The Washington herald., 1909-08-01

away willingly until they found that the
city chaps" would bid for them Fig
ureheads now are scarce as grandfather
clocks. and the connoisseur IS duly crate
ful for a very ordinary plebeian speci-
men, even without the accompanying
story. Il is easier 20 supply the story
than the fgurehead. However. stories
about these subjects are plentiful enough
In the grounds OF the United States
Naval Academy at Annapolis is a famous
old igurehead that once adorned the L.
s. s Delaware. II is the bust OF an In
dian chief, with vlsage grim and warlike,
but with a certain nobility OF feature
with which artists are fond OF investing
Indian subjects. Him the cadets, indulg-
ing a fancy that he exercised control
over the marks that they received and
that, therefore. the imperious-lookine saw
age was 20 be propitiated. used 10 salute
when they passed. The custom. although
in cOntraventiOn OF regulations, came 70
be such an irOn-bound one that the au-
thorities WeTe forced TO prohibit 1t by a
general order The little daughter Of one
OF the officers. who had been brought CD
in japan. was once observed to PROSTATE
herself before the frownlng warrior. as
she had seen the folk IN her early island
home do before the image Of Buddha.
Seek to Destroy Image.
on board the rehabilitated United States
rrigate Constitution. at the Charlestown
Navy Yard. are kept the fsureheads and
bow-screws that have decorated that his
toric craft in the days OF its glory. One,
however. that was the object over which
a large number u people worked them
selves into a frenzy OF political excite
ment is lacking. That one was a bust
OF Andrew Jackson. which. because they
deemed It an uncomplimentary likeness
Of their hero, offended many OF his ad-
mirers. Repeated attempts were made
to detach It from the bow OF the old frig-
ate One Of the despoilers having worked
half the night. being forced by danger OF
discovery 10 drop into the water and es-
cape. abandoped his task all but accom-
plished. An effort made I'm IS45, as "Old
Ironsides" lay at Charlestown. was sue
cessful, and the likeness, good or bad, OF
"Old Hickory ceased to offend. Within
recent years an offer was made TO sell 70
the government a figure said 10 be that
taken from tho bow Of the Constitution
some half a century before. The naval
authorities, however. were not convinced
that the carving was the lost igurehead,
and the offer was not accepted.
One Of the finest fgureheads in Its day
was that OF the clipper ship Western
Belle. II was full-size figure OF wom-
an with her left arm oUtstretched, carry
ing in the left hand a few spears Of
wheat Her right hand gathered the folds
oa Iaf. clgf.f sha Iva nary % x4yl,fab oc-etg
ering that the material was wood. was
admirably executed. From the general
outline. no less than from the careless
curl lying along the breast, Il is suspected
that the carver had worked IN marble or
was a natural genius His name was
Sampson--he neglected 10 cut his first
name on his mastcrpicCe-and he lived
and toiled in Bath, Ne, the home or
American shipbuiding, where the West
ern Belle was built in 1875 His handi-
work was carried by Bath-built ships TO
the most remote parts or the world, and
Il is related that South Sea Island chief
was so impressed with the Yankee cary
er's skin that he sent him q commission
by a friendly skipper 10 make him a set
OF Idols to meet the theological needs Of
his heather subjects.
The Western Belle is spending the
evening Of her days as a coal barge. but
the lady who graced her prov has retired
from the sea and now occupies a place
in garden. One Of her pecularities
was a detachable arm-the one in which
she held the wheat During voyages il
was unscrewed. so that the seas might
not break It, being replaced when the
ship was about to make a port. This was
not altogether unknown In the more
elaborate Of the old wooden fgureheads.
especially on men-of-war. where danger
Of shattering was greatest.
Recall sad Sea Stories.
Two hgureheads which recall sad sea
stories may be seen. one in front Of
hotel at Virginia Beach. near Norfolk. 1t
IS the image of a woman with beseech-
ing upturned face. and is was washed
ashore some years ago from the wreck
Of Norwegian vessel that went down