The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1928-05-17
The Spirit of the
Portrait
By DOROTHY DOUGLAS

Nj ADlNE mdue Her Wos
IN toward the gallery in which
the portrait of her mother was
hung. She could scarcely walk for
excitement. To Madness hungry
ewes il was not only the PORTRAIT
of a Lady by Van Dyne-t was
the likeness of her very own pre-
cious mother.
Madness shabby little costume
and well-worn shoes were disinct
evidence that she was no longer OF
the wealthy class that her famliy
had known when the portrait was
painted. She remembered the paint
ing as IL had always hung In the
wonderful old drawing room OF
their English home.
Her father had been one OF the
first brave men to fall for MS KING
and country and after that the pre-
cious mother went on to join the
husband she had loved and Nadine
was left alone-practicaliy penni-
less and homeless. The portrai
had been bought by wealthy
American who, rumor had IL, had
since lost his fortune. Nadine
knew little about the story except
that the picture was now In the
Metropolitan .museum, whittier Ma
dine had come to see it.
It was ten years since she had
seen it and now, so far away from
the old home, and hanging here
among the hundreds of famous
paintings, the portrait of Madness
motEcr brought with it throng
of memories so poignant that II
was small wonder Nadine felt
shaky.
1t was students day at the Met
ropolitan and there was an artist
making most divine sketch from
the portrait. The young man was
standing beside him.
The beautiful lady of the portrait
seemed to smile softly down at Ma
dine. She fancied her mothers
white hand moved as IL she would
caress her daughters wistful face.
Mother, mother mine." cried Ma
dine, and fell Imply to the floor.
When she opened her eyes she
was looking into those of the old
artist who had been sketching her
mothers portrait.
''My dear child" he said, you're
not well-you shouldn't be out
alone"
"Oh, I'm quite all right" smiled
Nadine wanly. 81 hadn't seen my
mothers portrait for ten years and
and 1t almost seemed as IL she
smiled at me-" She looked up more
brightly. eft was silly of me-"
sit wasn't silly at ALL" said the
young man, 81 feel almost like
doing the same when I come here.
My uncle owned that portrait for
years-until the crash came-and ii
was like parting with ones own
flesh and blood when 1T was re-
moved from the old home. He--my
uncle-lOved-her- her long
before she married your father. he
bought the portrait when-when ii
had to be sold. / have looked at
it every day for nearly ten years
and-workshiped her, too."
life is a very strange affair"
said the artist, with shake Of the
head. "Here are you two young
people from different sides of the
ocean. meeting before a portrait
which has been lost to both of you
and each emotionally upset by the
personality radiating from it, Your
mother must have been an extraor-
dinarily lovely young woman, he
continued, and glancing straight
into Madness eyes he added ten
Derby. land her daughter-well, my
dear-you could sit for the por.
trait"
Nadine blushed and hid the light
in her eyes.
The young man had been stand
ing silently listening, but his eyes
had never left Madness face. 1t
seemed as If the entire world of
joy had been suddenly tossed into
his lap, so wonderful was the ex-
preston on his face.
"And / have come back to the
land of my mothers BIRTH" said
Nadine, "and have taken a posi-
tion. l hope to make good" she
added shyly.
"You WILL" the artist told her,
"and you're going to be very good
to an old man and LET him paint
a portrait Of you-perhaps 1t may
hang beside this one of Van Dyne
Ia companion portrait"
"Thep you are" cried Nadine
swiftly.
"Yes, my dear-I am Van Dyne,
and /, too-loved your mother.
Every soul who knew her-loved
her and now-you will both come
to my studio to have dinner and
celebrate this wonderful meet
ing"
Up on the wall of the Metropoli-
tan the Lady of the Portrait smiled
down upon the trio but the Mother
Spirit of the portrait took her
daughter in her arms and whispered
softly in her ear. "Be happy, my
sweet. We're watching over you
and have guided you to your love.
Put your hand In his when the. time
comes and fear not poverty nor any,
thing the world can do to you, for
love overcomes all fear. Smile. nv
love, he's waiting to see your
SMILE"
Nadine looked into young Chat
woods eyes and smiled, then all
three went out of the gallery with
the knowledge that q supreme mo-