The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1888-03-28
ARTIST AND HUMORIST.
Clever Practical Jokes Played by the
Sculptor Hiram Powers.


James H. Beard, the artist, tells some
anecdotes of the early career CT Hiram
Powers, the sculp ptor, which 70 to show
that he was full Of grim humor. When
Powers went to Cincinnati he was en-
gagged in making wax figures for 4
museum owned by q man named Dor
field. The figures which he nodded
were defeated and beautiful beyond
anything that was known ut 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 scul pture
ii he had devoted his attention to the
former There was popular comic
singer in Powers day at Cincinnati;
named Alexander Drake. Towers mold
ed q wax head of Drake, and fashioned
Il figure to match the head, One Of
brakes songs which was in great de-
mand with audiences was called Love
and Sausages." Powers took his wax
figure to the theater and placed it on
the stage in brakes favorite attitude,
and when the curtain rose for brakes
song there stood before the audience
two Alexander brakes, both perfectly
natural. The people were astounded:
They gazed and gazed in wondcrment
until the curtain went down and rose
again on single Drake. 1t was the
wax figure, but so like the singer that
the audience cried, and shouted. ana
stamped for '.Loye and Sausages. The
figure was silent and the curtain went
down without any response being made
to their calls. 1t rose again, and there
was single Erakc confronting them.
This time the audience remained un-
dcmonslrativc, not knowing what to ex-
pect. 1t was the true Drake, and when
be proceeded to sing '.Love and Saus-
ages the mystery was intensified. For
about three days the people 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 a critic in Cincinnati in
those days named Simms, who lad in
Cured the displeasure Of Powers and
others He was told one evening that
the bust was completed, and was asked
to inspect it. 1t was in the days when
the only light was from tallow candles,
and as the room was dark he was given
candle with which to make close in
spection of the bust. He began to COM
ment upon its unnatural appearance,
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, winkcd
its eye, and shouted: Don't burn ne.
1t was Powers himself.
A favorite trick Of the artist, aicn
he often performed in the museum and
in public places, was made possible by
the long cloaks which it was the custom
to wear in those days. Any one who
has seen the figures in a circus which
are short and squat one moment and
apparently ten feet high the next will
understand the nature Of the joke.
Powers would gather his cloak upln his
hands and make himself apparently
about three feet in height, and rs he
passed around the museum he would
gradually become taller and taller until
atiast, taking the collar Of his cloak
and the rim of his hat in his hands, lie
would shove them far above his head
and make himself appear very tall. All
the time be would go peering around at
the sights while most of the people We're
Watchinu him. as the biggest curioSiL,
of all.--M 2. Tri6une.