The Jennings daily record. [volume] (Jennings, La.) 1900-1903, 1902-06-02

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 monument
worthy of his heroism and patriotism.
The story of that monument. a sad
and pretty tale, is little known-too
little known. We Iorget too easily.
There is no longer a Botzaris; there is
no longer Mavrocordato. Misso-
longhi itself is remembered but as
the place where Byron died. and even
then only when one says "Missolonghi
1924" And that is long time ago.
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 young girl lying on a grave
stone. at full length. tracing with a
colored chalk the name Marcos Bot
zaris'' on the headstone of the tomb
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 thar tomb? That
tomb has nothing to do with Bot
zaris.''
81 know it, Monsieur she replied.
81 simply came here for a walk, and l
was thinking of Marcos Botzaris. Be-
sides, the monument has nothing to
do with him because it is not half
good enough for him, beautiful as il
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 well. 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 effgied marble the
story Botzaris fell too soon to finish
Dawning life, the reincarnation of
liberty, would take up the work of the
dead, in it's ever continuing effort to
fulfill it's 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
it. Her residence? She shook her
head. She told him nothing beyond
that she happened to be in Pere-la-
Chaise for walk.
David seated himself upon a nearby
tomb and commenced to speak of his
monument He prefaced his remarks
with the question:
You are Creek
LAS Monsieur Sees" she said, proud
ly raising her head.
At first she listened to him incredu-
lousy. When ne spoke of her coun-
try's war for freedom, and his own
ideal of independence, a fire kindled
in her eyes, and she dried her tears,
and listened, silently entranced. show
ing only by her heaving young breast
and the flashing of her eyes. the emo
ton his words occasione" her.
At length he reached the point of
his conversation. Would she pose for
him?
L,
a paroxysm of eagerness and joy as
she sprang to her feet.
Yes she said. He began to speak
of paying her for the sittings she
should give him, but she would not
listen.
II want no pay she said. 1T is
for him!"
Come she continued. rs the
studio of Monsieur near? Let us
start
He was puzzled. He did not know
what to make of her. But to David
Dangers the words patriot and
patriotism meant something almost
sacred. She had in her. he saw some
thing of the spirit of Missolonghi 1t
was better SO. Better for his work
better for him, better for her
so be it," he said, at length
Come"
He led her home with him at once
and the first sitting was commenced.
Silent, wrapped in her own thoughts