| My mother's parents were born in Germany, | | | | lace inserts. The picture's corners were brittled |
| emigrating to America while still young. They ran a | | | | round and spots appeared in the faded |
| grocery store in New Jersey, weathering the | | | | background. I secreted the portrait out of the |
| depression, two world wars and six children. My | | | | house to the studio where I worked and ordered |
| mother, June, was the next to last, having one | | | | the most expensive miniature offered. It was to |
| older sister and three older brothers. Her younger | | | | be completely restored and printed on white |
| brother, Eddie, was a millstone around her neck. | | | | celluloid. The face and hands would be hand |
| Her older brothers shooed her away constantly, | | | | colored with transparent oils and the background |
| calling her bulgy eyes and telling her to take a | | | | and dress painted with tiny brushes by an artist. |
| bath. Her older sister Louise seemed to get the | | | | When it arrived from the artist's studio, I framed |
| nice clothes, attention from the boys and had little | | | | it in a beautiful gold plated lace-edged frame with |
| time for her younger sister. Her Papa worked | | | | a domed glass. Though measuring only three and |
| fourteen hours a day in the store, and seemed to | | | | one half inches by four and one half inches, every |
| June a stern taskmaster, to be feared instead of | | | | detail of her features could be seen clearly, even |
| loved. | | | | the color of her eyes. She looked just like my |
| Her mother was kind and loving who | | | | mother at that age. |
| unfortunately suffered from epileptic seizures. | | | | On mom's birthday, January seventh, I placed the |
| Once a month they would find her on the floor, | | | | wrapped box on the kitchen table. All through |
| shaking all over or unconscious. She died when | | | | supper, she couldn't take her eyes off that little |
| June was seven, hitting her head on a coal stove | | | | box. Her guesses ranged from jewelry to playing |
| in the kitchen. June cried for a week. | | | | cards, never coming close to the truth. Finally, she |
| Years later, I came across a small portrait of | | | | opened the box and just stared. Her big gray |
| mom's mother. A studio picture taken in 1913, she | | | | eyes got wet and shiny. A squeaky "Thank you" |
| had a beautiful face, her hair done up in a braided | | | | was all she could manage. No jewelry, no matter |
| top knot held with a pearl comb. The black satin | | | | how expensive, could mean more to her than her |
| dress looked expensive with pearl buttons and | | | | mother's picture. |