Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-12-19
ntso.s DAUGHTERS DEATH.

| inc usual lme IOr OEs anu 'A'o ~
tbrop 10 arise, and but for Joker both
would probably have petished.
nUsO's DAUGHTERS DEATH.
Some Interesting Dc,aiIs Net Gene
rally Known.
(The London Daily Newsl
II is we'll known that the late Victor
Hugo desired that his mortal remains
should rest with those Of his wife and
daughter in the cemetery Of Nillequier,
close to the little village OF the same
name, which is beautifully situated on
the banks Of the Seine, a feg miles
from Rouen. This village has been
rendered memorable by a dark and
tragic drama that ever afterward tiDged
with sorrow the great poets life, but
which has long ago passed out of public
memory. Leopoldine Vacquerie was
Victor Hugo's well-loved daughter, and
At the time of her death she was within
three months of her confinement.
Pierre and Artus Vacquerie we're the
uncle and cousin Of Charles Vacquerie.
In l843 the Vacqueres lived on their
own property, which abutted on the
Seine at Villequier. They occupied a
large old-fashicned rcd-bTick house that
stood in a beautiful garden laid out in
the English fashion. This family at that
time consisted Of Nine. NacQuerie, her
son Charles, his wife Lcopoldine, Nine.
Vscquerie's brother-in-law Pierre, and
his son Artus. Charles, who was very
fond Of boating, had ordered new
boat from Houfleur. lie had taken a
fancy to this particular boat because
j. had carried off a prize at the Hon.
Geur regatta. The boat duly arrived.
1t was beautifully fitted with sails and
awning, but nearly all the boatmen in
he neighborhood expressed an opinion
that it was uDseaTorthy by reason of
topheayiness. Undeterred by this opin-
ion Charles determined to make 4 trial
trip, ana invited his young wife, his
uncle, and his cousin to join him. His
wife, influenced by what she had heard,
demuIred at first, but, yielding to her
husbands solicitations, went With hin,
as did also his uncle and cousin. |,
was beautiful morning. The sun va,
shining brilliantly, and the first faint
tinge Of autuun was reddening the
trees. Full Of merriment the little
party set off, Nine. Nacquerie came
down to the river, and, wishing them
an reroir. bade them be sure and return
in time for djCuHer. LeOp0ldine, IN
spite Of the passing fesr she had had,
vas the meinest Of the lot. Soc vas
very pretty girl, and there are those
still living at Villequier who remem'
Der what 4 beautiful picture she pre-
scented os she stood up and waved a sa-
lutte TO her mothef.in-law with her lace
handkerchief. The sail WAS then hois.od
and the little boat scudded Ga VII The
Seine before 4 light breeze, and Va
soon lost to sight by q benl in n.
river.
Two hours passed and the boat hal
not returned. DJeHer was waiting.
and Nine. YacqueIie g.eT little uneasy
and mounted to the top Of The hoI9e.
whore q windOG commanded a wide
sweep Of the river. she came doTn
again, hut her uneasiness increased,
and once more she went DIP to the Wln.
dow. She had scarcely reached il when
she heard a cry from some ole on tho
bank Ct the liver, and chen the sigh.
that she saw almost drove her TaUng
mad. The beat had sailed back, AMI
had almost got abreast Of the house.
when in passing little gorge kuogna rs
the " Back Of the ASS" pIG Of who'd
came out it caught the sail a6ack, and
in moment the boat had caps'zed and
its four occupants were underneath. !
wellknown notary, NJ. Aemetayer, Who
still lives, was passing at he time, and
instantly raised a cry Of alarm. Very
feW minutes passed before dozen boats
bad teen launched aud were pulling 10
the scene Of the disaster, while han.
6reds Of excited people gathered on The
banks and filled the air with their Ia.
meniatious. Those who had gono ou1
in the boats saw al once that there vas
no hope, and in 4 feG moments they
had disentangled from the SAIL the body
Of Pierre Nacquerie, aud as they pullel
tho sail in it brought 20 the surface the
the poor young wife, her hands ii.lsd
with the sand cf the river, and her yil.
let dress covered with the cIjnsiog green
weeds. The bodies Of her husband
anG his cousin were not roco,eTsl unit.
the following day, as the tide had car
ned them down the river foI sJle dls
lance.
The cause Of this sad fatality, which
Victor Hugo declared brought may
Wrinkle, into his face, has never been
fllly explained. But it Vas knorn
that soon after leavirS tho ll.'le Ia IL
irg-place before his mothers house
Monsieur Charles saw mat his boa. Taj .
crank. and after sailing some distance .
be Landed at a place called Cauiob9;, F.
where upon tho quay was a quantity /
OF old.iashionei round cannon balls. .
These balls had been lying thero for .
years, and the young man put half .
dozen Of them on board of his Graf. for
ballast. 1t is believed that when the
gust Of wind out Of the gorge csugh.
the sail these balls rolled to one side
and so upset the boat. 4 little while
before his Geath Victor Hugo visited tho
cemetery for the last tine. For nearly |
two hours he sat upon tombstone
and regarded with fearful eyes the
graves Of those who had been 80 dear
to bin, and it is probable that line
from bis Own work Les Miserables "
may have occurred to him:
The grass hides and tue rain eifaces"; .
for few months later, when the writer
Of this stood over the graves, the
grass was growing long and rank
above them, and the rain Of upward of
forty years had so diScolored the stones
as to make a deciphering Of the inscrip- I
tons matter of some difficulty.
The entire upper part Of the PENN
sula of Lower California, from the TWEEN.
ty-ejghth meridian Of latitude north Is
owned by New England syndicate
I. a. 1