The sun., 1885-02-08
LOUISE MICHEL.
TIE Lifs and Opiulons Of the Famous French
Aunrchist Aaltatnr.

COulto 10 CnHmDOru tho LONDON IUNG3 uo-
clared In a paradoxical moment that hence
forward France possessed but three marked
personalities OF superior temperament. Renan.
Paul do CassaGnac. and Louise Michel. In tho
opinion Of this writer. Hugo. Pasteur. Lssseps.
and Sarah Bsrnhardt count for nothing. OF
late Louise Michel has seen the severity OF her
imprisonment relaxed in order to permit her
to watch by the bedside OF her sick mother. A
few days ago her mother died. and the funeral
OF the old lady WAS made moro or less Of o po-
litical manifestation. Henri Rochefort. whose
statement In this matter IL not TO be doubted
for u moment. announces that Louise Michel
has lost her reason. Lot us take advantage Of
this opportunity to Civo faithful sketch OF tho
curious personality OF the Scarlet Virgin"
Louise Michel was born about 1880. Her
mother was chambermaid at the Chateau Of
Vroncourt. the property OF NJ. do. Mailly. Her
father was IL Belgian OF Ves1ueville in Luxem-
bourg. who disappeared from the scene very
early. At any ratio Louise was educated at tho
chateau OF NJ. do Mailly. the elder. a strange
old Gentleman whose bible was the encycopa-
utH. ana who proIested ut the snme time the
cult Of God aud Of Jsun-Jucuues Rousseau
Louise was exceptionally Intelligent and ad.
circumstances. shs AMI her mother were left to
provide for themselves. sho WAS ablo at ones to
her successively at Audoioncourt and Mi!itr.s
In ths Hamte- Alarne, teaching school. writing
verses full Of catholic inspiration and philan;
thropc passion. composing the words and
music Of romances. protesting u strong avsr-
sion TO narringe. and giving the Governnon
aud talents. combined with the impression OF u
woman woman & OF strange and e9i exalted charac,er
study OF history led her to conceive the theory
that whenever society is in bad way 1T can be
thu Of G a cam
whole hecn,oWbs from doath;, just ns Char
so al lisup
and .yictim OF Ilugos rhetoric. hoped to save
th9 France OF her day by supprcs,ing Napoleon
had herself photographed standing at "a table
with ono hand on deaths head and the other
trsvic atituis This rho,o.raSh hS d was nssnded as m
nsouvenir ior her mother in case she succeeded
suppressed herself. Louise. however. Sretsnds
st nsysF f9aa of
onntanted herself with mourning coniiscated
liberty by meansofa funereo- -revolutio ionary up-
form. composed of black dress and II black
hat. with n blood rcd rose stuck in the trim.
ming or IN her hair.
Mhsn me German war broke out
CORPS. and when the terrible year Of the Com
mune came Ihe orcanizeI the Contra! Commit;
"e & 'e eub s "a fs xS and
GYlplt q when was. occupied in turn by The
tiohai Guard she braved shells and bullets and
tima to lime taxing her turn ut iirnv % from The The
bRrricades. During the. Commune she was
sa and tn hs IN
snrrsct!onal goyernment to 20 to Versailles and
60 to Versailles. Lou 60 ,th.teupon went 10
Versailles les and cams back asain, simply 70
ms sho did not sttempt @ even to see III Thiers' s
because sh. had given her word oi honor On
nar return TO Paris Ferrr uisarlnpt her saving
sint the T. TTTyo.ufion must IM not be- founded on
re"n n ais coTSsy %ss destined to
In Il, private letter Louise has related how
she fell into the hands of the victorious YER
ee ssy and i haa .e ns,SH'h to-
csde.. She and M two Ss others t We're deisnalns @ ding
alone. bsrrcade in the Chaus6e Clignancourt.
GUARDS % approach. She era ran toward item H. I thnk
Ing they were friends come to reinforce her.
sn in h hut rh"y
her lsst aud ned While the disEnised S versall. j.
lais fired on her and missed her. The next
day. when Louise went TO 500 her mother she
daughter. had con,en,od themselves with ths
mother. whom they we're intending To- shoot
that eventn; at the thirty-sey.enth bastion. So.
to save her dear old mother, Louise gave her.
self up on condition that her mother should be
prison ot Nersai,i.s; who're, on the night Of her
n nTrisa, Oct T. lS7 she wrote an admirabo
the situation Of her party,
Brought before the court, martial Louise
Michal. always tn" victim OF liugo's rhetoric in
the Cia'ttUeI6s. was nhStreporous. lnsolrnt, and
fnriopsly "xa tsi. While, refusing 10 defend
dit her best to prove that sh. was u dangerous
character, II am accused" she said. " Of hav-
OPPOSE OBI barrcade Of flames to ihs sSnn army Of Of
H-rsntlies. That is why1 propossd to burn
rss bsI cSs YOU j. the sh" npHs4
| am woman Of tho social revolution What is
tho good o, defending myself; 1t vii! not
son; do with me, wha, ynu .pleqse; hut
nry Of thoss who have been shot at satory
Ss. ,bs proclaim at 'hs top 9" my yGS1 ,hsy
s which ae2 am SSna oas Of the
ers. One wori more. not 10 defend myself. but
t. demand Of y9n an itrevorab,o Judgment;
| stiEste my brothers to ven.sance. What ask
ss bes%e @ our HF F.rt a'nfs %an a
net shoot me me i, y3n Til he Misssrabin cHwnris" !"
encrsy spd menacing conviction which none
OF her fellow prisoners showed She was no
acquitted. for. apart from her wild socialism,
shs was proved 70 be u most worthy woman.
Michel was tnSen 10 New CaI.'ionia. Where. wners.
although the Governor WAS ordered 10 treat
l.ges. she Insisted uron sharing nlI tho rriva.
tions ofh companions ineNile, and made her
eai usslui by wat" hing over tho sick and teach
| ing tho children. Al ~. same time she KEEP, up
| the courage Of her follow prisoners by preach
| ing socialism and prophesyinG that the hour ct
| vengeance wou!i come. She was tho very tyne
Of the insuhoriinate prisoner hut hcr charity.
her self-sacrhce. which ed her even to give her
| stocking 70 u poor brother m! 80 barefoot
| h"rs.l!, won her III" Respect OF the prison au-
thorit~s. who anp"nr to have been brutal
| enough. Louise Michel must d"vot. herself TO
something. 81" does not ioSc man; she has
unseNed herself aud, instead OF hel lns part GU
| lar her love has become grn"rnl: she loves hui
manity, and she wou! Civ" her life il by so
| doing she could heneht those who suffer. Such
| annture inspires both admiration and pity
Thanks 10 Gnnibst,n. me Amnesty hil wnA
voted. and ono November day IN 1850 found
| myself among the crowd assembled Mt In.
Western Halfway station to see LOUIS" Michel
| arrive. The "Scarie; Virgin " app"sred olai
| In blnck. with r"i 4 w.r in her HAT and a
tAper-tni long legged CunnIue eat under each
arm These two eats. which rrsentri some
what In structure small kHngnroos, together
with q volume OF Cannlu" popular songs
| eouvsnirs which Louise Michel brought back