The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-02-14
FACES ON THE WALL.
BY HARRIET BEEcHER STOWE
AUTHOR Of "Uncle Toms Cabin" "lfy Wife and r."

author Of Uncle Toms Cabin" "lfy Wife and IT,
There ery good little girl, who, by rea-
s. so9 I, A /: knew where to find strawberries
In Winter. In the same way less perfect people,
o'essed by the generous fairies Of memory and mag-
nauon, may sit, as do now in the midst Of falling
leaves and whistling Winds and call back the green
grasses and summer sun. see yonder in the glen,
the darling of house. the gold CLEAN in her brown
chain Of daisies in her hand and in her eyes the
roushish meditation of Kitten weary for an instant
OF Its play and thinking syy of another spring.
back upon the velvet grass she is not resting
Only pausng from her bright glances to the tips Of
ner my fingers she is wide awake. ..a.
DeI now the merry play is over, and our pet nestes
youhder on the cushion tired at last in earnest
SLOWLY the lids tall, and the lingering smile dies out:
but me flush in cheek and lip remains, like the glow
afte; sunset. The gathered buttercups and daisies
are loosely held by the fair little hand; no shadows,
even OF dream land disturb the sweet brows perfect
peace. She is fast asleep.
1n other words, two chrumos hang upon the wall,
eewitchng child ld1heads n which every mother sees
something Of hskn dear ones, never grown old, and
never lost to .however time or death may have
dealt withfAaS A-r~
Neth1 e more at'frst sight or gives pleasure
longer calpictures of children "The little
cnia w5g9 ksets in the midst of every family
Joy grows not old and fades not.
: I Age cannot wither, custom cannot stale
= Its infinite variety"
For this reason happy picture of child brings an
enjoyment more lasting than any other because 1t is
a subject of which no one ever tires. ~,
But these pictures their sQpstant charm for
grown folks, are such ~ hildreT q understand and
love. Our little 'Wide Awake" ap1GeFast Asleep
would give many pleasant hour, bmpanionable
amusement and intercourse to ths>4ttle people akin
to them In age The pictures that chdrens eyes rest
on - they are dropping off Sleep or as they awake
In tha morning. seem to them like living friends All
sorts Of childish dreams ances make of the Ict-
ured face real companion. Not only in the parlor
or the sitting room would they be attractive and
fitting establishment, but they are charming pair
for the adoGnment ofa nursery cfEfk
Undoubtedly these two pictures are portraits
There is realistic faithfuness and truth about them
that forbids the idea of their being fancy heads
They will remind many parents of little ones either
here or in heaven. Dickens says somewhere Of his
portraiture of little Nell that he has had letters from
the fthest regions of the earth speaking of children
who resemble her-so dear, and SO early takenl He
who paints one child well, paints thousands, and
speaks to the enderest feelings ofinnumerable hearts,
OF course there is pleasure in possessing an orgi-
nal paintiug but when the question lies between an
original at five hundred dollars and chrome which
can scarcely be distinguished from it, at ten dollars
particularly when one has not five hundred to spare
the choice is not very difficult. As to these two ex-
quslte chromos, only critical examination can dis
tingusn between the copies and the originals which
sold for many hundreds-which is certainly more
than can be said of the best copies of most pictures
painted by hand.
Blessings upon chromo-lithography, by which the
successful painting Of mastercan be reproduced indie
fnitey and can enter thousands of homes with its ed
ucating, quickening, reforming Influences!
1t is not alone into the dwellings of the great and
wealthy that we follow this pretty pair with anticpa-
tons Of delight Wesee them in the cottages of the
poor, in cabin fthe Frightening
the toll Of the hard-worked wife and mother, and
receiving the almost adorng wonder of children who
have never seen pictures before.
God bless the darlings-send the little comforters
fast and far!