Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-04-02
MARVELLOUS FETE.
THE WONDERFUL DEMONSTRATION IN
PARIS IN FEBRUARY.
Eow the People worshiped and Honored
the Poet, Victor Hugo-The Masdi
Gras Celebration.
PARIS. March 6. 1881.

upon the ground winter hiAn'4e' oS'oAo
opening the door of spring, but they hest
tated before sending down their SOFT
feathery flakes, for fear of disturbing the
white. haired poet in his triumph after
lifetime of earnest labor. So on Sunday
last the clouds remained stationary, the
day was not unpleasant, and it was only
on the following morning that all Paris was
covered with snow-the 18th of February
circumstance most unusual, and which
esused the oldest citizens to open their
ewes in wonder. What tete! Never IN
the history of modern civilization have
such honors been rendered to living mortal,
not with regard to splendor and richness,
but in the general heartfelt adulation of an
entire people. No persons OF marked au'
thority suggested or superlntended the az
fair no special ceremony was dictated, but
| all came forward with anxious pleading
voices to beg the privilege of giving express
| sion to their admiration and gratitude Tor
| Victor Hugo does rot belong to the lit
erary world he has been the friend of che
people,
THE FRIEND OF HUMANITY,
Their greatest inspirer OF all that is ele-
waiting and ennobling. He has been at the
head of ell generous movements through
out the civilized world, and on this occa-
sion the different peoples have proved to
him that they are not ungIateful. Even
the most devoted friends of the poet re-
garded the plan with increduhty, for they
could not calculate the amount OF venera-
ton which fills the hearts Of the French
people for their sublime poet, and the IN
timation was scarcely given OF fete to be
offered him when he was perfectly deluged
with letters expressive OF profound admi-
ration. These letters came from all parts
of France, from individuals, from corpora
tions, from colleges, from other countries
as far off as America and Mexico on one
side, and Turkey and Egypt on the other,
all tending TO prove that great men belong
to no country but to all the world capable
of approaching them. Two days before
the fete, the Republic, wishing to be fore
most in its congratulations, sent to the poet
a beautiful Sevres vase, which was carried
to him by the Prime Minister, Jules
Ferry, accompanied by his Secretaries,
and who made him complimentary speech,
stating that the state manufactures had
been instituted with the view of making
presents to princes and crowned heads, but
that the Republican Government was more
! than proud TO offer this gift to the prince
of intelligence. The vase is an amphora,
with double handles, in deep blue Sevres
mounted in gilded bronze. It's neck is
ornamented with graceful canoes. On the
| frieze the nephew Fragonard had painted
scenes from the sZoueur Of Regnard.
At the bottom of the vase can be read this
inscription, engraved in gold letters J." LIE
| GoRUe7ne1aente de la Repu6GQue, Fictor
Hugo Il Terrier, 1881" The evening
previous to the fete, the great poet, on
returning home from the Senate, found
magnificent bouquet sent him from the
President of the Republic, and also an
enormous couronne composed Of white lilies
and red and tea roses, with the following
address embroidered in gold on red MORE
silk "A Victor Hugo. La Coincide
Franchise, &c ftvrier. 1881" On ribbons
of red satin were inscribed the titles of
Victor Hugo's dramas represented at the
Theatre Francois Hermann" 60 LIE Roi
s'Amuse,'' Angelo" :" Les Burgraves, +"
Marion de Lorme, Ruy Bias.
MONEY WAS SENT
From the different surrounding countries
to the friends OF the poet, requesting them
to buy a bouquet for the object of their
profound admiration, from Switzerland,
Belgium, and even Turkey besides, Nice
and all the southern cities sent their most
fragrant and choicest flowers, arranged
with that art and exquisite taste for which
the French are renowned The city au-
thorities had two Venetian arches con-
structed on the Avenue d'Eylan Of eighteen
meters high, designed and executed by the
firm employed for public fetes, and they
were of most superb effect. At the sum-
NIT were the initials r. F.; four escutch-
cons were attached bearing on each side the
names of the poets works. These posts
were ornamented with twenty-four flags IN
| the midst of evergreens, besides golden
| lances of the middle ages, with blue and
| rose. colored banners The two columns
were united by rose-colored drapery fringed
with gold and bearing the inscription,
90 Fictor Hugo-Ne Ie q Terrier, 1905. "
| On the 9th, at 10 o'clock in the morning,
the house of the poet in the interior was a
vast sea of flowers, where one stifled
amidst sweet perfumes, while on the out
side, the wall was tapestried with ever
green's and couronnes sent by both indi.
viduals and societies. So as to escape all
accidents the school children arrived at
that hour and proceeded in line to the
poets dwelling, headed by bevy of little
girls in blue, red and white, and carrying
banners of the same color. They marched
to the door, and were admitted, when one
of the little girls, on seeing the poet, re-
cited
SOME CHARMING VERSES
Written for the occasion, and in which she
claimed kiss for them all from grand
pere Victor Hugo accepted the different
bouquets rendered him by the children,
and kissing the little speaker, said he kissed
them all in her, and he also kissed the lit
tie girl who bore the banner with the in
scription, "L'art d'etre grGRd-pere." Mr..
Herold, Project of the Seine, next called
and presented his children to Victor Hugo,
who brought him bouquets. The children,
who did not enter the house, as they moved
away in procession called out that they
wished to see the poet, when he came to
the window smiling and bowling to them.
They then cried with one voice, g Vioe
Victor Hugo," and threw kisses to him
with both hands as long as they could
see him. AT half.past ii the glded bust
of the Republic that the sculptor Francia
had just sent to Victor Hugo was placed
before the house, when the crowd which
began to collect filed the air with cries
3" Vipe Victor Hugo" g." Vi0e Ia Repub-
| liqte !" From that moment one began to
perceive in the distance on the side of the
Arc de Triomphe black mass with various
banners towering abovethem. The members
of the Committee of Organization, with the
commissioners of the fete, were at their
post, and extended before the house blue
and red ribbons, as sort of barrier, while
they waited the approach of the crowd.
Not single sergent de uite was to be seen
in the avenue, as the commissioners them
selves desired to keep the avenue free for
the procession, and everything was pre-