The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1862-04-11


has time to think over and talk over tho 9TH
er-mceting the next morning with the kind.
ly feeling Of those who have passed night
under the same roof.
As my wife and | stepped from our cab the
dull day was already closing into twilight,
and the FIRE only half illumined the room
into which We were shown. II was an old
fashioned, rather gloomy apartment half
study, half sitting room one end being fit.
ted up as library, while at the other
pleasant thought!ulness, which warmed al.
ready our hearts towards our unseen hosts
was spread out that best Of all meals for a
weary traveller, q tea dinner. So hungry
were we, that this welcome, well supplied.
elegant board was the only thing We noticed
about the room, except one other thing,
which hung close above the tea.table, on the
paneled wall.
1t was large, full length portrait, very
well painted the sort Of portrait Of which
one says ut once, "what q good likeness that
must be !" 1t had an individuality, charac-
tcr-the soul of the man Us well rs his body;
and us he sat in his chair, looking directly
at you, in u simple, natural attitude, you
felt what beautiful soul this must have
been one that even ut sixty years of age
for the portrait seemed thus old-would have
shed brightness over any home, and over
any society where the person moved.
"I suppose that must be the poor DOCTOR"
said my wife. as her eyes met upon the can.
vas face, which glimmered in the freight
with most lilelike aspect, the gentle, be-
ncvolent eyes seeming to follow one about
the room, as the eyes of most well painted
iull.iace portraits do.
"You never saw him, Charles?"
"No; but this is exactly the sort OF man
he must have been.'
And our conviction on tho matter was 30
strong that when the widow came in we alb
stained from asking the question, lest VIC
strangers might touch painfully on ascarcely
healed wound.
She was very sweet looking little woman;
pale, fragile, and rather silent than other.
wise. She merely performed the duties Of
the tca.table, while the conversation was
carried on with spirit and intelligence by her
three daughters = evidently highly accom-
plishcd women. They were no longer young,
or particularly handsome; but they appeared
to have inherited the inexpressiblo charm OF
manner which, had heard, characterized
their lost father; and they had, my wife
whispered me, still greater attraction in
her eyes-(she had, dear soul, two little
daughters of her own growing up)-which
was the exceeding Difference they paid to their
mother, who was not by any means 80 clever
as themselves,
Perhaps /, who had not married woman
for her cloycrness, admired tho mother most.
The doctors widow, with her large, soft, sor-
rowlul eyes, where the tears seemed to have
dried up, or been frozen up in CLASSY qui.
etncss, was to me the best evidence OF what
an excellent man he must have been; how
deeply beloved, how eternally mourned.
She never spoke of her husband, nor tho
daughters of their father. This silence
which some families consider it almost re
ligious duty to preserve regarding their dead
we, OF course, as complete strangers, had
no business to break and, therefore, it hap
pcned that we were still in the dark as to the
original of that remarkable portnit-which
minute by minute took astronger hold on my
Imagination my wife's, too-Or that quail
ty of universal tender heartedness, which in
her does duty for Imagination. l never
looked at her but she was watching either
our hostess or that likeness, which she sup
posed to bo the features which to the poor
widow had been so deseryedly dear.
A most strange picture. II seemed, in it's
wonderfully true stimulation to lie, to sit,
almost like an unobseryed, silent guest, above
our chcerfuland conversational table. Many
times during the evening started, rs ilwith
the sense of seventh person in tho room
in the very social circle hearing every thing.
observing every thing, but saying nothing.
Nor was alone in this feeling, foI noticed
that my wife, who happened to sit directly
opposite to the portrait, fidgeted in her chair,
and finally moved her position to one where
she could escape from those steady, kindly,
ever pursuing, painted eyes.
Now ask nobody to believe what ! am
going to relate: must distinctly state that
do not believe 1t myself; but ] tell it be-
cause it involves an idea and moral, which
the reader can apply If he chooses. All ]
can say is, that 50 far as it purports to go
and when you come to the end you will find
that out-this is really true story.
Ny wife, you must understand, sat exactly
before the portrait till she changed places with
me, and went little way down the oblong
table, on the same side. Thus, one of us
had front, and the other u slightly fore
shortened view. Between us and II was the
table, in the centre of which stood q lamp
one Of those reading lamps which throw a
bright circle of light below them, and leave
tho upper half OF the room in comparative
shadow. ] thought 1t was this shadow, or
some fanciful flicker OF the fire, which caused
a popularity in the eyes Of the portnit.-
They seemed actually alive moving from
right to LETT in their orbits, opening and clos
ing their lids, turning from one to the other
of the family circle with variable express
sion, us if conscious OF all that was done or
said.
And yet the family took no notice, but
went on in their talk with us; choosing the
common topics with which unfamiliar per-
sons try to plumb one another's minds and
characters: yet never once reyerting to this pc
culiar enomenon-which my wife, saw,
had also observed. and interchanged with me
more than one uneasy glance in the pauses
of conversation.
The evening was wearing ONT was near
" ten O'Clock, when looking up ut the pic.
turc. from which for the last half hour had
steadily avcrted my gaze, was startled by
still moro marvellous fact concerning 1t.
Formerly the eyes alone had appeared
aliyo now the whole face was rounded. Ii
grew up out Of the fat canvas as II in has.
relief, or like one Of those terribly painful
casts after death except that there was
nothing painful or revolving here. As i have
said, the face was q beautiful face-a noble
face such an one rs, under any circumstsn.
,cs, you would be attracted by. And 1t had
II tox,,, If H. 80. ,o-r.o- Ill N