The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1917-02-03
Coryright By ]. W.. Muller
BY j. M. MULLER

The chain of French forts from
iIerda", aow being so fercsIy fought
tor, to Nancy, which form ene COM
S'ned system Of defense for French
Lorraine. lie in region fansous in
history and legend. None is more
thrilling than the capture of Nancy
oy the Swiss. TITS episode and The
destruction OF the Burgundian arnsy
are q fine part of Sir Walter SCOTS
"An"e of feierstein." \
Charles the Bold, ruler of Burgundy
and Flanders, duke of seven dukedoms.
count OF seventeen earldoms, was at
fhe summit of his eminence. In his
grip he crushed the estates of Bur-
guhdy and Flanders. He was invad-
Ing Lorraine and already had added
to his titles that of duke of Lorraine.
He menaced great Louis Of France and
boosted openly that he would nail the
hide of the old fox to a stable door.
He was bargaining with Margaret of
An1ou for the lovely kingdom of Pro-
fence, ruled by her mild old father,
HOod King Rene, in exchange for
which he promised to make war in
EngiaRa on the house of York and re-
staMAa Margaret's house Of Lancas-
r. And with all these affairs on his
(seds -, turned lightly, as to an ex-
hA xe war onsthe Swiss.
~ I'D RE duke OF Oxford, who
# hs camp as Margaret's envoy,
10 Il him that these rough noun
W8F3 We're bears who might well
WEfn his greater plans. He roared
.MfNfury at the intimation that his
SIkE1fy OF Burgundy, his mailclad
AmE ,ries from all Europe, and his
d wonderful fire-spitting can
fH might fail to annihilate the Swiss,
40 fought on foot with arrows and
inmOth, clumsy, two-handed swords.
said to the Swiss deputation that
come. to beg for peace:
Ia deputation of your most notable
fsons who shall meet me on your
ntiers with halters around their
eks and their swords held by the
hts, may learn from me on what
ditions we will grant peace"
Then farewell, peace, and welcome
r." said the undaunted Swiss dele
es. 1--WE will meet you on our from
Is with our naked swords, but the
s, not the points, shall be in our
SD. Charles of Burgundy, we bid
defiance, and declare war against
In the name Of the Confederated
atonsp
Iargaret's nephew, Ferrand de
ldemont, whose heritage was the
edom of Lorraine, joined with the
ISIS. Charles laughed when he heard
Son to Neuchatel!' he said. "We
teach these beggarly peasants a
onT
t Granson, near the great lake Of
Rchatel, the beggarly peasants
4 ght Burgundy's army in narrow
II and so fell on 1t from all sides
n by nightfall the shining host was
portifying flight.
ne check merely Infatuated Charles.
pr< midsummer of the next year he
ready a new army Of at least sixty
Rsand men with one hundred and
pieces of cannon. They entered
land Of the Swiss, who had called
be. Free Cities of the Rhine to help
At Morat, near Berne, the Bur-
Jan cannon battered the walls
nd cxryfe~ hvxk kha ~%f
though 1t was, failed to terrify
1t plowed great gaps among
but before 1t could fire again
survivors rushed In withs those
lay fve-foot. swords and hewed
had men down as II they were
ngs. Charles himself had to ride
bis life wifh the steer-horns of
which theS Swiss blew as war
pets, brAyihg behind him as he
Pn he FasE stunned for a time;
lien Xsyd came to him that Fer
s<and and the Swiss had dared to leave
their mountain, Businesses and had
oyerrun Lorraine, taking the city of
Nancy, he reused himself and laughed
again, gleefully. "They have trapped
themselves I" he cried. 81 swear that
I shall destroy them utterly before
I two weeks have passed.
Three days before Christmas his
army sat down before Nancy in a
strong position. That night there was
a ueat connection in the dukes tent.
When his officers rushed in, they saw
him standing undressed, with his
sword In his hand. He roared that
strangers had been by bis bedside.
ne bodyguard was incredulous, for
there were many there who could
swear that they had not closed their
eyes. But he pointed to a table.
Pinned to II with dagger was a parch-
hent signed with three crosses. Ev-
kryone present recognized at once
sshat ii was, and even In that armed
camp many of them trembled; for the
parchment was q summons from the
loaded vehm-G ericht the mysterious.
dahty secret tribunal of Germany.
shose secret, unknown and powerful