The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-08-17
THE STATUE.
A Mid Satire on Statues and Monu-
mentS.

| mentS.
Tudor jerks. o. august ST. Nicholas
A traveller came to a certain great city,
and as he entered through one OF its wide
gates passer-by spoke to him.
Welcome, sir, said the citizen. II saw
by your dress that you were a stranger and
make bold TO accost you"
Your welcome Is most courteous, " an
swered the traveller, land | thank you for
| it,"
You must not fail to see the statue In our
market-place." said the citizen. 1--WE take
| great pride in it, and for my part con-
| slider myself fortunate in being one of the
| community that owns so fine a work of art
and so grand memorial"
Il shall certainly take pains to see it, an
swered the traveller, bowling to the citizen
as he passed on.
So when the traveller had made his way
into the city he paused for moment, won
| der1ng In which direction the market-place
lay. AS he stood in doubt, another citizen
presented himself, hat in hand
"H on seem unfamiliar with our city,
said the newcomer, politely. If you are
seeking the market-place | can easily direct
| you to itn
~ GU are right in your suppostion," said
the traveller.
Naturally" said the citizen. smiling.
"All the world comes to see our great
statue; and have pointed out the way to
many. 1t would be strange if I did not
know 1t, for 1t was | who proposed the set
ting up Of the statue in the market-place. |
am fortunate enough to be one of the town
council
my respects to you" said the traveller,
ssluting him.
Follow this straight COURSE said. the
| councilman, pointing, land ask again when
you come to the open park"
Kidding fba mood H.
eler proceeded upon his way; nor did he
pause until he had come to the park. Then.
| as he had been instructed to do, he made
further inquiry at the door of little shop
Yes, indeed, | can tell you," said the
woman, who came TO the door, "for it was
my husband who designed the pedestal for
| it. Johnl-another stranger to soc the
| statue.n
I'm a moment" said her husband, from
the back of the shop. chow do you do,
sir! he asked, as he greeted the traveller
| Your face seems TO me familiar one
| Where have l seen youl Never been here
beforea Alb, l must have been mistaken A
| chance resemblance, no Doubt Turn TO the
! right and follow this wall and YOU will soon
reach the statue, for which designed the
| pedestal, as the good people of this town will
tell you"
The traveller withdrew and walked leis-
urely along by the wall At the first cor
ner be met a workman who was carving a
| bit Of stonework on fence post
"A stranger, sir" inquired the workman
as the traveller approached. ITO see the
statue, no doubtm
| YES said the traveller.
| "a good bit of work, aud we'll worth
your time. Many's the long day | have
worked over it. | carved the block, ana
never did better bit of work! Turn to
| the left-but, wait Here is a man who
can show you the way. Henryp'
AS he spoke man who was driving
| heavy wagon drew up near the sidewalk.
Can you show this gentleman the way
to the statues"
Can l-when you know we'll enough
| that drew the statue to its place with this
very horse and wagon. Come, my friend
| follow me. Or, better still, get up on my
wagon and I'll take you there. You're a
| lighter load than that bit Of hewed stone,
I warrant you'll"
So the traveller mounted upon the wagon
and was soon at the market place and stood
before the statue itself
As be gazed up at it another citizen adj
| dressed him:
"Admiring the statue, Ell? Well, it's a
noble bit Of art, and credit to the place.
Every stranger says So"
ut seems well done aud we'll kept" re-.
piled the traveller. quietly.
well kept! To be sure it Is we'll kepti
| w OuIu Jne council OF the town have me
here if l didn't attend TO my duty3 Perhaps
you don't know that I'm the custodian Of
this work of art2 No. Well, | am. Yes,
you see before you the statue keeper It's
great responsibility; but there there the
townspeople don't complain, SO l suppose
my work is not 80 badly done"
who is itP asked the traveller.
80. l never thought TO ask" said the
man, unconcernedly. Maybe I've heard
the name; no doubt 1 have. But I've for
gotten it long since"
The traveller thanked the fellow and gave
him a silver coin. Then he departed from
out the city. But as he went through the
gate in the city wall there was a boy playr
ing marbles near by, for now the school
hours were over And as the traveller
passed him the boy looked to see whose
shadow fell upon the wall, and then the boy
sprang TO his feet aud said:
| "Seel Seel There Is the man whose
| statue stands in the market placer
And so it was; but none else In the city
knew anything beyond their stone image Of
the man.
"You were asleep and dreaming in the
sum-" the people said, when the boy told his
story. And as the traveller never came
again, even the boy himself began as he
grew older to think it was dream, so real
seemed the statue, compared to his faint
memory Of the great one in whose honor it
stood aloft.