Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1898-03-25
THE STATUE MOVED.
A Disputed Question Settled blythe Chance
Appearance In the Crowd.

Appearance In the crowd.
tsas it a statue or a woman? A largt
crowd had gathered in front Of the show
window Of a popular Broadway shol
store and stood gazing curiously in "a
the figure, which remained so immobill
that it might be marble and yet so beau
tiful that it must be a woman. There
was not a movement Of amuscle, quiyei
Of the eyelid or motion Of the lips Mel
smiled, waved their hands, waved theil
handkerchiefs. but there was no re
Spouse. Surely it was a statue.
Looks like it's made of wax, " sale
one in the crowd.
Paste" said another.
"Come off It's a woman" laughed
big fat fellow.
"And the golden hair is hanging
down her back, was the response from
would be wit.
NAV; it's mud !" said little news
boy who had failed to sell any papers il
the crowd and who was turning away
in disgust.
II tell you it's woman, " repeated
the fat man. Then he went away. Face,
were pressed against the pane. They
shifted Others took their places, and
still that same stony stare, the same mo
tionless body and immobile face. Surely
no human being could remain so still
without even the batting of an eyelid.
1t 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
Pygmalions marble bust, a glance had
awakened it to life Cheeks that were
marble became alabaster, then red
Eyes thar were dull and expressionles.
proclaimed soul. They flashed Gre,
resentment anger. TWAS afterwaTd re-
called by some IN the crowd that there
was a CLEAN of tenderness mingled in
the look Evidently It was woman,
and her whole womanly nature had been
aroused by a glance, one glance from
hundreds that scrutinized her every
DAY. Yet that one Look was sufficient Il
change iInmobility into motion and
marble into flesh.
ont in the crowd on the sidewalk an
other 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 by
stander, who had caught him as he fell.
The crowd divided IFS attention be
tween the man who was 80 pale and
motionless and the woman in the win
dow. 1t seemed as if the man had ex-
changed parts and become II statue,
while his vital spark had entered the
figure in the window and endowed il
with lifo.
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
bad disappeared behind the curtains and
sought retirement I'm the reccsses Of the
store. 1t was apparent that there was
some tragic connection between the man
and the statue who was posing as an
advertisement for the shoe firm. What
was it: The man was uncommunlca
tive. When he had gained control Of
himself, he went away.
The woman who played the statue
and the man who tainted III the stress
Of sight Of her were once loving man
and wife. Her name is Madeline Re
chell, and sho resides In South r..
Louis. To her employers she tells a
pitiful story Of welded life, deserIion
and suffering. Accustomed to plenty all
her lite, she was unable TO enter any
vocation when thrown upon neI own
resources. She accepted the place offered
by the nsw TO pose as an advertisements
st. Louis Republic.