The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-06-17

ohoI ol tAe lufdulIS FLeQ coats, VIII tell the story to every paSSerby, or at least will give the suggestion which may lead him to study it; and the beautiful conception of the artist will show to people yet unborn what man ner of men those were who learning of the presence of the hated foe in those days when there were none of the present methods of spreading in- formation in an incredibly short time, left their homes, marched all night and all day in the storm, and then dared to oppose the veteran troops of England, although outnumbering them three to one, and showed that man to man they were their superior when in defense of their homes and all that they held dear, and actuated by the sacred spirit of freedom. To you, representing the Society from which we received our commits | sion, we deliver the completed memor- ial.
 When the sculptor, H. Daniel Web ster, appeared he was greeted with prolonged applause. He is a fair haired, blue-eyed man, very 1.-the and easy in his manner and in robust health, weighing some 16O pounds and apparently about B years of age. For | some years he had studios in New York, and by dogged perseverance and possessing the artistic spirit, he has won his way to distinction. He | has done much good work for Tiffany, 1 of New York, modelling for that fa- l nous firm remarkable busts of Daniel | Webster, Thomas Jefferson and Henry | Clay, which have been cast in bronze | by Tiffany. Indeed, Tiffany paid MT. | Webster the compliment of casting the Minute Man at his foundry on Long Island. Another work by Webster is 1 life like bust of that hard-featur- ed, canny Scotchman, Andrew Car | negie. It is the recognized official | bust of that gentleman to be placed ln | the libraries and other institutions he 1 has founded. MT. French, now the dean of American sculptors, since the death of St. Gaudens and Ward, is So | immensely pleased with the Minute Man, that he has recommended MT. | Webster to the authorities of South l Dakota, who are building a new cap | itol and he has been awarded con- tract for two statues for that build | ing, which will occupy the sculptor some six months.
 Mr. Webster lives in a quaint and possibly the oldest house, in Westports | on Sylvan avenue. It was built prior to the so-called Colonial period and I is what MT. Webster calls a pioneer, handmade house. Many years ago 1t belonged to Sally Nash, and at the | time of the invasion of Compo by the British, an inmate of tbe house was wounded in the skirmish and brought back to die within it's walls. All the | work upon the building was done by hand-the timbers of red oak being hewn by hand the shingles and nails being wrought in the same way, and when the nails gave out, wooden pegs were used to fasten the shingles to the roof. MT Webster has made the 1n- terior of this remarkable building very artistic and cosy, and has mod ern rustic pergolia in his front yard fn ho St
 The big chimney has five open fire
 places. After the applause had sub- sided Mr. Webster spoke as follows:
 "Mr President, Ladies and Gentle
 men: Among the profession it is con- sidered very bad form for a sculptor to make a speech at the unveiling of his own work, but I know that my contemporaries will pardon me today if I embrace this excellent opportunity to thank you most sincerely all those who have helped me in any way to
 complete the monument, for without the aid of my friends it never would have been a success In the bronze figure before you I have endeaVored to represent the spirit of the men who won for us the liberty we now enjoy,
 and paid for it with their own preci-
 ous blood. I endeavored to represent a noble man, full Of strength. and de- termined to protect his home against
 those who come to destroy his prop
 erty and deprive him of his liberty.
 He is the kind of man that was able
 to turn these Connecticut stones to
 bread and drive the British into the
 sea. My hope is that this monument shall be a worthy reminder to the coming genera tions of all that we owe
 to the splendid men of the American
 Revolution, whose sons and daughters we are proud to be-"
 The bronze tablet set in the side +, ,..I, I,oe hon fx-n6 the mound contains the following in scription: 'STo commemorate the hero ism of the patriots who defended their country when the British invaded this state, April 18th, 1777, Gen. David Wooster, Col. Abraham Gould, and more than a hundIed Continentals fell in the enga gements commencing at Danbury and closing on Compo
 Hill. Erected by the Connecticut So- ciety of the Sons of the American Revolution, 1910.'
 The following poem by Mrs. Agnes Lewis Mitchell. called 'The Minute Man., was read by the authoress. we'll known writer and critic of the town and the famous lecturer on Current Events She said:
 Old Compowe Road runs rambling down
 For many 8 league through Westport Town,
 Nor stops until it sees the sand | In cIlrving beach outline the land, | And here the British vessels lay ! In harbor, as but yesterday From every roadside home they fired, Those patriots brave.- Freedom to win, their land defend, The Flag to save;
 | And as the British bullets sped | Our fathers flinched not, though they bled
 Today we place this statue fair Beneath the sum-
 | Long years have passed, and men have gone
 | And freedom won.
 | And here where once our fathers died The Minute Man we rear with pride. What dost thou guard. oh Pilgrim sirS?
 No ships are in the bay,
 | The chariots that race thee by
 Hold merry folk at play.
 | What does thy forehead stern fore fend,
 Thy knotted arm and hand defend? Guard us we pray from foes unseen | That turk within.
 The lust of power that gold may buy, | The wage of sin,
 | The lack of sturdy manhood's might, l To hold and battle for the Right, Teach us, both men and nation vast | That fine ideal
 Of civic worth and civic pride