Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-04-22
FRENCH PEASANTS
SEE A JOAN Of ARC
Claire Perchaud. Young Country
Girl, Says She Has
Visions.
FREE FRANCE OF GERMANS
Military Authorities Laugh at
Maiden Sequestered by
Partisan Nuns.
FREE FRANCE OF GERMANS
by CHARLES =. BERTELLI.

whole Of France is stirred from cud
70 end by tn" reported appearance of
another Joan of Are in the person OF
Il young peasant girl rnmed Claire
'crchaud. who claims that il has been
revealed I" hcr il visions that she is
ordoin"i :" nut herself ut the head
OF the French army and drive out tho
Gcrruau invader
The mystery has drcpcncd into one
OF the mosi extraordinary affairs for
rany generations. owing to the fact
that tho catholic Church apparently
with implicit belief in the genuiueness
6f Claire rcrchaud. has seuuestercd
her. She is now in charge OF nuns in
| Paris whcr" none hut the sisters can
approach her
At the ar.hhisiopric. where I So
lcitcd statement on the case il was
stated that the primatc absolutely de-
clned TO discuss ;hc girl with callers.
but" IL added. YOU may say
that tho ccc!cHastical authorities of
France arc making :; profound inquiry
into all the circumstances OF the visions
of Claire PerchAud We have enjoined
the strictcst secrecy OH all her rela-
lives ana the clergy who have inter
viewed her. We must refuse to give
any opinion or To ailow the matter to
be referred to. even in the pulpit. until
our inquiry has been completed"
The modern Maid of France Is
twenty years old. and is the daughter
Of "a farmer living at Saint Bon
net, near Cholet. few miles south OF
the Loire. and not far from Chinon,
whittier Joan OF Arc journeyed in the
fifteenth century from her birthplace.
Domremy.. To place herself at the head
of the army which drove back the Eng
fish army then beSicEn.r Orleans.
Claire is Il typical peasant girl In
her dress aud style. but instead OF
the plump. rudy checks Of the girls
OF the Ncudce. She has the pale. ascctic
looks OF rcli-sious devotce. with deep
set luminous black eyes. From her
childhood she was somewhat OF mys-
y tic. with Intense religious leanings.
Althou.:h she helped her parents in
their farm work for long hours every
lGay. Che never sscd her religious do
votions morning and evening. and for
many miles around she was known for
her rrccocious niety several years be-
'orr the broke 1t
: Wl;i..m woRtst.G Sill:
J HEARS STt:RIOuS VOICES
y few months ago she returned from
the fields ono day. pale and exhausted,
. and contidcd to her parents that while
she was working the Sacred Hear, APP
ncnrcd above her head amid blaze OF
glory. Vt Tin" same time mysterious
, voices whispered to her To he up and
deliver France from the German in
vadcrN.
= The story spread like wildfre round
t the country. and then began remark
d able pilgrimage To her parents farm
by all the people Of the countryside
for many miles around Poor peasant
colk journcycd miles on foot or by
wagon ar railroad. To lay before Claire
photographs OF fathers, husbands or
brothers lighting for France at this
s moment. and. falling devoutly to their
n knees. To pray for divine protection for
: their soldier kin
The clergy at The outset paid little
heed to the story of the visions and
:, it's consequences. though the pulpits
p rang with eNhortationS TO the peasant
\ people To rclS on the mercy OF Heaven
to spare their men folk from the
;. rcapcr's scythc. When, however. the
pilgrimage to the Pcrchaud farm and
, the mystery had become an obsesson
, throuS hout the Vcndcc. the matter was
referred To the Bishop of Poitiers who
immediately sent t. father Of the Oblats
community To interview the maid.
The priest returned With a favorable
report IN tn" girl > religious fcrvor, and
stated that hours of questioning had
= failed IL weaken one Jot her belief in
y the vision of the Sacred Heart and the
, myster. Gus whspornss.
The Bshop 1T poitivrs thcreupon had
: thu girl broueh before him in the
presence OF othcr priests. The prelate
wore the ordinary robes of country
cure and sought to disguise his high
dignity from Claire hut. although she
, had never before seen him or his por-
trait. she immediately Identified him
.,u,: addressed him in the orthodox
~. u0cr. she is said to possess 4
= / special pc science in such matters.
Il w.s dscidcd TO send her to Paris.
where The archbishop might see her.
and here she has been austerely cio:s-
tered since the bcSuuiH-; of Lent in
lie lionr ot the SISTERS uf Wisdom in
;hc Avenue Nictur Hugo. Thousands
ii .;tloHi.s have been iua,!e in vain 10
sec her
Il .n.. ihssE. iiOIN ~
= Ht:Li>:iOts DEVOTIONS
ENcry day Claire i'crchaud, accom-
$ panied by two sisters. goes TO the
= Church of the Sacred Heart. at Mont
y nartrc. and passes hours in religious
e dcvotiuns Mention OF this in the local
!, papers sent thousands OF people. mostly
y women, To the famous basiica in the
= hope OF obtaining Il glimpse OF the
I mystery girl. bur, to their intense dis
u appointments they found that she wor.
SHIPPED in II private chapel
SO profoundly has the affair grpped
: the imagination OF the people that II
threatens to develop into "a political
matter. Already the leading Social
list organ LHumanite, has publicly
. charged the clergy with prosecuting
4 Claire Perchaud and with wantonly
II | seuuesterins her.
~, Il, Iii,
n ment has angcred the Catholic press.
n which while rcfraining from giving
. details on tho strict orders OF tina
Continued on Tenth Pagc3