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Auckland Star, Volume I, Issue 301, 28 December 1870, Page 2

The schooner Leonidas was to leave Levuka for Auckland the day after the Laetitia, and may be expected hourly. The p.s. Samson leaves for Tauranga at 4 P m* A young girl at Tours is creating the most intense excitement by imitating Joan of Arc. Hundreds of enthusiastic persons have joined her standard, and her appeals for recruits are said to be singularly patriotic and eloquent. This heroine is doublcss the same girl of whom we read recently in mail advices from France. The story came something in this shape : A graceful handsome peasant girl of seventeen one day rushed wildly into the Church oT"St. Croix at Orleans —before the Germans reached there —and passionately implored the priest to bleas the crown of pearls she carried. Moved by her tears and prayers he consented, as tue Mayor did a few minutes later to her request to be permitted to put the crown on the h«ad of the statue of Joan of Arc in the public square. She (limbed a long ladder to the head of the statue, and crowned it amid the applause and tears of an immense crowd. On descending, the girl declared her intention to goat once to Paris and put herself on a horse at the head of the army. " Joan of Arc," she .aid, "has appeared to me and commanded me to save France ; I am going to save France." And she actually went as far as Tours, where we now hear that she has made a great sensation, and is rallying recruits to the defence of France. The work of art by Mr. H. C. W. Wrigf, Chief Draughtsman in the Engineer's Office, Thames, to which we called attention on Monday, has been submitted to the inspection of Lady Bowen, as patroness of the All Saints' bazaar, for the benefit of -which it has been executed. Lady Bowen was highly pleased with this elegant and unique work, and placed it before His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh. The Duke highly appreciated the drawing, and has written au autograph across the fac-simile of his scrip in the Long Drive Gold Mining Company. This .jnust be considered both as a high compliment to the gifted and persevering artist, and also as a desire on the part of His Royal Highness to further the interest of the bazaar. The bazaar will be furnished with a large variety of useful and ornamental works, many of very considerable value. The drawing will be on view at Upton's, bookseller, this day, until evening, when it will be forwarded to the bazaar committe?.