The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1869-09-10
.nisceliapse0HS.
Old Hickory.

In the last number of Appleton's Jour
nal. DIR. Bellows, in his interesting report
of the conversations at seven sittings with
Mr.. Powers. relates the following anec'
dotes Of President jackson. substantially
in the sculptors' own language
When / first went to Washington.
had several letters to General jackson,
and called first upon the President, and
asked him, after he had read my letters,
If he would sit to me.
"Do YOU daub any thing over the faeeG"
he inquired, looking at me under his spec
tacles, with avery ominous glance of in
quiry because / rccollect poor Mr.. JEFF
ferson got nearly smothered when they
tried to take his bust. The plaster hard
ened before they got ready to release him.
and they pounded it with mallets till they
nearly stunned him, and then almost tore
off n piece Of his ear in their haste in pull
ing off sticking fragment Of the mould.
should not like that"
.'Oh, no." said, Mr.. President, don't
wish to do anything Of that sort. only
wish to look Mt you, for an hour day,
sitting in your chair, and / viii engage
to produce your likeness"
"Ah. them" he replied. "it will give me
very great pleasure, Mr.. Powers, to oblige
you. But when come you?"
AT any time, Mr.. President, it suits
your convenience. have perfect leisure
and am wholly at your command"
could you come as early as seven in
the morning3"
Certainly; the earlier after light the
better for me-"
In few days was enstalled in n room
in the White House itself. TWAS n room
in which, every morning, was thrown
about bushel of newspapers from all
parts of the country, directed to the Presi-
dent, and marked to attract his attention
to the favorable editorial notices of his adj
ministration which the editors had so dis
interestedly written and published. I'm
afraid they would have been very much
surprised and grieved If they had known
that. with the exception Of one or two pa
pers from his own district, the President
never looked at any of these papers except
as they kindled his morning fire.
found the President an excellent. and
most kind and courteous sitter. He invit-
ed me to dine with him, l think, the first
day, telling me the names Of his own
household, whom / should meet. We
had an excellent dinner, but the General
/ observed. ate only large bowl Of bread
and-milk. not touching either meat or
wine. In the course Of the dinner, Ma
jor Donaldson, think, was talking very
interestingly upon some recent discover
les in astronomy. After listening while
the general raised his somewhat thin voice
rather highly.
~ tell you. major, that we don't really
know any thing about the weight and size
of those distant heavenly bodies. It's all
guess and prctencc. It's nonsence,
sir. talk about u little spark, twinklins
away up in the sky, rs If we knew just
how far oirit was, and just how big il
was"
"But. general" returned the major, eli
we did not know the place and the disc OF
some of the distant planets and stars, how
could their positions be calculated. and
how could eclipses be predicted years
ahead with perfect certainty and exact
ness?n
That's all very easy, sir; very easy"
replied the general. ATS done by tradi-
ton, sir. The stars move in regular or
bits. Their places are observed. at GER
tain times, and noted; and when they
come again TO tho same places, its OBJ
served and handed down, and so, sir, we
know when they will be in those places
again. it may be hundred years hence.
It's all very simple. / don't believe n
word OF what these astronomers say about
the immense distance and size of the fixed
stars. shouldn't wonder If the moon
was as big as any of'em.
Ii was hardly deemed judicious to press
the conversation ON astronomy any fur
Their.