Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1901-10-26
cHRIsT's LIFE IN woon
The Work of Twenty-seveu ".

Pocket Knife. With
TO Illustrate the life of Chris.
wood with only one tool, and tha. n
a pocketknife, twenty-seyen w. ~ vol
John o'Donnells life was reouirsa s !, q
has finished the work. II stands :, he
home, at No. 1919 East Fourth c. ) uls
street, a marvel of ingenuity ora SVuta
example of patience and persoras an
the equal of which may nor no ss
in history. There are more tbon 0u,u
Hfe-like figures each one of which ~
carved by hand out of a solid h,oa vas
wood. The whole, in it's Franc =
sents three years actual whittl,no -.
called "The Crib at Bethlehem > s
Mr.. O'Donnell, who is of the Cathou
faith, lived in Brooklyn, n. Y. In 1s-.
during which year he did his first ~
of work on the subject. He was ~.
dent of the Bible, and had longea w. =.
the ability to paint such scenes 90 ~
scriptures suggested to his mind D..
he was not an artist. The only worL -
had ever engaged in was wood carvlnn
1t was after he had whitfield out l,t,I.
white altar that the whole passion NJ
ture suggested ITSELF and from that IA.
to the present every hour of his sno,,
time has been put into the work a.
used only common pocket knives. waor,
Ing out fifteen in the twenty-sevon
years he was at work, Many a time tho
sharp blade slashed his fingers or hand
Mr.. ODonnell saws, and on manv ocoa
sions, after working all day on pieca
of wood, he would see it fall and break
Instead of picking it up and dashinc !.
against the floor on the other end ho
would at such trying moment con
clude 1t was out of order and pick IN
another block. This was the disposition
that accomplishment of such pieca
Of work called for. 1t required the na
tience of Job.
"A description falls short Of conyeyino
a correct idea of the work. and It will
not convey any of the spirit and enthp.
siasm which prompted the author to
accomplish his task.
The whole is inclosed in cahino.
representing church, which stands
about three feet high, is four feet long
and two feet wide. The first group az
figures Is in smaller church on the in.
side, and describes the birth of the
Savior. The infant Is seen with its
mother and foster-father at the man.
ger, while the three wise men are max
ing their offerings, and the shepherds
the ass and the OK are shown. The
flight into Egypt, with the mother and
child seated upon the ass, while Joseph
leads the animal, Is represented. The
last supper is described by thirteen fig.
ureS seated around table, and Jesus
is standing as though addressing his
apostles. Christ Is shown again wash
ing the feet of his apostles. The capture
and trial of Jesus are depicted with
minuteness, even to the kiss of be-
trayal.
The scourging at the pillars and til,
placing of the crown of thorns upon
the SaviOr's head are other pictures.
The journey to Calvary is followed out,
and Simon of Cyrene Is shown taking
the cross from the Savior when he falls
under its weight The crucifixion is
represented by several groups of fig.
ures. The piercing of his side, the Of.
fering of the sponge Of vinegar, the
mailing of Jesus to the cross, and the
removal of the body by St Joseph,
Nicodemus, Mary Magdalene and John;
the ascension, and the descent of the
Holy Ghost to the apostles are among
the other scenes represented. There are
many others not here enumerated, but
each important event in the life of the
Savior is given place.
The figures are from three to nine
inches in height. Some are in hardwood
and others are In lighter material They
are all vanished or painted, and will
exist long after the author is dead and
gone. Mr.. O'DOnnell intends to leave
his work to some one who will appre-
ciate it. 1t never entered his mind to
sell or part with it for remuneration
but he has spent all his time and labor
out of pure love for the subject. He has
lived In Salt Lake for the past eleven
years.-Salt Lake Herald.