Iditarod pioneer., 1916-12-02
NEW STORY WHICH SUGGESTS
 THAT JOAN OF ARC ESCAPED

France found herself in dire straits early in the Fifteenth century. King Charles Vl., surnamed "The We'll Beloved" had become deranged, and Henry V. of England had invaded the country, concluding the treaty which was to make him king of France upon the death of her mad king.
 The rightful successor to the French throne, the Dauphin Charles, was youth of 17 when this treaty was made. Two years later, when his royal father died, Henry of England came to claim the throne, and his legions were masters of the country north of the Loire, including Paris.
 Now it happened that there dwelt in France at this perilous time little peasant | maid who could neither read nor write, but who had imbbed health from the great | outdoors. She tended her fathers sheep
 nd rode his horses to and from the water ing places She developed alleged powers which in our days are called psychic or clair
 oyant. Going into a trance state, 1t was >dlti, Sd" ElolOlio dlli fOASSo cid her tL at she was to be the virgin who, according to current prophecy, was to de iver France from its enemies. Her name vas Joan or Jeanne, and of her family either dArc or Dare When 17 she went to Chmon, where the dauphin, Charles, held his court.
 Charles, who in his subservience to the English Lad not had the courage to be crowned king when his father died, was persuaded to grant Joan of Arcs wish to lead his army He ordered her a suit of
 rmCr and when her visions told her of
 onzecrated sword which lay buried in
 ertain churchyard, that weapon was dug D and placed in her hands. Then, at tke head of an army of 10000 soldiers com
 anGed by royal officers, all of whom re-
 arded her as a saint she threw herself upon the English, then besiegng Orleans. Her presence at the head of the French army struck terror to the enemy, and ,;thin Tree months she had Charles
 rwncd at Rheims During the ceremony re in f Il armor, stood at his side.
 Joan of Arcs promised work was now enc She begged to be lowed to go back to her native farm at Domremy, but 'harles commented her to remain with his r-.a He feared that her ab-ence woUlI turn the tide of his fortunes Joan thought therwise Sfe tcld him that her voices and visions gave her no further inspira in, only the warning that if she fought Gotier battle she would be wounded and
 hat her army would be defeated But he had to obey the kings commend. Lead ng her forces in an attack upon Paris early in the following winter, she saw the first part of Ter prophecy fulfilled, She
 vas wounded, but recovered sufficiently to lead her legions into Compegne, then in the hands of the English She made an unsuccessful sortie and the second part of her prophecy came true, for her army wss defeated. Taken prisoner. she was carried to Beauvais
 The divine power which had protected lean of Arc heretofore now seemed to have antirey deserted her While attempting to escape her prison by learing from the dun gecn wall she was recaptured and taken to Rouen. The wise doctors then constituting
 the University of Paris obtained from the ling of England letters patent to have her ried for witchcraft. The university gave 2 unanimous verdict that her acts were
 iab Teal, meriting punishment by fire, and hen tie sentence of death was read to Ter publicly by the bishop of Beauvais he we her the alternative of burning at the
 ake or submitting to the church. Joan hose the latter means of salvation, but
 he bIoodthirsty bishop repented the loss an opportunity to view torture. He laid
 trap for Joan by Flacing mans apparel
 Il her cell. She put on the disguise in the hope of escape, and the bishop seized upon her act as evidence of relapse into unbe ief
 An immense pile of wood was placed in he middle of the market place at R0uen. urrounGirg the pyre the EngGsh had rGcn of sellers and eccleziasticS drawn up at a distance sufficiently far to prevent any of the populace from gaining q good ;ew of the martyr at the stake. Accord ing to the history which we studied al schccl the fair body of the sainted maid of Orleans was consumed in these flames anl her a hes were thrown into the Seine. B many chr ncler3 say otherwise, h Iced. amen, some authorities there has grown belief tkat the English frustrated the purpose of the bishop of Beauvais by
 lacinr the circle f scl iers and church 1 | at such distance from the pyre that an efi.y CT sub5titute might be burned 1 cn, ko An,