A Remarkable Woman

CONTENTS

Acknowledgments Preface xiii xvii

Part 1 Family and Childhood 1879 – 1899

A Remarkable Woman 3

The Lineage of Laura’s Mother, Alice Pike The Lineage of Laura’s Father, Albert Barney Laura’s Early Years The Early Formation of Laura’s Personality The Sisters at Les Ruches Boarding School Artistic Life of Paris and Laura’s Mother

5 9 11 13 14 15

The Family’s Move to Washington, D.C.

17 Laura’s Return to the US 18 Alice Finds Herself while Albert’s Health Declines 20 Laura’s Treatments in Europe 21 Laura’s Spiritual and Humanitarian Development 22 The Dreyfus Affair and the Barneys in Paris 24

Part 2 Faith from the East and Life-Changing Effects 1900 – 1910

Turn of the Century and Laura 29 Hearing of an Eastern Faith 30 Laura Meets ‘Abdu’l-Bahá 31 Second Trip to ‘Akká No. 7 Haparsim (Persian) Street Laura with the Persian Scholar in Paris 36 41 41

Natalie and Ali-Kuli Khan in Paris 42

With Abu’l-Faḍl in the United States Laura Back in Washington with Abu’l-Faḍl Laura’s Mother and Her Activities

43 44 48 Laura, Her Conversion and May Bolles 49 False News Reports and Effects on Laura’s Family 51

Death of Her Father 54 Keeping Her Mother Company in the United States 56 Laura Helping Atabak after Khan’s Intervention 60 The Story of the Exchanges Between Laura and Ali-Kuli Khan 60 Laura’s Visits in the Holy Land 64 Her Impressions and Experiences Living in ‘Akká 71 With ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Household and Shoghi Effendi 74 Laura as a Persian Translator for a United States Presidential Candidate 77 With Her Mother in ‘Akká 78 Alice Barney’s Return to the United States and Her Conversion 79 Meeting Hippolyte Dreyfus 81 Laura’s Trip to Turkmenistan and Persia (Iran) 84 Visiting the Bahá’ís in Turkmenistan and Russian Turkestan (Uzbekistan) 85 Arrival in Persia 88 Continuing to Tehran, the Capital City 90 Visiting Isfahan 93 Back in Tehran 95 A Quick Stop in Qazvín and on to Tabríz 97 The Effects of Laura’s Trip to Persia and the Media Coverage 100 Return to ‘Akká and Laura’s Report to the Master about Her Trip 103 Back in the West 105 Compiling and Publishing Some Answered Questions 108 Reflecting on Her Conversion 117 Trip to Chicago with Her Mother 119 Developments within the Barney Family 120 God’s Heroes: A Drama in Five Acts 121 Nude Sculpture by Laura in Washington, D.C. 129 Laura and the Persian–American Educational Society 131

Part 3 Married Life, Travel and Achievements 1911 – 1928

Passing of Hippolyte Dreyfus’s Father 137 Marriage of Laura Barney to Hippolyte Dreyfus 137 Her Mother’s Wedding 140 Invitation to a Special Guest: ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Journey West 141 Juliet Thompson and Laura 142 With ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in France 143 Trip to London to Assist the Master with Translation 145 Honored Guest in Paris 146 Paris Talks 149

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