Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1886-11-10
Clever Jokes.

James n. Beard. the artist, tells
some anecdotes of the early career of
Hiram Powers, the sculptor, which 60
to show that he was full of grim humor,
When Powers went to Cincinnati he
was engaged in making wax figures for
a museum owned by a man named
Dorfeld. The figures which he nodded
were delicate and beautiful beyond
anything that was known at that time.
His ingenuity in mechanics was re-
markable, and Mr.. Beard thinks that
he would have made as great success in
mechanic arts as he did in sculpture if
he had devoted his attention to the for
mer. There was a comic singer in
Powers' day at Cincinnati named Alex
ander Drake Powers nodded a wax
head of Drake, and fashioned figure
to match the head. One of brakes
songs which was in great demand with
audiences was called ''LoYe and Sau-
sages.
Powers took his wax figure to the
theatre and placed it on the stage in
Drake 8 favorite attitude, and when the
curtain rose for brakes song there
stood before the audience two Alexan-
der brakes, both perfectly natural.
The people were astounded. They
gazed and @gazed in wonderment until
the curtain went down and rose again
on q single Drake. It was the wax
figure, but so like the singer that the
audience cried, and shouted, and
stamped for "Love and Sausages. -
The figure was silent and the curtain
went down without any response being
made to their calls. II rose again, and
there was a single Drake confronting
them. This time the audience re-
NAMED undemonstrative, not knowing
what to expect. 1t was the true Drake,
and when he proceeded to sing ''Love
and Sausages" the mystery was inten-
sifed. For about three days the peo-
pie talked of this double Alexander
Drake, and then the secret got out that
it was one of Powers freaks.
At another time Powers was at work
on q wax bust of Thomas Jefferson.
There was q critic in Cincinnati in those
DAYS named Simms, who had incurred
the displeasure of Powers and others.
He was told one evening that the bust
was completed, and was asked to in
spect it. 1t was in the days when the
only light was from tallow candles, and
as the room was dark he was given a
candle with which to make close in
spection of the bust. He began to
comment upon it's unnatural appear
ance, declaring that the color of the
flesh was not natural, and so On. AS
he leaned down for closer inspection
the burning candle was brought close
to the figure, which suddenly lodged
back, winked its eye, and shouted:
don't burn me-" It was Powers
himself. 3
A favorite trick of the artist, which
he often performed in the museum and
in public places, was made possible by
the long c1oaks which il was the custom
to- wear in those days. Any one who
has seen the figures in q circus which
are short and square one moment and
apparently ten feet high the next will
understand the nature of the joke.
Powers would gather his cloak up in
his hands and make himself apparently
about three feet in height, and as he
passed around the museum he would
gradually become taller and taller
until at last, taking the collar Of bis
cloak and the rim of his hat in his
hands. he would shove them far above
his head and make himself appear very
tall. All the time he would 60 peer
ing around al the sights while most OF
the people were watching him, as the
biggest curiosity Of all. -Ne,c York Tn
has11H