New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1856-02-01
THE OLDER TIRE.

cellEfiS fefEffS- I'll uHeOVefett gb aE the habit
Of daily intercourse wish Franklin, and was visited
and carfessed By all the respectable Americans III Pa
RIG. She was native Of New Jersey and by profess
sion, a moulderM M wax figures The wild flights Of
her powerful mind stamped originality on al her acts
and Language. SHE was a tall and athletic figure;
walked with firm bold steps and erect as an Indian
Her complexion was somewhat saoWs her cheek
bones high her face fnrToed and her olive eyes keen
piercing and expressive. Her sharp glance Was ap-
paling it had almost the Wildness OF the maniac.
The vigor and originality Of her conversation cor
responded with her manners and appearance She
gould utter language, in her neessanS Volqhilityas
i unconscious to whom directed, that would put her
hearers 70 the blush. She apparently possessed the
utmost n1ssst simplicity Of neart and character.
Win the head Of wax upon her lap she would
mould the accurate lenesses, BY Tie mere force
q retentiye recollection Of the traits and lines Of
I,le she would form her lfEenesses by
sae matgEllatlon q the wax with her thumb and
IheeE. ~ inst thus engaged her strong mind poured
IoufIn an torrent Of wild thoughts, and
anecdotes, and "reminiscences 81 men and eyents-
se sara Tsas e a2p9R asss @ fsaE shs
PennsyTa1iia The pecnarity If her character, and
the excellence Of her wax made Ier rooms in
Pa NAH atas9naole o o sss 81 nobility
penetration and sagaeity coaked by her aTJ,sreit
simplicity Of purpose enabled her many facts
and secrets important to 4 dear ttni-
form expression IN referring to- her native iad which
she dearly loved
She was a genuine republican and ardent
The king and queen often visited her rooms they
would induce her to WORK upon Mef heaaSy F6IaTdeSd
Of their presence. She would often, If forgetting
herself, address them as George and Charlotte. This
fact she often mentioned to me herself Whilst ia
England, she communicated much npoFtan ~ InforTa-
tIon to FTankin and rena ed in london until T5 or
rs, engaged III that kind Of intercourse with hn.
and the american government, by which she was
placed in position ofsextreme hazard
"a saw her frequently in Paris, in 81 and in FarF
ous parts Of England, from 7S2 to 94. Her letters
followed me ii my travels through Europe. i had
assisted her AZ Paris had aid to her son at
ships to America, Her gratitude was unbosnded.2
This son was painter and artist Of enlinence,
and5in 1884 took model Of Washing gton's head 10
plaster heard, from Washing ton himself an aaas-
| ing aneedote connected with this bust. a
In January, l785, enjoyed the nessIn,able pFivh-
ege Of visit under his roof the absence of all Tis-
tors. Anlcng the many interesting subjects which
engaged our, conversation in long winter evening,
Ce most yanaEe Of my life, i'm which Ills dgnied
lady and Miss Gusts united he amused BY relating
the incident Of the taking of this model s Wright
the singular request that Should permit to- take
4 d model of my face in plaster Of PaEa to NhichI
consented with some reuct He oiled features
over, and placing me fat upon my back upon cot,
i proceeded to daub my face with plaster hiist tn
this ludicrous attitude. Mrs. Washington entered the
room, and seeing uIy face thus oTerspread with the
\ plaster involuntariy exclamesf Her cry excited ID
slight twist or compression Of the lips, that ii now
observable in the buss5 Wright afterwards made.
These are nearly the words Of Washingt ton.
II Some time after acquaintance WITH MIS- wright
commenced, she informed me that an eminent female
chemist of Paris had written her note that would
make her visit at twelve O'Clock the next day, and
Il announced also that she could net speak English.
Mrs. Wright desired me to act as interpreter At the
appointed hour the laundering Of carriage in the
4 yard announced the arrival Of the French lady
She entered with much grace, in which Mrs w. was
n no match for her. She was old, with a sharp
nose with broad patches Of yernillion spread over
n the deep furroHs of her cheeks was placed in a
chair between the two originals: Their ton nsues few
Il with Felocity--tle one in English and the other in
French, and neither understanding d word the other
uttered. saw no possibility OF interpreting tWo
such yolleys Of words, and at length abruptly com-
Il manded silence for q moment gs# ss5&
word 2 said Mis-. Wright. s " replied the
chemist and bounding from hef chair ID the middle
of the floor, and dropping asloY! eoqrtesey was of
was evident that this visit was not intended for IN
Interchange Of sentiment, but mere act Of ciVty
e a call. s.
IL employed Mrs. W. to make the head Of Franklin,
: which was often the source Of much amusement to
me- After it was completed both being invited to
t dine with Franklin, conveyed ner to Passy IN my
}, carriage, she bearing the head upon her lap. No
sooner were we in the presence Of the doctor than
II she placed head by the other. " There she ex-
claimed are two brotbels!'' The likeness was truly
admirable and, at the suggestion Of Mrs Wright, to
give it effect, Franklin sent suit Of clothes
: he wore in. ITS. Many years afterwards the head
was broken in Albany and the clothes presented to
! the :" Historical Society Of hiassach1setts.n
= | Al
tion with this head ddicrous in the highest degree,
and although almost incredible, is literally true. Af
ter the head had been modelled she walked out to
Passy carrying il in napkin IN order to compare it
with the original In returning in the evening she
was stopped at the barrier in course to be searched
for contraband goods but as her mind was free as
her native American air, she knew no restraint nor
the reson why she was detained. She resisted the
ATTEMPT to examine her bundle, and broke out in the
rage Of fury. The officers were amazed, as no ex-
planation in the absence Of an interpreter could take
place. She was compelled however, to yield to power
The bundle was opened, and to the establishment Of
the officials, exhibited the head of a dead man as
appeared to them in the obscuty of the night They
closed the bundle without farther examination be-
evng, as they afterwards assured me, that she was
/ an escaped maniac, who had committed murder, and
!. was about conealing the head Of her victim 81
i They were determined toconyey her to the police
station when she made them comprehend her entrea
+ ties to be taken to the Hotel d Yorks Twas in my
room, and hearing in the passage great uproar and
Mrs WIS voice pitched upon higher key than usual
rushed out and found her in terrible rage, her fine
eye flashing thrust myself her and the Off.
n GERS, exclaiming, Ah, Die,, qa'estce qIa aH'
7 An explanation ensued. All except Mrs. were
amused at the singularty and absnrdity Of theaair
n The head and clothes | transmitted to Nantes !;
they the instruments OF my roics not inappro-
pirate to my youth, but perhaps it is hardly safe to
$, advert to them in my age few will venture to
relate. On my arrival at Nantes, caused the head
to be properly adjusted to the dress, which was
:, ranged in natural shape and dimensions. had the
y figure placed in the corner Of large room near
ana De1lnQ q open
atlas his arm resting upon table, and mathematical
u instruments strewn upon it, handkerchief was
v thrown over the arm stumps wires were extended
to the cost by which means the body could be ele-
vated depressed, and placed ii various positions
y y Thus ar ranged some ladies and gentlemen we're
invited to pay their respects to Dr. Franklin by
!, delight For a4moment they were completely de.
), ceiyed, and all profoundly bowed and courtesied
y which was reciprocated by the figure Not word
, being uttered, the trick was soon revealed.
A report soon circulated that Doctor Franklin was
:, at Monsieur Watson's g sur Isle de Fsaeoa." At
eleven o'clock the next morning. the Mayor of Nantes
came in full dress, to call the renowned philoso
pher Cossoul my worthy partner, being acquainted
with the mayor favored the joke for moment, after
y their mutual salutations Others in, and all
e were disposed to gull their friends in the same man
a ner. .}zia-.tae. 95 Il .sd5Fs sy}z
u u The most amusing of all the incidents connected
II with this head, occurred in London where had it
sent after the peace of 49, when had established
= bachelors hall in that city. placed the figure IN
y full dress with the head leaning out OF the window
n apparently gazing up and down the square He had
~ formerly been well known in that part OF the city
y and was at once recognised Observing q collection
80 of people gathering at another window looking at
u him. I ordered him down.
:, The morning papers announced the arrival OF DR..
Franklin at an American merchants in Belitei Square
le To fhe Tn