Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1907-11-30
A PORTRAIT
THAT GREW OLD.
IoriginaL.l

losing DeloNeu wire something has
gone out of their lives that thew must
replace at once-in other words. they
feel impelled to take another wife.
This being impracticable. especially at
once, they gradually become aceustom-
ed to their altered position. There are
others who hug their grief. with no
wish TO replace their loss.
william Whitman was one of the lat.
ter class. He was an artist. with an
artists temperament He resolved to
grow old in spiritual If not natural
companionship with his loved Estelle,
Shortly before her death he had finish
ed portrait of her. This he placed ON
an easel beside the one before which
he worked and communed with /. as
if it were thing of life. More than
this, lest in growing old he should
leave his companion behind him in
youth he retouched the portrait once
year, putting into 1t slightly aged ap.
pearance to correspond with his own
Estelle had had bosom friend. Hen
rietta Sayles. Estelle had told Hen
rietta that in case Of her Estelle's)
death she wished her Henrietta) to
supply her place with her husband.
though she did not make a confidant In
this respect Of him. Henrietta had
made no reply. Indeed. none was re-
quired. What was said was simply an
intimation.
After Estelle's death Henrietta was
a frequent visitor to Whitman's studio.
She would go there of morning when
he was at work and chat with him
about his wife, her friend. She SEEM
ed never to tire of this, and Whitman
was glad to have her with him. In the
first place, he loved to talk about Es-
telle, and, in the second place, he could
use his brush to better advantage
while doing so. These visits continued
for years.
Once a year on the anniversary of
his marriage he would retouch the por-
trait, making 1t appear slightly older.
During such times he shut himself up
with it In his studio. denying himself
to every one. Even Henrietta was not
present, but before the studio was re-
opened to visitors she was admitted
that she might pass upon the change.
If she approved, Whitman was salts
fed; if not, he would work the portrait
over until she considered it what Els
telle would have been at that age If
she had lived.
And so these three grew in age to-
gether and in constant communion.
Henrietta, instead of endeavoring to
withdraw the artists contemplation
from his wife, permitted him to con-
tinue in it. She scrupulously refrained
from any expression Of interest in
Whitman more than the husband Of
her dead friend. As for Whitman, he
was too absorbed in his idol ever to
show more than a friendly interest in
Henrietta.
Ten years passed. Whitman was
now thirty-four and had a few gray
hairs in his head Henrietta was pass
ing out of young ladyhood and about
to enter maturity. The portrait repre-
scented a woman with unimpaired beau
~. One day Whitman while at work
abruptly turned to Henrietta. who was
sitting near him. both. as usual, before
the portrait, and said:
II have been thinking of something
that has never occurred to me before.
Estelle was so self sacrificing. so de-
voted to my happiness, so friendly to
you, that wonder If she would not
wish that we should find consolation
for her bodily loss in each other as
man and WIFE"
"She intimated as much to me be-
fore she died." said Henrietta gravely
Whitman looked at her long and In
silence. "And you never told meT' he
said at last. well. Henrietta, If you
will take my friendship, leaving my
love for Estelle. be 1t So"
Henrietta consented and on these
terms. After the marriage sneering
remark of one who had seen husband
and wife in the studio gazing at Es-
telle's picture was repeated to Whit
man. The portrait was removed and
never again introduced into the studio.
Another ten years passed. The TWEEN
teth anniversary of Whitman's first
marriage came round. de had long
before committed the portrait to his
second wife with instructions to put
1t away. Now she proposed that to-
gether they should go and visit It
Whitman manifested a Discrimination
to do so.
"Why?" asked Henrietta.
at have come to believe that my pro
Ionged communion or fancied commun-
ion with Estele through her portrait.
my changing it to preserve her likeness
as she would have been had she grown
old In the flesh, was an abnormal con-
dition. | should have married You
long before | did instead of waiting
ten years and then asking you to
accept my friendship as a husband.
should have loved you, then married
you, instead Of marrying you. then low
ing you"
''You deceive yourself" she replied