The Dickinson press., 1888-08-18
LINCOLN AND VOLK.
STORY OF THE MARTYREp PREsl-
DENTS SITTING FOR HIS BUST.

Leonard w. volk's Interesting Ren,ihls-
cences of His Association with Abra-
ham Linculn-At the Final SittingA
Western Photographers Experience.
The story of Mr.. Lincoln's sitting for his
Dust to Mr.. Volk is told with minute exact
ness in n manuscript "Memoir" which the
sculptor has prepared, but not completed as
to other matters, and from which The Trib-
unc is permitted to make extracts. Mr..
Nolk saw that Lincoln was one of the attor-
ncys in IL sand bar case in the United States
court and found him there, his feet on the
edge of q table, one of his fingers thrust into
his mouth, and his long, dark hair standing
at all angles as if unkempt for n week. He
was surrounded by the late Thomas Hoyne,
the late Isaac N. Arnold, and James F. Joy.
Mr.. Nolk recalled the promise Mr.. Lincoln
had made two years before in company with
Douglas to sit for his bust, and he at once
consented to its fulfillment. II will go at
once to a barber and get my hair cut" he
said. "Not too Short protested Mr.. Volk.
The time was April, 1850; the place the
highest floor of the Portland block and no
elevator Despite the oppressive weather
and the incidental fatigue, Lincoln was OH
time every morning from 8 to 10, when he
went to court.
THREE AT A JUMP.
He used to run up the stairways two and
three at a jump. He sat i'll the low wooden
armchair which is still in Mr.. Volk's studio,
and which has been occupied by Douglas,
William II. Seward, Andrew johnson, Gen.
Dix and Gen. Grant. Lincoln was shy and
ditiidcnt about sitting, and tilnidly asked
Wall IN Ir;-n Xiv, %1o ,,npaceor ~, fli,.oDtto,,c
Measurement showed that lie was one foot
inch; he weighed $50, but told Volk after
ward that the subsequent campaign reduced
him by forty pounds. 1t was at one of these
sittings that the famous "Lincoln mask' was
made by MI. Volk, which has served for
every subsequent portrait, and is used on the
st. Gaudcn's colossal statue of Lincoln in
Lincoln park. Thu drying of the wet plaster
on the face required about an hour, during
which Lincoln was both patient an merry.
1t was difficult to remove without injury. the
check bones being higher than the jaws at
the lobes of the ears. He bent his head and
worked it gently off with his own hands.
The process mado his eyes water, as the plas-
ter carried way with it some Of the fine
hair of the temple.
He sat subsequently asthe progress of the
modelling demanded, and after four hours
sitting one day walked with Mr.. Volk to his
home, where they looked together at photo
graphs and sketches the artist had brought
from Europe. He grew weary, his heavy
eye!iIs closed as if sleepy, Notwithstanding
that the scenes depicted were of the high,s st
historical interest. At last he said, with
smiling frankness, "Mr. Volk, these things
must be interesting to you. But the truth is
| don't know much about history, and all l
do know l learned from law books.'' In ono
of his chats with the sculptor he told him lie
supposed the reason he could talk longer in
the open air than Douglas without becoming
hoarse was that his neck was longer and
lcai!cr than his rivals, warming the air be-
fore it reached the bronchial tubes. "You
know a chicken will squawk, cacklc, and
crow without firing out, and suppose it is
because their nccks IRE long" Many people
who knew that Lincoln was sitting to Mr..
Volk called at the studio to see him. "They
were chiefly political expectants," said tho
artist. "Oddly enough, not n newspaper re-
porter was ever among them. The inter-
vlcwer,n he adds with a smile, twas not SO
alert in those years."