Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-12-14
LOUISE MICHEL.
A Visit 10 the Squalid and Poverty.
Stricken Home Of the Prophet.
cSs OF the Anarchists.
THE CLOUD NO BIGGER THAN wOMAN's HAND
NOW RISING IN PARIS WHICH NAY
DARKEN CIVILIZATION.
Correspondence of New York Paper.


number ofpeople are apt to make molc-hills out
OF mountains, there are those i'm the world also
who cry peace, peace. when there is no peace
TO those familiar only with the brilliant surface
oil Paris ife attending socialistic meeting is
IKE diving down among the mysteries Of an APP
parenty calm SEA. One who takes the dip will
come up thinking a good deal OF the future The
audiences are mainly composed not of mel out
OF work at all. but of dsconteatal welI-to-do
artisans. half of whom drink in the revolution
airy words they hear with terrible earncsthes3.
While the other half are morally sitting on the
fence, really to throw Their weight into the bal
anee OF destruction at the first promising out
break OF instruction
There is nothing new either in the doctrines.
the demag0gues, the progress or the feelings
prompting them. They are as Old as the race
and for that very reason stand chance Of find
Ing a solution in this are of evolution. They
are like the small seed lodging in a crevice of
some neglected Old temple. 1t will steadily
push its way through stone and mason work
until it becomes lull-growG tree. reducing the
building to a heap Oi ruins at its Ieet. And as
the creed is both under ard over rated so too
is its high priestess. Louise Michel. She is
hated. despisei and r:diculetl to such an extent
by those not sympaihizing with her teachings
that it is Impossible to form anything approach
ing true opinion OF her unless you go and see
for yourself
LOUISE MICHEL N PUBLIC.
Instead of tue ra!it,n~. vulgar has she is usl-
ally represented to be-, was surprised to see Il
quiet, kind looking, middle aged Woflla.. step
forward or the platform The cit0re.tneS ear
nest voice and Gign:ied manner were sadly at
variance with the counsels OF bIoodsaed aud de-
s;ructiOn falling from her lips. The gaunt fig
IRE, though of the average height, appears tall
in its cEnging gown of shabby black. The
large mouth and short brown hair hanging in
straight. dsheyeled mats around the neck. are
somewhat redeemed By Il high intellectual lore
head and expressive gray eyeS-eyes which loos,
as though they had wept countless tears of bit
terness and disappointment They are vague
restless eyes and seem always seeking for some
thing they cannot find.
In q remote way Louise reminds one not oniy
OF the Sibyl but of the Sibylline books. Had
the greater part of her life not been burnt UP in
the fire of misery and revolt, what a splendid
figure she might have been. No wonder her
genius has been misdirected and misappIied.
The circumstances of her early lie were alone
enough to have uaiinGcd Il steaa.er mind than
hers. She was born at the Chateau de Vron-
court. in 1850. and on side, at least can
claim a connection with that very aristOcracy
which 1t is the object of her existence to de-
nOunce. Her youth was passed in an ltmOs-
phere of culture and refinement in which her
II
continual source of interest and amusement for
her protectors. by whom she was petted ana
spoiled to the last degree. But with their death
the happy days came to an end. The legitimate
heirs stepped ill., and Louise. accompanied by her
mother. an old servant of the chateau started
out i'll quest OF a career. She failed as a teacher
in the village of Aude!encOurt and after success
sion OF Misunderstanding y.cssitudeS MET with Ito
better success in school which she opened in
Paris She came here at time when a number OF
political clubs were springing UP in every direc-
ton In these she at last found an outlet for
the tumultuOus ideas seethng in heart and
brain, ami plunged headlong into the revou-
tOnary vortex. Nameess. penniless with a
high appreciation of the poetic and generous
side of humanity, she was fascinated by ideas
which. If human nature could be sufficiently
elevated to put them into execution. would
change the world into a paradise We all know
how she fought. tended the wounded. and did
her best to meet death during the Commune in
1870: how she trOd the deck. too. barefOOted on
her desOlate way to New Caledonia sacrificing
her shoes and stockings to IL creature whom she
considered more needy than herself. But de-
feat and suffering did not teach Louise that she
Is struggling in d hopeless cause. for which,
unless she dies from exhaustion in the mean
time, she will probably have the pleasure of
being shot during the inevitable next insurrcc-
ton.
LOUISE MICHEL. AT HOME
A visit which l yesterday paid to Louise
Michel in her home at the end Of the Boulevard
OrnanO-that is. at the end of what are called
the quarters ecce,t''iques me a much
clearer revelation of the causes which have
made this inspired fanatic what she is. No
wonder she SO persistently demands an .!edual
place in the sunshine" for all humanity. Moth
ing could be dirtier, more pOverty-strcken and
more squalid than this home composed of a
kitchen, two badly-lighted rooms and an ante
chamber. occasionally furnished with an enor-
nous cOffin-shaDed bath tub filed with
suspicious looking water. As has been
justly observed. the only comparatively
clean things in the place were plaster
blst of Charlotte CGrday and the old mother
OF Louise, with whom the bath water
seemed remotely connected. The uncurtained
windows of the room in which Louise receives
her guests were blocked by huge WOrk-stand
piled yard high with dusty books. pamphlets
and newspapers. The centre of the room was
filled by table also crowded with appropriate
literature. varied by plate of what seemed to be
last years butter. an old shawl, a handbook and
other miscellaneOusly useful articles Two
straw-b0ttOmed chairs. one of which was Occu-
pied by small basket Of soilel linen. COM
pleted the furniture. And here amid this
chaotic confusion, Louise sat, ObyiouS of cold
discomfort and squalOr. ready to tackle the
problems of anarchy and revolution at a mo-
ment'S notice
The only thing which diverts her mind from
these subjects Is the care of her invalid mother
on whose account she has been obisc to indeii-
nitey postpone her proposed American tour
This Old lady DANGEROUSLY disapproves of her
daughters principles, and regrets having pre.
vented her from entering religious order "a
she once was bent upon doing. Nine Michel
usually abuses any one going to the house but
on this occasion she behaved with unwonted
civility. Once she appeared in the door like a
jack IN the box, and requested that we would
not disturb everybody by making such a noise"
and. having calculated this. suddenly vanished
in the majesty of calico cape and gown into the
mysteries Of the next chamber.
We spoke of nihilism. ..AnarchisIn." said
Louise. lis founded upon the same idea; but
the Russians were much more to be pitcd than
the French, as to accomplish the desired result
In Russia it will be necessary to immediate thou
sands of victims. while here a comparativelv
small number will answer the purpose"
This was said with perfect conposure We
asked what the program of the Anarchists is
Louise replied quietly: 'What the name i'm
plies. 1t is to tear down the whole social edi-
flee and begin over again. We must destroy all
government. One-haf OF the world must no
longer sweat and toll in darkness for the ras-
Gals who, by a system of lying and thieving.
keep all the good things of life in their own
hands and sit in the sun" Louise spoke these
words with the visionary passion of prophet