, 1902-05-10
MissoIongh.
BY wINGRovE BATHoN

BY WINGROvE BATHON.
Copyright, l9G2. by Daily Story Pub. Col
O have seen the engraving Of the
monument created by David Dangers
to the memory of Marcos Botzaris.
and you know whether or not the
great sculptor was successful in his
determination that ne who fell at Mis-
solonghi should have a monument
worthy of his heroism and patriotism.
The story Of hat monument, a sad
and pretty tale, is little known-too
little known. We forget too easily.
There is ne longer a Botzaris; there Is
no longer a Ma%vrocordato. Misso-
lOnghi itself is remembered but as
the place where Byron died. and even
then only when one says "Missolonghi
-1824." And that is a long time age.
The day David Dangers found the
inspiration he sought for his monu-
ment to Botzaris, he was walking
among the tombs of Pere-la-Chaise.
He saw a young girl lying on a grave
stone. at full length. tracing with "A
colored chalk the name Marcos Bot
! oh thc vi Il Ohlb.
She had just finished the last one of
the letters On the otherwise blank
shaft Of marble.
My child. David called to her, as
he approached. why do you write
that name upon that tomb? That
tomb has nothing to do with Bot
Zaris."
81 know it, Monsieur" she replied.
81 simply came here for a walk. and |
was thinking of Marcos Botzaris. Be-
sides, the monument has nothing to
do with him because 1t is not half
good enough for him, beautiful as 1t
is in it's simplicity"
why do you think it is not good
enough for him?" the sculptor asked.
He was a Greek, Monsieur" she
said. simply.
She wept. David took note Of her.
She was about fourteen, just budding
into womanhood, with the travail of
the transition expressed in her every
feature, every limb.
Here, he said to himself, was not
only the subject for his composition,
but the model for his art as we'll. His
statue took shape in his mind. This
girl, he thought to himself, would rep
resent, copied in stone. to the most
casual observer the struggle for free
dom. She would bend for him over
the tomb of Botzaris to drag the secret
Of that freedom from him AND give
to the world in efigied marble the
story Botzaris fell too o to finish
Dawning life. the reincarnation OF
liberty, would take up the work Of the
dead, in its ever continuing effort tc
: fulfill its mission. 1t would be his
: masterpiece.
Questioning the girl. he learned
, nothing. She had nothing to tell, she
said. Her name? She would not give
1t. Her residence? She shook hel
head. She told him nothing beyond
l that she happened to be in Pere-la.
Chaise for a walk.
David seated himself upon a nearb!
tomb and commenced to speak of his
monument. He prefaced his remarks
with the question:
"You are a Greek?"
"As Monsieur Sees" she said. proud
ly raising her head.
At first she listened to him incredu'
lously. When ne spoke of her coun.
try's war for freedom. and his owl
ideal Of independence, a fire kindlet
in her eyes. and she dried her tears
and listened, silently entranced. show
ing only by her heaving young breas
and the flashing OF her eyes, the emo
ton his words o~ccasioned her.
At length he reached the point o
his conversation. Would she pose TO,
him?
81, Monsieur! 1" she exclaimed, IL
a paroxysm of eagerness and joy a
she sprang to her feet.
YES" she said. He began to speal
of paying her for the sittings sh'
should give him, but she would no
listen.
81 want no pay" she said. at Il
for him!"
Come she continued. "Is tn