Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-11

He insisted that there was no reason why
any one should want to make the like
ness of SO homely a man. He would hear
nothing of IL. Her friends urged that she
was but a girl. was ambitious, wanted tn
model him of all else; that she was poor.
That she was poor and without influence
was the point that decided Lincoln. He
would sit for this poor girl with naught
but her ambition. but hs would sit for
no other.
At the time and during tie years shs
was making the clay model at the Capi-
tol this slip of a girl was studying and
working assiduously. Consumed with the
passion for her work. her small frame
full of the strength and vigor of that o.
boy. she toiled night and day. During
that time she made busts OF many or
the great men with whom she was as
sociated. Most notable among these was
the bust of Thaddeus Stevens of Penn
sylvana, the most powerful man in Con-
Sress in reconstruction times and her
stanch advocate While working upon
the Lincoln statue i'm Rome much oppor-
tunity for STUDY was giver. and busts
were made OF other celebrated person
ages. Cardinal Antoneli. ono OF the most
unapproachahle men of recent times, con-
scented to sitting for a bust upon the
mere request of the little American sculp-
tor. Liszt is another great man whom
she has done in marble. But her final
great masterpiece, next to the Lincoln
statue, was to be. like the first. done
upon order of the United States Congress.
1t was to be a heroic statue Of Admiral
David Glasgow Farragut, to be placed
i'm Farragut Square. Washington. which
Congress was dedicating to this great
naval hero.
Artists were asked to submit models for
the Farragut statue as they had been for
that of Lincoln. The widow of tie dead
hero was a member of the committee
that was to decide upon the award. When
she saw the model submitted by Winnie
Ream she declared that is my husband"
Through the pickering back and forth
that followed she insisted that Winnie
Ream was the artist who had caurht the
very character and soul of Admiral
Farragut. and that hers was tho statue
that would best represent the man rs he
was. In the end she had her e-es and
Winnie Ream for the second Zinc
given a commission by Congress- This
time she was paid $4,000.
II *
1t was during the time that she was
working upon the Farragut statue that
young Lieut.. Richard Hoxie stormed the
citadel of the young artists heart, and
led her into the captivity of matrinony.
Since that time some of her years have
known not the clink of her chisel. while
others have been full OF artistic endeavor.
Today. at the age of sixty-six, she is
working actively upon a statue of
former Governor kirkwood, who presided
over the destinies of Iowa during the
civil war. The finishing touches are lust
now being placed upon this statue, and
it will take its place also in the National
Capitol as one of Iowas contributions to
Statuary Hall.
Mrs. Winnie Ream Hoxie is as sprightlv
and vivacious today as was a gene. a
ton ago, and takes active part in much
of the social life of the nations capital.
AS woman who has gained success I'm
art and In money earning, she contributes
brilliant germ of advice to those OF
her younger sisters who have ambiti,n
Il am a sculptor she said, land my
life has been happy one-so happy
that 1 have feared always that / was
eating my white bread, and that some
terrible storm was sure to break over me.
for il seemed as if heaven could not give
me SO much. My work has never been
labor, but an ecstatic delight of my soul.
L have worked i'm my studio not envying
kings in their splendor: my mind to me
was my kingdom, and my work more
than diamonds and rubies.
Just skill which is due to long an
patient plodding looks askance at the
man view the entry of woman upon fresh
fields of labor. The crime of the eide
Pitt-youth and inexper:enced-is hard 10
forgive, but woman will live ii down,
and men are chivalrous and will lend a
helping hand and welcome the fellow
workers. -,i-i
IF you have reason to think You have
talent as sculptor, shut yourself up in
a room with some modelling clay, and ap-
ply yourself for two hours to seein what
you can do. If at the end Of that time
you have not evolved from the clay some
out. close the door, and leave all hope
behind"
Copyright, 1912. by W. A. Du Puy)