The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1915-07-31

OF civilization lie in peril OF
warfare. not many folk will
W spare another thought for
Dinant on the Meuse; in
deed, one OF the least among cities,
says q writer in Country Life. Yet
one may believe that among the wan
dering folk. the tourists, the idle trav-
,elers, there must have been grief for
D4nant when the i'll news OF its fate
came in. Who that knows that little
town between the limestone cliff and
the water Of the Mouse but will mourn
that history should terribly repeat her
self at Dinant? The warlike days OF
IDfhant had long gone by. In her hour
of pride she had been cast down. She
lived humbly. You would have war
lranted her that history should make
no more troubles for Dinant. Yet now
her name is the last chapter as a
city sharing the terrible fame which
has come upon Louvain and Namur
and Malines. Once again Dinant has
ceased to be
It was In the year 1866 that the
fates last meddled with Dinant. Then
she was a bonnie Vile, rich and pros
porous. q fief of the bishop Of Liege.
Sixty thousand hot-blooded. hard-work-
Ing Walloons were within her armed
walls. Brasswork was her craft;
more than half her citizens piled
that changing trade. Read what the
Sire Philippe de Commines wrote Of
Ddnant: "A. mighty strong town 1t
was" said he and rich withall, by
reason of Its traffic in those works of
brass that men call dinanderie, which
are pots and pans and the like at
ters." He goes on to tell you how
Dinant had quarreled with Bouvignes.
her neighboring town on the other
bank Of the Meuse. carrying unneigh-
borliness to the point of firing upon
Bouvignes with two bombards and
other pieces OF artillery until they of
BOuvignes were constrained to work
and eat their dinners in the cellars OF
their houses. The Sire de Commines
tells you that you will hardly believe
what hatred these two towns had for
one another; they we're, l think. two
Of trade; Bouvignes had its own
brass-works.
DInant's Former Destruction.
When King Louis OF France fed up
the hill from the field Of Montlhery,
leaving Charles the Bold to claim q
victory among those OF his Burgun-
dams who had not fed on the other
side. somebody brought false news to
Dinant. Now Dinant hated the count
OF Charolais almost as much as 1t
hated BOuvignes, town which was
held by Namur and was loyal to Bur-
gundy. Therefore, hearing of the
counts death. it seemed good to the
rabble of Dinant that they should
march gayly towards the walls Of Bou-
vignes, carrying with them the stuffed
shape Of q man. This dishonored pup
pet had cow-bell clinking at its
neck. 1t wore coat of many colors.
Bouvignes, looking down from its wall,
saw with horror the coat-armor of the
heir Of Burgundy, saw the shape
tucked up to a gallows and shot full
of arrows by the popinjay shooters of
Dinant. But Charles Count OF Charo-
iais was not dead. He was alive and
vengeful when Bouvignes sent him
its tidings. Dinant knew that soon.
and quaked. A humble letter beseech-
ing pardon was written out by two
elders of the town. Another letter
prayed King Louis that for PHYS sake
and charity he would intercedc for
them with his terrible cousin. No an.
swer came. In fear Dinant heard that
Charles had struck out the name Of
Dinant from the list of rebel towns to |
whom he would give his peace. For
nigh upon year Dinant waited unpar-
doned. On an August day of 1866 the
good Duke Philippe was carried into
Bouvignes on litter. Old and feeble. |
.ha was to see from the cliff at Bou-
vignes the mighty vengeance that his
cod would take upon these vile brass
Norkers who had hanged the stuffed
Amaee q : count.
Ehen cans the count hlmsslr under |