The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-04-15
lnagos III loo.

Come out here" said the e-mage man
leading the way to his back yard, "ant
III show you some work am doing now.
The ice-imagc mans bdck yard was moi
larger thar the average Philadelphia back
yard. 1t had the conventional brick paving
ana upon this paving were strcwn various
tokens OF the image mans calling. First
ana foremost there was huge suuart
block of ice, fresh from the icc-house.
Next there was q large pile of ice shavings
and small crumbs the immediate result OF
the latest effort in the way Of large ice
globe which at that instant sat on the tor
OF the table, not yet relieved from its base,
the image man having been, in fact, cnga.
gcd upon this piece Of work when the ring
ut his door bell called him away for q mo,
mcnt. Next there was three -corncrcd
chlscl and large knife, and lastly, there
were number of tnbs standing around in
the yard, all covered with heavy pieces of
| canvas.
| "Now there" said the image man, point
ing out his latest work, sis globe. That
is made to 90 on this-I'll show YOU" lie
went to barrel and lifted up the image of
crookcd-backcd individual in his shirt
sleeves, and with his arms bent akimbo and
his head bowed rs if he had tho world on
not unknown to those vcrscd in mythology.
On his back was smooth place for the
globe to rest.
'Now that said the image man, indica-
ting the globe, ''gocs OH here. We make
hole in the back of the image and leave n
ii;tic tenant Or bolt Oil the under side of
the globe ana slip it in, which joins tho
two firmly together.
The globe had been followed out until
1t was perhaps about one inch in thickness
In the top was hole large enough for n
ten year old boy to thrust his fist in.-any
BOY who has ever purloined his mothers
preserves from a slender -mouthcd lar will
understand this--nnd inside there was n
capacity for about Il half gallon Of raw
oysters, the use to which these ice images
arc mostly applied at banqucts, entertain
mcnls, weddings, or other festive occasions
After exhibiting this, his latest product in
The line of art, tho image man. growing
more enthusiastic us he saw tho interest of
his visitor on the increase, went to one of
the several tubs, raised Il cnnvas and dis
played wooden cover on which was
placed lot Of ice chips to keep that which
! was beneath cool then he raised the cover
| and disclosed the image of all ice swan
atloat in large dish of water. The wings
were carved In the most siilful manner
| ahd were almost. rs thin as glass and nearly
as transparent. While the interest was
! ccntcrcd on this object the basement door
opened and the image mans wife, like tho
good wife she was, came out to share the
| admiration which was being lavishcd on
her husbands work.
Taint nothing like it would be If the
ice was good and clear. Sometimes, when
ne has good ice, you can't tell his image
from glass"
"Ycs," said the image man, "this leo
referring to tho yet uncut block that stood
in the yard-"is not rs clear rs have been
used to working up. make up things in
MANY different dcsigns-clcphants, camcls,
diamond dishes and Aliases, rs you see
here. have some diamond dishes" said
the image man, going down into tub,
(Which look very much like glass"
lie brought up one of the dishes in qucs-
tion, the sides of which were nicely orna-
mentcd by the carving of flowers and vines
thereon. "That dish," he said, isn't rs
clear as sometimes make them. Must have
crystal ice to do good work in that way
81 do wish the gentleman could have
seen tho elephant" said the wife, whose
| interest in her lords work had not been d.
ninishcd by repeated descriptions; it was
beautiful. Had lIindoo sittln' Oh n sad.
die, and in this saddle was hole where
the oysters went in. And there was d
camel, that elephant and that camel, | do
! think, were the bcautitulcst things | ever
| saw in my llfc."
Further talk revealed the fact that the
image man had monopoly of the business,
| and combining it with his vocation rs Il
caterer drove quite ilourishing trade. Out
! side of the immediate demands for various
entertainments, demands that came to him
directly from headquarters, he did an cx-
| tcnsivc business in the image line through
tho various caterers of the city, who inva-
riably went to him for supplies on great
| occasions. Ills designs were in many cases
| tho result of Instructions from those order
ing tho images; they would give him tho
ideas and he would work them up. Some
designs would he popular ut this place,
| while others wonld be more appropriate in
that place. His best work lies in the d.
rect:on Of camels and elephants with Hin
docs on their backs. Here he is entirely at
home, as he also is in fashioning out mytho-
| logical characters in all Of which tho util-
tarlan and the ornamental spirit arc happily
combined. The quadrupcdal and tho fish
designs arc usually sold as rcceptacles for
raw oysters; the designs in the way of
diamond and Bohemian vases arc some-
times used for fruit as well as for oysters.
The business Of making them during the
past year or so has grown in importance
The image man during the fashionable sea-
son before the advent Of Lent used up on
an average 8, 500 pounds of ice week in
image making alone. The cost Of ico during
the winter has been twenty cents hun
drcd. He sells tho images for from $l.50
up to IS apiece.
| a Swimmers Peril.
Th aas Coylc, q laborer In Roach's ship