The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-05-06
A PRIEsTEss OF THEosoPHY.
Sketch OF the Celebrated English Woman,
Mrs. Annie Besnnt.

Mrs. Annie Besant.
That most remarkable of all English
women, Mrs. Annie Besant, who came to
America to represent Nine. Bavatsky at
the national reunion of the Theosophical
society, is leaving her footprints upon
classic Boston. Mrs. Besant has earned
the titles OF atheist, pantheist, socialist,
editor, essayist, educator, humanitarian,
and convert to esoteric Buddhism. Mrs.
Besant will make a tour of American
cities soon. The latest fashionable fad in
Boston is theosophy and school of theos-
ophy will be started there this summer.
A woman who knows Mrs. Besant gives
this interesting picture of her:
Fancy yourself peltsd by the dismal down.
pour of a logged English rain, threading squa-
pitchy darkness broken by the glare of smoky
lamps from public house windows. Through
Old Ford and Tiger Bay, the dreariest sections
of the dreary East End, you turn up one dingy
court after another where the houses lean to
meet one another overhead, and at the end you
climb n tumbe-down staircase to the top of a
tumble-down building and enter large. bare
room filled with gaunt. ragged women with
kerchiefs knotted loosely about their throats
and hair straying into their eyes
llolr races are eager, ana Two or tnree OF
them talk at once, and they address tall,
slender figure in a softly falling gown of dull
gold, but In quaint, simple fashion. The fig
ure is that of woman with a fine, intelligent,
but rather sad face, with large eyes, sweet
mouth and dark, wavy hair.
IL IL Monday night and the regular meeting
OF newly organized woman's trades union is
in progress. Ii is not very interesting in itself
except il gives one n chance to study the
woman against when her husbands brother,
Mr. Walter Besant, has a prejudice so inveter-
ate that he is credited with trying to obscure
the family connection by aecenting his name
on the second syllable, as she accents hers on
the first
Itis a curious life she has had-married to a
clergyman of the Established church; separated
from him by athestic views acquired at twenty
two; her children taken away from her and all
communication with them forbidden; assoc-
ated with Bradlaugh in writing earnestly il
often indiscreetly against certain conventional
forms; lecturing; disputing with Francis Power
Cobbe; editing socialistic papers and pamph-
lets; enstranged of late from many of her
friends of years by her connection with Mime.
Blayatsky.
From one thing to another she has hurried,
seeming always heart-hungry; looking for
something TO take the place OF the old faith
and the old affections. One hears her called a
and one also hears the woman. who in the old
days was governess to her children, ca her the
loveliest lady in England. Thess working
women. pale, thin, understood. looking to her
for help and counsel, seem more inclined to
agree with the last opinion than with the first.
When she organized Bryant & Mays match
girls two years ago, she did practical thing
as has been done for London working girls.
People say Nine. Rlavatsky has been drain
on her purse for esme time now, but much of
her money still goes to the poor OF Maylebone
and other parishes.
A few weeks ago visited her at the villa in
st. Johns Wood, where she lives with Nine.
Blavatsky. People say she pays the running
expenses of the establishment, and supports
the leshy priestsss; but of that know nothing.
The place IL n double house. of an old-fash-
Toned, substantial variety, set in a pretty gar.
den. Ii Is kind OF hotel. or guide and chap
erone bureau for theosophists. aud dozen or
more make II their headquarters.
On the evening called Nine. Blavatsky sat
on low oriental looking couch heapsd with