Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-06-17
Victor Hugo.

The great Victor Hugo died in Paris on
Friday, the 2sd day of May, 1885, at TWEEN
ty-seven minutes past one o'clock in the
afternoon. He was born the goth of Feb
ruary, 1902, and he died at the age Of S3
years, months and days. He died in
the house before which four years ago 60O,-
900 persons came to salute him as he stood
at his window, bareheaded, in spite of win
ter's cold, bearing his 10 years as the oaks
bear their branches.
He was married the 18th of October, 1922,
to Mile Adele Foucher, sister of Paul
Foucher, writer, and the aunt of the pres
emit editor of the National He had four chill
dren two sons, Francois Victor and
Charles, and two daughters. Francois Vic
tor, the younger son, died unmarried in
1878 at the age Of 45. He had been affianced
to Mile Emily de Putron, who died few
days before the date fixed for the marriage.
Charles, the elder son, who died in 1871 at
the age Of 40, was married few years pre-
viously, and left two children, George and
Jeanne, and his widow married Edward
Lockroy. One of the daughters married
M. Vacquerie. She and her husband were
both drowned during the honeymoon by
the capsizing of pleasure boat in sight OF
the shore. The other daughter, Adele, who
is now about so years old, has a sad his
tory. About thirty years ago she married,
without the consent of her father, an officer
of the British navy, commanding at Guern-
sey, where the poet lived during his exile.
She afterwards went to the East Indies with
her husband. Her so1rowful letters could
not reach her father, who was shut up in
Paris during the siege, and it was said that
her servant a negress, who accompanied
tQr hnr homo mir G
and unkind in her treatment of her mistress.
Since the war she has remained in private
insane asylum, where Victor Hugo placed
her. He devoted one day of every week to
her, but her reason has never been restored.
Victor Hugo's wife died in Brussels in 1868,
and it was in Brussels that their son Charles
was married. Victor Hugo's father was il
lustrious in name and in fame. AS lieuten-
ant general of the royal armies he led them
often to victory. On the family tomb at
Pere la Chaise his name is inscribed: $50
seph Leopold Sigirbert Count Hugo" He
lived to see the dawn of his sons glory, dy-
ing in 1928 at the age of 30. His wife died
seven years earlier, and even at that date
the son was known as "L'infant Sublime, !"
as Chateaubriand called him. Victor Hugo
never assumed his title of count, desiring
no other title than his "title clear to man
sions in the Skies" which he has gained by
his own works. He has devoted his life to
the people, and their love for him is I'M
bounded. Crowds of men, women and chill
dren watched before his door day and
night during his illness, while the fam
lily and intimate friends watched at
his bedside. When the supreme moment
came sVictorion Sardou appeared at the
door and gave sign that all was over. The
news was received with the silence of the
deepest grief. In few moments it was
known all over Pars. President Grevy,
Madame Grevy, Mr.. and Madame Wilson,
the members of the Cabinet and other i'm
portant personages soon arrived at the
house to offer their sympathies to the Lock
roys and the grandchildren.
1t is only in the last few years that Vic
tor Hugo had house to himself. When
he returned to Paris after the war he occu-
pied an apartment on the third floor Of a
house on the Rue Blanche. The Lockroys
and the grandchildren lived on the fourth
floor, story higher. This apartment was
simply furnished, and he lived without os-
tentation, receiving only few friends on
Wednesday and Sunday evenings. His car
riage was the omnibus, and he generally
rode On the top, and it is said that it was
| on one of these excursions that he took the
cold which settled on his lungs and caused
his death. His house Ga rented one) which
stands On the avenue now called by bis
name, (formerly Avenue d'Eglain) is a
small, simple two-story building, connect
ing with another equally unpretending one,
where Mr. and Mrs. Lockroy and the grand
children live. Georges, the elder, is now
about seventeen years old, and Jeanne is in
her sixteenth year.