THE STORY OF TWO PORTRAITS.

Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 68, 17 September 1887, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE STORY OF TWO PORTRAITS.

On one occasion Lord Shaftesbury was sitting in the library at Grosvenor Square with two portraits before him. One was that of a poor, puny, destitute child in rags and tatters ; the other of a handsome woman in fashionable attire. He said : — Just look at these portraits — they have rejoiced my heart more than I can ever tell. lam more delighted than if I had become possessor of half the kingdom. There is a story connected with these portraits. Years ago, late at night, there was a knock at the door. There was nothing very unusual about that, but, somehow, it attracted my attention more than usual, aud I remeuber wondering who it could be, and what the business could be about. Presently, I heard the loud and angry voice of a man in altercation with my servant. I felt then — and I recall the feeling vividly at this moment — a strange inward prompting that it was my duty to go and see what was the matter. There was a man with a little child in his arms, which he was endeavouring to thrust into the arms of my servant, who of course would not take it. "What ie this all about V I asked. The msn turned to me, and said, " Lord Shaftesbury, I have brought this child to you — I don't know what else to do with it. I cannot trust myself to be its father, and 1 cannot abandon it altogether. " The man's importunity would brook no denial ; his appeal was very touching, and I felt 1 could not dismiss the case. I let the man come iv, and took down from him all particulars, and the end of it was the child was left with me. I did not know very well what to do with the poor little thing, so I had her sent to an inn close by for the night, and the next day, when the landlady brought her back. Miss Rye happened to be here. She undertook to find a home for the child, and, sure enough, before very long, a lady, who visited the Home in which she was, took such a fancy to her that she adopted her.- And that portrait of the fine lady is the portrait of what that little ragged destitute child had developed into. I shall never forget that night she was left at this house. — The Life and Works of the Earl of Shaftesbury.