The Portland daily press., 1872-02-01
FACES ON THE WALL.
BY HARRIET BEEcHER STOWE.
Aat"or Of "Uncle Toms Cabin" "My Wife and T."

once there was very good little girl, who, by rea-
oo oi ner goodness, knew where to find strawberries
m tne winter. In the way less perfect people
oiessed by the generous fairies of memory and imag
nat'on may Sit as do now, in the midst of falling
leaves and whistlng winds, and call back the green
grasses and summer sun. see yonder in the glen
oarng OF our house, the gold gleam in her brown
na chain Of daisies in her hand and in her ewes the
meditation of kitten, weary for an instant
ony OF Its play and thinking syly of another spring
back upon the velvet grass she is not resting
ony pausing from her bright gances to the tins of
ner tiny fingers she is wide awake.
nu. now the merry play is over, and our pet nestes
on the sofacushon tired at last in earnest
'io~iy the lids tall, and the lingering smile dies out
'ne nush In cheek and lip remains like the glow
80, sunset. The gathered buttercups and daisies
aio ioosey held by the fair little hand no shadows
'en ol dream land disturb the sweet brows perfect
peace She is fast asleep.
In other words two chroruos hang unon the xvaI,
oewitchng child heads in which every mother ,ees
something of her own dear ones never grown old and
never iost to her, however time or death NAV have
dealt with them. '''
No'nng peases more at first sight or gives pleasure
tnan poetcal pictures Of children 'The little
emu whom Jesus sets in the midst Of every family
7 40 JOY tnat grows not old and fades not.
age cannot wither, custom cannot stale
Its infinite VARIETY"
For this reason happy picture of child brinps an
enjoyment more lasting than any other because it is
subject OF which no one ever tires
But these pictures besides their constant charm for
grown folks are such children can understand and
love. Our little "Wide Awake" and EAST Asleep,,
~ould give many pleasant hour of companionable
amusement and intercourse to the little people akin
70 tnem IN age The pictures that chdrens ewes rest
on as they are dropping off to Sleep or as they awake
In the morning, seem to them like living friends All
sorts OF childish dreams and fancies make Of the ,ct
ured face real companion. Not only In the nar,or
or the sitting room would they be an attractive and
lifting establishment, but they are charming pair
for the adornment of a nursery.
Undoubtedly these two pictures are portraits
There is realistic fathfuness and truth about them
that forbids the idea Of thefr being fancy heads
Ihey viii remind many parents of little ones either
mere or In heaven. Dickens says somewhere Of his
portrature of little Nell that he has had letters from
the farthest regions Of the earth speaking of children
who resemble her-so dear, and so early taken! He
who paints one child well, paints thousands. and
speaks to the tenderest feelings ofnnumerabe hearts
OF course there is pleasure in possessing an orip
nal painting; but when the question lies between an
original at five hundred dollars and a 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
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. r-rt-TT r.r.5 -
Blessings upon chrome -lthography, by which the
successful painting of master be reproduced indie