Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-01-26
Louise Michel IN London.
London Globe.


The announcement that Louise
Michel, the grande cheyenne the
heroine who in girlhood had sup
pressed" a common or garden viper,
who in maturer years had only missed
'suppress;ng" Napoleon III. by going
to church one day too late to see His
Majesty, who, after that, turned her
attention TO the assassination of NJ.
Theirs, and in still maturer years pom
dered upon the triaing advantage to
the good cause Of numbering NJ.
Gambetta-the announcement that
this famous frebrand was about to
address a public meeting in London
was calculated TO make the fevered
pulse of the city beat higher and
cause a general upheaval of the low.
est dregs of Communistic Radicalism
in the heart of England. Hence it
was that when the fatal hour-three
o'clock yesterday aiternoon-arrived
a solitary individual might have been
observed seated alone in Stcinway
Hall, a~nxiously awaiting the advent
of the lectures. He had boldly
taken his place in the center of the
front row Of scats and gave a certain
air of vitality to the landscape, Just
as in the wastes Of Asia Minor q
traveller has recorded that the vast
solitudes are enlivened now and then
by a living, moving tortoise. AT five
minutes pest three the audience was
trebled by the Gathering advent Of
two more enthusiasts in the gallery.
Then tire representatives of the
press marched in together into n
corner, and we're supplied with quill
pens and plotting paper. Alter this
arrivals came more rapidly. In ten
minutes four more representatives Of
the public were choosing seats in
the gallery, and three Others in the
back rows below. But the body Of
the hall was still u~ntenanted, save by
the original first arrival aud by the
seven reporters, who gave an uuconi.
fortably crowded appearance to their
corner.
About this time the occupant Of the
front rows rose "as n man. and
asked if there was going TO be a lee
ture, but resumed his seat again with
out satisfying bis curiosity. Then
those who had modestly taken their
places in the gallery and the back
seats were all sent forward" and,
when the gFande cheyenne appeared,
the whole audience-three being
members Of what is called the fair sex
were collected in q little cluster
Immediately under the stage. These
details have been given because in &
movement of such world wide import
ance it would be unfair to suppress
facts which show that the crusade Of
enlightenment has not been fruitless
even 10 England. Englishmen-fur
only fou- out Of the fourteen we're un.
deaiably French-haye assembled
to listen to her, and, as probably
a certain proportion Of these
ten understood the language,
Cnere is no telling where the matter
may end. II the whole course Of six
teen lectures are delivered, 200 or
even more Of the millions OF London
will know by personal experience what
Louise Michel is like, and what she
thinks Of women's rights and female
education. She was accompanied to
the platform by a young person who
might have been introduced as q
specimen Of ordinary female eduea.
ton, just as temperance lecturers love
to display a horrid example to point
the moral of their eloquence. As a
matter Of fact, however, she was in.
troduced TO interpret the grande citos
yenne's apology for not understanding
English. This Office she performed
indifferently we'll for, when appealed
to for that purpose, she commenced a
soliloquy in English, the word 'citi-
zeness" being occasionally audible.
In appearance Madame Louise
Michel suggests a mother. n-laW who
has seen better days, and frequent
references to a previous residence for
reasons Of state in New Caledonia
heightened the impression. She speaks,
however, incidentally veil, with auenoy
and expression though Demosthenes,
who said that in oratory the frs.
requisite was action" the second
action" and the third action"
would have denied tho title Of orator
to Louise Michel. Unlike most French
people, she uses very little action,
unless indeed, frequent elpsahes at
the back of her bonnet-a black
structure with extensive wings Of
cgape-cln be called such. 1t was a
great relief when, 10 the midst Of one
Of her most impassioned sentences,
she took of the offending headgear
altogether, for the fall Of her bonnet
would have been the cyoYning gstas
tfopLe OF d scene already painful
enough. The moment Of taking it