A genteel couple of an era past - there in the center of their parlor stand. Their daughter sits nearby, eyes downward cast. Her face displays a tinge of sadness, and across the room, by an ornate fireplace, a boy that I perceive to be her love stands with uncertainty worn on his face. To all who view the scene, the topic of this painting seems quite clear: the household’s head does not seem pleased. He’s glaring at the lad. The wife is calming him from something said; although the circumstance might be quite bad, she softly speaks with one hand on his chest . . . and love will triumph, for good wives know best! For the Charles Haigh Wood Poetry Contest