The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-05-23
DEATH OF HUGO.
THE GREAT FRENCH POET, PoLlTl-
CLAN AND NOVELIST DEAD.
His Career Briefly Narrated General For
eign News-war Clouds Again Hover
ing Around the Anglo-Russian
Horizon -komarofr's UItimatum.

PARIS, May 20. Victor Hugo died at 1880
p. m. Friday.
Victor Hugos condition was so mani
testify worss Thursday morning that his
death was regarded as certain to take place
within few hours. When this fact became
known Cardinal Guilbert, the arch
bisop of Paris, sent specially to
Hugo's. residence offering to visit
hiia and administer spiritual aid
and the rites OF the Roman Catholic church.
M. Lockroy, the poets son-in-law. who was
in attendance at the death-bed when the
cardinals proifer came, replied for Nd.
Hugo, declining with thanks the arch
bishops tender, saying for tue dying man;
"Victor Hugo is expecting death, but ne
does not desire the services OF priest"
The city is draped i'll mourning and the
residence is surrounded by crowd OF sor-
rowiul sympathizers.
The ministry will request the chamber Oh
deputies to adjourn, as token of respect to
the memory of the deceased
1t is reported that NJ. Hugo bequeathed
his manuscripts TO France, and that he left
it to the republic to select burial-piace for
his remains and to decide as to the form Of
his funeral.
Victor Marie Hugo was born at Besancon,
Feb 26 1902. lbs father was an army OF
ticer lii active service. In 1899 the lad was
taken to Paris, where he lived with his
mother for two years in the pleasant old
house that was once the convent Of Feue-
dantines. Here, while his father followed
the fortunes of Bonaparte in Italy and
Spain, the boy pursued his studies under
the guidance of his mother and a kind old
priest.
When Victor was 8 years old he went with
his mother and brothers to Spain, where
Gen. Hugo had been made by King Joseph
governor of two provinces. Here in years
residence Victor acquired thorough knowl-
edge of the language and something of the
Castilian bearing, a certain gravity Of de-
pertinent, stability of mind, and firmness
of sentiment; perhaps, too, deeper sus-
ceptiiGhy 10 romance. For when the
mother and sons returned to their old home
in Paris the boy then first fell in love with
Adele Foucher, the little girl af,erward be-
came his with, and was the one love of his
manhood as of his childhood. The story Of
his tender affection for his playfellow in the
old garden Hugo has himself related in "Le
Dernier Jou dun Condamne."
After the fall Of the empire Gen. hugo
sent his sons 10 "A boarding school, where
Victor tyranniZed over his fellows and first
began To write poetry and plays, of which
he took in representation the principal
character. All his recreation hours were
devoted to these dramatic pursuits, and
part of his nights he spent i'll translating
into French verse the odes of Horace and
various fragments of Virgil Tragedies
alone did not suffice; he composed elegies,
| idyls, fables, romances, conunirums, mad
| rigals, and even puns in verse
In 1871 Nine Hugo died, and now the
| youth became solely dependent on his own
exertions. He went through the most griev-
GUS struggles of pove-ty-an ordeal such as
he has descgibed in the early years OF his
| "Mariusp For a whole year he lived on
700 francs the proceeds of his pamphlets
and the articles in The Conservation. Then,
acting on his brothers advice, he collected
and published his "Odes ct Ballades."
The first edition of the codes" having
brought In a profit of 700 francs, a second
edition Immediately followed, and, as iii
| never rains but it pours, Louis XVIII con.
ceived the idea of allowing the poet pen
sion of 1000 francs from his private purse.
| The pension same at a timely hour. To-
gether with his improved resources, it en-
abled Victor Hugo to press his offer Of mar
riage. In 1S4l, notwithstanding the opposi-
ton of the members belonging to the old
classic school, Hugo was elected 30 the
French academy. In 1875 he was made q
peer of France by Louis Philippe.
After the revolution of l84S he was elected
a deputy to the constituent assembly, where
he generally voted with the Conservative
party. He, however grew to feel more
strongly with the Radical party, and soon
| discovered the intentions of President Bona
parte, and with a keen insight into the
workings of the party, as well as knowl
edge OF human natlsr, he foretold the re-
establishment OF the empire.
On the coup d'etat of Dec 9, 1851, he wa.
one of the Deputies who vainly attempted
to preserve the constitution, but his reward
was his prescription, and he was obliged tG
take refuge in the island of Jersey, where
he pursued his literary labors, interspsrsed
with attacks on Louis Napoleon. His two
publications, Napoleon lie Petit" and the
ldfter satires lies Chatiments,S are still
well remembered. He was obliged, in 1853
accept the amnesty offered to political exiies
in 1884, prefsrring exile and free expression
of opinion to pardon and q sealed mouth
thereafter 1t was during this exile that b,
wrote his greatest works lies MiserableS,
which produced a world wide sen 'ation his
powerful "Toilers of the Sea-" THE Maj
Who Laughs, and many poems which were
among his best productions. were given tx
the world at this period 1t was not unit
| Iuc SeiSo tuhs ile IebuIucu W
During the uprising of the commun'
he remained in the Seclusion Of his home
not from lack of interest in the struggle, bu
because he saw that it was premature.
In 1876 he was elected senator and tool
his place on the extreme left. He rromptl,
introduced a resolution for the full pardon
of the condemned Communists, which wa
defeated. His term as senator expired il
1882
After his return TO Paris NJ Hugo pub
lished "LAnnee Terrible "Quartre Vingt
Treize," "Avant rExil." an eloquent appea
for Servio, printed In The Rappel in August
1876, "John Brown and in 1881 new pc
etical work called "EAne'