father who was three-parts of his time crazed with drink. Little Paul,
who was present, seeing that the appeal would probably end in failure,
exclaimed, with determined voice, "I will be a painter!"

A blow aimed at him was his father's reply. The blow missed its mark,
but struck the sister-mother to the earth. Heedless of his own danger,
Paul raised his sister's head, and bathed it tenderly until she came to
herself again. Even the brutish Gerretz was somewhat shocked by what he
had done, yet seizing what he thought an advantage, he cried, "Hark ye,
young rascal! You mind not blows any more than my plain orders; but your
sister helps you out in all your disobedience, and if you offend me I
will punish her."

The brutal threat had its desired effect, and young Paul returned to
those studies which were intended to make a lawyer of him.

Every spare moment, however, he spent in his favourite pursuit. His
materials were of the roughest: a charred stick, a lump of chalk, and a
flour sack. Not very encouraging tools, one would think, and yet the
genius that was within would not be hid. He produced from memory a
portrait of his mother, that had such an effect upon the father that the
latter, affected to tears by the sight of his dead wife's face,
dismissed the boy with his blessing, and promised him he should be a
painter after all.

Great was Louise's joy; and then, like the loving, practical sister she
was, she immediately set about the young artist's outfit. Nor did she
pause until everything was in apple-pie order.

Surely God was strengthening and comforting His own. Just consider; here
was a young girl, now only sixteen years of age, who had the management
of a miller's business, was a mother and sister in one to three young
children, and, one is almost tempted to say, was also a tender, loving
wife to a drunken, incapable father.

The journey to Leyden, whither Paul was bound, was not without incident
of a somewhat romantic kind. As the vehicle in which Louise and the
future great painter sat neared Leyden, they came upon a man who lay
insensible upon the road. The tender heart of the girl was touched, and
she stopped and restored the man to consciousness, and then pressed
further assistance upon him. The grateful recipient of her kindness,
however, soon feeling strong enough, proceeded on his way alone.

The scene had not passed without a witness, though, who proved to be
none other than the eminent master-pain