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Woman Who When a Child, Made Lincoln's Statue Has Vivid Memory of Him Vinnie Ream Hoxey Was a Girl of Sixteen When "Old Abe," in the Last Five Months of His Life, Gave Her Many Sittings. By "Tillim-i Athenian Du Pu.t. IN those dark days of ??"". when the weight of reconstruction bore ?li.wn upon the tragl?' IlBure of Abraham Lincoln and added Its stupendous burden m h private grief occasioned by tb?* loss of his favorito child, there came each day to his office a silt? of a girt, The t-lrl was Yln iie Ream ?-he was a tiny wisp of a < reature. ?ixt?-'-n yer.rs old, then entirely ?nknown to fame. Her "t?rente ?were isi??i and ?he had !?ttl<? training toward the ac ? orr.pllshment of the thing that Mtiek In her heart. For Vll I I f'eam was to be a ?culptor Later S ? il successes cam?- her WH-. a)i?i tf?-?i.i\ Innte Beam Hoxle she tells the lAipresslom ?.f Lincoln she re ? ? Ived as a gir!. During th?-?se laal five months of hi? life the Spanish-American war, we happened to 1 ?? stationed at Portland. Me. Admiral ?'ervera, the beaten commander of the Bpanlafa naval forces, was th^n a captive of the United States government. This gov? Mim*'nt and it? people, however, In slated upon honoring that gallant naval officer, and refused to treat him as a pris? oner of war. A great reception was given in Ids honor at I'ortlan?!. When I shook his hand 1 told him that all America hon ored him even in his defeat. 'But my coun try! ?Hi. my country!' exclaimed the ad? miral, as he hid his face in his handki r chlef and wept. But the sorrow cif neither" of these great men of lost causei was com? parable with the sorrow of ?Lincoln in the days of the success of ihe war which ht had fought. "As I have shI<1. Presiden) Lincoln re ViNNIE REAM HOXIE OF TO-DAY. the gr?ai President i-..**- each day an hour to this young ?,-irl because she was poor and be? ause she was ambitious. He Ml for her that she might make a model of him, from which she later Inland?*?*] to reproduce a statue in marble that would give to the world In permanent form the likeness of this man who to her was the embodiment of all that la gtoat and good. 80 with a girl's Intuition Yinnle Ream sat through th?s?- la?t tragic months and looked apon the form and face of Abraham Lincoln, and that form and face grew upon her until it filled her very being Then the great tragedy came. an?l this frail girl, shock?d beyond measure by It. found for herself a sacred mission, for no other sculptor had the real Lincoln so in mind and no other living creature liad Lincoln ?o engraved upon his heart that he might be corried down half a century to a g? n eratk-n then unborn, H Is doubtful if any person ?.\?)i?; to-day has s more vivid per sonal recollection of Lincoln than Vlnnle I>nm Ifoxle. UNFATHOMABLE SORROW. "The one great, lasting, all dominating Impression <.f ;.;?; ?in that has alwa* with me." s-ak] Mr?*. S'lnnle Ream Hoxie, In her Washington home, the other ?lay. "has bee;, thai of unfathomable sorrow. Lincoln was . man who had borne the w?*i| ..v from his early life. an?i the '?--rows multiplied as the end ap proached When be was silting for me ther- bee), ml?!?-?! to his 1 i?"*? the his '." loss ?on. Willie. "From the time I bepan to model Lincoln he made the time that 1 spent A'ilh him each ?la*- a period of rest. He always sail that there na? a ftoltag Of relaxation that e| the s'ttiv-r. and ? )ni e lve gave orders that be t*;is . r,t to i>e disturbed. 1 was tucked away m my corner of his oftlrc. ??<-> ?, ? t?> lnft'1-r.-i. I file With Whatever mif-ht be going on. Sorely, the l'r? ?idrnt could not have attributed much importante to my modelling, for I was so young and so much an amateur, Yet In thos" busy ?days of 'IS I had an hour each da?, of the time of President Lincoln "Through much of this time he lolled St his desk, and during much of it lie stood by his window and looked sorniwfully upon the worl'i outs!?!?- i never saw 1 im ota? r than fad. The merry, story tcllin,* side of bt. nature v..?s not for me. 1 always fell that this was be. ause my hour With him was one of relaxation, when be fell into mood that to him was natural r< although he oft? n forced himself from the Shadow Of his many sorrows. I am sure that Ihe man H l saw him was the r.-a! Lincoln, and that a monumental melan? choly always we|gh?-?l upon his V-art. "Many times have 1 seen Lincoln W< was su. !) a J-mall bit of a girl an?l Was s? boyish .n form and appear? is that the l'resident often said that I mad? him think of Willie. Th.-s<- thoughts wore lb? 0(i-;i:-i" Of the great tears that I s.iw ofle:. .wn his checks. T GREAT MEN WEEP. "In my time i have Boon Urnes groal m? . weep. The first of these was Lincoln when he thought of his dead non. ? The Fecon !, some lifteen years later, was Jefferson Davis. At that tlm?- I had been married tot a )-h?rt time to General Hoxie, and wu ?Rationed at Montgomery. Ala. Jef f. 1 -m Davis rtsJtsd Montgomery, and met with s*M*h an ovation by the citizens as is rarel' tendered any man. It was almost si appearance 80 spontaneous and uli was this ovation that it greatly moved this president of a lost cause. When he ?groas to respond t<? the <*.-? ? tim-s tut w*ai overcome by the feeling he ha?i evidently arouse?! In these people of his own South? land. He broke down nn?l *t***?b<*d like ai child "?Oniy a few jeais ago, at the close of] **??*. ceivc'd no callers and transact.?] no i ness while be was sitting for mc. Upon only two occasions do I remember that he allowed this rule broken and admitted ?T'>n!e who wanted to see him. (?ne of those was a woman whose son was in the old Capitol prison, and the woman wanted a pass that she might BOS him. The Presi? dent unbent most graciously and gave this woman her pass to see her boy. A *??? woman appeared on a atmilsr mission. President Ixmcoln aeemed to anUcipate her taquest, and asked bet before ans had stated it If It was not a Bweetheari whom she wanted ?to vlsi:. H ? COafSSBed thai he was- right." In all the world it would have hard to And two creatures thai m re cot trastsd the one with ti.? other than dW Vinnie Ream and Abraham Lincoln PROFILE VIEW OF LINCOLN STATUE BY VINNIE REAM. Ream, in th? fulms? of her maturity, could never boast an approach to th ? In height during all the years of her yuung womanhood ehe tipped the scataa at around seventy-five pounds. Bbe wus as sttaight and strong and healthy as a bay? mid the cfuster of dark curls ntx?ut her face was always augKestlve of bo\lshn?ss. 1 ?aimy and small and piquant, she must have contrasted strongly with the bulking and ungainly iigui?- at the rail-splitting !'r?*ald?iit, slouching In his ill-fllting .lollies Of walking aboo! the offl. ?? in great ptOOgh? man boota The sittings had l-c-n soin-; on (or about. fl\e months When Lincoln wa.? klltad. Th? little ?irti?-t ?ami at home on that tsrrlbl ?right and i ?T parants had be?an to the the:.tie. They retimed li.v, ard nod mid loi.l h? i of Hie tragic b'Hl'i " grsal f.i nd it w,.s ;i long ums b sin ri.mered from th-- shock, hut it lal only the ?rfeet ? > intensif.*, lag Wit : the image and the mournful lntf*f"J"**IO*la that I ?? ?lent. ii ?i i aftsr lal? lhal <'":' ?i. ? Mod thai it should have for the re-tond* in tii" '.'.?i It'll Hi., ligur.? of I.in Ola ?on? ii. n...iii?-. n ...i.,.! m, groat utti-: o tie world to submit models for this stain? There otro ???ore? of ootapotttoro, and ??? them tills girl, then .lKht.ei' \?ais Of ape. .submitted the ?lay nio.1.1 that Bha 1 i i ?. Btodtoosly ma?o of ths great Proal cl? ut in hi-? very pnosenoo. tta M th.tn nil hail caug'nt the ?i>iiit >?f the man. and !.. i ni??.', i appoalad la ihaod who know mm - i..i.ig the thing that would por? ta him as bS nally W*W and hand doom i aril the octual Ltacoin. Iftsr .. month <?i waiting ti??' commltta U i its Unding. UWta Vlnni?- l:?..m hid BSCUISd the .??mmi.'sion from tli.? United Btatai gOiaiUIUOBl to make in niai-^ ! ble .. statue of the most tragic llgure that that nation had etat prodtwod. Bhe did not know thai she had roeolvOd the award ?lien, one dav. i.en.ral Sh.?n.i.?n called ,.i h.-, stodk and '?K"1 '"?' '" menm potty him to the Cap?tol. ?vi.?-,, the} entered ore of the galleri?'* ?f cbe Senate ?hamh.-r that dignified body arose -n ?, , and waved a mulUtude of ?m**4kei*hl ? , ,,,,,,..,?| ?! rt)?StforOt-oly. Munie Ream lurn.-d t.? Qenoral Sherman and -ongiatu. lated him upon il'- domtte^raUi* that vas being give.? in all ?"-"<??? ?,*" ?'"' ?? 0n| (?Id her .hat "?>?' ?' ?;l" _ "" "*?_ being hOOWred and thai the occasion of |* THE FARRAGUT MONUMENT. B lid. i iiess: of men who wont down at Antietam, fell at Winchester ?r marched with .3heriiu-.ii to the sea. The .studio, with Its circular walls and high arched ceilings, was UgatOd by a huge fireplace 0( the old*a times, the last cue left at the Capitol. !?' occupied one ?ntlrc .??de o' ihr. ,30m. .'11.1 was kepi bla:*.lng v? h logs gjx feet ??r more in length. It was supported on each aide by ma**bta Statue* and was so fascinating that H was no wonder that the ..Id soldiers ling-red thsr?, it uas ,i,r|r cumplir?, and U the ghra eT..m the blaz? ing iiearth United up the clay Image the name l-Jncoln was ?ver ou UM*? iiu,. Th?*** After the Assassination of the "Emancipator," Congress Commissioned Her to Make His Effigy for Rotunda in Capitol. was that she had been selected t<> make the statue of Lincoln. The artist herself describes the years th.it followed in which she v/a? accomplish Ing this great -\ork. the joys of the labor, the atmosphere an?l the associations of the I time. "The room of the Committee on Mines 'and Minerals was tendered me as a Stu? dio because it was next to one occupied by JudgO David l?avis, of the Supreme Court, Lincoln's most Intimate personal friend, end he was my constant asso late. my adviser and critic in this sacre! task. I had approached the work with reverence and with tr?"nbling hands, and had taken the proportions <?r the figure from the blood-rtalned garments tbat President Lincoln had worn <>n that last and fearful night. Altogether I worked six years on iwas nev?r such I studio in all the world, ?and never did an artist w irk in an atiivj? I pher? that was a greater stimulant." ' l'nder such conditions and amid such ?historic surroundings gi. bttyp* In clay that was afterward canred In mar ! hie from the guarria- of Carrara. Fee thla porpooa the model irai eesteeyet to Home and with a background of two national flags was placed in ?he studio, and artista Of the time were Invite?! to "MUM opinion on Its rr.-rtt. The artist Hesly, Sthi painted Lincoln, was a ?lose friend of lllal Ream and assiste?! her in the work. I-r this statu?- troneran*, hod originally ga* proprlated V?.ffO and to this ? BftsrWari aihled t.*..?1?X> a!? a special mark of It- a p. proval of the work of th?- only woman 1 who has ever received such a COmmlsBlsa ' from Congraos. VINNIt. REAM AS SHE SCULPTURED LINCOLN. ? the UtKoki statue During the time l spent in the Capitol modelling this ilgure I was thrown constantly with men proni inint )n public life. Alm?>st all the Bon? and Representatives were deeply Interested !n the work an?l were constant visitors at the sttjdlo. r'rietnl and foe gatheged there with ? ? ommon Interest - ? - ::i? work. In the bright ?and rambHng discussions ?>f men and things there were many ta!?'s of the war its privations, its hardships and suf? ferings- by the gallanl soldiers who came to ?? ?? how th?* statue was progressing. ? 9 ime came on crutches and told bow farther and son, brother ami brother, had met upon the i .itti.-ii.-i?i only to die in each Other's aims I hear?! stmi.-s ? ?f prison life, Of nun win? Were shot to the heart at Bhllob or perished In the When the Vlnnie Ream statue of I | was unveiled in the ("apitol In 1971 ?Sena? tor Carpenter, of Wisconsin, si.nun the satisfaction of the American Col in his description of tho a*ork tha bad produced, lie said: "Those who have vi_it?-d the Btudio of this artist and s?en trartoua Clon?le WOritJ that she has produce?! hav.? no doubt that BhS would have been aapablO "? eml'ody; .g In a statu- of Macota a creditable -*Ot> ception of Jupiter hurling thumb r? .Us r of Cicero In ? Roman toga amid ? Borroondlnga Thus she might hav? pro* du.id a table in marble, bshoMlng whlcb no man could say where Lincoln s* I and .?uplter commenced nor distinguish ( thai which rsprossntod the fact from that which representad tho fandy of tho artist Thus she might have Mieate.l hereni: and have libelled the great departed, and h' r statue might ha\e bosa placed In the .'apit'ii amid t!> hoasnnoha .?*' while an Illinois neighbor could not ? led the romotsol resemNoiMa t?> the plain oM .man with whooo Int-otmlngi sad outgotngi !??? had been familiar for yean "OUT artist was aware that no (latter)' was ? taps? ted at ROT bands. Wht pie employed her to eXCCttte 'his Work th'"-' were in no mood for dissembling. What they wish..! was an easel llkenesa of Abra? ham Lincoln, the half-farmer, half-lawysr and altogether child Of Nature, with radder than was ever worn i y man i The artist has made an asad cop] of tim rough casket in whl.h ('?>,1 lodgH ? ? the brightest Jewels Bines the begtnntng of time. She most heartily dea ? the thanks of tin* Congreso "f them I : States." SUBSEQUENT WORK. So was the most delicate task thai < ?in? gress luis SVCT assigned l" an Srilat ac? complished. S?> was a young gill ?tatted <>n a career of art that Is slmOSl althom parallel lu America, for that career ha? been more bound up in the public life et the nation than any other When V?anle Roam asked to mod?*! a bust of Lincoln from life th" I'i' dent flatly refused. He said th.' h" I I been submitting to too many picture-. I1" insisted that there was no reason wh\ .111 0O0 should want to make the likened <??' BO homely a man. He WOUld hoar noth? ing of It. Her friend* urged that Bh? wai but a girl, was ambitious, ?ranted to him of all else; lhat tht BU I ??"' '?'hat she was poor and without lefluen. point that il?'cld?*d Lincoln. H<- would ?it for this poor girl with nought I 01 Ii?t aiil Litioli. Lilt he would sit tOT BO OtiMT. At the time and during the yean Bba was making the clay i**?-!' I at the Capitol this slip of a Kir! was studying and work? ing oaoMooufty. CooouoMid with the p?? sion for bor ?work. Imt small tram* as full of strength and vigor as that <>.' a bo? oucd night and day. During lha! tin made busts of many of 10 great men ?With whom she wax associated. M?>*<t iwtahU among these was the lo.st of ThsddeOi Stevens, of Pennsylvania, the most power? ful man in Ooagrooo In 1?'? onstruttkn* times and her stanch advocate While working upon the Uncoln statin- in ROM?" much opportunity for study was given, and busts w<re made of Other eel? brat? ?1 l*r" m ?nages. Ogrdlnal Vnt- r? III. one of tl?? moot unapproacl'.al le ?lier, of recent ti'??*? consented to sitting for u bust upon l1"* m? re re.iuest Of t"".e little American sell'' tor. Liszt la soother great man whom s?*v* ; aa ions in marble. Hut her flnal great masterpiece, next to the Lincoln statue, was t?. be, like the Irst? ?i<i.?* upon order? the United States Congress. It was to be?" heroic statue of Admiral David C.!asf*o?* I anagut. to he placed ii Karr?gui S pi'?"?'? Washington, which Congress v.as dedicat? ing to this Rient naval !r 10. Artists wert a-k?.l to .submit model? tot ? .?ntinued on third page?.