ambitious men,
who seemed to think they could buy their
way into the favor of Heaven. The Re-
formation of Luther, the German, John
Calvin, the Frenchman, and John Knox,
the Scotchman, was century and more
in the future. The Orleanists and the
Burgundians were at war, the former
favoring Charles VII for King, the lat
ter, the King of England, Henry V.
Joan was shepherd girl. She sold her
bed and clothes to relieve the suffering
poor. At the age of IS she averred she
had received heavenly commands to lib.
crate France. Her commands were first
scorned. Later she was permitted to
rave audience with the king. Orleans
was under British siege. At the age of
19 she declared her mission to raise the
siege. Her face was then beautiful, her
form, noble, her words, thrilling. Charles
was convinced, and placed body of
troops at her disposal. In one week,
the last of April, 1929, she raised the
siege. Other victories followed. Her
enemies were swept before her forces
like leaves before gale. In less than
three months Charles was crowned at
Rheims. She then petitioned the King
to be allowed to return home. Sweet
hearted girl! Imbecile' King! He wanted
her 70 continue leading the army. His
wish prevailed. The next spring in a
ssortie against the Burgundians she was
captured near Compeigne. and handed
over to the English, who. with the
Bishop of Beauvais and the University
of Paris, demanded her execution as a
sorceress The British King granted thy
request, and in the garb of the lnquisi-
ton she was burned at the stake May
81, l431. She died with the declaration
that her voices had not deceived her, and
with the name Of Jesus on her lips.