The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1896-05-16
WE AND OUR NEGHBORS

)0oOO0O0O OO0o0o0 o000o00o0o0
yours and mine, a present from father"
Mark Twain was much moved and had
difficulty in finding his voice. But
finally with considerable obstruction
from choking, he got 1t out. two or
three words at q time: "Mr. Langdon,
whenever you are In Buffalo, IL It's
twice a year, come right up here and
bring your bag with you. You may
stay overnight IL you want to. 1t
shan't cost you cent
John Currie's masterpiece has been
offered a pedestal by the generous, but
deceived and misguided people Of Ten
nessee. When the statue Is finally in
place on postoffice square the attention
of distinguished visitors who are being
shown the sights will be directed to
the pedestal. Marble makes no mis-
take and unless the stone mason de-
cides to carve on II some of his airy
fancies in relief Tennessee has saved
Lincoln from a recurring, an over
whelming modification. The statue of
Lincoln prepared from soaked plaster
Of Paris by Mr.. Currie shows heroic
patience and faith in himself. He has
also used a new method in preparing
his model from an unelastic medium
that cannot be nodded by the sculp-
tors sentient thumb. The old sculp-
tors, life long students of 1.-The glory
that was Greece and the splendor
that was Rome's" use clay to con-
struct their working models. 1t can be
pulled. scraped and pinched, 1t can
be taken of or added to in chunks, 1t
is absolutely obedient to the artists
WILL Michael Angeles students used
to say he had an inspired thumb nail.
Nevertheless, had Ii worked in plaster
wind-blown drapery had remained
plaster. Forty years acquaintance
with stones brittle and obstinate char
acter has taught Mr. Currie the neces-
sity OF being sure Of his design before
expressing 1t In stone. His work has
the assurance and determination of a
master. Experiment in a plastic ma
terial has become unnecessary. His
mind can see clearly the gaunt, awk-
ward figure of Abraham Lincoln, he
has studied the various lives of Lincoln
50 that his statue, as finally cast or
cut. will compel reverence from the
people as the man himself would il
he stood before us and as the Abraham
Lincoln of st. Gaudens that stands in
Lincoln park, Chicago. compels atten-
tion and reverence. Mr.. Currie be-
lieves in symbols: the rigidity of the
figure he has stuck together finely ex-
presses Lincoln's unyielding purpose.
No matter how hard the wind may
rage 1t cannot blow a fold into the
coat nor dutter a lock of the deter
mined hair. The feet stand firmly on
the pedestal encased in a leather that
nor heat nor weather can make old and
easy. They are new shoes smooth and
hard. After Mr.. Lincoln became presi-
dent Of course he was able to buy the
thickests and firmest leather. and these
were purchased, / am sure. when he
had plenty Of money. So much leath-
er and Of such an unusual character
could not be purchased by a poor man.
1t seems too bad that Mr.. Currie
should work on this statue so long
and receive nothing for IL excepting
the appreciation of newspapers which,
after all, is not the reward an artist
most covets. The people would be
willing when the statue is set up to
let Mr.. Currie build an ornamental
wish to see ii 10 cents. In this way he
might receive some little reward for
his faithful labor and the people would
be spared much suffering.
There are many residents of Lincoln
who may not know that the stone dogs
on guard in one or two yards of this
place are the work Of John Currie. One
Is still 10 be found in Mr.. fuckers
yard on N street, one in the residence
Formerly occupied Dy b1SnOp SKINNER
on r street and there used to be an
other in the William Barr yard at
Eleventh and H streets. When the
old house was torn down to make
room for the double house standing
there now. the dog was lost-perhaps
he was put into the corner stone of
the new housethey put all sorts Of
things into corner stones-in order
that the people of succeeding ages
may know what We could do in this
one.
Church members are in the habit Of
declaiming on the free and enlightened
condition OF women in Christian coun-
tries and ascribing feminine liberty