Morning journal and courier., 1883-04-28
Gossip About Hugo. Paris Correspondence Tandon Navvs


 Victor Hugo was presented yesterday with 8 medal struck in remembrance of the de- molition of the Tuileries on metal fused in | the burning of that palace. It represented on one side the Republic, with her hand l resting on "Les Chatiments" and ''Les Mis-. erables.
 In the evening the poet was asked to sign with MT. Swinburne MT. Frederick Harri- son, MT. John Morley, Mir. James Payn and other eminent English writers and scientific men, petition praying for the liberation of Prince Krapotkine. The petition was en- grossed in French and English on large sheets of parchment. On other pages the signatures were copied, with a short state- ment of the profession and literary or sci entific achievements of each person signing M. Paul Meurice submitted to the poet this document, which was then taken round and shown to a number of friends, who had dropped in to spend the evening. Among them weresM. Pailleron of the Academy, M Louis Leroy of the Charivari, and NJ Op- pert the Psychologist and decipherer of cuneiform inscriptions. It was agreed that place not having been left for M. Hugos name at the head of the signatures, it was impossible for it to figure among them An anecdote was related of how Louis Philippe, when guest of the Queen at Windsor, was taken by her to see Eton. The visitors book was presented for signature. The King of the French did not think that gal lantry should have any influence in politics He therefore took up the pen and wrote his name at the top of page. Her Majesty before she signed, turned over fresh leaf This was repeated to M. Hugo. He thus set tied the difficulty. When his grandchiId Jeanne came and led him into the dining room where M Meurice had laid the parch- ment roll on table, the poet wrote dIago- nally on the margin at the top of the peti- tion:
 "Au questions of amnesty are of interest to me, and take particularly to heart this petition for Prince Krapotkine's liberation.
 VICTOR HUGo''
 The poet in writing wore no glasses. AL though deafness has come upon him, his eyesight is still unimpaired. The distinct ness of his vision he attributes to not hav- ing for nearly half century ever worked by smoked. His general health is excellent Every morning he works stand ing at a desk and pacing up and down his room from seven to eleven. He is clad dur ing these hours in elastic white woolen hose and an ample white flannel dressing gown. At 11:30 he takes a bath and then break lasts. The afternoon is spent, in fine wealth er, in riding on the top of an omnibus or walking in the Bois de Boulogne He goes put unaccompanied every evening. He has friends to dinner on Thursdays and Sundays. There are dinner parties, when his guests are all intimate friends. He likes to be told the news of the Boulevards the theatres, the Chambers but if there are strangers by he prefers not being spoken to. It is disagreea- ole to him for his friends in their presence 0 roar into his ear. He sits in an armchair, with his head thrown back, his arms folded m his chest, one leg slightly drawn in and mother extended. If strange lady has the ndisoretion to place herself beside him and ttempt to converse with him. he thanks her, ooks iu her face, smiles, kisses her hand and esumes the attitude I have described. The mile is of remarkable sweetness.