Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1915-07-08
HEN the very capital cities
OF civilization lie In peril OF
warfare, not many folk will
spare another thought for
mnank IN tina MafIaa. In.

~ la k@kAs ~
warfare, not many folk will
spare another thought for
Dinant on the Meuse; In
deed, one OF the least among cities,
says a 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
Dinant when the Ill news of Its fate
came In. Who that knows that little
town between the limestone cliff and
the water OF the Meuse but will mourn
that history should terribly repeat her
self at Dinant? The warlike days OF
Dinant had long gone by. In her hour
Of pride she had been cast down. She
lived humbly. You would have a
ranted her that history should make
no more troubles for Dinant. Yet
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.
1t was in the year 1866 that the
fates last meddled with Dinant. Then
she vas 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
Dinant: "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 mat
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
B~ousignes 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
n another; they were, / think. two
Of a trade: Bouvignes had its own
brass.works,
But the brasswork Of Dinant was ia
nous through Europe. To this day
the museums label their best brass
candlesticks of the antique fashion,
their two-spouted brass pots with the
handle that swings from two little
brazen heads of ladies. as dinanderie
OF Dinant on the Mouse. The wicked
forger of antiquities initiates lovingly
the works Of Dinant. If our Shake
speare writes OF the A%gincourt army
whose horsemen sat like fixed can
dlesticks." We may guess that he had
In his mind some old piece OF dinan-
derte seen In his childhood on a War
wickshire dresser, one Of those brass
candlesticks In the fashion OF q knight
on horseback, that are now only for
tho iuckiest collector. Your true
d~inanderie must be dated before 1866.
for In 1466 the doom came on Dinant.
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 Charoiais almost a much as 1t
hated B~ouvignes, a town which was
held by Namur and was loyal to Bur-
gundy. Therefore. hearing Of the
counts death. 1t seemed good to the
rabble Of Diuant that they should
march gayly towards the wallis Of Bou-
vignes, carrying with them the stuffed
shape Of q man. This dishonored pup
pet had q cow-bell blinking at its
neck. II wore a coat Of many colors.
R~ouyignes. looking down from its wall.
saw with horror the coatsarmor OF the
heir OF Burgundy. saw the shape
tucked up to a gaiiows and shot full
OF arrows by the popinjay shooters Of
Dinant.s But Charles Count OF Charo-
lais was not dead, He was alive and
vengeful when Bouvignes sent him
it's t.dings, pinant 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 fer PHYS sake
and charity he would intercede for
them with his terrible cousin. No IN
swsr came. In fear Dinant heard that
Charles had struck out the name of
Dinaat from the list OF rebel towns to
whom he would give his peace. For
nigh upo a year Ditaant waited unpar-
- ~ - -A d., - fIEE A. /
good Duke philippe was carried into
Rouvisaes on a litter. Old and feeble.