The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-01-26
FACES ON THE WALL.
BY HARRIET BEEcHER STOWE.
author Of "UncIe Toms Cabin" "hy WVe and II
etc.

Once there very good little girl, who, by rea-
son of her goodness knew where to find Strawberries
in the winter In the same way less perfect people,
blessed by the generous fairies of memory andmaei-
nation, may sit, 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 our house. the gold geam in her brown
hair chain of daisies in her hand and in her eyes the
roughish meditation of kitten, weary for an instant
only OF its play and thinking syy 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 pet nestles
yeunder on the sofacushion tired at last in earnest
Slowly the lids TALL and the lingering smile dies out
but the flush 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 of dream land disturb the sweet brows perfect
peace. She is fast asleep.
In other words, two chromos hang upon the wall
bewitchng chld-heads, In which every mother sees
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 more at first sight or gives pleasure
longer than poetica pictures Of children "The little
child whom Jesus sets in the midst of every family
cage 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 such as children can understand and
love. Our little "Wide Awake" and Fast Asleep"
would give many pleasant hour of companionable
amusement and intercourse to the little people akin
to them in age The pictures that chdrens eyes rest
on as they are dropping off to Sleep they awake
in the morning, seem to them like living friends. All
sorts of childish dreams and ancies make Of the pict
ured face real companion. Not only in the parlor
the sitting room would they be an attractive and
fitting establishment, but they charming pair
for the adornment of a nursery.
Undoubtedly these two pictures are portraits.
There is realistic fathfulness 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
portrature of little Nell that he has had letters from
the fathest regions of the earth speaking of children
who resemble her-so dear, and early taken! He
who paints one child well, paints thousands and
speaks to the tenderest feelings ofnnumerabe hearts,
Ofcourse there is pleasure in possessing origi-
nal pantiug; but when the question lies between an
original at five hundred dollars and chrome which
scarcely be distinguished from it, at ten dollars
particularly when has not five hundred to spare
the choice is not very difficult As to these two
quislte chromos, only critical examination 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 o-lithography, by which the