The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1888-05-12
ARTIST AND HUMoA.ysT.


Sculptor Hiram Powers.
James IL Beard, the artist, tells soma |
anecdotes Of tho carly career of Hiram
Powers. the sculptor. which 60 to show |
that he was full Of grim humor When
Powers went TO Cincinnati he was en- !
gagged in making wax figures for a
museum owned by n man named Dor |
held. Tho figures which no nodded
werc defeated and beautiful beyond
anything that WAS known at that time.
Ills ingenuity In mechanics was re-
markable, aud Mr.. Beard thinks that
he would have made AS great success
in mechanic arts NJ no did In sculpture
II he had devoted his attention TO tho
former. There WAS a popular comic
singer In Powers day At Cincinnati
named Alexander Drake. Towers mold
cd . WAX head Of Drake, and fashioned
4 figure to match the head. Ono OF
brakes songs which was In great de-
mand with audiences was called Love
and Sausagca" Powers took his WAX
figure to tbs theAter and placed 1t on
the stage in brakes fayorite attitude.
and when the curtain rose for brakes
aonK there stood before the audience
two Alexander brakes. both perfectly
natural. Tho people were astoundedl
They gased and gazed in wonderment
until tho curtain went down and rose
again on . siugle Drake. II was the
wax figure, but 30 like the singer that
the audience cried. and shouted. and
stamped for love and Sausagea The
figure was silent and the curtain went
down without any response being made
to their calls. II rose again. and there
WAS = single Erake confronting them.
This tilne the audience remained uns
demonsrrativc. not knowing what TO ex-
psct 1t was the true Drake. and when
he proceeded to sing Love and Saus-
agus" the mystery Was intensified. For
about three days the people talked OF
ihts double Alexander Drake, and then
the secret got out tina, 1t MAS one OF
Puwern' tr0akA
Al another time Powers was at work
on wax bust OF Thomas Jefferson.
There WAS = critic in Cincinnati In
thoss days named Simms, who had In
Cured tie displcasure Of Powers and
otherA He was told one evening .hn,
the bust WAS completed. aud was asked
70 inspect il II was in the days when
the only light Was from tAllow candles
and ~ the room was dark he was giver
. candle with which to make close in
spection Of the bust. He began to com
n,ent upon is unnatural appearance
declaring that the color Of the flesh wa
not natural and 70 on. Az he leanes
down for closer inspection the burnin.
candle was brought close to the figure
which suddenly lodged back, winke,
IT. eye. and shouteds Don't burn me.
1t was Powers himself
A favorste trick Of the artist, whiel
he often performed in the museum an,
in public places. was made possible b
the long cloaks which II WAS the custor
to wear In those days. Any Que VIII
has seem the figures in circus whic
are short and squat one moment an
apparently ton feet high the next wi
understand the nature Of the iok,
Powers would gather his cloak up IN hi
hands and make himself apparent
about three feet In height. and as |
passed around tho museum he woui
gradually become taller and taller uni
1t last taking the collar Of his clos
and the rim OF his hat in his hands,
would shove them far above his he,
and make himself appear very tall. A
the time he would go peering around
tho sights while most Of the people we
Watching him, ~ the biggest curiosi
ol AIN r Tribune.