Delaware State journal and statesman., 1869-07-09
snhwanthaIer,s Statue.

the good little wife Of the metal founder,
"Think, here Is the fifth day since yos nsso st
slept, or, indeed, scarcely eaten. on, mlon
you we're sculptor-painterl Any one whose
work grows under his hand, knows not nall tn9
anxiety that you, my poor husband, unasrgo,
.iTrne, my love. quite true; but am prouu
Of my power to do what sculptor nor PAln.es
could never do. Il requires some nerve, souie
self.contrOling power, assure you 10 mas 10
mass of such stubborn material as na'e "
work, melt into perfect figure ,u.,,.
And you have the nerve, / know, Wiiheim;
but this last grand work, fear, will tax you 100
much But / will not talk to you. Lie aoWn
and sleep"
And Muller, overcome with so many nights
and days of excitement and exposure 70 aiaer- ,,
nate heat and cold, as he directed the feeuing
of the enormous furnace, standing IN draugn.s
Of air through the chilly October nign.s, anu
fevered with anxiety, threw himself INTO iarge
chair, and closed The weary eyes whose nus
were so heavy.
II was now quite dark; bnt Catherine orept
softly to the window, first putting out the hgh',
lest it should waken him, aud sat DOWN 10
watch the brilliant yet ftful glow that hgnteu
up the neighboring roofs and treos, streaming
and quivering from the foundry FOR u was
SchWanthaler who had undertaken to design tns
great work which King Louis !. had proleoteu
that Of erecting at Munich colossal Statue
Of Bavaria; and II was Muller who had peen
engaged to carry out the artists idea.
sohwanthaler had been three years in form
ing his model 1t was in clay and was sixty
three feet high. The artist was fortunate IN
finding metal founder who could SO truly fol-
low out his idea. Muller was man Of large
capacity, strong perceptive fat Mites, and ar
tistic taste He came to his work with CRATE
full appreciation Of the honor conferred upon
him. and resolution 10 exceed, II possible, the
expectation of his principals in the work.
For five days the immense oauldron which
held the metal, had been constantly watched,
the master taxing his brain 10 ascertain the
precise amount that would be required.
There was no judging how long this state Of
things were to last. The entire mass might not
arrive at The boiling point for a week. The air
was close and hot, as II q sirOcoo had passed
over the city, and the poor workmen felt its
burning breathi yet not word or groan attes-
ted their sufferings
For them, however, there were intervals OF
rest-for the master there was no rest, unless
the troubled slumber into which he now fell,
might be called 80. His anxiety had been in
creased by the after-thought which had occur
red to him-tbe daring attempt to form the
whole into one grand figure al once It was q
bold thought, but it was governed by master
mind, Whenever the molten sea began to boil,
its lood-ga were to be removed, and it's con-
tents would flow into the gigantic mould pre-
pared for its reception. A single inch Of va
cum, a single crack, even, and the statue would
be ruined.
But Muller Numbered aud Agnes watched.
Through the great, wide open doors of the
foundry, she could see, by the strong light. the
faces of the six men on duty Their faces,
with the dark red fire quivering upon them,
looked like those Of demons; aud when they
stirred the cauldron, it seemed like some horri-
BILE sacrifcal rite of pandemOnium.
She could distinctly hear the roar Of the
mighty flame, and every sound stiuck upon the
heart Of the devoted little wife; for she knew
that her husbands modification aud disappoint-
ment, in case of failure, would be intense
Aud then Muller was not rich, and the pecu'
mary loss would half ruin him. She thought
Of the two sweet child angels, sleeping 80 calm
/ ly in the room above, unknown TO the cares
that hung wearily about their father aud she
got down softly from her seat, aud put up o
whispered prayer for Wilhelm's success.
| AS she rose from her knees to resume her
| watching, the broad glare shone full upon her
| face A moments earnest look, and then she
rushed to the chair where wilhelm sat in an
uneasy sumber.
"Oh, wake my husbandF' she cried. "Tht
foundry is on irel"
In moment Muller was wide awake, ami
thinking that il he should try to extinguish tht
flames with cold water ii would destroy bolf
furnace and metal, he rushed 10 the door anC
was gone in an instant.
Another fear seized the wife. In Wilhelm
care for his furnace, might he not expose hi
life too reckessyf Once she dstermined to g
to the scene Of disaster, but the sleeping infan
must not be left alone. She obstinatey refuset
i AL Ln.,n ln. -. I'LL -.
to work for her husband, while his labor was 8
hard. The confinement would have been wear
ing, had not her light, buoyant spirits tri
umphed over it.
She ran out into the street, and heard th
people mastering to go to the FIRE. She saw tw
Of the neghbors rush out, and she seized th
arm of one and said, "Do nothing until Viii
helm gives the word. / beseech you to remem
ber this, and keep others from tamrering wit
the fire to bring destruction upon his work"
She repeated 1t to others, and assisted |
saving her husband from the accident he dreaC
ed. When Muller arrived, he directed the me
to put wet clothes upon the roof, to stifie
much as possible the flames for he saw at ono
that it could not bo extinguished without ruiz
ing his work. The whole building was on fir
lighting up the whole midnight sky, from wbic
the young October moon had long hours aI
disappeared. Az at once he cried out to Il
men to let the FIRE burn, for the metal was b
ginning to boil.
Breathessly they waited until the who
teeming mass bubbled up. The burning bear
!; fell around the caldron, the roof dropped i
and every heart throbbed almost audibly
Muller pulled the great plug that confined Ii
= metal, and its torrent Of dark fluid gurged o
= into the mold.
1t was mighty deed for those rude, unpo
= shed men TO do, and they stood with fold
! arms and solemn couutenances gazing up
e their work.
y They then extinguished the remains Of I
y ere, and left the statue in it's colossal cradle
y harden into perfection. Muller went home,
traces Of fatigue or anxiety having left him.
y was near morning; but Agnes made him go
y bed, where he slept for hours the sweetest sle
70 he had ever known.
~ AS there had been prayers for the success
le issue Of the work, so now there was thaul
10 giving that no accident had marred the joy Il
g. was universally expressed. The Workmen
10 been kept from harm, and the noble statue,
times the height of a man. met the approbat
he Of the King and its designer. Muller's fortul
DC were mended by this revelation Of his powe
q, and the little wife grew prouder and prouder
Id her husband. On the 11th of October they ei
70, year hold high festival, In commemOralior
Ut that evsntful night.
re- A BROTHER PAINFULLY AvENdRs sIsTI