Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-04-18

T
y NEiVVF II and PRAYER books
and thence1Orth
devoted herself entirely to the cause OF the
proletariat l have talked with Louis Michel
in her humble home. have heard hsr speak
at public meetings, have followed her acts
during her stormy career While l do not
sharr her wild enthusiasm, nor applaud her
violent measures for the regeneration OF
society. cannot help admiring her constancy
of purpose, her fearlesSness, her generosity
and her afTectiunate disposition A few
anecdotes will illustrate these noble qualities
of mind and heart
A short time before her imprisonment she
was invited to lecture at Versailles A lot OF
rowdics broke up the meeting and Louise
Michel was forced to 90 alone from the hall
to the railroad station followed 10y jeering
mob. She did not show the least fear on this
occasion, but looked the threatening crowd
calmly in the face, remarking, in a gentle
tone: Il forgive them; they don't know
what they are doing When our side gets
into power these people who are now insult
ing me will be the first TO applaud me. l
care nothing for these adults; my aim Is To
convert children to my view | address my
self to the future The present is rotten
During the sufFerngs caused by the siege
of Paris in the autumn Of 1870 Victor Hugo
was in the habit of giving money to a lady
friend. who distributed 1t among the poor.
One day he came to the poet and said that
certain woman whom she knew was IN the
greatest distress Victor Hugo handed over
Inl francs But he was aStonlShed the next
dav to learn that this woman was still III
need Of relief But what have you done
with the 100 francs Of ycsterdayf he asked
oh, she gave them to the starving mothers
with children" answered the almoner
Well herr, is another 100, continued Victor
Hugo; but give them to You on the eX
pres: understanding that YOUR friend keeps
them for herself" The lady hurried away
with the money This is for YOU alone,
she said as she placed the louis d'ors in the
poor womans lap. is that the condition on
which they are given mef asked the re-
cipient YES" was the reply. Then you
may take them back again." continued the
former; thank Victor Hugo for me and tell
him | appreciate his good intentions. oh
no" answered the lady, somewhat embar'
raSsed a will assume the responsibility then
OF letting YOU do what You like with the
money. But must say that YOU are very
Obstinate about it' This obstinate starvei
was Louise Michel.
nasS over in silence that terrible period In
her life. embracing the fall Of the Commune
her arrest, transportation to New Caiedonla
and her return Suffice it to say thai
throughout those hard years, which nearly
DESTROYED her physical beauty and which un
ouestiCnablv affected her brain, Louis
Michel displayed all those elevated qualities
that have characterized her Paris existence
during the past five or six years. Let u,
follow her to her cell After the death, {
wear ago, Of her mother. whom she loved 81
tenderly. and the separation from whom wa
? the only bitter feature of her Imprisonment
Louise Michel became an inmate of th'
woman's prison Of Saint LaZare, situated il
the heart Of the city.
The only solace Of these long days Of con
, finement was her pen. She has written, dur
ing the last ten years, several books that VII
r soon h. printed She also won the esteem o
/ the officers Of the prison and the affection o
; her unhappy fellow sufferers. Wheneve
9 kind friends-ani she had many, some o
whom have a world wide reputation-sen
her drlicacrs. they We're Immediately dis
trihutei among the other occupants OF Saln
Lazare. She WAS especially attentiv
TO the little children. who, up TO tn
age of three years. are allowed TO remai
win lltT ulllNh lulldlt- lllolhtiN A'ol NV
Louise MicheTs tenderness toward livin
creatures stop with humanity. She ha
ALWAYS had great fondness for cats, an
had several in her cell But the kind
mowers of her nature were hest shown by tn
l success that crowned her efforts to bring int
friendly relations her own cats and the OF
trudiug prison rats. 1t was a curious sigh
to see these timid little animals eating crumb
k,,,J M, mis-. Mirhels table while tn
, cats purred quietly in her lap.
Louise Michel Is pronounced FIRE
: thinker. but that does not keep the prise
chaplain Able Duble, from speaking well c
. Ler She is very generous" he said som
t,me before her liberation; more than ono
: shr has shared her meals with her sisters i
, misery She is jealously regardless of he
Il own interest For instance. she twice r,
II fused offers Of money from thoughtful friend
= outside OF the prison walls She would nc
= he an object Of charity
/, Her stojcal indifference to physical punish
II nrrnt had become cause Of real embarraS
/, n.ent to the government Manv a Frsncf
} man be it said 10 their honor, blu~hed for tn
- good name of the Republic when Louis
Michel WAS thrown into jail. and the Rad
al element Of the Republican party ha
never ceased to demand her restoration
!, liberty But the victim always treated he
V prosecutors with such scorn that they hes
Is tatcd 10 approach her. Several months agt
e when the ministry were actually on the polI
Is Of opening her door Louise Michel sent theI
n such a Lold letter that their dignity checke
n their Clemency. Her position, which was
II strong one, was this | am unjuStly imprl
p oned and cannot accept pardon, ant
IF furthermore, the state prisons contain otheI
1t confined for political reasons, and for what
consider insufficient reasons; there must |
IS a general Jail delivery of this class of col
id viCts or | must refuse to quit my cell
p exceptions must be made, and there must
= nothing said about pardoning US SO Whe
the officers came the other day and informe