The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-05-10
STORY or THE WOMAN
AND The MINIATURE
Topics of Interest In the Art and Musi-
cal World-Engaeemen of
Miss Vance and Mr.. ~
Leeper.
BY ANNIE KENDRlcK WALKER.

HEY were looking over their old
l treasures, a miniature on ivory, a
quantity carved pearl mirror with gold
bands, a jeweled bracelet girdle
of dull, heavy gold
How we prize these things" said the
older woman looking intently upon the
delicate face in the miniature Il some
times feel" she went on, that we think
too much of these treasures and too
little of our living treasures Now, this
miniature belonged to my great grand
mother. 1t is q likeness of her mother
and l regard 1t as almost priceless even
without its jeweled setting; and this rare
old girdle of yours which could not be
reproduced today and was worn by your
great great aunt at an historic ball, how
you value it!
How very careful are each of us of
these tangible assurances of the earthly
possessions of those whom we have
never seen and who lived their veslong
before our own eyes opened on this earth.
l often wonder If the dear old ladies and
the elegant be-ruffled old gentleman who
look at US from these old miniatures were
mementoes Of their lives.
$50 many of us are sometimes careless
of our attitude to the living who are
dear to US, and when later we shall have
only the mementoes of their lives to re-
mind us of the days they were on earth,
some one may wonder II the face In the
miniature or the portrait had ever grown
sad because of Indifference or neglect on
- rnfl.a dtffxv nd MIA
ure should have been to have cheered and
comforted him.
~ think that the sentiment to appreci-
ate the beautiful old treasures that re-
pose in our caskets should be cultivated,
but Of far more value is that our attitude
to the living should be essentially as rev.
erential as that we show to these silent
mementoes of the past.
"If the girl of today would be as rever-
entail in her manner to her own mother.
as some of us are in speaking of the lady
in the miniature, If she would realize that
the face of her mother is infinitely more
precious now than the ivory miniature
that will some day be to her and her
children a memento of the past
And the girl who realizes this Is the
girl who noticing the careworn expression
on her mothers face will attempt to re-
place 1t with a smile, and who feels that
she owes kiss every day to the mother
who is growing old who some day will
not be in the old familiar place at the
window who will not wander again
among her flowers, who will not watch
any longer for her coming.
ut is true. as a great writer has said,
her face has more wrinkles than yours,
and yet If you were sick that face would
appear far more beautiful than an angels
as 1t lowered over you. watching every
opportunity to minister to your comfort,
and every one of those wrinkles would
seem to be bright wavelets of sunshine
chasing each other over the dear face.
She will leave you one of these days.
These hands which have done so many
necessary things for you will be crossed
upon her lifeless breast. Those neglected
lips which gave you your first baby kiss
will be forever closed, and those sad,
tired eyes will have opened in eternity,
and then you will appreciate your mother
but II will be too late"
They put away their treasures silently,
and presently the younger woman said
softly:
How your mother must have loved
you, and how fully you repaid her.
These treasures are nothing in COM
harrison with even one member of her. !"
went on the older woman, and after a
deep. quiet silence, the younger woman
drew from a little escritoire a quantity
beautiful case inlaid with pearl Within
was a lining of crimson velvet much
faded and worn, and against this. in a
setting OF dull gold, was a perfect face
framed in the quaint bonnet of another
period The dress. typical of by-gone
era, was richly designed, and the BRACE