Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1908-01-10
A PORTRAIT
THAT GREW OLD.


replace az once-in other words, they
feel impelled to take another wife
This being impracticabIe. especially al
once, they gradually become accustom.
ed to their altered position There are
others who hug their grief. with M
wish to replace their loss.
William whitman was one Of the lat.
Ter class. He WIS an artist, with an
artists temperament. He resolved to
grow old I'm spiritual n not natural
companionship with his loved EstelIe.
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 II az
II It were a thing Of life. More than
this. lest in growing old he should
leave his companion behind him in
youth he retouched the portrait once q
year. putting into It a slightly aged ap.
poarance to correspond with his own.
Estelle had had a bosom friend, Hen
rietta Sayles. Eatelle had told Hen
Fietta that In case Of her EsteIIe's)
death she wished her Henrietta) to
supply her place with her husband.
though she did not make a confldant in
this respect Of him. Henrietta had
made no reply. Indeed, none was 70
quired. What was said was simply an
intimatlOn.
After Estelle's death Henrietta was
q 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
arst place, no 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 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 1t In his studio, denying himself
to every one. Even Henrietta was not
present, but before the studio was re-
opened 10 visitors she was admitted
that she might pass upon the change
II she approved, Whitman was salts
aed; II not, he would work the portrait
over until she considered II what Els
tale would have been at that age n
che had lived.
And - these three grew in age to-
gether and IN constant communion.
Henrietta, instead Of endeavoring to
withdraw the artists contemplation
from !sis wife. permitted him to con-
tinue m 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 70 |
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 iadyhoOd and about
% enter maturity The portrait repre-
aented a woman with unimpalred beau
y. One day whitman while at work
abruptly turned to Henrietta. who was
aitting near him. both. as usual, before
the portrait. and said;
Il have been thinking Of something
that has never occurred to me before.
Gstelle was 80 self sacrificing, 10 de-
voted to my happiness. 50 friendly to
you. that wonder II she would not
wish that we should find consolation
toF her bodily loss in each other az
nan and WIFE"
"She intimated as much to me be-
fore she died." said Henrietta grayeiy.
Whitman looked at her long and in
silence. "And you never told mer' no
said at last "Well. Henrietta. II you
wiil take my friendship. leaving my
love for EStelle. be 1t SOL
Henrietta consented and on these
terms. After the marriage a sneerlng
remark OF one who had seen husband
and wife In the studio gazing at Es-
tales picture was repeated to Whit
man. The portrait was removed and
aaver again introduced into the studio. I
Another ten years passed. The TWEEN.
beth anniversary OF whitmana tlrst
marriage came round. He had long
before committed the portrait to his
second wife with instructions to nut
{ away. Now she proposed that to
gether they should 20 and visit II. I
whitman manifested a disinellnation {
. do so. 1
"Whyr' asked Henrietta. .
Il have come to believe that my pro q
onged communion or fancied commun. q
On with Estelle through her portrait 3
ny changing It to preserve her likeness I
y she would have been had she grown
"a In the nesh. was an abnormal con.
hton. | should have married You
eng before did instead Of waltina d
IN years and then asking you 20 D
'ccept my friendship as a husband. d
hould have loved you. then married I
'ou. instead Of marrying you. then Low a
az you" q
you deceive yourself" she replied.
You first loved me. then married me-"
"Why do you say thatT"
Il viii prove II. Come" I,
she led the way upstairs to an IN b
nod room Thera han9ing nm tia + a,