The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1907-07-05
MORE ABOUT LARKIN MEAD.
Burlington News Gives Sketch of Re
turning Vermonter's Career.

One of our state exchanges notet
the fact that Larkin G.. Mead, the ia
nous sculptor, is revisiting his oid
home at Brattleboro for the first time
in 30 years. The exchange also under
takes to tell the story of Mead I
Snow Angel" but spoils it in the
telling.
1t was on the last day of the year
| 1856 that Mr.. Mead made the statue
at a BrattlebOro street crossing. Two
| friends helped him. One kept hot
! fire going in a nearby building and
/ supplied the workers with sweet cider
The other assisted in moulding the
| figure. Occasional trips indoors en-.
abled them before the fire to mold the
more expressive parts of the statue.
These fixed to the rough figure out.
doors were kneaded and nodded to,
gether until they hardened. Over this
the young sculptor assistant poured
water, which almost instantly froze.
This gave the figure an icy covering
which, protected by the cold weather
withstood the attacks of the sun s
rays for fortnight or more.
The story was printed in the news
papers far and wide. and it finally
came under the notice of Nicholas
Longworth of Cincinnati, father of
President Roosevelt S son in.law Mr..
Longworth gave the young sculptor
commission to execute the snow statue
in marble, and furnished the necessary
funds for the work. The result was
the Recording Angel" Mr.. Long
worth generously caused it to be sold
for the benefit of the sculptor. and it
now stands in the capitol at Washing
ton.
Mead S next work was a statue of
Ethan Allen, made for the state of
Vermont, which is also in the national
capitol. \ colossal figure, typifying
Vermont, is in the statehouse at Mont
pelier. His "America' is on the sol
diers monument at st. Johnsbury.
When the Civil war broke out Mead
went to the front as an artist for
Harper s Weekly and also engaged in
voluntary service in making drawings
of rebel Notifications and camps. He
messed with the soldiers and his hu-
morous sketches of camp life served
to keep them in good spirits. Not long
after the close of the war he went to
Italy, where he was welcomed and be- |
friended by Hiram Powers, another ia |
nous Vermont sculptor, long resident !
at Venice. After three years Mead re.
turned to Brattleboro, but after a short |
stay went back to Italy and established |
himself at Florence, where he has lived |
for the past A years. His sister ac-
him, and was married while /
abroad to William Dean Howells, then
consul at Venice.
The story of Mead S marriage to a
Young Venetian is quite romantic. 1t
the story runs-that Mr..
Mead was left in charge of the United
States consulate at Venice, while his
orother-in-law, Mr.. Howells, was on
his wedding trip to America. One
evening on the beautiful plaza, San
Marco, Mead met the beautiful Mari
stta de Benvenute. 1t was a case of
owe at first sight, but the artist knew
nothing of the young woman. While
Il this country Mr.. Howells accepted
IN editorial position with the Atlantic
monthly ana Mr.. Mead was relieved
~ the appointment of new consul
md returned to his studio in Florence.
But it was not for long, love drew
lin back to Venice. With the as
istance of the consul a meeting with
he young woman was brought about. !
'he was found to be, both in family
nd culture, all that could be desired.
Neither could speak single word of
he other s language, but the love-
making was carried on through an in
A civil marriage followed
t Florence, religious ceremony being q
impossible, for the bride was a Roman I
atholic and Mr.. Mead was a Prot l
slant. The pope was appealed to in :.
ain to grant a dispensation in their l
avor. '