Girlhood Days of Joan of Arc

New Zealand Tablet, Volume LII, Issue 2, 14 January 1925, Page 55

Girlhood Days of Joan of Arc

A few years ago, it was the writer's privilege to visit the heme and birthplace of.St. Joan, of Arc (says Julia W. Wolfe in The Antidote). She was born in the little village of Domremy, in the province of Lorraine, France. , The main street of this town is now a part of the national highway, which.just there runs along a terrace overlooking the valley of the Meuse-. ■>■ . . .■; ■.-' Behind the house is a forest. At the upper end of the village, beside the church, stands the picturesque cottage where was born to Jacques of Arc and Isabel Romee, on the night of January. 6, 1412, the little girl whose name shines out as the brightest illuminated figure upon the pages of ' history of medieval days. Ss- " ■":■ ■•'.'.' .

The valley of the Meuse has, been for ages the highway of the nations, or the theatre; for many movements which have decided the> character of France. Curiously enough the: types of those alien nations, which have ats various times held this favored land, are preserved, to a certain extent, among the peasants who inhabit this garden land. ' : >-i In Domremy to-day walk' the tall, com-r manding, fair-haired figures so characteristic| of the German across the border, but with' features which suggest the profile - on a, Roman, coin, dug up but yesterday on the neighboring hillside. Talking with the people of this village you find you are meeting not only the physique of - the ■ Germans, and, the "indomitable will of the Roman, but, also the .:. keenness, the vivacity, and freedomloving traits of the French. »- '■

\ Romremy has changed but little during the ■ many years -which :have passed 1 ' since' that ; .- winter's, night of tho Epiphany. ; It was -a .... farming village in Joan's day, it is a farm-. "C-jng country jo-day,, with (locks of sheep arid herds of cattle. It is a country big with the story of' the past, a country idled with :■ traditions, a land well suited to form- the background,,-in. a picture, whose prominent "^% uro * s tho jMstpric Ma-id of Orleans. ' f : I 'Joan's Father. ' ' I Joan's father was one of the most prosperous farmers in the village. Ho' owned his homo and twenty acres of land. fie was :"'; a. much respected man. 'Joan's mother was . a woman evidently far ''in''advance of her ■ ■ village associates. She signed her name with : the title oFAßomcc, only taken by those who \ had made the pilgrimage to the eternal city. ;p p. There were five children in this, family J ' "...' three ""sons" and two 'daughters;- The house has scarcely changed since St. Joan, was (horn. • The arrangement of the '-room's is typical of the Lorraine home, . and tl l c interior is in much The same' condition as on the morning "when Joan set out upon her mission. .The sculptured portal opens directly into the living-room with its black oaken coiling anil the wide-mouthed "fire-place. : ', | Joan was a happy little girl, beloved by ""• all the" village, and with an early heme life ; as simple i and r apparently uneventful as that we see to-day along the village street. She arose with the birds, with brother or sister ; made the ; fifc,~ pattered barefoot across the grass. to the s brook for water.' Noonday found . 'the family afield, for in the peasant home the work is divided .among old and young, and ;;.'-;all must share it. i '■~<si\M wo sit 'beside the doe;- „f I lie collage ■ ("watching flip .sunset fade, there comes from ; across the stream a faint tinkle. H is flu; .' Seeks and (lie bonis coining home, coming I -as they have probably done every night since '■- Joan herself drove Ihejii home. As they reach the church, part turn to the left, for the .barns: at- the'mill, and (ho. others coiii inim g-- sdown. the street. It requires but little im- ;' agination to re-create Joan in the barefooted '. sturdy-shouldered, dark-eyed maid who fol- : lowed* in Their :train. '-.'■; ,v '• '""-""••*"' A Pious Child. "' ■-', < The peasants, too, come in from the fields, > stooping picturesquely .beneath a, pile of . , fagots,.,, or. «i basket, of greens. 'Then the \ fires are lighted, the flickering light shines / across the. falling - darkness,-' the tabic is spread for the evening meal, and the work ; of the' day is done. . •:,-.:„. .-.'•'■ ■?,.- What stories could be told to. us by, the .', the lit tie latticed window at the white. ehurcTi • walls of the Are cottage if those walls could speak! We can picture Jean looking out. ofv walls, as they show ,'bonealh (he garden trees, ;. and recall her pious devotions at the evening I hour when she fell asleep with '.a 11; the gentle ;.-■ confidence, of her childhood faith, never *fi, dreaming of any futatre beyond the ■. unlet life in that Lorraine Valley. ". - v ; "" : ' _ . ' . "ttY-ruous Id .-was-, I i f i le- Joan, with , a ' creed I. most- nude .arid.' homely, • 'b'i! f horn of t he I \ iutrusAky '.of. character which made martyrs : ;,TH'/thfcVeTu"lief. days. On. Sunday morning, as Ui y <....■. «V^UlM ti "' Jil --.,';t^.'.-,- i > ■*'?<.:.'■■■'■■" ' : • "-i: ■'■' ' :;w '■''•''

the bell from the little church sent forth its peal;-'' the ! peasants' assembled 1 " for -worship. To-day. the {!ha i:- el -is -ill led with »p i.e. res and statues so typical of the peasant villages. Beneath an arch c in quaint Colli ie letters we read : "Here Joan was Baptised.''. "'Here Joan Received union.',' .. "Here. Joan Used to Pray." ■'-The neighborhood is full of shrines -where the little 'maid went often in devotion, rind on. which the peasants hang. decorations and wreaths. \ -v?\ The childhood of Joan was peaceful, happy, and'industrious. Hers was n sweet, trustful character, and from her face shone a son! as ; fresh and pure as'the little brook which rail bubbling beside ,her home. ... ~ - . Domremy, because a part (.if Lorraine, was warmly' loyal. It) France, but only a. quarter of a mile across the■ fields 'was Grcux', with its inhabitants hotly Burgtiudian in sentiment, .ami, therefore, ranked by the loyal villagers of Domremy as the enemies of tho King. ltd Triors of the great war and tho English invasions now and then reached the hamlet from travellers over tho highway, and party spirit ran high across tho meadows. 'Joan am! her "brothers took an active part in the -differences of "opinion between , ; -iho children of the hamlets. . ; -At; last the war was brought to their very village, ami Jacques of Are and his family fled to Neuf chateau' until things were safer in their home land. These wen- .some of the things which taught Joan., child though she was, the deadly peril which .threatened her home land. What wonder, then as she beard recitals night after night, talcs of' the destruction being done? The, condition of France was her only thought. ; . Her "First Vision. . .....; She had reached the age of thirteen when she saw her first vision, it happened when she was in I he meadow-. It seemed'some one said to her: "Joan, hasten home; 1 your inn! her wishes you." ..,.." She 'ran to her mother. ''Did yon want me?"' she -asked. Her mother said,, ".No." She started back to her playmiates . when -a transparent shining mist appeared in front of her, and out of the mist came a. voice telling the strange tale, to this country girl, that' she was destined for another lite than that of the valley; she was to be chosen to fulfil, the ancient prophecy and re-establish the Dauphin on the throne Ids fathers. That to accomplish I his she must,leave, home,, become a- great warrior, lead the army, 'as chief of division, and. that all should follow her .-guidance. Then the voice ceased, -and the mist faded, leaving.: the girl -dazed., and overcome. For the next live years the girl remained, in gr'eat perplexity. '""• ■'."' •?;^.; : As she grew older the visions became more' apparent, Urging her .to her. mission and chiding her for delay- ,„ ~./...,,_' •;>■■,;■-.-.... ,„..:-, ~• ""'Joan often spoke to her playmates of these visions and her 'father, was surprised arid 'arig'ry that \ his daughter made "such' statements. , Ho warned her to cease her foolish dreaming. . \, _, __ .. One day Willie -{alone ; in tlio;wood/- Joan again heard (die familial!; voices, and fonder, f urgent tones told her, of the condition of .France.. Then tire modesty, simplicity, and

tho ; humility of ; the ■. peasant-girl jwere||ap4 ; p: parent as she pleaded her inexperience; lien' ;■*;■ ignorance of martial life, or her power'over the troopers. Still the voices urged her oiFpTS urged her to leave, home, . to, forsake : ; herP family, -the good Cure, 'and flic peacefuf valley. _ l.^ They directed her to go to the chateau; . v and- commandant L prt"Van cou leul'S*" and'* closed with the inspiring statement that it was but the will of (kidywhich led her onward, and; all should be as He. commanded. \-' • ;| V .' •-''';-.? 'h % \"' ■ ,' N,. Trust in God; ■- - ;,,','i-' Can you realise what this meant to 'Joan?|p Only a faith as great as hers could have: brought her to do "it—an "implicit trirstkiu. God. She did not falter, but went steadfastly , onward into a future.;^io/fwli.hOi.UhefVoices t\ called her. • utoi * j ''■' ?' r :p As the months Went on, and. now.and -then * : ; the news came, back to the little hamlet, it. w;i no longer the woes "of France which the; villagers discussed. For now the, maid wasA no : longer looked upon as a- dreamer, : for "she I had achieved success with Baudricpurt. afc : Vaneouleurs, with the Dauphin at Giiiony be-? fore the council at Poitiers, or ih the wonderful attack which : raised' the siege of il Orleans! ./'< . ~,'v'P,;A [ "I" t.pUp ?f: ¥ The. came the joyful tidings that' the, Dauphin was on his way to [Minims, and half Domremy went-out to 'meet the troops at Ohallons, and to go up to the coronation in. the cathedral city. Was it a proud,, haughty' warrior maid with a. spirit* vain from the] honors heaped upon - her, A Suit, greeted" the, village folk? No. . Joan, whom they saw at the head of the troopsj a was the same.frank, , winsome, unselfish girl : they had known .'iri.|' childhood.. .. <,£! ~.v ^.-v - '"\ ;'-'-■■•j' : Ik is not the national monuments which j rise on the . green hillsides .of-Domreiriy r A VaneouleurK, or Rouen which keep fresh the ; memory of Ibis maid; ' Her grandest monu-A mentis the spirit of liberty and faith which she has left as a- grand inheritance to the f. French people: and upon that, :as : upon a | massive foundation, rise's" the superstructure of the united- nation of to-day.- .- •-■.•---^^^ir^

To be published at an early date