Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1907-11-19
. eesosseeoss &c esss
A PORTRAIT
THAT GREW OLD.


feel impelled to take another wife.
This being impracticable, especially at
snee, they gradually become accustom-
I'd 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 it as
If it We're a thing OF life. More than
this. lest in growing old he should
leave his companion behind him in
youth he retouchcd the portrait once a
year, putting into II a slightly aged APP
pearance TO correspond with his own.
Estelle had had a bosom friend. Hen
rietta Sayles Estele had told Hen
rietta that I'm case Of her (1stelles)
death she wished her Uenriettal to.
supply her place with her husband.
though she did not make n confdant in
this respect Of him. Henrietta had
made no reply. Indeed, none was re-
CURED What was said was simply an
intimation.
After Estele's death Henrietta was
a frequent visitor to Whitman's studio.
She would go there of a morning when
he was at work and chat with him
about his wife, her friend. She seem
ed never 10 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 rrsouch 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; IL not, he would work the portrait
over until she considered 1t what Els
telle would have been at that age II
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 thlrty-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
ty. One day Whitman while at work
abruptly turned to Henrietta, who was
sitting near him, both, as usual, before
the portrait. and said
Il 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 tc
you. that I wonder IL she would not
wish that we should find consolation
for her bodily loss in each other as
man and wife" aar
lYShe Unlimited as much 70 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 "Wcll. Henrietta. If you
will take my friendship leaving my
love for Estele. be it So"
Henrietta consented aud on these
I telB3S AfIeg the marriage q sneerine
remark OF one who had seen husband
and wife In the studio gazing at Els.
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
tleth anniversary Of Whitman's first
marriage came round. He had long
before committed the portrait TO his
second wife with instructions TO put
It away. Now she proposed that to-
gether they should go and visit It.
Whitman manifested disinclination
to do so.
"Why7" asked Henrietta.
Il have come to believe that my pro
longed communion or fnncied commun.
ion with Estelle through her portrait
my changing It to preserve her likeness
as she would have been had she grown
cid in the flesh. was an abnormal con.
dltion. should have married YOU
long before l did instead of waiting
ten years and then asking you &c
accept my friendship as husband. ]
should have loved you, then married
you. instead Of marrying you. then low
ms YOU
You deceive yourself" she replied
"You first loved me. then married me-
''Nyhy do you say that?'
81 Will prove It. Come"
She led the way upstairs to an IN
used room There. hanging on the
wall. was the portrait. The man start
ed. Both stood for awhile looking Oh
the portrait in silence. Then he said:
q would not have believed It," Tie
put his arm about her. drew her to him
and kissed her tendcrly.
"Are you convinced?" she asked, re
turning his caress.
"How can help being convinced