The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-09-10
Victor Hugo.

Aoncure y. Conway is now III Paris and
a few days ago visited Victor Hugo. His ac-
count Of the great author, which appears
in the Cincinnati Commercial, is most utter
estiug:
Ny visit to Paris now closed, has inclu-
ded a very pleasan: interview with Victor
Hugo. When met him he remembered
across fourteen years bust Of John Brown
OF Hsrpers Ferry, which | then brought
him from Boston. 1t will, no doubt, be
fresh in the memory OF every american the
ardor with which Victor Hugo hailed John
Brown as hero. When he heard that II
was proposed TO hang John Brown his ez-
element was great. nor could he conceive
how such an execution could take place in
Americs. He said 1T is Washington kill
ing Spartaeus." When finally, John Brown
was hanged, Victor Hugo went out beside
the sea around Guernsey, his island of ex-
lie, and with his pencil-for he is good
draughtsman- drew on cardboard the tg-
ure OF man, with lace unified, suspended
from a gallows. Beneath this he wrote the
single word ''ecce." There was something
awful in every line OF this drawing. He
now told me that the bust of John Brown
had occupied, ever since he received II, the
highest place OF honor in his house In
Guernsey. Since that time the most terri
Bile caiamities have afflicted the venerable
poet. The loss OF his wife was the first blow,
but that left him still q charming family,
aud Madame DTuof, who had been their
lifelong friend, and was then, as she Is now,
his secretary, added something like anna
terial presence to the household. He had
four children, two sons and two daughters,
who were all remarkable for talent and
culture, and the daughters for beauty. Both
ofthe sons were literary, and if they had
not been overshadowed by their fathers
lustre, would have been much more dis
tinguished. However, even that has not
been able to dim the fame which Francois
Hugo has left by reason Of his admirable
translation Of Shakespere-the best in the
French language. Both of these sons died
recently. One daughter alone lives, the
wife Of an English officer. The other
daughter died under strange eircumstan-
ees, She had just been married TO NJ.
Vacquerie (brother of one of the editors OF
the 'Rappel), and was walking with her
husband beside the sea In Guernsey. Sud-
denly huge wave leaped up on the shore
and swept her away. Her husband
plunged after her, but could not save her.
The two bodies We're found afterwards
clasped together in a last embrace. and so
they were buried.
Notwithstanding all these heavy SORROWS,
l found Victor Hugo surrounded by a
lovely family. The widow Of his son
Charles, most beautiful young lady, with
her two Children girl of four and boy
Of six, both clever and pretty-were nest
ling around him; Madame Druot entertain.
ed the various guests who were pres mt,
among them several of his literary friends;
and among them the grand, white-hared
sat, full Of cheeriulness and courage. 1t
is a scandal that such man as this should
not be president of the French republic.
Simply as regards looks ii would be a liz.
ure Of the good time To see such man
drive down the Cahmps d'Elysees amid The
people he loves and who worship him II has
been my happy fortune to listen to the con-
yersation of some great men--to Emerson,
who cannot be surpassed in dislectical
Ia TX; to Carlyle, who is great in monOlogue;
but Victor Hugo impret sed me more than
any other man TO whose conversation
have listened. In the first place, he is the
first man talking In the French language on
important themes whom have Ever been
able to understand. His French Is 90
clear. his sentences so marked out by