The Express.
London, England, 1867-01-02 00:00:00

VICTOR HUGO'S CHRISTMAS FRT.:.

On Thursday last, the 27th December, the annual
Christmas fête took place at Hauteville•house,in Guernsey.
There were assembled some forty-two poor children
varying in age from three to twelve years ; all looked
happy and joyous, and seemed perfectly at home in the
house, and in the presence of their host. The fete was
divided into three parts, an excellent lunch, a distribution
of clothing, and a Christmas-tree. Previous to the distri-
bution Victor Hugo addressed his guests and visitors in the
following words :
Lathes and Gentlemen,—Yon are aware of the object of
this little meeting. It is what, for want of a better term
I call the festival of poor little children. I desire to *peak
of it in the humblest terms, and with this feeling I would
borrow the simplicity of one of those little ones who now
hear me. To do good to poor children, as far as lam able,
is the object that I have in view. Believe we there
is no merit in the act, and what I say I sincerely
mean. There is no merit in doing for the poor what we
can, for what we can do it is a duty to do. Do you know
anything more sad then the sufferings of
.children ? When
we suffer—we who are met—we suffer justly, we endure
nothing but what we deserve, but children are innocent,
and suffering innocence—is it not the saddest thing in
nature? Here Providence entrusts us with a portion of its
own functions. God says to man—l confide to thee the
child. And he does not confide to us our own children
alone—for it is simply natural that we should have care
for them—and the brute obeys this law of nature, better
sometimes than man himself. God entrusts us with all
the children that suffer. To be the father—the mother of
poor children—this is our highest mission. To have
towards them the parental feeling is to have a fraternal
feeling towards humanity.
M. Hugo then explained the ides which first led him to
establish this fortnightly dinner, an idea, he said, which
had its origin in a report upon the diet of poor children
made eighteen yaws ago by the Medical Academy of Paris.
" hut," continued M. Hugo, "engrossed, when in France
by the business of public life, I had no time for establish:
lug dinners for poor children. Profiting, however, by the
leisure which exile has given me in Guernsey, I have car.
tied the idea into execution. Believing that if a good din.
ner once a month could do so much good, a good dinner
once a fortnight would do still more, I have fed forty-two
children, twenty-one of whom come to me every week. More
over, when the end of the year arrival wish to give them the
little pleasure which the children of the rich find in their
own homes ; I wish that they also may have their Christ-
mas. This little fete is composed of three pares—a
luncheon, a distribution of clothing, and a distribution of
• toys, for—joy is an element of children's health. Therefore
it is that I dedicate to them annually a Christmas tree,
This is the fifth celebration of the Pte. And now why do
I say all this? The only merit in a good action (if there
be a good action) is to say nothing about it. I should, in
fact, be silent if I thougut only of myself. But my object
is not merely to do good to forty children. My object
above all is to set a ustful example. This is my sole
excuse."

In support of the beneficial effects attending the adop-
tion of this system in other countries, M. Hugo read
extracts from two newspapers—the Petit Journal and the
rillieL The treasurer of the Rugged Children's Dinner
Fund, writing to the last-named paper, bad stated that
during the l►te epidemic in London not one death from
cholera had taken place among two hundred poor children
who had thus been nourished. Upon this fact the speaker
laid great importance, and, after expressing a hope that
the " mournful and deplorable word ' ragged' " would
soon disappear from the noble English language, he thus
concluded :

This, ladies and gentlemen, this is my excuse for de-
scribing to you what takes place here. This is what Matt-
' fies the publicity given to the dinner to the forty children.
It is that from this humble origin there arises a conside.
sable amelioration in the condition of suffering innocence.
To relieve children—to train them into men—such is our
duty. I will add but one word more. There are two ways
ef building churches. They may be built of stones—they
may be built of flesh and bone. The poor whom you have
succoured are a church that you have built from whence
prayer and gratitude ascend to God.

Many know the marvels of Victor Hugo's pen ; few are
acquainted with the magic of his voice, and only those
wbo have heard him speak in public can realise to its full
extent an utterance which vibrates in singular unison with
every thought which it expresses. In Haute•ille-house, on
Thursday last, all stood upon the same level of equality,
no invitations were issued, the doors were open to who.
ever thought fit to enter, and the only reserved places
were fur the poor. It seemed a place where class diatino-
tions were for a time at least forgotten, and all met
together, without surprise or embarrassment, on the
neutral ground of a great man's humanity.

THE VICTORIA CROSS. —W AR-OPTICL, JAS.
Her Majesty has been pleased to signify bar intention to
confer this high distinction on the undermentioned private
soldier, whose claim to the same has been submitted for
her Majesty's approval, for his courageous conduct in
Canada, as recorded against his name, vin. Private
Timothy O'Hea, let Battalion, The Prince Consort's
Own Rifle Brigade. For his courageous conduct on the
occasion of • fire which occurred in a railway car, con-
taining ►mmunition, between Quebec and Montreal, on
9th of June last. The sergeant in charge of the escort
states that, when at Danville Station, on the Grand Trunk
Railway, the alarm was given that the car was on fire ;
it was immediately dieoonneoted, and, whilst considering
what was best to be done, Private O'Hes took the keys
from his hand, rushed to the car, opened it, and called out
for water and • ladder. It is stated that it was due to
his 'sample that the fire was suppremeal.-04:ette.