Telegram-herald., 1889-05-31

@1tt slid ~. y ect - ttlt y Ales3 tf-i ittfA
tae chorus 81 TIE ssasElng frenca na-
tlonal anthem, the eotha Mas blougAi
oUg tFom the e4IAl2iQue, aIld al that
precious moment Iae s4n. bursting
through the gray clouds. tareN 5 raY ~
brilliant agnton the mouut2su 81 bowers
NLelsce the EcmAlns of Victor Hugo
had emerged Ole solitary cry az q. AINf
= RepQbllque' MAS raised, btgt the
scene WAS altogether TOO solemn and
too impressive to favor oatcfles, ana
the march commenced. bso0n tne
broad Champs ElXsees the PROCESSION
moved with great tac.illA. a. All e<tr-
Tlages had leen cleared away before
. clock la the morning TIE uees
seemed - bad Mlth human beiugs.
whose heads could oe seen poepIg oat
ln all dlreci .ous from the t0lck foliage.
All tae available standing roonl 81 tne
broad causr8ay Mas nlled Win ihe
eAger throug. bat the most sublime
s.glI Was presented al the Place dc Ia
ConcoTde, the ycTneT from the Champs
Ely sees 10 the bridge Mas walled OF tK
tile troops 80 thai an unumerahle
multitude WAS able ID collect al thls
point. Tie hanks ~ the Selnf down to
the water edge Ou both s.deS Oi tle
bridge, were thlc.iy studded WItu pro-
pie. aud every barge or boat Was
dangerously loaded WITH spectators.
far up tne broad stretch ot the avenue
tie procession With Its thousands ~
crowns and banners, could he seen slow
IL descend ng. Many groups had not
yet left the Arc &c Iriomphe when the
head OF the procession reached the
Pantheon, a distance ot SIX miles.
Faithful 10 the stipulation OF ms
Viii, Victor HugO's body was conveyed
10 rs last resting place III the poor
man hearse-that j. tO say the cheap
est hearse which the Pampes Funlbres
provide. On the other hand, they sent
their best cOachman, who Is quite a
historical character for he conducted
the funerals of Thers, Gambetta and
jules Wales. The modest hearse which
bore Victor Hugo's body has been
bought by the State, and i now kept ln
the Municipal Museum. Except for the
Grape round the lighted lamps-a very
poor imitation OF Catholic rltes-nO
stranger would have imagined that the
crowd had collected for a funeral, not
to speak of the lunches brought ont ot
pockets or baskets and the sale OF eata-
bles and drinkables. The people were
as lively IL at "A review or other festival.
Sometimes there was "a burst of laugh
ter at a dog running across the street;
occasionally there was amusement at
the collapse of an oveT-laden bench or
ladder. There was, however, no horse
play or shouting.
The greatest spectacle of the age
for II is impossible 10 regard the cere-
mOny IN any other light than as spec
tacle-was not marrcd, As too many
feared that il would be marred by
bloOdshed. That serious riots should
have been feared is proof OF the DIS
tance which still unfortunately sep
arates the Parsian bourgeois from the
democracy, and of the constant dread
of riot and revolution which j. present
to the minds of the former. They are
never free from the persuasion that
they are living on a volcano, winch
may break out at any moment. And
experience has shown them that when
the lava stream is once loose II flows
swiftly and far. The ease with which
the dangerous emblems We're suppressed
seems to show that a. far As the demon
stratlOn was concerned these fears
were greatly exaggerated; little deX-
terity on the part OF the authorities was
quite enough TO checkmate the an
archists.
1t was impossible TO hear the speeches
delivered ut the Arc dc Trlomphe; the
crowd had something else 10 do. 1t
was there TO assert itself, one might
almost say To enjoy itself; 10 testify 20
the solidarity of democratic pans be-
fore the bier of the high priest OF the
democracy.
That there was little mpurning in
the true sense of the word, j. not sur
prIsing. Victor Hugo had llvec beyond
the limit commonly granted 70 men.
His work was practically over. There
We're little more 70 expect from his
talent, fresh and buoyant as hc con-
tinuod 10 the end. This funeral, 20 the
mind of Paris, was an occasion of recOg-
milton, not regret; of dpothcOsis, not
mourning. The spectators were All
Paris; the PROCESSION represented
all France; lt~ Legislatures and
It, ministers, q Judges, Us army, ITS
associations OF every kind except one.
Not a single priest was there: none was
even visible as a curious spectator IN
the crowd. Tins absence Of thorclgIOus
element followed 2S a matter of course
upon the CseCularlatlOn 0i the Pantheon.
II would have been ImpO~- nIo for any
Roman Catholic priest 10 countCnance
by ms presence ceremony which hc
must have regarded as q sacrclirou-
desccraton. J regret thatIt w8, found
necessary to take this step with regard
lO the Pantheon. especially as the
thing was done with sudden and almost
indecent haste. 1t would have been
better had the status of the building
tren altered with an the regularity OF
law and under q general formula. But
Il would bc idle to prc.cnd 30 feel the
same reverence for the religious
character of the Pantheon. already six
times imposed. abolished. and re-
muosed ~ one would feel for that Of 8
building that had always been devoted
10 one form of faith. Nav greater
reverence bo paid hy posterity 20 the
ashes Of Victor Hugo than has been
PAID 20 those Of tho mcn who have
| tcnanted that crypt before them.
J. terrrrrs