The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-10-08
Gossip
About Men and Women.

Mrs. Hayes is enthusiastically described as
wearing at the indianapolis reception gown
of fawn-colored satin and brocade, trimmed
with ornaments of pearl and creamy lace. Her
only jewel was brooch of gold, and her hair
was simply dressed. 1t is added that with the
wind and sun 'to which she has been exposed
for the last six weeks, she is as brown as q NUT
but that did not show in the evening, and she
looked the fair and rosy and rounded personi-
fication of health she is"
Signor Brumidi, the aged artist who has so
long been engaged in decorating the Capitol at
Washington, was nearly killed while working
on the upper part of the rotunda recently. He
sat ON q chair perched on a scaffold fifty-fve
feet from the floor. In leaning over to give n
finishing touch to figure almost out of his
reach, he caused the chair to slip and fall off,
and he only escaped by a sudden clutch at the
edge of the scaffold. He has been at work up
on the Capitol for twenty-three years, and has
lately been so feeble that it has been found
necessary to lift him to his fresco work by
derrick.
A meteorite sword is q novelty. General Ord
of Texas, sent piece CT this celestial iron and
steel mixed to Colonel Benton, at the Spring
field Armory, to be made into weapon. The
material was foundvery brittle, but all difficult
ties have been overcome and blade has been
finished. On it is an inscription in Spanish
setting forth that the sword is made from iron
fallen from the skies of Mexico, and is pre-
sented to g. Trevino, Mexican general of divi-
sion, by his friend General Ord. U. S A.
1t is well known that Mr.. Whittier dislkes
to sit even for a photograph, but Mr.. Parker, L
believe went to see the poet, telling him
frankly the object of his errand. ''But / don't
want picture Of my self" said Mr.. Whittier.
''I know it" answered Parker 'but 100000
people want it," This nonplussed Mr.. Whit
tier and he said ''Do you believe it? Why L
never thought of such q thing" Mr.. Parker
wished to appoint the day for sitting, asking
the poet to suit his own convenience, but the
repugnance was again stirred, and he said,
"But do not want to sit. There are enough
pictures of me now and who will care to pre-
serve any painting of me?'' ''Thats not the
question for you to decide, Mr.. Whittier" said
the artist. "Some day, when it will be too
late they will get together some of those old
photographs floating about the country, which
you now despise, and they will patch together
a painting which they will hand down to pos
terity as Whittier, something that will not
look any more like you than a crow. And you
ought not to allow it," This presentation of
the case staggered Mr.. Whittier, and he said,
"Why, never looked at it in that light be-
fore" So the day was appointed for sitting.
The day came, but not Whittier. Two months
after, when Mr.. Parker had almost forgotten
the compact, he answered the studio bell and
Mr.. Whittier stepped in with the salutation,
'Well, are you ready for me?" Fortunately
Mr.. Parker had canvass prepared, and he
answered Eyes, sit right down" Mr.. Whit
tier was restless and silent and remained about
three-quarters of an hour. But the next time
staid longer, but as he was not communicative,
Mr.. Parker worked silently, not wishing to an
noy his sitter At the next sitting Whittier
was interested in the work, and left the chair
frequently to inspect it. This time he re-
manned three hours and talked freely. AL
though he always avoids any mention of his
poems, the conversation drifted that way, and
among much interesting conversation he gave
the origin of Maud Muller. He was driving
with his sister through York, Maine, and
stopped at harvest field to inquire the way.
A young girl raking hay near the stone wall
stopped to answer their inquiries. Whittier
noticed as she talked that she bashfully raked
the hay around and over her bare feet, and she
was fresh and fair The little incident left its
impression, and he wrote out the poem that
very evening. But if l had had any idea,"
he said, ''that the plaguey little thing would
have been so liked, would have taken more
pains with it." Yes, and probably robbed it of
its tender beauty and spoiled it, To the in
uuiry as to the title Maud Muller, he said it
was suggested to him and not a selection. 1t
came as the poem came. But he gives it the
short German pronunciation, as Meuler, no
the broad Yankee Muller.--Corr. Springfield
Republican.