Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-01-04
.E.QCEN ON the IE.QE Il.
by HARRIET DEECHER STOWE.


Once there was very EoGl little girl
who, by reason other goodness, knew where
to find strawberries in the winter In the
same way less perfect people, blessed by the
generous fairies ofmemoly and Imagination
may sit, as do now, in the midst of falling
leaves and whistling winds, and call back
the green grasses and the summer sun. |
see yonder in the CLEAN the darling Of our
house, the gold CLEAN in her brown hair, q
chain of daisies in her hand, and in her eyes
the roguish meditation OF kitten, weary
for an Instant only of its play, ana think,
ing slyly of another spring. Thrown back
upon the velvet grass, she is not resting
only pausing; from her bright glonces to
the tips Of her tiny fingers she is wide
awake
But now the merry play is over, and our
pet nestles yonder on the soia-cushion, tired
at last IN earnest, Slowly the lids fail, and
the lingering smile dies out; but the flush
in check and lip remains, like the glow al
ter sunset. The gathered buttcrcups and
daisies are loosely held by the fair little
hand no shadows, even Of dream-land,
disturb the sweet brow's perfect peace.
She is fast asleep.
In other words, two cmomos hang upon
the wall, bewitchng child-hcads, 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 plcascs more at first sight or
gives pleasure longer than poctical picture+
of children. "Thc little childp whom
Jesus sets in the midst ofevery family is
a joy that grows not old and ladies' not.
"Age cannot withor, custom cannot stale
Its infinite variety
For this reason happy picture Of child
brings an 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 as chjdrta
can understand and love. Our little
" Wide Awake" and Fast Asleep" would
give many pleasant hour Of companion
able amusement and intercourse to the
little people akin to them in age. The
pictures that children's eyes rest on as they
are dropping oil to sleep, or as they awake
in the morning, seem to them like living
friends. All sorts OF childish dreams and
tanc,es make of the pictured face q real
companion. Not only in the parlor or the
sittiug-room would they be an attractive
and lifting establishment, but they are a
charming pair for the adonmont of u
Undoubtedly these two pictures are
portraits. There is a realistic faithfulness
and truth about them that iorbids the idea
of their being fancy heads. They will
remind many parents oflittle ones either
here or in heaven. Dickens SAYS some
where Of his portraiture of little Nell that
he has had letters from the tarthcst regions
of the earth speaking of children who
rcsembled her-so dear, and 50 early taken
He who paints one child well, paints thou.
sands, and speaks to the tcndcrcsr feeling
of innumerable hearts.
Of course there is a pl assure in possess
ing an original painting; but when the
question lies between an original at five
hundred dollars and chrome which can
be distinguished from it at ten
dollars particularly when one has not
the five hundred to spare the choice is
not very difficult, As to these two eX-
quisitc chromos, only a critical eX0uli-
nation can distinguish between the copies
and the originals, which sold for man.
hundreds-whch is certainly more than
can be said of the best copies Of most pic.
lures painted by hand
Blessings upon chrono-lithography, by
which the successful painting of a master
can be reproduced Indefinitely, and can
enter thousands Of homes with its cduca-
ting, quickening, reforming influence!
1t is not alone into the dwellings, Of the
great and wealthy that we follow this
pretty pair with anticipations of delight,
We see them in the cottages Of the poor,
in the log cabin Of the bacliwoodsman,
frightening the toll of the hard wife and
and receiving the almost adoring
wonder Of children who have never seen
pictures before.
God bless the dOrlings send the little
comIorteIs fast and far
The charming pair Of oil chromos,
" Wide Awake and East Asleep OF
whose real beauty and attractiycness Mrs.
Stoves graceful sketch can give but an
idca-so pleasing are they to all
who love art or chiidrcn-hayc always
sold in the picture stores for $40, ard the
original publisher has never boon able to
supply the great demand for them even at
that price. And yet, although Thousands
Of them have been sold in America at that
high rate, they are now within the reach
Of all, for they are
GITEN iWiY
tocvely subscriber 20 TIE Christian EHoa.
an msectariaD, literary, religious and
domestic weekly newspaper, edited by
lIENERY WARD BEEcHER.
The pair, by fortunate arrangement
which one of the partners Of this house
was able to make in Paris during the late
siege, with the proprictors of the pictures,
are furnished to Mr. Beechcr's publishers
at a rate eatire'y ercpttooM, Tie subjects
are Life Size.
rs to the Citrisiioa Eujoa, the great
success Of that paper has been a marvel in
thelhistory of journalism and the scholarly
and critical New York Nation calls it not
only the ableSt and best, but also the most
popular of American religious periodicals. I"
This paper, after the first Of January,
will be printed on a still larger sheet, fold
ed in tlee"ty;foar pages, pasim at he beck
md trimmed tie edqeS Il decided adyan
tage possessed by no other religious week
ly published. 1t contain. contributions,
from eminent writer's cf ali denominations,
and has matter Of interest for every
member OF the household, young aad old.
For the year 1872, Ms. HARRIET BEGcuER
SrowE will write crcl@icly tor the CuNIs
TIAN UNION.
The terms Of subscription to this paper
are, For one year, ONLY $500. This viii
entitlc the subscriber to the paper and to