Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1866-02-01
SeleeteA Uale.
THE PAINTER OF ROTTERDAM.
BT MISS AMELIA b. EDWARDS.

My father was a trader and distiler at
>chiedam, on the Mas, Without being
weaIthy,we enjoyed the means of procuring
every social comfort. We gave and receiv-
ed visits from few old friends. we went
occasionally to the theatre, and my father
had his tulip-garden and summer-house at
a little distance from Schiedam, on the
canal which connects the town with the
river
But my father and mother, whose only
child ! was, cherished one dream of ambition,
fortunately, my own tastes led me to par
ucpate; they wanted me to become paint
CT. ." Let me but see picture of Frank
Linden in the gallery of Rotterdam" said
my father, and shall die happy" So, at
fourteen years OF age, | was removed from
school and placed in the classes of Messer
AesIer, an artist living at Delft. Here
made such progress that by the time | had
reached my nineteenth birthday | was tran
,irred 10 the Qteiier of Hans van Roos, a
descendant Of the celebrated family of that
uM,. Van ROOs was not more that thirty
e5ht or forty years ofage, and had already
acquired considerable reputation as paint
'' OF potralts and sacred subjects. There
was an altar-piece of his in one of our fin
IS! churches his works had occupied the
place Of honor for the past six years at the
annual exhibition and for portraiture he
numbered among his patrons most of the
Wealthy merchants and burgomasters of
We city. Indeed there would be no ques-
U1n that my master was rapid y acquiring
1ioTtme commensurate with his popular
N
sui he was not cheerful man. 1t was
whispered by the pupil that he had met
Win a disappointment early in life
mat he had loved, been accepted, and on
uIe eve OF marrge was rejected by the lady
,.I more wealthy suitor He came from
'eSand in the north of Holland, when
very youn1 man. He had always been the
same gloomy, pallid, labor-loving citizen
he was rigid Calvanist He was sparing
"i domestic expenditure, and liberal to the
poor This every one could tell you, and
Ao one knew more.
lie number Of his pupils was limited to
AA lie kept us constantly at work, and
scarcely permitted us to exchange word
%''h each other during the day Standing
tueEe among US so silently, with the light
H'In above pouring down upon his pallid
'ce' and becoming absorbed in the somber
,''4N OF his long black dressing-gown, he
"'Hed almost like some stern old protrait
'.NSeli. 10 tell the truth we were all some
"uat afraid of him. Not that he assumed
any undue authority; on the contrary, he
"as stately, silent, and frigidIy polite but
"N poIIteneSs had in it something oppres-
S,'e' and we were all happier out of his
"'sehce' None of us resided under his
','. | had "a second floor in neighboring
s"eet, and two Of my fellow-students oc-
,"Pied rooms in the same house. We used
u. meet at night in each others chambers,
81" make excursions to the exhibitions and
"'atFcs and sometimes on a summers
.'enlg, we would hire pleasure-boat and
~" ior a mile or two down the river We
,a %IIe merry enough then, and not quite sc
I"'I promise you, as in the gloomy stu
no Of Hans van Roos.
|" me meantime, was anxious to CLEAN
cry benefit from my masters instructions
improved rapidly, and my paintings soon
1;3 1HIe'Ied those of the other five Ny taste
"'' incline to the sacred subjects, like