The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-04-20

herself for the career she had resolved upon
following. There was at this time, cou>
sin of Miss Hosmer's studying with her
father, between whom and herself existed
hearty cunaraderse. Together the two spent
many hours in dissectiDg legs and arms, and
in making acquaintance with the human
frame-Dr. Hosmer having erected small
building at the bottom of his garden to facil-
itate these studies. Those were days of close
study and application. Lessons in drawing
and modeling-for which our young student
had to repair to Boston, a distance of seven
or eight miles-and anatomical studies with
her cousin, were alternated with the inevita~
BILE rides and boating, on which her father
wisely insisted. The river Charles runs
Immediately before the house, and on this
river Harriet Hosmer had boat house,
containing a safe, broad boat, and fragile,
poetical-looking gondola, with silvered PROV,
the delight of her heart, and the terror of
her less experienced and unswimming friends.
The life of the young girl was at this period
full of earnest purpose and noble ambition,
and the untiring energy and perseverance
which distinguished her now in so remarka-
BILE degree, were at this time evinced and
developed.
DOWN THE MISSISSIPPI.
The "diploma" achieved, our young
aspirant was bent upon seeing New Ors
leans before returning to her New England
home. 1t was a season of the year not fa>
vorable to such travel, and from some cause
or other, she failed in inducing any of her
friends to accompany her. To will and to
do are synonymous with some and so, Har-
riet Hosmer having set her mind upon an
excursion down the Mississippi to the
Crescent City, embarked herself one fine
morning on boord a steamer bound for New
Orleans. The river was shallow, the navi-
cation difficult; many boat did our ad-
venturous traveller pass high and dry; but
fortune, as usual, was with her, and she
reached her destination in safety. The
weather was intensely warm but, nothing
daunted, our young friend saw all that was
to be seen, returning at night to sleep on
board the steamer, as it lay in its place at
the levee, and, at the expiration of week,
returning with it to st. Louis. Arrived
there, instead of returning to her friends, she
took boat for the Falls of St. Anthony, on
the Upper Mississippi, stopping on the way
at Dubuque to visit lead mine, into which
she descended by means of bucket, and
came very near an accident which must in
evitably have resulted fatally catastrophe
which, as no one knew where she was, would
probably have remained secret forever.
At the Fails of st. Anthony she went
among the Indians, much to their surprise
and amusement, and brought away with
her pipe, presented by the chief in token
of amity. She also achieved the ascent of a
mountain never before undertaken by a fe-
male, and so delighted were the spectators
with her courage and agility that they in
sisted upon knowing her name, that the
mountain might be thenceforth called after
her. In subsequent visit to ST.. Louis,
Miss Hosmer found that her rustic admirers
had been as good as their word, and " Hos
little lady's" ambition and courage.
SHE GOES ABROAD.
October of 1852 saw father and daughter
on their way to Europe, the st. Louis
diploma and daguereotypes of Hesper
being safely slowed away in the safest cor
ner of the portmanteau, as evidences of what
the young artist had already achieved, when
arrived OF Rome, she should seek the in
instruction of one or two masters, whose
fame, worldwide, alone could satisfy our
aspirant's ambition. So eager was her
desire to reach Rome, that week only was
given to England, and then joining some
friends in Paris, the whole party proceeded
to Rome, arriving in the Eternal City on
the evening of November ID, 1852.
JOHN GIBSON.
Within two days the daguerreotypes
were placed in the hands of Mr.. Gibson as
he sat at breakfast in the Cafe Greco, a
famous place of resort for artists. Now. be
it known, as a caution to women not to
enter lightly upon any career, to throw it
up as lightly upon the first difficulty which
arises, that prejudice existed in Rome
against lady artists, from the pretensions
with which some had repaired thither, and
upon which they had succeeded in gaining
access to some of the best studios and in
struction from their masters, to throw those
valuable opportunities aside at the first OBJ
stacle that arose. Mr.. Gibson had himself,
it was said, been thus victimized and an.
noyed, and it was represented to Miss Hos.
mer as doubtful in the extreme, if be would
either look at the daguerreotypes or listen
to the proposal of her becoming his pupil.
However, the daguerreotypes were placed
before him, and, taking them into his hands
-one presenting full, and the other a
profile view of the bust-he sat some mo-
ments in silence, looking intently at them.
Encouraged by this the young sculptor,
who had undertaken to present them, pro.
ceeded to explain Miss Hosmer's intentions
and wishes, what she had already done, and
what she hoped to do. Still Mr.. Gibson
remained silent. Finally, closing the cases,
" Send the young lady to me-" said he,
and whatever I know, and can teach her,
she shall learn" In less than week Har-
riet Hosmer was fairly installed in Mr..
Gibsons studio.
HnpnxroNx,