The San Francisco call., 1909-02-14
L | N c OIL N S


lard The plaster of paris then to be mixed "'tI
water till it should become about the consistency %
thick cream He was to be covered with sneet IN
order to keep the plaster confined to ms mead 80
plaster to be poured on with spoon TIL II snO01~
the face, saving only the nostrils and eyes
The plaster having become hardened, was 20 %
gently freed from the face and accurate mold was
to be obtained This was to be allowed to become
perfectly dry and liquid plaster to be poured into
it. When this should become hard enough the outer
mold to be Clipped off and perfect reproduction
OF the face was to be revealed
1t was about an hour from the time of starting
that the cast was ready for removal 1t was COM
pete cast in one piece and had both perfect 1t
cung tightly the cheeks and Lincoln took the mold
within his hands, held his head low and worked It
steadily off few hairs in the temples stuck to the
plaster and dragged out Lincolns eyes watered,
but he retained his good humor which Mr. Volk found
to be invariable
=
On Sunday Lincoln said that he had been in
vited to church But" said he Il thought I'd rather
and sit for the bust The fact IS, he continued,
Il don't like hear cut and dried No when
l hear man preach 1 like to him act as if he
fighting beesr AS he said this he extended
his long and suited his actions to his words
That day he sat for the bust for than four
hours
During the continuance of the sitngs he told funny
stories almost INCREASINGLY But he talked little Of
religion or politics. He complained that at any pub
lie place people would pitch into him politics
On the last occasion Lincoln in something Of
a hurry Mr.. Volk had finished his head, but wished
to suggest something of the broad shoulders which
nature had given the great president Lincoln
obedently stripped off coat. waistcOat, shirt and
turned his undershirt down somewhat tying the
sleeves the back In this way he patiently posed
for an hour.
The sculptor, intent upon his work, did not notice
him dressing again. and Lincoln left hurriedy after
calling out cordial "Goodby I will you again
soon" few moments afterward his footsteps were
heard rapidly humping upon the stairs again. He
burst into the
Hello, Mr. Vok," he called out laughing. Il found
on the sidewalk that had forgotten put my
dershirt, and thought it wouldn't do to go through
the streets in this way"
Sure enough, the sleeves of his singlet were dan
Cling beneath the skirts of his frock coat Mr. Volk
helped him dress, and the next manner of his de-
parture was thoroughly conventional
Thus ended the sittings which resulted in the
ton of the we'll known bust, one of the very few,
possibly two or three in existence modelled directly
from life The celebrated sculptor, E. D. Palmer and
other judges have pronounced it the standard bust of
Lincoln Certain it is that it has been used by numer-
sculptors basis for later representations Of
Lincoln.
The bust was exhibited at the Paris exposition Of
1867. Copies of it in the White House at Wash
ington and other public places.
AS work of art it is thoroughly sculpturesque in
style and possesses all the indications of being a
accurate presentment of the great man as he
before the nomination, before the heavy cares
of state had added other burrows that placid brow
though hardening the lines of those human lips
= +
Two days after the nomination Mr.. Volk took casts
of Lincolns hands, the results of which are now in
his sons studio 1t at Lincoln's home The
sculptor wished him to hold something in his hand
Lincoln to the workroom and the saw was heard
to 60 He returned to the dining room whiting off
piece of broom handle. Mr.. Volk told him there
necessity to do that
"Oh, WE'LL, said he Il thought I would like to have
it nice"
In the casts to be seen in Douglas Voks studio
the right hand appears swollen as compared with the
left 1t was the penalty of success. The excessive
handshaking of the day before had produced it.
The statue which the sculptor made is now in the
rotunda in the capitol Springfield The elder Volk
had the identical black alpaca suit and pair of newly
made boots of Lncolns, but these destroyed by
fire The original casts were saved, however. as Mr.
Volk always carried them about with him while trav
cling. They in Rome at the time of the FIRE
They have crossed the ocean four times and now
belong to the United States government
Mr.. Volk possesses a wealth of "reminiscences con
corning these precious objects which is out of the
power of any other man to give. And it is with a
thrill that thinks that this plaster face before one
is line for line the face of the great American in the
time of his prime and that perhaps in thousands of
years the future may look upon it, and with its
! help almost see him alive again