The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-09-05
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES STATUE.

SCHWANTHAIERsS' STATUE.
f'Restl that is what you need dear"
said the good little wife of the metal
founder. Think, here is the fifth day
since You have slept, or, indeed, scarcely
eaten. Oh, I wish you were SCULPTOR
painter. Any one whose work grows
under his hand, knows not half the anx-
iety that you, my poor husband, under
'sTrue, my love, quite true; but am
proud OF my power to do what sculptor
or painter could never do. It requires
some nerve, some self-controlling power,
1 assure you, to make q mass of such
stubborn material asgI have to work,
melt into perfect figure.
'And you have the nerve, I know,
Wilhelm; but this last grand work, I
fear, will tax you too, much. But will
not talk to you.} Lie down and Sleep"
And Muller, overcome with so many
nights and days of excitement, and ex-
posure to alternate heat and cold, as he
directed the feeding of the enormous
furnace, standing in draughts of air
through the chilly October nights. and
fevered with anxiety, threw himself into
large chair, and closed the weary eyes
whose lids were 80 heavy.
It was not quite dark; bat Agnes orept
softly to the window, first putting out
the light, lest it should awaken him, and
sat down to watch the brilliant yet fitfC.
glow that lighted up the neighboring
roofs and trees. streaming and quivering
from the foundery. For it was Schwan-
thaler who had undertaken to design the
great work which King Louis had pro-
jected-that of erecting at Munich
colossal statue of Bavaria: and it was
Muller who had been engaged to carry
out the artist's idea.
Schwanthaler lad been there three
years in forming his model. 1t was in
clay, and was sixty three feet high. The
artist was fortunate in finding metal
founder who could 80 truly follow out
his idea. Muller was q man of large ca
artistic taste. He came to. his work with
grateful appreciation of the honor con-
ferred upon him, and resolution to ex-
ceed, if possible, the expectation of his
principals in the work. =
For five days the immense cauldron
which held the metal had been constantly
watched, the master taxing his brain to
ascertain the precise amount that would
be required. ,o
There was no Judging how long this
state of things was to last. The entire
mass might not arrive at the boiling
point for week, The air was close md
hot, as if sirocco had passed over the
city, and the poor workmen felt it's burn
ing breath; yet not word or groan at
tested their sufferings.
For them, however, there were inter
vals of rest; for the master there was no
rest, unless the troubled slumber into
which he now fell might be called so.
His anxiety had been increased by the
after-thought which had occurred to
him-the daring attempt to form the
whole into one grand figure at once. 1t
was bold thought, but it was governed
by master mind. Whenever the molten
sea began to boil, it's food gates were to
be removed, and its contents would flow
into the gigantic mould prepared for its
reception. A single inch Of vacuum,
single crack even, and the statue would
be ruined. iaa ana -
But Muller slumbered. and Agnes
watched. Through the great. wide open
doors of the foundry, ,'she could see, by
the strong light, the faces of the six
dark red fire quivering upon them,
looked like those of demons; and when
they stirred the cauldron, it seemed like
some horrible sacrificial rite of pande-
monium.
She could distinctly hear the roar of
the mighty fame, and every sound struck
upon the heart of the devoted little wife;
for sue knew that her husbands mortifi-
cation and disappointment, in case of
failure, would be intense. And then
Muller was not rich, and the pecunary
loss wonld half ruin him. She thought
OF the two sweet child-angels, sleeping
80 calmly in the room above, unknowing
to the cares that hung wearily about
their father; and she got down softly
from her seat, and put up whispered
aver 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 unbroken slumber.
ooh, wake, my busband!' she cried;
"the foundry is on fire!'
II q moment Muller was wide awake,
and thinking that if he should try to ex-
tinguish the flames with cold water it
would destroy both furnace and metal,
he rushed to the door and was gone in
an instant.
E. IL