The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1875-01-18
A BEAUTIFUL TRIBUTE.
What Victor Hugo said ut the Grave
1IRdnmc lIeurIee, In Paris.

she hal al the charms for love, and all
the strength for suffering. She leaves
behind her the companion Of her life,
Paul Meurice, q spirit luminous and
proud, one OF the. noblest men OF our
time. Let us bow before this sacred
tomb. -
/ witnessed their marriage. So pass the
years. I saw them both young, she 80
beautiful, lio so radiant, unite their future
before the human lnwapd before the law
divine, md give their hands to each other
in hope and morning. Isaw TINT entrance
Of two souls into love, which is the true
entrance into life. To-day Is it the exit
TINT we see2 No for the heart that rG-
mains continues to love, and the soul
that has flown continuesto livel Death
is another entrance, not into mere love,
for tho love below was complete, but
into more light eri IAlH7sGya
From tint radiant honr OF the begin
ming, to tho stern hour whore we are
now, these two beautiful souls sustained
each other. Life, whatever it may be, Is
good, travelled thus. SHE, admirable
woman, painter, musician, artist, had re-
ceiyed every gift, and wits matlO for every
pride hut she was above Nll, proud Of
tho reflection OF his fame upon herself
she took part in his success she felt
herself lonored by the applause which
hailed him she participated, smiling, III
those splendid ovations Mt the theater
where the name Of Meurice was shouted
amidst acclamations and enthusiasm /;
sLo had tho sweet pride to nee unfold for
tho future, and triumph before the null
titude, that series OF works, strong and
exquisite, which shall have III the litera-
t,Ire Of our age n place OF light andglory.
Then came the times Of trial she nc
cepted them with stoicism. In our day
the writer should he at need combat
ant WOO to the talent behind which is
not seen n conscience A poetry should
be virtue, Paul Meurice Is one OF
those clear souls in whose depths is seen
duty. He wanted liberty, progress,
truth md justice, and h6 bore the conse-
quenccs. This is why, one dny, he went
TO prison. His wife comprOhonled this
new glory, and from that day she, who
till then had been only good, became
great. 49,. ,. .., -.
And later, when disasters came, when
'trinl took tho proportions of public
calamity, she was ready for every abne-
CATION and every devotion.
The history Of this age has some never
to-be forgotten days. te
At times, in humanity, certain sub
Unity Of tho woman appears in the
hours when history becomes terrible, one
would say TINT her soul scizes tho occa-
sion, and seeks to give an example to the
soul Of man. Antiquity had the Roman
women the modern ages will have tile
French woman. The siege of Paris Inns
shown all that woman can bo (: dignity,
flrmness, acceptance OF priyatons and
misrries, gaiety in anguish. The bottom
of tho soul Of the French woman Is an
heroic mixture OF family and country.
The generous woman in this tomb Ind
all these graudeurs. / have been her
guest in those tragic days l have seen
llor, While her husband did his double
and rude task Of writer and soldier, she
also rose before the dawn. She was,
while il was yet night, in the rain, in the
frost, her fect in tbs snow, to wait long
hours, like the other noble women OF the
people, at the doors Of the butchers and
bakers, and she brought us back food
For the trrest OF all Joys is duty per-
formed. There iSan ideal Of woman in
Isaiah there is another in Juyenal ;
these two ideals the women Of Paris have
realized. They have had the courage
which ia more than bravery, and tho
patience which is more than courage
They have shown, before peri, ,intrepidity
and sweetness. They gave to the de-
spairing combataIts tho encouragement
OF tho smile. Nothing could conquer
them. Like their husbands, like. their
children, they wanted to struggle to the
Inst hours aud in the face Of savage,
enemy, under tho graposhot and the
shells, under tho ft1rious blast OF q five
months winter, tliey.ref1sel, even to the
Seine loaded with blocks OF ice, even to
famine, even to death, the surrender Of
their town | All let us reverence this
Paris which Inns produced such women
and such mon. Let us go down upon
our knees before tho holy city Paris,
by its tremendous resistance, saved
France, which tho dishonor Of Paris
would haye slain, and Europe, which the
death OF Fnnce would have dishonored.
Lot the beautiful soul, flown away, but
present, who at this moment hears me,
be proud all generations surround her
coffin. From tho height Of the unknown
serenity she can sec around her all these
hearts full of her, these friends who
glorify her, this husband who mourns
her. Her memory, at once sorrowfnl
and enchanting, shall not be eilaced. It
will tighten our twilight. A memory is
n ray. .. .,-..
dwelline.placo receive this immortal
soul. Life Is problem death is the
solution. 1 repent it, and it is thus l
wish to end this farewell, full Of hope
the tomb is neither dark nor void. There
Is the great light. To TINT light let II bo
permitted tho man who now speaks, to
ttirh. He who, II may be said, no more
exists here below-he Whose ambitions
are oil now in death-has the right to
hail in the depths OF tho infnite-in tho
sinister and sublime dazzle Of the sepul-
clier, the immense star, God .
H u