The Portland daily press., 1872-02-17
FACES ON THE WALL.
by HARRIET BEECHER STOWE
author Of "Uncte Toms Cabin" "My WE and l."
etc.

author Of "Uncle Toms Cabin" my WE and l."
etc.
Once there was very good little girl, who by rea-
son Of her goodness knew where to find strawberries
In the winter. In the way less perfect people,
blessed by the generous fairies of memory and imag
nation, may Sit as do now in the midst of falling
leaves and whistlng Winds and call back the green
grasses and summer sun. i see yonder in the glen
the darling OF our house, the gold gleam in her brown
har chain OF daisies in her hand and in her eyes the
roughsh meditation of kitten, weary for an instant
only OF It's play and thinking syly of another SPRING
Thrown back upon the velvet grass she is not resting
only pausing; from her bright gances to the tips Of
her tiny fingers she Is wide awake
But now the merry play is over, and our net nestes
younder ON the scfacushion tired at last in earnest
SLOWLY the lids tall and the lingering smile dies out;
put the hush In cheek and lip remains like the glow
after sunset The gathered buttercups and daisies
are loosely held by the fair little hand no shadows
even oil dream land disturb the sweet brows perfet
peace. She Is fast asleep.
In other words, two chromos hang upon the wall,
bewitching cbild-heads In which every mother secs
something of her own dear ones never grown old and
never lost to her, however time or death may have
dealt with them.
Nothing pleases moro at first sight or gives pleasure
longer than poetca pictures Of children "The little
enid whom Jesus sets In the mist Of every family
"ajoy that grows not old and fades not.
Ago cannot wither, custom cannot stale
y . It's infinite variety.s
FOR this reason happy picture OF child brings an
enjoyment more lasting than any other because It Is
asuhjeet of which no one ever tires
But these pictures besides their constant charm for
grown folks are such as chldIen can understand and
love. Our little "wido Awake" and Fast Asleep
would give many pleasant hour Of eompanionable
amusement and intercourse TO tho little people akin
TO them In age The peturos that ehdrons eyes rest
ON as they are dropping OIL to Sleep or aa they awake
In the morning, seem to them like living ffiends All
sorts of childish dreams and hneies make of the pie
ured hee real companion. Not only In the parlor
or ths sitting room would thoy be attractive and
hitting emeellishment, but they are charming pair
for the adornment ofa nursery.
Undoubtedly these two pictures ara portralts
There is realistic fthfunesa and truth about thom
th@t forbds the idea Of their being fancy heads
ihey VIII remind many parents of little ones either
mere OF IN heaven. Dickens says somewhere of his
portraiture OF little Nell nat he has Ind letters from
the arthest regions OF the earth speakngpf children
who resemble her-so dear, and so early taken, He
who paints one child well, paints tholsands. and
speaks to the enderest feelings ofinnumerable hearta
ofeourse there Is pleasure In possessing an or,s
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-
quislte chromos, only critical examination can dis
tngusn between the copies and the originals which
sold for many hundreds-which Is certainly more
han f>ao oft tba