The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-02-02
FACES ON THE WALL.
BY HARRIET BEEcHER STOWE.
A"'"or Or Uncle Toms Cabin" "My Wife and ~
.H. etc.

onee there was very good little girl, who, by rea-
son her goodness knew where to find strawberries
~ ~ 'he winter In the same way less perfect people,
blessed by the generous fairies of memory and imag
nation, may sit, as do now in the midst of falling
eaVes and whistling Winds and call back the green
s'asses and summer sun. see yonder in the glen
uarns OF our house, the gold gleam in her brown
ehan OF daisies I'm her hand and in her ewes the
iousnsh meditation of kitten weary for an instant
ol its play and thinking syly of another spring
back upon the velvet grass she is not resting
oniy pausng from her bright gances to the tips Of
her tiny fingers she is wide awake.
~. how the merry play is over, and our pet nestles
on the sofa-cushion tired at last in earnest
Slowiy the lids tall, and the lingering smile dies ont:
'ne nush In cheek and lip remains like the glow
~.'e, sunset. The gathered buttercups and daisies
~ ioosey held by the fair little hand; no shadows
en VI uream land disturb the sweet brow's perfect
peace She is fast asleep.
oier words, two chromos hang upon the wall,
-, ns niid-heads in which every mother sees
OF her own dear ones never grown old and
o'er iose 70 her, however time or death may have
dealt with them. ' A''''
Nothing pleases more at first sight or gives n,easure
ioneer tnan poetca pictures Of children The little
.AA. whom Jesus sets in the midst Of every family
a'oy that grows not old and fades not
Age cannot wither, custom cannot stale
Its infinite variety"
For this reason happy picture of a child brings nm
enjoyment more lasting than any other because it is
a subject Of which no one ever tires.
But these pictures, besides their constant charm for
grown folks are such children can understand and
iose. Our little "Wide Awake" and ..Fast Asleep,,
would give many pleasant hour of companonable
amusement and intercourse to the little people akin
10 them IN age The pictures that children ewes rest
on as tney are dropping off to Sleep as they awake
IN tne morning, seem to them like living friends All
sorts OF childish dreams and fncies make of the met
ured face real companion. Not only in the nar,or
or the sitting room would they be an attractive and
hitting establishment but they are a charming pair
for the adornment of nursery
Undoubtedly these two pictures are portraits
There is realistic faithfuness and truth about them
that forbids the idea of their being fancy heads.
They viii 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
tne iarthest regions Of the earth speaking of children
who resemble her-so dear, and SO early takeni He
who paints one child well, paints thousands, and
speaks to the tenderest feelings ofnnumerable hearts,
Of course there is pleasure in possessing an orpi
nal painting; 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-
quiste chromos, only critical examination can dis
tnguish 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. 3 &'3s FtafoH
Blessings upon chrome -lithography, by which the
successful painting Of master be reproduced indie