New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-06-21
HUGOs TINSEL FUNERAL
HOW ADVERTISERS USED THE POETS
CORPSE


CORPSE.
fSRoN THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT or THE TRBuhs'i
PARIS. juno sit would convey IN entirely
wrong impression were TO say that. unless so iar
as Victor Hueo's family went there was any mourn
ful sentiment shown in the proceedings which ms
death gave rise to. His wake was as festive as
that of OConnsr in the Irish ballad. 1t is iinpos-
sible for multitude to affect grief for any notable
person who has not died III an hour OF Nationai us
aster. In fastening TO manifest sorrow, eacn uni'
in the crowd becomes overpowered by his Hollow
men around him. The instinct Of self-preservation
is overtaxed and the dead man forgotten as suen.
On Sunday and still moro on Sunday night the sad
ness of the mortuary house, and the suiferlnes Oh
the poet in his last Illness which the papers chron
icled. were forgotten. At six In tho morning the
crowd which renamed abroad until dawn to see
the corpse removed from the modest mansion where
Victor Hugo died to the Arch Of Triumph was
profoundly affected aud In sympathy with the
mourning family. But as the sun rose toward the
zenith and other and greater multitudes pourco
into the Place de PEtoile each individual had 10
elbow and shove to sec anything new. and 50
thought only of himself
1t woud not he In human nature for the fainiiy
not to experience reaction of similar kind, ana
IL was observed on the day of the funeral that
Georges Hugo was thinking more of tho effect that
he produced than of the grandfather behind whose
remains he walked. He Is an elegant-looking
stripping, and appears older than his seventeen
years. The profile is regular as that OF classic
cameo He was dressed. Of course, IN black; MS
general air was distinguished and his motions were
easy and elegant rs he followed the paupers
hearse. The women we greatly taken with him.
and nc glanced constantly on this side and on thnt
TO SEQ from the expression Of ther faces what shey
thought Of him. At his age this was natural But
sucb Is the theatrical instinct of Parisians that
he was blamed for not appearing absorbed In the
loss he had experienced In Victor Hugo's DEATH
"Ce oa,eoa nc salt pas ben joYer role" was an OBJ
servation which heard pretty often. As his sister
was yelled. we coud not toll exactly how she
played hcr part. Madame Lockroy was alse vSlIsd
Sho walked and with an elastic step tho whole way
from tho Arch of Triumph to tho Pantheon She IL
woman of o placid disposition. and. IL kind
hearted, is not extremely sensitive. Her husband
has more nervous sonsiblity than she. Nsyerthe-
loss. she quite broke down after her illustrious
father-in-law's DEATH aud she tainted when no was
being cofiined Tho operation proved tho truth of
the text: Dust thou art and unto dust Through
decomposition "thou shalt return An attempt
was then made to dross the corpse in black suit
why do not understand The undertaksrs were
to get through the task. Abraham was right In
trying to bury his dead away speedily out OF his
sight. Had boen q relative Of yiotor Hugo l
should have preferred to bury him beside tho rsse-
covered grave Of his daughter Loopodins Mt Vile
auier in Normandy, and to have taken his body
therc almost privilv. The wake OF unhcard-of pro-
portions and the National obsslu will. however.
have the effect of giving his writings much wider
uublicty and therefore Of serving tho most vital
izing ideas which they embodv.
This brings me TO the ADVERTISING side Of the
funeral The number Of fusyy people who tired 10
puff themselves by watching the poets corpse nj
the hoIse keeping ward over IL at the Arch of Tri-
un,ph and parading floral crowns in the cortege,
were legion. Many of the latter had no kind Of
sympathy for him, nor genniuo admiration for
his works. But 1t gave prominence to their obscure
names 10 be I'm some sort OF way associated with
ths glorious one Numbers Of tho delegates de gated
themselves TO strut In tho procession behind great
crowns and banners which they paid men Of n
schools advertised the names OF their establish
ments on the wreaths which their strongest pnpis
bore Even the Bon MTFSfhS o,t the PEin-
goods stores, cut ane figure bv sending rragsih-
cent Crowns. Two persons who got I puf ont of
the funeral by representing Ia Femme ct PKgfrat
ionrnnI which appears ftfnly Aadaine
Uesse famous for her hair wash. and Louise
Kopp}c. Madame Hesse Is Davarian whom nat
With glorious hoad OF hair. She claims, however
10 enjoy thru advantage through tho constant use
of hair wash that she sells. Her cialm-wh,ch
advertised woll-has brought her q fortune. She Ia
stiI IN business Every fine day she Ia b. DO seen
IN fine fashionable thorou. hfares driving low dog
cart with her hair piled up in n capillary edit
Zee from which part, OF 1t streams
| down over hsr shoulders. and her breast covered
with decorations and medals which She has bought
| from Governments which sell snch baubles cheap.
Wol Madame Hesse and her hair crosses OF orders.
dog-csrts and n grandiose rose crown fastened on
behind was az the funeral as delegate Of " Femme
0n-tu
| law of Mancini, declared TO n. Camille
ihr. ,no n soS. a rs sS1 RI. is 1a.
| yere that spoke at this Pantheon In tho name Of
| Italy. Gymnsstc professors also gave thor adj
dresses sot round IN big wreaths and showed
| what results their methods conld obtain nv parad-
| ING th.ir pupils, The Young fellows seemed IN
GOOD training and their rod. blue. gray and white
annei shirts with square sailor collars tight white
trousers, and soft Lodgings wero highly pictu'
The Tbs last admirer who placed wreath on the
stops OF the Pantheon was the head Of tho Benz
Boufo Tonjours Cenaoie. Inc always HAPPY
Tiyar,de restaurant and It's existence has thus tar
| been Obscure. member In strange Mahomotan
| garment walked little IN advance 81 the other
| enbmon and was taken for q marabout sent by the
| Cheriif of Morocco st tho request OF his English
wiic lie acted his part with becoming
gravity. hoyover oanhoI JON WIN ahosc
lions az every SORT intending sweeps, to tho cor
tTge. If they had not done 80 they would have
gone in the teeth Of all victor hug%s soeiaii u.s.
| enicata ia Tho paupers hearse-which, by the by
was drawn by q pairof hgh-brcd horses in tho best
| condition. A., - 40
| ss,tod nv the Rue Soufilot, looking toward tho
| Pantheon The declining sun after O'Clock shont
unon tho fresh flo wers. tho red and yellow immor
tallcs the yerduro, the flags. the brass and stee
balmets OF tho fire brigade aud dragons, and OF
tLe uniforms and arms generally OF tho soldiery
Six and quarter hours was tho trne taken by THO
| roupd tina lnioiaad mOnufnsit
/ with winch only tho family of Victor Hug
entered. never witnessed more prodigiousi,
| brilliant and animated spectacle. Tho music
| thnn oht that Anarchy had found n stronghold II