The Portland daily press., 1872-02-03

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 peope.
blessed by the generous fairies of memory and magi
nation, 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,
tne darling OF our house, the gold geam in her brown
chan OF daisies in her hand an in her ewes the
rougmsh meditation of kitten, weary for an instant
ony Oh 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 new the merry play is over, and our pet nestles
FOUNDER on the sofcushion tired at last in earnest
Slowly the lids tall and the lingering smile dies ont
but the flush in cheek and lip remains. like the glow
alter sunset The gathered buttercups and daisies
are loosely held by the fair little hand no shadows
even OF dream land disturb the sweet brows nerfct
peace. She is fast asleep.
In other words, two chromos hang upon the wall
Dewltching child-heads in which eyery mother secs
soetnns OF her own dear ones, never grown old and
never lost to her, however time or death NAV have
dealt with them.
Nothing pleases more at first sight or gives pleasure
longer than poetica pictures of children Tbe little
cmid whom Jesus sets in the midst of every FAMILY
Is JOY 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 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 as children understand and
love. Our little "Wide Awake" and Fast Asleep
"ouid give many pleasant hour of companionable
amusement and intercourse to the little people akin
to them in age The pictures that children 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 fncies make of the pict
ured face real companion. Not only in the parlor
or the sitting room would they be an attractive and
hitting embellishments but they are charming pair
for the adornment of nursery.
Undoubtedly these two pictures are portraits
There is realistic fathfuness and truth about them
that forbids the idea of their being fancy heads
Ihey Will remind many parents of little ones either
mere or IN heaven. Dickens says somewhere of his
portraiture of little Nell that he has had letters from
the arthest 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 oroi
nal pantiug 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 not very difficult As to these two ex-
quisle chromos, only critical examination can dis
tinguish 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 master be reproduced inde-
ntely, 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 follow this pretty pair with anticpa
tions of delight We sec them in the cottages of the
poor, in the log cabin ofthe backwoodsman 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 darlngs-send the little comforters
fast and far!