Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-07-03
HIRAM POWERS.

so oco-an old and somewhat dilapi-
,,,od farm house. There is nothing in
,,o annearance of this old building to
1,.,inrnish it from the homes of our an
o.stors. three-quarters of century ago,
,,bicb now, through neglect Of the chill
1ron and grandchildren, or because the
lo,l homestead" had-through necessity
,r for the sake of profft-passed into
..,ronrors' hands, and been permitted to
,olrrgo the several stages of decay, un-
,il m last. it has become even unsightly.
v.5thcr were the surroundings pleasant
mp attractive. 1t is a common country
farm. and its like may be found in near
rr every New England town, and would,
# Itself. be passed by with, perhaps,
fine thought that the proprietor was
gnfftless vet, we presume, although we
know not his name, that this sin cannot
na laid to his charge. Three or four
oo.Hbly, half a dozen at the outside
srravny trees arc in front of the honse,
and #. as well as its adjuncts, is alto
...tbrr rcpcllant, rather than attractive.
+, WINS the home of one of the first set
r.r. of Woodstock-fo in Woodstock
f.t.-a famous physician Of his day,
wa'. from his accumulatIons' would
.a.m TO have practiced his profession
,oo-.. from the love of it and from gene
raj bgncyolence, than Tor the desire OF
cia, Here his son was oorh' aho' Tor
atimo, lived, ana mere MS GRANDSON nrsI
saw light. For years. TINS house and
farm has Keen one OF the most noted
spots in New England II not III the
country, and has been Mecca tor tour
lists as well as artists
The accident OF Dlrth ana, percnance,
a dream has distinguished TINS dlIapl-
dated farm house from It's fellows ana
from others IN the country Here on
uctWcntF-nihth OF july, IoOo' was porn
Hiram Powers, NeFmontS, Americas,
ave. the worlds greatest modern SOUP
tor In this house, as he, himself, re-
lated, hn dreamed a dream that decided
l., whole future destiny. We cannot
now refer to his own relation, but as
recalled from the memory Of an early
r4dlug IL was, in substance, that he
seemed to see, across a river, a female
f.arc arraycd in white, standing upon a
pedestal. At this time, he had never
t-4....... 1.,,4 1000, q, C4,,,. ,,.,,.gr
nlnd its meaning, when seeing a rough
ATTEMPT at a statue bv some aspiring
artist From this time. his life work
WAS determined in his own mind. and his
oyn,,. ,frort was directed to the accom-
oIf.hmept Of his ambition. We do not
nronose 10 attempt q biocrapbical sketch
or Hiram Powers, as the facts of his
.,lroor are we'll known. but we desire TO
r.II fine attention of vounc men TO his
..,a,, dissemination in reoard 70 his fin
..r, ar.ssio, and n some facts in his
.,.,1,, rr, that tbo, NAV resolve like
him, tod, ,,.l1 whatever thew undertake
whether If &c consonant with their feel
mos and ambition or NOT. This was the
secret Of his success. II is true. with
out doubt. that in some professions. call
nrs and works. it is useless for one to
enter thereon unless he has an especial
,.bonto therefor. but in most of the
branches of Iifes work patience, perse-
vcrlncc. energy and a determination to
su,cceI will insure success.
This early dream, oft repeated, seems
10 have convinced Hiram Powers that
II was his particular calling to repro
dnro. in marble or clay, the human
form or some ideal imaginings, yet he
neglected not to do-and do well and
horouoLly-evervthin thai came into
the line of his duty. From some cause,
perhaps from the unproductivencss of
fine old Vermont homestead, the father
finding il impossible to maintain his
family. as he desired, removed to Ohio.
Previous to this time. Hiram had fin
ishpd his education-as the youth of the
present dav would call it-by gradual
ting at a Vermont district school-as
thew were q half century, or more, ago
and receiving some rough instruction
I'm the "art of drawing" from neigh
Dor. Upon the removal of the family
90 Ohio. he was compelled to "shift for
himself" having arrived at that age
when. in accordance with custom, a son
must contribute to the support of the
household. Idleness was not counten-
aaccI in those days. He first, under
these circumstances, obtained employ
meut in reading room of a hotel, and,
aftcrward, with the prospect of better
compensation, became clerk in prod
nee store, where he remained until the
failure of his employer. Having per-
formed his duties faithfully, deYotlng
his time and abilities for the interest OF
his employer, he did not long remain
idle, but soon was at work with CLOCK
maker, in the mechanical part Oh inc
business. The duties OF this posltloh'