Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-06-25
How ,he Angel wa. wrough, in snow

How the Angel Was Wrought In SNOW.
['Fanny Ferns" picturesque account, contributed by
her TO the New York Lcdger.l
lady now resident in Massachusetts,
writes Noticing the articles in your paper
from week to week in reference to the sol
diers' monument and the "Recording Angel
l wish to call your attention to the enclosed
scrap, which long ago cut from paper and
preserved AS l was one of the admiring
crowd on the New Years morning therein
mentioned | can but wish and wish again to
have the Angel belong to Biatteboro for
ever. Respectfully, A. u. O.
4 GREEN MOUNTAIN GENUS.
The town of Brattleboro, wrapped in its
mantle Of snow, looked very lovely that crisp,
cold winter night There was no opera, no
theatres, no racketing or frolcking Of any
sort going on. The snow and the stars had
il all their own way. said it WAS quiet, )"
and yet from the windows Of one pretty little
white house, lights were cleaning, and now
a young man, warmly mufll d to the ears,
crosses the thrt shold, and is joined by two
or three Young companions, who commence
gathering the snow in heaps in front of the
house, while he shapes it with his benumbed
fingers into the form of pedestal, occasion
ping his hands together to produce circ1ls-
tion. Now upon the pedestal be commences
modelling a figure while bis companions
continue patiently to supply him with fresh
heaps Of pure white snow, one holding lantern
while he proceeds with bis work. Noiselessly
and iudustriously they toll, no policeman dis.
turbipg them with curious inquiries or rathreat-
| ened "AtaiiOn house" Occasionally they enter
the house, where warm dannes and warm
| 4 -
J encouraging smile, await them, to inspire
| the party with new energy. 1t is near day
| light, and still our snow-sculptor tolls on,
| hour after hour, till fair and lovely stands
| before him on this night of the New Year,
the form of a Recording Angel, writing upon
n scroll. Now the party, taking one long
| look, quietly retire, leaving the figure CON
spicuousy standing at the meeting OF two
roads. The stars gradually fade out, and
Braitlt boro begins to be astir. First comes
the earliest riser Of all, poor ''crazy Jim, '
| who never seems to weary of wandering to
and fro on the earth, and up and down on j..
Dim in his confused brain lie tangled memo.
ries of childhood's angela He stands and
gazes awe-stricken and wondering, while his
busy, chattering tongue is for the time quite
| still Now farmer from the mountains
| Rlides over the snow with his feet horse and
sleigh, with tinking bells, and reius up, and
shares crazy Jlm's amazement. AS the morn
ing wears on, the news flies that there is IAN
angel among them. School girls and boys
forget that it il ''past nine,' and stand spell
bound 10y the side Of their parents whose
wonder at tho marvellous beauty of the figure
ia only tqualled by their curiosity as to the
fingers that so cunningly shaped ii. Had
| Brattleboro, with its other natural marvels
furnished also a genius Was Vermont, rict
in so many other treasures, to keep 9
sculptor Artists were not wont to swarm in
Brattleboro in mid winter how long soevei
might be the list of "arrivals' during the
balmy days of summer. There was no name
of distinction now on the hotel books. Who
c0ud it be ? Aud what pity such beautiful
thing should perish, and fade away with the
first warm rays of the sun. Among the
crowd who gathered to wonder aud admir-,
came an editor. This editor was intelligent
and what is more, sympathetic and apprecia
tive He wrote glowing account of the
"snow angel" The paper containing it me
the eye of rich old Nicholas Longworlh o
Cincinnati He Immediately sent an order Il
the young sculptor, who was then modestl!
en joying his first triumph from the window
OF his fathers little white house, to prrpetu
ate it for him in marble, not forgetting t,
send with the order generous cht ok in ad
vance. THIS was substantial praise. 1hi
looked like beginning the world right. Fo
once, Fortune, too often churlish to genius
seemed about to take it at once into her am
pie lap.
But our sculptor did not presume on this
He finished his beautiful statue to the salts
faction of his patron, and with the proceed
went to Italy, where he could more easi
command the requisites OF the profession t.
which Nature had ordained him. One lovel.
creation after another has succeeded the sno'
angel, and are now cherished household treas
ures in his native land and State. / am no
NeTmonter, unless strong love for its gran
mountains and intelligent people can max
me one; still, though suffering under tn
disgrace of not having been born in that glo
rious old State, | feel just az proud of tbs
young Green Mountain sculptor and hi
beautiful works as II its lovely valleys la
Graded me.
So, lest other States begin to wrangle b
aud by az to the honor of producing him,
wish to place it on record that Larkin G.. Mea
was born and reared in BrdtteborO Vernon
and no where else. FANNY FERN.