St. Paul daily globe., 1889-11-14

SAINT PAUL.
SKETCHED FROM LIFE.
A Once Famed Sculptor Now
Jobbing About in st.
Paul.
Working at Mechanics Wages
Whenever the Humop
Takes Him.
An UnWritten Code Govern
ing the Bohemian Wood
PiekerS.
The Unique Excuse for Exist
ence Given for the High
Bridge.

Paul Risnet is the name of st. Paul
stone carver of whom a somewhat ro-
mantle story is told. RiSnet is a French
man. native of Paris, where. the story
goes, he for many years occupied a
studio in the Quarter Latin and was
looked upon, both by his associates and
the critics generally, as rising young
sculptor. Two works of his in marble,
passions Unbound" and Deserted
were placed on exhibition In 1915 and
excited no little favorable comment
from the best art critics of the country.
His studio, 1t is said, was perfect store
house OF valuable art bric-a-brac and the
best people of the gay capital thought
their visiting lists incomplete without
the name of the clever young sculptor.
Risnet's career in st. Paul has not been
marked by any particularly brilliant
work in the line of his profession. When
questioned as TO his reasons for aban-
duning what might have been brilliant
career he shakes his head, now adorned
with prOfusiOn of gray hair, ard re-
plies in an evaSlYe style. The only use
TO which he has placed his talents here
has been in ornamenting the fronts of
several buildings. The New York Life
building bears the mark of his skilled
hand on its cOrniceS, and for the work
RiSnet received mechanics wages, S5
per day. Contractors have wed with
each other in efforts to secure
his services, but on many Oc-
caSionS all have failed; he will not work
except as the passion for work SeiZes
him; and then, having labOred perhaps
day, half-c0mpleting some exquisite
of n
throws his tools aside, and neither
threats nor the promise of large pay
will induce him 10 complete the work.
There are various rumOrs afloat as to
the causes which led to the abandon
ment of Partisan gaiety and his profess
sion by the man who is known
in st. Paul as clever mechanic
and nothing more. One says that
the only love of his life proved false to
him. Another that intense application
to his profession III the old days turned
his brain. All are equally unreliable,
however, for the silent citizen has very
little to say on the subject to any one.
1t is sufficient. however. that he admits
having once been candidate for honor
in the world OF sculpture. and that he is
the author of the works mentioned
above. Risnet seldom lives more than
a week in one place. and has
boarded at almost every second
class hotel in the city at one time or
another. He now resides with the fam
lily of Pierre LaScelles, on University
avenue. He is said to be an accom-
pliShed linguist and great lover of
music, attending every opera or musical
attraction of any merit coming to the
city.
+
The inhabitants of the shanties and
fats along the south shore of the river
will keep warm this winter. even though
the family larders may occasionally run
down. During the entire summer
hordes of bare-fOoted, bare-headed
boys and girls have been en-
gagged in aTresting the progress down
river of chips and driftwoOd, and at
this time each shanty has pile of fuel
for winter use which has cost nothing
but the labor of the juvenile population
of the district, and which in many cases
is of greater bulk than the Shanty IT.
self. 1t is said that a code of honor
exists among the people alongShOre
which makes it an unutterable crime
for one family to encroach on the fuel
pile of another. and so strong is the
sentiment that violations of the un-
written law are seldom heard Of.
i
The utility of the new high bridge for
any practical purpose was severely
called into question in discussion
which occurred yesterday in the Mer-
chants lobby between several well
known citizens. One averred in rather
forcibIe terms that the bridge was an
example of what reckless and useless
aifx no nj
when put to it. Another held that the
bridge formed a direct road to town
for Dakota county farmers, and that
for that reason alone the expenditure
was well made. Il tell YOU" said
corpulent freQuenter of the Merchants
fireside, 1.-THE bridge has been family
drive for half the people in st. Paul this
summer, and Is one of the most adj
yantageOus points from which to secure
view of the city and country beyond
to be found in the state. My opinion is
that the city could stand the expense of
the bridge for that reason only"
After discussion more or less heated,
lasting over half an hour, the contest
ants repaired to the bar and settled the
matter amicably over quorum of
whisky Sours.
4
1ulOC CuAtIHCJ SnOOpos nAOoO HdilcS
are matter of conjecture. though they
are all well-known characters about the
city from the grOtesQue character of
their attire, hit upon an advertising
scheme yesterday which worked like
charm so far as attracting attention to
themselves was concerned. Coming
down Wabasha street about 2 o'clock
%. m. was seen an express
wagon. In the shafts was a forlorn-
looking white horse. In the wagon
was gigantic trunk, probably made
for the business, and upon it sat the
three sweeps with faces blacked and
sufficiently Misunderstanding. Orna-
menting the sides of the trunk. painted
in large, rough characters, was the
word "CrOnin." A crowd was follow
ing the new attraction, and each pc
destrian paused on his way to size up
the outfit. AS an advertisement the
Idea was pronounced success.