The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-03-05 00:00:00

VICTOR HUGO'S BIRTHDAY.

A great popular demonstration took place in Paris on
Sunday in honour of Victor Hugo's birthday. The number
of people who defiled before his house is estimated at from
250,000 to 300,000.—The Paris Correspondent of the Daily
News gives a description of the celebration, from which we
make the following extract

The birthday celebration was opened by a deputation
of little girls, who alone were admitted into the poet's
house. Ty had each a rosebud and violet bouquet to
present. Their mouthpiece was the youthful Helene,
who represented the child Cosette in the drama of .Le.;
Afiserables. She wished the poet to live to a hundred,
and did not see why he should not, since he had a
heart too warm not to drive away the snow and frost
of old age. She then recited a poem, which ended
with "et maintenant embrassez nous grand-pere,"
request at once complied with. His youthful friends
quitted him, and then he went to breakfast.

At eleven he took his seat in a high oak chair by an
open window in a first-floor room with a grandchild
at each knee, and Madame L(ickroy beside him.
There he remained receiving addresses, which were
handed in from the street.

The addresses were received until late in the after-
noon. The procession was colossal. It was opened by
a deputation from Besancon, the poet's birthplace.
The committee of organization merely suggested a
programme not to check the initiative of the Paris
population which, with characteristic readiness,
adopted their suggestions. Order was wonderfully
pseserved, and without assistance from the police,
who did not appear. It was a pity they did
not come forward to help the steward to pre-
vent the numerous deputations from getting mixed
up. All the delegates wore a blue cornflower
and a rose. The stewards wore blue cockades.
The delegates carried also gigantic bouquets, which
were eventually piled before Victor Hugo's door. No
vehicles were allowed to circulate in the streets
through which the procession went, in what appeared
when it advanced a never-ending stream. No ladies
joined in it, but the sides of the streets were densely
crowded with men, women, and children. The Place
de L'Etoile was the general point of rendezvous. The
presentative bodies, who extended after winding round
it in a queue down the Avenue d'Jeua were to walk
before the people of Paris, who fell into rank in
the Champs Elys6es. Windows were let in many
houses near Victor Hugo's. Green boughs were
fastened on the trees. The Orph6onists, the fire-
men's bands, and the players of fanfares formed
a musical corps of 5,000. "La Marseillaise " was
performed by the whole 5,000, who when they started
walked at a quick step. Manifestants were re-
quested by the Committee not to stop on the route
a moment, unless deputed to present addresses. There
was one noteworthy departure from this in lunction.
At the Place d'Eylau an air was given for which
Victor Hugo years ago wrote words. It quickened as
his house was sighted, and coming nearer, burst into
the National Hymn. He stood up and saluted, his
face bathed in tears. As though he were a mighty
Sovereign, the band halted, and the music continued.
When the "Marseillaise" was terminated, all the
players gave tremendous cheers for Victor Hugo and
the epublic, and then, resuming their musical per-
formance advanced towards the Muette, where the
manifestants dispersed.

Victor Hugo, in the Rappel, thanks "the admirable
and generous French people" for Sunday's demonstra-
tion, "which will be the best day of his life, and for
which he will cherish to his latest hour an inexpres-
sible gratitude."