Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1892-06-10

\
ed in his absence. Under it's relentless
rays sat Edison in the identical pose in
which he had left him, apparently uncon.
scious of the u and the perspiration roll
ing down his face. Edison was much
pleased with the medallion as it appeared
in the wax.
when l wipe out this line and soften
that" said the sculptor apologetically.
You will spoil it" was Edison's quick
rejoinder. "Now it has strength, life.
Soften the ruggedness, and when it's cast
in bronze l will look like a big copper
cent!"
In the office of the lamp works at Harri-
son, N. j., there isa life size cast of Edi-
son modelled by a molder in his employ.
1t reveals the inventors %singularly at
tractive ~hands-hands of the artistic tenn
perament-and the lower half of the face
suggests ascetic vigils. 1t is much priced
by the employees. The unfortunate mold
er's name was Smythe. He committed
suicide some years ago.
During Edison's tour abroad in the SUN.
mer Of 1889 he was followed over the Con-
tinent by a German sculptor of repute, who
begged a sitting. Edison, off for a holiday,
fought shy of the artist. To his surprise,
the first mar he met on board the home
bound steamer was this same importunate
sculptor. With characteristic amiability
he gave the sculptor several sittings on
board, and in consequence of his peculiar
artistic sympathy a friendship with the
sculptor was sealed and Edison invited him
to Menlo Park, where the bust was COM
pleted. Returning to Germany with his
treasure, the bust was %sculptured in mar
bic and exhibited.
A Broadway p~hrenologist has an excel
lent cast of the Wizards head, with all the
bumps scientifically defined. The manner
in which the cast was secured is not with
out humor. The phrenologist and a molder
sought Edison at his home, where he was
entertaining a number of scientists en- route
to an astronomical convention in California.
With curious interest the company gath
cred in the room, where Edison meekly sur
rendered to his fate. Seated in a chair, q
towel was thrown across his shoulders and
chest. Paper cornucopias were then put in
his n%ostrils, his face, neck and hair oiled,
and his eyes sealed with bits of tissue paper
thoroughly saturated with oil. Then the
molder with great hundfuls of plaster be-
gan to build up from the pack until the
head was inclosed as if in a hood. From
the front now the second section began to
rise. AS the mouth was reached Edison
cried to a friend standing near, "Goodby!'
The farewell was cut off by a dash of
plaster that filled the inventors mouth.
Just then the train passed, and the
friend, who was obliged to return to the
city, grasped Edison's hand. Forgetful of
his position, the latter moved his lips to
speak, and the twitch is in the cast,
Scarcely had the friend reached the sta
ton when Edison's nephew, who had held
him during the ordeal, came running down
the track. Come back; Edison wants to
see you," he cried.
How do you know?" was the incredu-
lous response of the friend who had just
left the inventor safely entombed in two
inches of plaster.
"He telegraphed on my hand"
To he buried in plaster on a broiling hot
day is not a refreshing pastime. Edison
found an outlet for his pentup feelings.
Il am boilingl It's melting!' were his fire.
quent Geographic messages to his nephew,
who supported him with his arms, the
weight OF the plaster having q tendency to
pull his head backward.
After it dried the front section pealed off
readily, but when it came to the back
there was a struggle. The hair had been
imperfectly oiled, and in attempting to re-
move the mask tufts of hair were pulled
out by the roots, and the blood trickled
down Edison's face. He scarcely moved a
muscle. His feet rested on the narrow
window sill, and a man of less control
would have shattered the glass. Every
effort to remove the plaster cost a tuft Of
the victims hair. The ingenuity of Edi-
son came to the rescue. He asked for two,
pieces of flexible wire. With this he fash
Toned a curved prong. and slipping it under
the plaster the hair was gradually loosened.
Freed at last from the heavy, dirty plas-
ter, his head battered and his oiled face
smeared with blood, Edison was a ludi.
crous, ~dilapidated picture.
: Ida ROSE McCABE.