The Coolidge examiner., 1934-02-02
sy ELMO SCOTT WATSON

r=1T ALL started when Lewis Cannetf.
% !: !: !: ]. 7. !. I. . !. !. !. !
- - literary critic of the New York
ESN Herald Tribune IN reviewing a re-
H MI cent book The Private life ot
III Rll Sherlock Holmes said: ~when
kAQA London gets around 20 honoring
ID - Sherlock. Hannibal No. the bone
town of Huck Finn and his statue.
viii lose is proud claim to being
the home of the only statue ever erected 20 n
character % nction In the world"
whereupon Carolyn Marx literary critic Of the
New York world.Telsgram. reprinted Mr.. Gan.
peits statement and added: How about Framp-
tons Peter Pan statue IN Kenslngion Cardens1
And the statue of Lewis carrors white Rabbit
uuvslled only las; month In waies1-
Bot that vas only a starter. for. Is Mr.. Gan
net, confessed IN his column day or two later:
let Hannibal. No. boast; a food OF CORE
spondeuts deny It's claim TO the only statue of a
actionai character Most % them recall only
Peter Pan IN London's kenslngton Gardens /;
b X % the departrnsu; of romance languages
az Columbia says there IL a statue % D'ArtaEuan
IN Auch France: Carolyn Marx In the World
Telegram mentions the Wonderland White Rab-
hli recently unveiled In Wales: and Christopher
Morley thinks be recalls n Little Nell IN Ph!la-
delphla and Sir Walter scotts Rob Roy some
where else. Bot. Chris. they don't count u they
are In private homes they must be public monu.
ncnts to match Hannibars Hurk Flnn and Tom
sawyer. Are there moref
There were more. indeed Several days later
the Herald Tribuue reviewer printed this:
Late additions 10 the lists Of literary statues:
Hans Christian Andersons Little Mermaid
near the Royal Yacht club IN Copenhagen.
Paul and Virginia in the Jariln des Planies.
Paris
LonEfellow's Evangeilne In Grand Pre-. Nova
Scotia.
Mlstrars Mlregle in Les Saln,es Maries In
Provence.
Puss in Boots In the Tulierles, Paris
The Roaring Camp group Oh the Bret Har,e
statue Ia san Francisco.
veueda. volurtuous Breton druidess from Cha.
teaubrIands LES Martyrs near boulevard
salutMlchel Gate OF the Luxembourg Gardens.
Paris
Which. with:
Peter Pan and RIma In London
The white Rabbit In Wales
Little Nell and Tam o Shanier In Philadelphia
Leatherstocklng In Coopersiown
The Circuit Rider In Salem. ore.
The barefoot Boy IN Ashburnham
make more than a dozen rivals to Hannibal.
Mos Huck and Tom. "ihe only monument In
the world 70 a hctlonal character"
And even that list might ss extended. over In
Madrid. Spain. four years ago there was unveiled
IN the PLAN de Espana near the royal palace a
huge memorial consisting Of two monuments
one of these monuments. standing CO feet high.
was n life-slEe bronze group of Don ouixoie on
a horse and his man. Sancho Panza. on donkey.
Growing the main column was the figure OF Ger
vantes the man who gave 20 literature the
famous fighter OF wlndmills. and al the base OF
the monument was an aliegorlcal representation.
the "Fonnt of the Castiilian Tongue" Although
the memorial WIS primarily TO honor the genius
OF Cervantes. NJ the same time IL preserves
imperishably those two famous fictitious charac-
tiers. Don ouxote and Sancho Panza
But 10 return 10 America little investigation
viii reveal the fact that the list OF statues and
memorials TO fictitious characters Is not limited
10 the compilation OF the New York columnist.
Re IL remembered that the genius OF Daniel
Chester French. the dean Of American sculptors.
not only protltced. among others OF his great
pieces OF work. bust OF Washington Irving. but
he also made full figure statue Of the famous
character which Irving created-Rip Van
Wrinkle.
And Philippe Hebert's statue OF Evangelne
at Grand Pre- is not the only one which recalls
IoncfeIlow's immortal heroine. Heberts statue
was erected more than decade ago. but II was
only about three years ago that there was I'M
veiled al St Martinvlle, Ia. another statue OF
the Maid OF Grand Pre-. This was done In the
presence of several thousand Louisiana Acadians
and OF two hundred Acadians from Moncton.
Montreal and Grand Pre-, who made pilgrimage
10 the Bayou state for the ceremonies connected
with the dedication OF the statue which stands
over the grave OF Emmeline LabIche who was
the original OF Evangeline.
Go out to Denver. Colo. and visit Washington
park. There In the center Of pool IS a fountain
where you can see immortallzed in stone Eugene
Fields ~wynken. Blynken and Nod" Or go to
lincoln park in Chicago and look upon them as
they are portrayed on the Field memorial there
As for the monument 10 duckleberry Finn and
Tom SAWYER which gives Hannibal, No. the
right 10 make its proud claim II was made by
Frederick c. Hlbbard Chicago sculptor. and