National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-03-12
A SCULPTOR'S Love STORY.

A SCIILPTOR'S love STORY.
The capital Of AniOu is preparing to do
honor to one Of It's most illustrious children. The
sculptor David is TO be commemoratcd by statue
the work OF an NJ Noel. who obtained the first
prize in the competition organized by the town OF
St. Anglers. BartlIelemy Saint -Iiiairc has been
deputcd 10 represent the government ct the inaug-
Ulral ceremony and the occasion will probably be
seized To put forward species Of ministerial pro-
s;ramme The life of David Of Anglers forms a
filling subject FOR republican panegyric. as he suf-
fercd pcrsecutiOn and Punishment for the good
cause. PoSthumous reward has come at last, and
on ue spot where the embryo artist solicited the
Charity Of passers- by to take home few SOUS to
his mother. the features of the powerful genius,
as he developed in after years, will serve TO remind
future generations of AngerinS that the path of
glory if it leads but to the grave. does not always
close there.
The story fthe struggling sculptor'S privatiOns
trials and ultimate SUCCESS in the great city
whittier he bcIook himself will doubtless be told
once more. To gain a scanty piLauce nc was
obliged 10 accept maSon's work. in which capacity
lie hes left some marks of his powers In stone
in the front Of the Tuileiies. Hearing of the hard
ships of their young tOwnsnan, the municipality
Sn Angers yoied him moderate annuity of 500
francs, or SIO0 This suiiced to keep David from
actual want, and the force of his character and
aptitude for art Snou enabled him not only to sus-
tain his head above water, but also to emerge into
n0toriety. He received commission to execute
IN emblemaLic figure Of France on the portal Of
The Pantheon, which is esteemed a masterpiece.
The revolution of ISIS afforded him an opening to
public life, and the very decided way in which he
protested against the admission of Prince Napo-
ia Inc
cost him his life in 1852 1t may, perhaps, be an
cxaggcratiOn to speak Of David of Anglers as the
French Michael Angelo. but in his chief work,
which has been called national epopce, he Ger
tainIy approached that great master. The history
of his statue 4" la ,TelLHe Gr5cgUe," which was de-
signed to portray Il young girl bending over the
tomb and spelling the hcro's name of Marcos Bot
zaris. the victim Of Naupbiie and saviour of Mis-
sol0ughi. has been recounted by jules Claretie
The young artist, inspired by this tale, burned
with desire to raise monument to its hero One
day, when casting about for subject OF compost
ton. hc perceived littlegirl in a cemetery kneel
ing over tomb and spelling out the letters of the
Inscription chisclcd there by the aid of her fingers
Nothing could be more simple or more touching
"Tife deciphering with lisp the secret of DEATH
The next step was to seek 8 model. While on
bis way TO dine with Victor Hugo. at the house Of
the Mere Saguet, in the Rue de MontparnasSe. he
discovered a maiden of fourteen, in rags but
charming therein. SNow I have my model
David cOniided tohiS friend. the poet after he had
taken the address of the sirl. Slim and delicate,
bearing in her face. the signs of a precoeiOuS
Struggle for existence. The child was nevertheless
beautiful and seemed at that moment to incarnate
Greece oppressed. Her frail body was destined to
live ia the marble Of the statuay but all that her
uuR0fthy parent thought of was the ration of
brandy which her daughters pure form procured
Ler in the present.
There was ia DaXid's aiclier in the Rue de Fleu-
rus prucifx in bronze which attracted his models
attention. One day, at the close of a sitting she
FcnturCd TO ask the sculptor if he would consent
part with it, i'll return for her services until the
debt was wiped out.
ga Christ like that in our loft would be beauti-
fHl and then it would console me, and might sus-
tain me-" entreatcd the girl.
Without moments hesitation David went and
fnhung the coveted object, saying in his curt but
not uRkipdly tones: "All right; you wish it. Very
well, take it then; and if ever you are tempted to
do wrong, look at it and think of him who gave it
to you"
For nolhing?' demanded the child, whose
name was Clementine. Her joy was profound and
David went Oh with feTerish inspiration TO COM
Iete the marble efigy of the young Grecian maiden
spelling the name of Botzaris All his pOesy
IHsSGu u
ture. and all the feelings of the patriot were ex
pressed in its clay. When he had finished, the
author apostrophized his handiwork like Pygma-
! lion addressing Galatea, But as parent, not as
lover"
Thou art ended now dear child, and art about
60 quit our shores for the beautiful country of
Greecc-though whom loved so much. All how
loved thee, as tender father lovedhis daughter,
an spite of the faults which he knows well. Thou
art about 10 quit the land of noble inspiration and
great works fOrthe country which gave them birth
May the SUN of Attca, whose rays are but family
reflected here, warm thee. When the star shall
mount in the armament. like thought of the
Christ one of its rays shall rest On the melancholy
brow: for thou art very sad my poor child"
The statue of La JeHEe GTecgUe" was sent to
Greece, and in spite of this gloomy invocation we
are told that the artist probably thought no more
OF it than of its prototype, being engroSsed with
other works. One evening. on cuttings company
al II. do GisorS, the architect Of Luxembourg,
David was accosted by an unknown person, who
dealt him two terrible blows from behind which
laid hare his skull. But for the help of passing
workman he mighthavs bled to death by the way
side With officially the sculptor dragged himself
to his abode. His attempted assassin remained
undiscovered, although David always suspected q
rival against whom he voted in d competition,
and who afterward died mad \ few years later
when the episode had been nearly forgotten by its
victim. David of Angers (aS he is called received
3 letter inviting him TO repair, between midnight
and ono o'clock 70 certain house in the Fau-
bourg st, Jaques, near the hospital Val de Grace
a sign, understood by "patriots," was traced
or the cover. David, fancying that it re-
aencd to a conYocation of some polit-
zeal refugees, prepared to start without any
misgivings The note stated that the house had no
Snncierpe and tIlst fhn bearer must 90 Droyided
with covered lantern. On the fourth story he
would see a cross chalked on the door, which
would be opened on knocking. Somebody would
be there to receive him. The proposal sounded
mysterious, not 10 say suspicious, but the recipient
ofthiS Sstrange missve was young; and the romantic
school. with friend Hugo at the head, was just at
It's dawn. He SET off, arriving at the house indi-
GATED little after midnight.
On reaching the fourth floor David perceived the
chalk cross when he knocked as Instructed with
out misgiYing. No answer. He knocked again.
with the same result, until, thinking he had been
made the dupe of some practical joke, the mid
night visitor was about TO descend and wend his
way homeward. All on q sudden the opposite door
opened. when a young woman appeared with a
light i'll her hand Recognizing David, she became
pale excIaiming in a terrified voice, "What! is it
you? You, Monsieur David!
The sculptor, in his turn, stood stupefied as he
sRw before him, still beautiful, though trembling
the little street girl of the Rue Montparnasse the
young Greek ofthe tomb Of BotZaris.
Go away from here as quick as you can' she
cried, in supplicatiIg tones. If you stay you are
dead man; and he sure not to say a word about
1t. else we shall be undOne-Iny mother and l. All
mon Dieu! did not know it WAS you. Be off at
once, beg of you, Monsieur David"
'Be il So" responded the sculptor feeling that