Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-01-21
Winnie Reanl.

Washington Cor. Chicago Tribune.
This little girl comes of an humble
family from Wisconsin. she was made
clerk in the postoflice during Mr., Lin
coins term, and developed into a, sculp-
tress Of her own volition and laptness.
Being pretty, as sculpturesses generally
are not, a good deal of her cleverness
was denied her by her female rivals, and
she became the. butt of the Boston school
of men and women, including the re.
nowned Charles Sumnerwho denounced
his colleagues savagely for having given
her the work to do, when, as he charged
il should have been intrusted to Mr.. Story.
Yet, in the same speech. Sumner ad-
mitted that he had never seen this little
girl model of Mr.. Lincoln, but that he
knew, without looking, that it was dis
graceful. The difference between philan.
thropy and charity was well exemplified
in this attitude of the Bay State Boan.
erges, who has spent a good part of his
! life in redressing wrongs, while he was
not willing to give the work of this child
even an audience Senator Trumbull
on the other hand, has been a steadfasi
and constant friend of Winnie Ream
because she represented the western part
Of the United States, and was too little
to get along without help. After Winnie
had been awarded the contract, the i'm.
peachment developed in all its fury, and
her accidental assooiation-by her sis
ter's marriage-with Perry Fuller, made
her a target for the most nnmanly vitu-
peration, both in the newspapers and in
gossip. AZ .glJaq
But, when she went to Rome, the first
man to step out and take her under bis
protection was the very Mr.. Story whom
Charles Sumner had signallzed as the
only man fit to make statue OF Mr..
Lincoln. Awaiting herself of the sug-
pestions Of Healy, the portrait painter,
and Story, the sculptor, Miss Ream has
executed figure of Mr.. Lincoln which,
lacking, perhaps, fine idealization, is one
of the very best literal representations
of the author of emancipation which we
ever had. Mr. Delano accepted 1t With
ont hesitation, on behalf of the Govern
ment, and the spectators who saw 1t I'M
yelled were profuse in their TESTIMONIALS
TO its faithfulness. Miss Ream was for
tunate in obtaining a remarkably pure
block of Carrara marble and the services
of excellent. .workmen,r Her statue
represents Mr.. Lincoln standing with a
mantle pendent from his shoulders, and
the paper of emancipation in his hand
Perhaps this statue is no extraordinary
contribution 70 the national art, but it is
better than either Of Stones figures, the
Hancock and the Hamilton, both Of
which are making elaborate efforts to
reach around their bodies and execute
the feat OF touching the smalls of their
hacks. Our monumental art is not gen
erally good in America. beeanse the art
lists will not give each other chance. A
more illiberal and envious set of people
do not probably exist than the American
sculptors. No sooner does one man get
a commission from public body than
he is set upon with ingenious malice by
all the rest. There is Browns statue OF
Lincoln in Union Square, New York. 1t
is a faithful and almost an idealized rep
resentation Of a very unartistic subject
and nobody else could have rendered Il
any better, consistent with historical
accuracy. Yet that statue kas been
pelted with mud by set of iaundieed
artists, and by a gang Of political jour
nalists hardly more ungenerous. a