Arizona republican., 1904-04-28

teenth century she was the stormy petrel of the troubled waters of French
 politics, and no individual was more influential in stirring up discomfort. Unquestionably, Louise Michel was
 one of the strongest characters produc-
 ed by France in the last century. Un- balanced, of course, as all sincere so~ cialists must be, she nevertheless ex-
 erted an influence upon French thought
 and feeling that was remarkable. And
 1t appears that she was the honest
 socialist to the last, notwithstanding
 the numerous misfortunes which over
 whelmed her. Her presence once more
 in France, just before she was stricken
 with pneumonia at Toulon, was in pur-
 suance of a final effort to do something
 many years she had lived in exile in
 London. a voluntary exile, to be sure,
 but still with watchful eyes upon
 events in France. Although she was
 old and thin and in delicate health,
 when a vagabond sooialist-anarchist
 named Girault wandered her way, his
 eloquence fired her anew in the sacred
 cause" They set out for France, on
 the impulse, to give lectures and to distribute the proceeds to the poor.
 It was while giving lectures that she
 was taken i'll, and presumably she is now dead, as the dispatch to which we have alluded was sent week ago.
 Long before the war of 1870, Louise
 Michel was a national character in France. So wretchedly homely that, as she herself confessed, no man would think of marrying her, she never failed to arouse the mercurial working when she harangued them. Although they would dispute among themselves classes Of France to a frenzied pitch whether she was the Red Virgin" CT the Black Virgin'-red being the col or of the commune and black the color of anarchy-they never failed to follow her. When. during trip to Paris twenty years ago. this strange old wo- man. as feshless as the famine and as thrilling as revolt, let herself be borne from the railway station to the lecture hall on the shoulders of the bowling crowd, the working folk of Paris shiv- cred to their marrow. They were ready to do anything at her bidding.
 Her influence over the French people was strange and inexplicable. Her ap- pearance was against her altogether. She was not only ugly beyond descrip- tion. but she studiously dressed in har- mony with her physical appearance. Always, her skinny, bony wisp of body, worn with ceaseless energy, was covered with a nondescript black gown, Her old black hat always was crooked on Ter head, and from it al- ways floated long. rusty black veil, like the black flag of anarchy, indeed.
 When the war of 1870 came along it found Louise at her already old work of feeding and teaching poor children, aiding the pauper sick, and now and again breaking out in wild iadlgna- tion against the geeral injustice Of things. She could never understand why every one should not give away their new clothes and share their rooms with these who had none. Dur ing the siege of Paris she devoted her self with ferocious energy to the wounded and starving. The Commune found her right where she lived. its principles were hers already. Divide up! She helped to divide up, and when the time of retribution came she found herself on trial for her life with many another less wrong-headedly honest than herself. She has been called 'Larme-a-oeil' C'Tear-in-the Eye) for her really sympathy for men and beasts. Once when sne started a CO., operative laundry she was accused of hanging the handKerchiefs to dry on the limbs of a little weeping willow tree by preference. But the day she stood before her judges of the court martial. charged with taking part in the Commune, there were no tears in 1 her eyes.
 T do not wish to be defended" she !, cried. What I ask of you is to take | me to the camp of Satory, where have l fallen SO many of our brothers already. ! Since it seems that every heart that ! beats for liberty has the right only to | a little piece Of lead, give me my part. | Kill me-
 Instead they sent her to the trans | portation convict prison colony of New along with Henri Rochefort | and many another.
 When, after the bread riots of 18S3 | Louise Michel was brought before the | jury of the Seine, accused of "pilIage | at the head of an armed band" Roche ! fort was called to testify in favor O: her general character.
 "The accusation surprises me" said Rochefort to the judge and jury. At | New Calendonia her hut was just in l front of mine. During the sea voyage | over Louise never ceased to devote her self to her sick and wounded comrades She gave them her clothes, her food | At TOl1pnC hn