M

THE MAID
By H. Walters. East Road Tylorstown.

"BE STILL YOUNG LASS. TIME NOW TO LISTEN.
FOR ONE SUCH AS THEE, THE LORD HATH DECREED.
THE AIR THAT THOU BREATHE'S NOT FOR LIFE, BUT A MISSION.
SHOW THE ENGLISH THY SWORD, LET THE DAUPHIN ACCEDE.

DISSEVER THY HAIR. LET THY TRESSES SUBSIDE.
CAST OFF THY BODICE, THY SLIP AND THY PANNE.
LET THE WOMAN IN THEE TURN TO MASCULINE PRIDE,
GO FORTH YOUNG MAID AND FIGHT LIKE A MAN."

"YOUR HIGHNESS," SHE DECLARED, "ALL FRANCE SHALL BE FREE.
I'LL MARCH WHERE YOUR ARMIES ONCE FLED.
GOD CHOSE THIS SMALL FRAME STOOD BEFORE THEE,
TO SUBVERT THE ENGLISH AND TO GILD THY BARE HEAD."

ARRAYED IN WHITE ARMOUR, BANNER HELD HIGH,
SHE RODE STRAIGHT THROUGH THE BURGUNDY GATE.
WITH AN ARMY PREPARED TO DELIVER OR DIE,
TO FREE ORLEANS FROM HER FEARFUL FATE.

"BEWARE! BANEFUL ENGLISH. HEAR THIS MONITION:
TODAY THOU WILL TAKE THY LAST STAND.
BE WISE AND PRAY HEED THIS RENDITION.
FOR THE BIRTH OF THY DOOM IS AT HAND."

FRIEND STOOD BESIDE FRIEND. FOE GRAPPLED FOE.
CLASHING STEEL CHIMED OUT THEIR GRAVE NELL.
THE GREEN OF THE LAND TURNED CRIMSON WITH GORE,
WHERE BOTH BRAVE MEN AND COWARDLY FELL.

BLOODIED AND HOARSE, SHE SPURRED HER MEN ON
TILL HER RIVALS BEGAN TO WITHDRAW.
HER GRIP SLOWLY TIGHTENED TILL ALL HOPE WAS GONE,
AND THE ENGLISHMEN'S ARMS ROSE NO MORE.

HIS HIGHNESS STOOD NOBLE; PROUDLY HE CRIED:
"PAY HEED TO THE TIDINGS I BRING:
THIS GALLANT YOUNG MAID, STOOD AT MY SIDE,
DOTH NOW STAND ABREAST THY NEW KING."

THE BATTLE FIELD SLEPT. THE FIGHTING HORSE GRAZED.
A DELICATE PEACE SWEPT THE LAND.
BUT THE DISTANT FUMES OF THE WARMONGERS BRAISED.
THE BURGUNDIANS TOOK HALBERDS TO HAND.

A BRAVE HEART LEAPT FORWARD, INTO THE FRAY.
BUT ALAS SHE WOULD CONQUER NO MORE.
DESPERATE, SHE FOUGHT THOSE WHO HELD HER AT BAY,
BUT WAS SEIZED BY THE BURGUNDY FOE.

STRIPPED OF HER SWORD AND FADED JAMBART,
THIS INTREPID YOUNG MAIDEN WAS SOLD.
TO PLACATE A VILE AND RANCOROUS HEART
AND A MEASURE OF FINE ENGLISHMAN'S GOLD.

"REVENGE IS MINE!" SAYETH THE LORD.
HE'D NOT PONDERED THE VANQUISHED MAN'S HATE.
THOSE WHO LIVE BY THE SWORD, SHALL DIE BY THE SWORD,
WOULD BE THE PROVERB THAT DECIDED HER FATE.

WITH A DIGNIFIED AIR SHE APPEARED SERENE
AND FOUGHT HARD TO STEM INFANTILE CRIES.
BUT IN A LONELY YOUNG LASS, BARELY NINETEEN,
FEAR REFUSED TO ABANDON HER EYES.

THE FLAMES ROSE SO SLOWLY. "JESUS ?" SHE CRIED.
A RAFFIA CROSS SLIPPED FROM HER FINGERS.
HIGHER THEY SOARED. TO FINALLY SUBSIDE
O'ER THAT CROSS SO FORLORN MIDST THE EMBERS.

THE PATH OF THE BRAVE IS A PERILOUS ONE,
'TIS A MALEVOLENT ROAD TO ESTEEM.
HER FORTUNE HAD LONG BEEN DECIDED UPON,
THAT HER SHORT LIFE WOULD CEASE WITH HER DREAM.