Stefani Koorey of Mondo Lizzie Borden has made a fascinating discovery: a third photo of Andrew Borden alive. He is young. He might even be smiling.
The Fall River Herald News wrote a nice story about the photo, and all the details appear in the November 2007 issue of The Hatchet: Journal of Lizzie Borden Studies.
Might the outcome of the trial of the 19th century have been different if they'd had a photo then of Andrew Borden really smiling?
Playing with a puppy? Dancing on a beach?
Does this new picture make it easier to picture him as something other than an old miser?
As someone who, gosh, maybe didn't deserve to have a hatchet buried in his face? Andrew Borden could have been you or I or anyone, to paraphrase Tennyson Jesse.
Let's hope the portrait does not end up at the Fall River Historical Society where it will not be as accessible for free viewing as it would at the Swansea Historical Society. Residing up on "The Hill" is the very last place old Andrew would have wanted to be - dead OR alive.
I'd rather see him see "hanging out" at 92 Second Street - the house he never wanted to leave anyway. Then again, some say he is still there. More images and thoughts on the portrait are at my blog as well:
www.phayemuss.wordpress.com
Posted by: Faye Musselman | November 13, 2007 at 07:10 AM
He's not smiling! He looks about as cheerful as he does in older pictures. However it's nicer than the final picture Lizzie left us with.
Posted by: Fiz | November 15, 2007 at 05:09 AM
I agree it is a much nicer picture then we were originally left with for all eternity. Now at least we can see his face as it should have been and not split by an ax and full of blood. Sadly I can see Lizzy IN his features as well....*sigh*
Posted by: Kitty | November 16, 2007 at 09:53 AM