New-York tribune., 1903-06-28
TOPICS IN PARIS.
A Victor Hugo Shr5ne-AH Night
Outdoor Gayety.
Especial to The New-York Tribune by French caoie-'
.o,..--uat. ,ans. Ry The Tribune Association)

fspecial to The New-York Tribune by French cabie)
c-o,x--7rht. 1908: BY The Tribune Assocation)
par,s June 27.-Paul Meurice the disciple and
.-;o,a of Victor Hugo, invited a few friends,
,nclu5ing the Tribune correspondent this
o-,i,y to visit the house in the Place des
vosges where Victor Hugo lived fifteen years.
from, 1893 to 1919 which will be dedicated ana
opened TO the public on Tuesday as national
museum and which forms attraction hkeIy
TO be appreciated by Americans intending 10
visit Paris this summer. The house is just as
IL was when the poet lived there. Everything
connected with his life and works is no" COZ
lected in the rooms, several Of which form
picture gallery with paintings by foremost
artists illustrating his life and writings; lot IN
stance. THE Funeral Of Victor Hugo, with the
Coffin Beneath the Arc de Triomphe py non,
THE First Night Representation of Hernant
by Besnard; a portrait OF 'Fantine, py Car
riere: Don Cesar de Bazan," by Roybet; "Es-
meralda'' by Luc Olivier Merson; "Burgraves'
by Rochegrosse, and 1.-The Death of Baudin on
the Barricades," by Jean Paul Laurens
Besides these there is a whole gallery OF paint
ings and sketches by Victor Hugo himself, all
in a somewhat Gustave Dore style. dark ana
mysterious. Hugos caricatures are excellent
also his facsinies of japanese sketches Among
the relics are the bed on which Victor Hugo
died, his famous writing desk, at which ne
worked standing never sitting down; also ink
stands. pens and autograph letters OF Victor
Hugo. Alexandra Dumas, Lamartine and George
Sand. There are a superb bust by Rodin ana
portraits of the poet ranging from those painted
by David dangers and DeIacroix to that by
Bonnat Among those who recently visited this
house in the Place des Vosges are Edmond
Rostand who passed four hours examining its
treasures and Victorien Sardou, who on walking
out of the venerable Henri Quatre front door this
morning shook hands with the almost equally
venerable Paul Meurice. who is still vigorous
and alert and declared: This is the most in
teresting and decidedly the best arranged shrine
of poet have ever seen"
Social activity. owing 20 the ideal summer
weather, is almost exclusively in the open
air. The Bois de Boulogne is full of Amer
leans A novel feature is the midnight
cotions at the Island Of Puteaux Club, which
last until daybreak, the last figure being the
dancers leading their partners to witness the
sunrise on the banks of the Seine. These highly
interesting cotillons usually led by the vi
comte and vicomtesse Leon de Janze, Count
Louis de Turenne and Messrs. Nelson Gerald
and Harold Winthrop, and are preceded and
interspersed with cosey little dinners served at
small tables. ali in the open air. Over hun
dred sat down to supper last night, among
whom were Mr.. and Mrs Clarkson Potter, Miss
Green, Mr.. and Mrs. Villiers Forbes Mr.. and
Mrs. Ellis Hoffman, Miss Leishman. Miss
Harjes. Mrs. Taber and Miss Perkins.
The entertainment was enivened by an appa-
rition of Santos -Dumont making night trip
over the island in his balloon, to the bow Of
which fitted acetylene searchlight which
threw dazzling rays on the ground and on the
water with startling effect, but the balloon itself
IL
wide circuits in his balloon over the island, like
some huge bird of prey. The aeronaut, how
ever, admits this rather risky business be-
cause, there being no moon, it was Impossible
for him TO see objects until close upon them;
consequently he nearly came in collision with
several tall trees. Santos-Dumont also puts in
an appearance in the afternoons at the Polo
Club gates when he usually hovers over the
ground, looking down at the players from the
height OF fifty yards. On Wednesday afternoon
he alghted on the lawn and soon took up with
him for a short sail over the premises Master
Clarkson Potter. a sprightly youth ten years
old who at NJ. Dumont's invitation hauled him
self into the basket car, and was a passenger
during a swift fight of twenty minutes. Mas
ter Clarkson Potter can now probably claim
the record of being the youngest aeronaut on
dirigible balloon.
The tide of travel is already setting toward
Switzerland and Germany. Senator S. B. Elkins
and his wife and daughter are taking the
waters at Nauheim. Mr.. and Mrs. Justus
Hotchkss and Miss Fanny Kingsbury are at
Homburg for a long stay. Among the arrivals
on the I.ucerne were George Won L. Meyer, the
United States Ambassador al Rome. with his
family and Mr.. and Mrs. c. H. Watson