The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-05-12
STORY OF A MARBLE BUST
AN ITALIAN SCULPTOR IMPOSED
UPON THROUGH THE DE-
SIGNS OF CUPID
COMMISSIONER FELL IN LOVE
Instead of Sending to Italy a Photo
of Mrs. Cleveland, He Sent One
of His Sweetheart-What
Has Resulted.

New York. May 11.-(Speciar)-In De
Macchi's studio. No. 1855 East Fifty-sixth
street, is the marble bust OF a woman.
which is the center of remarkable story
that has what might be termed interna-
tional complications.
When President Cleveland was in his
second term an Italian named Carboni
came to New York. In Italy he left a
frierd, a sculptor, whose interests he
This was their plan: On arrival in Amer
lea Carboni was to cast about. make
himself familiar with the names and sta
tons OF the countrys great people, select
enc of them as the subject for a sample
bust, secure the photograph of the ma 4
or woman so chosen. and send it to Adj
gio, the sculptor. to be the model for
the bust This was to be sent to New
York, and Carboni was to do the rest;
that is to say, he was to place 1T on eX
hibition somewhere. and receive orders
for more busts-orders that would be
sure to come in when his friend became
famous-probably a matter Of a week CT
two.
FIRST FELL IN LOVE.
The first thing the promoter did on
reaching this country was to fall In love
with an Italian woman who played in
the orchestra of a Third avenue con-
cert hall. He conceived the idea Of hon
oring her in a striking manner He de-
termined to present her with port alt
of herself in marble. and to this end
sent a photograph of her to the sculptor
to be the model for the sample b St
IF Carbonis conscience worried him. he
silenced 1t by reasoning that bIst or
bis sweetheart would serve as we'll Tor
a model as the bust of any other p r
son. AT the same time he took the pre-
caution to tell the sculptor, In the letter
that carried the photograph, that 1t was
he likeness of Mrs. Cleveland the first
lady Of the land. In the seclusion Of his
mountain home tie sculptor had NJ OPP
portunity to become acquainted with the
countenanCeS of the worlds great peo-
ME and he believed readily that the
peasant face with it's snub nose. which
he took out of the envelope, was the
face of the wife Of the president OF the
United States.
For seven months the sculptor work
ed, and then finished the bust. In due
time it reached New York. and from
the Custom House Carboni received word
Of it's arrival. He ma | NOT taken the
custom house into account, and his mis-
giving turned to despair when they in
formed him that duty of 1925 had been
! laid on the bust.
BUSTS DUTY PAID.
But he set his wits at work after a
while and evolved a scheme by which
his sweetheart might have the pleasure
of looking at her marble sef even il she
could not possess the bust. He went o
a Mulberry street banker named Giorgio
Civolari QO7 Mulb try street, and toll
him a story that was true in all but one
important detail He told him that the
picture he sent to his friend was pc
ture of Mrs Cleveland lie offered to
turn over the bill of lading to the banker
without charge the banker to take out
the bust and do as he pleased with it,
Believing that bust Of Mrs, Cleveland
must have great value in this country,
and that the s125 would be we'll invested,
the banker took out the bust. His feel
ings may be imagined when he found
that for his money he had nothing but
a rather badly done bust of an exceed
ingly homely woman w tn a necklace Of
beads and a pendant cross.
Carboni never turned up at the bank
ers after he had made over the bill Of
lading. The banker communica' ed with
the sculptor and learned how the trick
had been played. The fearful letter
which the. sculptor sent closed with an
appeal to the banker that he bring u e
matter to the attention of the president,
and perhaps he would like to buy the
bust because of Its historical associa-
lions" This the banker did at once,
out no reply came from IHe w mite
house. though his letter told the whole
; story Of Carbonis peridy and the sculp-
tors undoing. From time to time the
banker wrote to the president or to Mrs.
Cleveland. but always with the same re-
sult--no answer from Washington.
WOVEN INTO A NOVEL.
Henry Wilton Thomas wove this story
into his novel, THE Last Lady of Null
berry" Civolari the banker went to
Mr. Thomas. bursting with a brilliant del
he had for selling the Ist to Mr. Cleve-
land. He proposed that Mr.. TIL mas
get the Appletons, the publishers of the
book, TO send Mrs. Cleveland a conlpli-
mentary copy, with a note explaining
that the central episode Of the tale was
founded on an actua, experience in which
her personality played a part. Mr..
Thomas told him that he could not have
any hand in such matter, that, Of
course. the publishers would not and
that if he vi he'd to make use OF the
book to sell his bust to Mrs. Cleveland
he must do so without the co-opera ion
or aid in any way of himself or the APP
pletons.
Then he wrote to Mrs Cleveland again.
calling attention to the hook. the his
tory of the bust, etc. Refore sending
his letter he had the bust removed from
Mulberry street, where it had reposed
for some time to the studio of De Mac
Chi They fixed up some sort of a pel-
estal, draped 1T with American and
Italian flags and got all ready for the
Cleveland commissioner who. they felt
certain this time would com and admire
They are still waiting. but not without
hope although the last letter hal not
been answered.