The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1886-05-20
THE W. c. T. U. MADONNA.

THE W. C. T. U. MADONNA.
In an article which appeared in the Union,
Signal of Sept oath last. concerning the
Temperance Calendar, allusion was made
to Raphael's Madonna, as follows: 1T is
quite evident that the design for he Ma
tional w. c. Z. U. seal was derived from
this same picture, and by the way, | re-
member to have read somewhere once con-
corning this Madonna, that Raphael first
saw the peasant woman whom he here
MadonnaiZes, in the country, and not
having other material at hand, made his
first outline of it on the head of a wine
cask." On occasions since | have been
asked to verify the reference, and | now
wish to fulfill promise to do so. Mrs.
Clement, in her Handbook of Legendary
and Neurological Art, gives the legend at
some length. Unimbelshed, it runs some
what as follows A pious hermit who
lived in hut beside which grew great
oak tree, had beautiful daughter named
Mary, and the great desire of his heart
was that she might attain Immortality
He was cut down without experiencing
the qualification of that desire, though he
lived to see her comfortably married to a
neighboring vine-dresser. After his death
the vine dresser had the old oak cut down
and made into wine casks. One day Mary,
now mother, was sitting in an arbor near
one of these casks, with her two boys. AS
she pressed her baby to her breast, watch
ing the other at play, the latter ran toward
her with stick to which he had fastened
a cross, and at the same moment young
Raphael appeared on the scene. He was
probably out for constitutional, and did
not have the implements of his trade with
him. Hard luck, indeed. For months he
had been seeking a model TO be used in
painting picture of the Virgin and chill
which haunted his vision, and here he had
come upon family group that ans wered
all the requirements. without even a cam
era in his pocket. But he had a head for
the emergency. The barrel head which
lay within reach, and on which, without
easel he nevertheless easily and eagerly
sketched an outline of Mary and the baby
boys. Raphael took this home with him,
and the legend does not tell, because it
gives only his side of the story, how, when
the vine dresser came to ship his wine,
one whole cask had to 60 to waste because
that heading couldn't be found on the
premises. Raphael's abduction of the
cask head was therefore for the good of
the cause, and l am glad the Woman s
Christian Temperance Union recognized
it by adopting the picture which he so
roughly limned upon its surface as part
and parcel Of their coat-of-arms. See how
nice it looks on the Temperance Calendar.
Could the old hermit have wished for
greater Immortality for his Mary? Ii he
could have lived to see her thus festooned
with the Star Spangled Banner, think he
would have died willing that the old oak
tree, which he much priced, should be
converted into wine-casks.
You will observe that pictures of this
Madonna retain the outward shape of the
original drawing-they are always circu-
lar. This picture is regarded as portray
ing the highest type of maternal affection.
and in the seal of the Woman's Christian
Temperance Union symbolizes ''home''-
the.cross and national colors respectively
standing for "God" and native land
This seal, learn, was designed by Miss
Mary A. Lathbury. of New Y FORK, and was
adopted by the National Convention held
at Boston in 1880, being recommended by
a committee, of which Miss Willard was
chairman. 1t has, in addition to the en-
blems named, the motto, date Of the cru
SADIE. monogram, a branch of pine for the
North and palm for the South. but stand
ing out so prominently in this sweet pic
ture of mother love, which, indeed was
the reason of the present systematized
work Of the w. G. L. u, and shall be the
inspiration to eventually set the seal of
condemnation, Raphael-like, on the head
of every wine cask, beer-keg and whiskey-
barrel in the land.-M. d. K. IN Union
Signal.
This calendar was designed and exc
Cutcu ny IbuS plOCCoo ID CHlouIO-
photographic. The excellency of Miss
Willard S likeness depends upon the skill
of the artist, and upon The number of
stones used in making the impression,
eight being used in the portrait alone and
fourteen in the whole calendar. Each tint
required separate impression. The ex-
ceptionally large number used in the cal
endar adds greatly to its artistic excel
lence. 1t also adds greatly to the cost of
producing it.
Mrs. Rev. DIR. Dreamer is the younger
sister of Gen. Grant. She is the Superin-
tendent of Evangelistic work for the Mas
sachusetts w. G. T. U.
Mrs. r. M. Cav, sister of President
Arthur, is one of our workers in Albany,
N. Y, and Miss Cleveland, to-day, the
most conspicuous temperance woman in
America, has been associated with the
State w. G.. T. U. of New York, for
years.
Mrs. Margaret Bright Lucas, President
Of the World s w. G. Il. u, is the sister
Of Hon. John Bright.