Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1908-01-30
A PORTRAIT
THAT GREW OLD.

Widowers have confessed that on
losing beloved wife something has
gone out of their lives thal they must
replnce at onee-in other words. they
feel impelled to take another wife.
This being impracticahIe. especially AT
once. they gradually become accustom-
ed 10 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. lie was an artist with an
artists temperament lie resolved to
grow old in spiritual If not natural
compamionship with his loved Estelle.
shortly before her death he had finish
ed a portrait OF her. This he placed on
an easel beside the one before which
he worked and coumuned with 1t as
if il were a thing of life. More than
this. lest IN growing old he should
leave his companion behind him il
youth he retouchcd the portrait once
wear. putting into II slightly aged APP
pearance to correspond with his own.
Estelle had had Il bosom friend. Hen
rietta Saylcs. Estelle had told Hen
rietta that IN case of her (EstelJes
death she wished her UIenriettn) to
supply her place with her husband
though she did not make u contidant IN
this respect of him Henrietta had
made no reply Indeed, none was ie-
uuired What was said was simply an
intmation.
After Estelle's death Henrietta was
freCuent visitor to Whitman's studio
She would 90 there of Il morning when
he was at work ana chat with him
about his wife. her friend She seem
ed never Ia tire of this, and Whitman
was glad TO have her with him. In the
first place, he loved 10 talk about rs
telle and. in the second place. he could
use his brush to better advantage
while doing SO. These visits continued
for years.
once year on the anniversary OF
his marriage he would retouch the por-
trait. making it appear slightly older
During such times he shut himself W
with 1t in his studio. denying himself
to every one Even Henrietta was rot
present, but before the stulio was re
opened to visitors she was admitted
that she might pass upon the change.
If she approved, Whitmnu WAS salts
| fed. IL not. he would wori, me portrait
| over until she considered it what Els
| tele 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 refraineo
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 friendly interest In
Henrietta.
Ten years passed Whitman was
now thirty-four and had few gray
hairs in his head. Henrietta was pass
ing out of young ladyhood and about
| to enter maturity The portrait repre-
scented woman with unlmpaired 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:
II have been thinking of something
| that has never occurred to me before.
Estele 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 me2' he
said at last We'll, Henrietta, If you
will take my friendship, leaving my
love for Estelle, be it So
Henrietta consented and on these
| terms. After the marriage a sneering
remark of one who had seen husband
ana 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
tieth 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 t.
Whitman manifested disinclinatlop
to do So
"WhyY' asked Henrietta.
81 have come to believe that my pro-
longed communion or fancied commun-
ion with Estellc through her portrait,
my changing 1t 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 I
should have loved you. then married
you, Instead Of marrying you, then low
ing you"
You deceive yourself" she replied.
You first loved me- then married me-"
why do You say that?"
Il will prove It. Come"