The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-10
The Statue Moved.

Was it a statue or woman? A large
crowd had gathered in front of the show
window of a popular Broadway shoe store
and stood gazing curlously in at the figure
which remained so immobile that it might
be marble, and yet so beautiful that it
must be a woman. says the St. Louis Re
public. There was not movement of a
muscle, culver of ihe eye-lid, or motion
of the lips. Men smiled waved their
hands, waved their handl1erchiefs. ~abut
there was no response. Surely it was a
statue.
Looks like it's made of wax" said one
in the crowd
Paste" said another
Come off. It's a woman" laughed a big
fat fellow.
and the golden hair is hanging down
her back, was The response from would
be wit
Nav. it's mudr' said a little newsboy
who had failed to sell any papers in the
crowd and who was turning away in dis
gust.
tell you it's a woman" repeated the
rat man. Then he went away. Faces were
passed against the pane; they shifted.
others took their places, and still that
same stony stare, the same motionless
body and immobile face. Surely no human
being could remain so still without even
the batting of an eyelid.
lt was evident to many of the crowd that
heart could not beat in the breast which
showed no signs of respiration no matter
how closely observed
Suddenly the statue moved Like Pve-
maAon's marble bust, a glance had awak-
ened 1t to life. Cheeks that were marble
became alabaster, then red. Eyes that
were dull and expressionless proclaimed a
soul. They flashed ire resentment. anger
1t was afterward recalled by some in The
crowd that there was a CLEAN of tender
ness mingled in the look. Evidently 1t was
woman, and her whole womanly nature
mad been aroused by a glance, one glance
from hundreds that scrutinizeds her every
day. Yet that one look was sufficient TO
change immdbIlity into motion and marble
into flesh.
Out in th9 crowd on the sidewalk anoth-
er peculiar scene was taking place. The
man whose chance arrival in the group of
curious had awakened the statue lay limp
in the arms of a bystander, who had
caught him as he fell
The crowd divided it's attention hetween
the man who was so pale and motionless
and the woman in the window 1t seemed
as if the man had exchanged parts and
becomes a statue, while his vital spark had
entered the figure in the window and en-
dowed it with life
The man had merely tainted. He soon
revived under the cool influences of the
atmosphere. He looked in the window.
but the statue was gone. The woman had
disappeared behind the curtains and
sought retirement in the recesses of the
store 1t was apparent that there was
some tragic connection between the man
and the statue who was posing as an ad-
Vertlsement for the shoe firm. What was
II? The man was uncommuni cative. When
he had gained control of himself he went
away.
The woman who played the statue and
the man who tainted in the street at sight
of her were once loving man and wife.
Her name is Madeline Rechell and she re-
sides in South st. Louis. To her employ
ers she tells a pitiful story of welded life,
desertion and suffering Accustomed to
plenty all her life, she was unable to en-
ter any vocation when thrown upon her
own resources. She accepted the place Of
fered by the firm to pose as an advertise
ment.