Evening journal., 1904-09-28
ANARCHY'S FRIEND
SLOWLY DYING
Voltairine De Cleyre Suffer
ing From tuberculosis Ag-
gravated by Bullets
WON MANY CONVERTS TO CREED

Philadelphia. Sept. 2S.-voltairine de
Cleyrc, once nurtured Of nuns then sue
cessivcly atheist. Anarchist, poetess and
author is dying I'm the Medico-C Chirurgical
Hospital from tuberculosis. aggravated
by three bullets which pupil in anarchy
sent crashing into her body, two years
ago.
i'or weeks she has been lying listlessly
impennent, upon her cot. Clergymen
come and go and blue-robed sisters pass
noiselessly down the ward, but she mere
iy turns her eyes bestowing an indffer-
ent glance
Friends OF the creed she taught fear
lessly and with the eloquenco Of de-
nanco come every day and bring her
flowers. Each day she tells them that
her faith is changeless.
From her home ON Fairmount avenue,
near Eighth street. where she has taught
music ana languages she was conveyed
in "a caD to the hospital When she learn
ed that she had consumption she smiled
and said 1T is foolish to worry"
Dr. James M. Anders. who is treat
Ing the patient, is OF the opinion that the
disease developed from "a general break
down Of the system. There was no hour
In the day that she was not busy either
with pupils or with her pen.
She supplied prose and poetry at one
time or another for every anarchistiC
periodical In this country and Europe
THE Old Shoemaker" is "a little story
written by her some ten years ago. II
Is as follows
He had lived a long time there in the
house at the end of the alley. and nc
one had ever known that he was a great
man. lie was lean and palsied, and had
a crooked neck, his beard was gray ano
ragged. and his eyebrows came too fan
forward; there were seams and flaps II
the empty, yellow old skin, and he gasp
ed horribly when he broathed, taking
hold OF the Intel of the door to steady
himself when he stepped out on IN,
broken bricks of the alley.
He lived with a frightful old woman
who scrubbed tho floors of the rag shoT
and drank beer and growlod at tn,
children, who polSed fun at her He hac
lived with her eighteen years. she said
strolSing the furry little kitten that curl.
ed up In her neck, as IL she had beer
beautiful.
Eighteen years they had been drinking
and quarrelling toRether-and suffering
She had seen the flesh sucking away
from the bones, and the skin falling IN
upon them and the long. lean finger.
growing more lean and trembllng,as they
crooked round his shoemalSing tools. II
was very strange she had not grown thin
the beer had bloated her and rolls o
weak Shaking flesh Tapped over the ridges
OF her uncouth figure
Il Her pale lach-lustre blue eyes wander
ed aimlessly about as she talked. No IA
had never told her-not even IN thei
quarrels, not even when they wer
druaken toRether-of the great Yisito
who had come up the little alley yes
terday, walking so stately over the sun
beaten bricks. taking no note OF tn
cheers and coming IN at the door with
out asking. She had not expected sue
a one; how could shey
But the old shoemaker had shown n
surprise at the Mighty one He smile
and set down the teacup he was holdin
and entered into communion with tn
Stranger. lie noticed nc. others. but con
tinued to smile without speaking. int
the dark fathomless Face He was smil
ing still and the infinite dignity OF tn
Unknown fell upon him and covered tn
wasted old limbs and the hard. wize
face, so that all we who entered bowe
and went out and did not speak
But we understood. for the Mighty On
gave understanding without words. w
had been In the presence of Freedom
We had stood at the foot Of Tabor an
seen this worn, old. world-sollcd soul los
all its dross and commonplace and pas
upward, smiling 20 the Transformation
In the hands of the Mighty one IN
/ crust had crumhied and dropped aWa'
into impalpable powder Souls should b
mixed OF IL no more. Only that whic
passed upward. the fine white-playin
flame. the heart of the long lifc-lon
watches of patience, should rekindle ther
In the perennial ascension OF the grea
Soul of Man.