The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-02-08
BY MISS JANE BOSWELL MOORE,


Artfsts-..L- w. VOIk---lIr. LincoIn's
Hand.--WheeIinE----Y OF ths
TOWn---PRrkersburS.
BY MISS JANE BOSWELL MOORE.
The early light of a cold winters
morning saw us in Chicago, the great
city of the West, which we reached
from Pittsburgh after twenty-three
hours travel through four different |
States. It is indeed prodigy, having
more of the air and business-like aspect
of New York than any city we have
seen. We pass on our way, its elegant
opera house, built by Mr.. Cros-
by at a cost of 100000, known
as the headquarters of leading city
artists, G. p. A. Healy, d. +. Bigelow,
S. 81. st. John, n. G. Ford, j. ii.
Drury, w. Cogswell, ]. r. Sloan, p. F.
and ]. II. s. Reed. Some of Mr.. Ford's
Rocky Mountain scenes remind us of
those of +. Buchser, the Swiss artist in
Washington, the same remark being
made by both, that they had not seen
the gorgeousneSs of the sky among
these mountains equalled, save in
Africa. In this studio are not only
many scenes, but some rare minerals,
brought home by the artist, who, with
his wife, spent five months in their sol
itude, sleeping at a hight of twelve
thousand feet, only twice under shelter
of u house, and passing snow drifts
forty feet deep in July. In MIR. Drury,
proud to claim as such AN artist of such
rare merit. His large painting of two
! foX-hounds, peculiar to Maryland and
Virginia, tied, and eager for the
chase, is much admired. The
castle of Chillon, with its dun
the coast, and Minnehaha falls, like a
snow veil, suspended in air, look down
upon us from the wall. We are tempted
to while away hours, only too few,
over Mr.. Bgelow's view of Ausable
! Pond, n. Y. Like perfect gem en-
! closed in a rugged setting of hills it
seems, with that golden, but not
/ brilliant evening sky. The water re-
minds us of Church's wonderful power,
/ il is so still and clear, while the tree on
| the right has fallen into the stream so
! long ago that not even "A ripple breaks
! the surface. "Kitty's Toilet, ~ Dogs"
and the "Pet Cat" are from the pencil
of Mrs. st. John, whose talent seems
to lay in the way of portraits, as that
OF Mr.. Sloan does in landscape and
4 home gems, Mr.. Cogswell's in portraits
/ and the younger Reed in luscious fruit
pieces. Going up Lake street we note,
/ on our way to Cottage Grove, the head
| quarters of the popular monthly, The
Lille Corporal, whose visits are doing
so much to thrill with honest loyalty
the hearts of children throughout our
land. While examining at the rooms
! of the sculptor, l.. w. Nolk, on the
corner of washington and State streets,
his graceful figure of Longiellow's Min
nehaha, the life-Iike bust OF the artists
| wife, which he terms, ga labor ofloVe,"
we We're attracted by familiar
face, beaminE with genial benev-
olence, yet indicating strength of
purpose, both of which were rarely
united in Abraham Lincoln. This bust
is by tar the most perfect and life-like of
the many we have seen. But this was
not the most affecting memento of that
great man to whom the high honor
was given of being an instrument in
Gods hands for proclaiming liberty,
in deed, not in word only, to millions
of free men. II was the cast of the
Presidents hand, made at the same
time, and this TO us had peculiar and
thrilling associations. 1t is large and
brawny, indicating great muscular
power, Mr.. Lincoln then being six feet
, one inch in. height and weighing one
hundred and eighty pounds. In Janu-
AIRY succeeding his nomination, he re-
marked to the artist that he had lost
forty pounds in weight, and ii was not
long before the burden of care and re-
; sponSibility unnerved the strong right
J hand. We reached Alexandria on
i u June afternoon, being the last TO
: abandon Acquia Creek, she wounded
and their attendants having lefI the day
/ before. The whole country was de-
( serted, not even a picket could
= u
g road lately SO carefully guarded-the
t pontoons had gone the day before, and
even the telegraph operators had left
their stations. In our efforts to supply
T the wounded, who We're to be removed
I in rude freight cars, we had forgotten
) to eat a morsel of food, and were glad
when the days excitement was over, to
turn into an old SibleY, and partake oi
r a rude lunch, prepared by II colored
"auntie, y who responded to our inqui-
II, r1sNN fNf hni
CAPTURED hy the rebels" with the phi.
lusophic remark>"they had not caught
her yet.n The hospitals in AlexandriG
: were crowded with the wounded from
g Chancellorsville, and we had scarcely
left the ''Johu Brooksn when the news.
boys assailed us with tidings of Mil
5 rows disaster, and the capture of Win
n chester, an old field of labor, and one il
q which we were much interested. Even
!. General Hooker acknowledged his ina
Il bility to- discover the wherea
y bouts of Lee and fears were entertain
If ed by many lest the coming battle
:, would be fought on the old and disas
trous field of Bull Run. Such was th'
n gloomy state of affairs when we called
/ at the White House, and asked to se'
e Mr.. Lincoln. But although the atten
70 dant indignantly rejected the idea of OBJ
: tanning an interview, when we sent vi
e cards and Introductory letters, he sen
at once for us. We found him in
!: small room, whose windows looked t
ar Arlington. He had been examining
maps, which he pushed away as we en-
Ie tered, and throwing himself into
j chair,pu his arms over it, saying pleas
= antly, "Well ladies here / am" We ha
az some little chat, in which all his won
a: ted kindlines and humor were appa
,e rent, and then rose TO bid him good bye
81 He held out his hand, and nothing
10 throughout our interview affect
q ed us so much as tn
le touch of those poor nerveless hngers
le which lay almost ike dead weight j
1r our own. They were like those of
re person not yet recovered from long i'll
it ness, so limp and lifeless did they seen
IS And when we saw that strong hanC
ar we could not but think how much tn
to mind and body must havegOne thrOug
rs during the terrible strain of those wear
Id years. Returning through Ciev'
Ii land, we visit the COvedale NURSERIES
@ well known TO many of your reader
er and recognize in the studios of ALE
he Smith aud Miss Ransom, some hne nj
- tural portraits, with painting by II
nd latter, OfJay Cookies summer residenc
ID, near Sandusky- In Wheeling we me
a familiar faces, and are saddened as v
read the names of some whom we kne'
SIX carved on tombstones in Mou
de Wood. Everywhere we are remiu
as ed of the awful struggle :hTOul
he which we have passed, and which mi
i'll not be over. In Partridge's larl
of and elegant gallery on Main stree
he we pass an hour pleasantly amor
5 views stereoscoplc and PhologfaiPili ai'iH
alf recognizing among the former, IhctuJ
3 81