The herald., 1917-09-06

of Arc won her victory over the Eng
ll>h and raised the siege Of Orleans IN
1892 France would have become an0th.
or ireland under the yoke Of the tri-
umpbant English, and never could
have developed those powers which
have made her such all influence in
the arts and letters and on the man
ners and feelings Of all mankind. The
Regent Bedford informed his royal
nephew, Henry VI. that all would
have gone well and that France would
have been as English as England her
self had not Joan miraCulouSly Hp-
peared To break the English power at
the fateful city.
1t is not possible here to discuss the
mystic personality, the tragically ro-
mantle career and the pitiful end of
the Maid of Orleans, hut there j. not
the slightest question that 10 her and
To her alone was due the Orleans vic
tory. Ii is true, of course, that Du-
rOis, La Hire and some of the other
French generals did not hesitate at
orders In purely military technique,
but the inspiration of her presence
was the actuating power of the French
arms as il was represent upon the
previously irresistible English, while
in higher strategy. as in utilization of
the psychologist effect. her powers Of
divinati0n We're uncanny. To Joan
belongs the glory of driving the Eng
fish out of France.
With her population starving, the
English ravuging her at will. for
eign king proclaimed in her capital
and her own disS0lute prince triiling
at ChinOn. the affairs of the kingdom
were In desperate state when the peas
ant girl at DOmremy. directed by the
heavenly voices she heard. OS believed
She heard, brought herself To the res
cue. Orleans was the last stronghold
of the French national party. With
that city once in their possession the
English could pursue their course
through the rest of the kingdom with /
oGt serious obstacle. So To the siege
of Orleans came Salisbury. soon To .
be slain by annonball-cannon fig /
urinC in this siege for the first time in .
To be succeeded by the /
equally Sklllful and experienced Suf- I.
folk. Salisbury carried the TourcllpS /
the fortification which guarded the .
head Of the bridge across the Loire. /
but the French broke down the /
bridge itself, thus preventing the sue
ces>ful army from entering the city. |
Erecting series of strong works the
English set themselves down to wait
the aid Of famine, pestilence and ex-
haustiOn.
1t was then that Joan succeeded
in making her way into the pres
ence OF the Dauphin, Charles. So
powerful were her arguments, so
her prescience and so rapidly
her influence with the sol
diery and the people that Charles
and his advisors. no matter what they
nay have thought privately as TO her
powers. felt justified in employing her.
Thus THE Holy Maid" clad in shin
ng white armor, bestriding a majestic
var horse and carrying lance and pen
ION which she handled with the skill
" veteran. came to the command
IF the armies of France.
JOan's first exploit was so sensation
IL as to make startling impression up
m the SuperStitiOuS sOldiery. March,
ne from BlOis with re-enfOrcements
md provisions for Orleans she sue
'eeded under cover of night and a |
erritic thunderstorm in marching
light through the works of the Eng
lsh Into the city itself. Here the
Whole population swarmed about her
or the privilege of touching her cloak
lille overwhelmingly ready with ac-
eptance for the assertion that she I
vas guided by angels.
As the start of her offensive cam ,
aign Joan, mounting the wall Of the
own, called upon the English holding
he captured Tourelles TO depart I'M :
err peril Of being visited by judgment :,
God. GladSdale, who commanded 7
he post, only reviled her. Then for
avs Joan did nothing. until finally
'unois, growing impatient, took ad-
antage Of an afternoon when she rest
d TO sally forth for an attack on the Il
astile of st. LOup, one Of the most I,
ormidable Of the English investing v
'orks. So warm, however, was the II
rception he got that his troops broke II
nd fled. the uprOar rousing Joan, who b
allOped to the scene in all her shin n
X armOr and with her white banner e
wing over her. At once the Orlean- ST
nis rallied, returning To the attack Al
18th Joan at their head In what the al
nglish afterward called the charge tC
hell st. Loup was stOrmed, car II
ed and all its defenders put to the OF
word, save only few whom Joan n
rs able TO save. This was her first hr