The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-12-19
Greta's Artist.

Two hun 'red and more years ago
there was, not far from Leyden, but
nearer still to Leydendron, a little ham
let of eight or ten cottages, each one
more beautifully, shiningly clean and
we'll kept than the others.
In one of them, on a certain bright
morning, sat Madame Teresa Herman.
preparing, with her dainty hands, the
dinner for her husband and herself and
the only child of the house, Greta, lit
tie maid of seven years.
" Is it not time for me to take the
bread and wine to Mother Wander
Hyden?" asked Greta presently, for
her small chubby fingers were tired
holding the knife with which she was
helping her mother prepare the fruit
and vegetables.
The mother smiled Well she knew
the little maid preferred tripping
through the hamlet, meeting perhaps a
neighbours child for company, to help
ing with the household duties, however
light. But she unfastened Greta's
brown linen apron, tied on her small
red cap, and put the basket containing
daintes for the sick woman on her
arm
| NOW my OlCtCuOb, ont Saul, YAK
ing her hand, "go not into any house
but that of old Mother Wander Hyden.
Thou knowest | would not have thee
to run from neighbor to neighbor like
beggar maid"
This seemed a reasonable charge;
yet Greta looked troubled and disap-
pointed, and stood irresolute after the
mother had given her parting kiss.
I" Nav l cross old Gerritz's doorstep,
my mother?" she asked presently.
sob, just for brief visit l will be
back in time to fill my fathers mug
and carry his platter"
"Why art thou so fond of going to
that house, my child? True, poor
Madame Gerri,z carefully trained those
young people during her lifetime; but
she is no more, and old Jacques Gerritz
is drinking more than ever. l fear it
is no longer fit place for thee to 60"
Yet the fond mother yielded to her
entreaty, and Greta went off with
bounding steps. She came back in
time, as she had promised; but there
was restless look about her, as if she
constantly expected some one. This
look was explained when, about dusk,
the lad Paul Gerritz, accompanied by
his sister Louise, came to Madame Her
mans door.
The boy brought as present to
Madame Teresa portrait of little
Gretchen, taken on the sly when he
could coax the child into the house. 1t
was her very chubby little self. She
was beautiful child, and the young
artist had given the delicately cut fea-
lures most natural expression.
Madame Herman was charmed.
Paul." she cried, "thou must be
painter"
Alas" answered the boy, gloomily,
"what have to become a painterp |
long to go to Leyden and learn under
Ma ,ter Jacques van Swsnenberg, but
my father will not hear of it. Not that
l would listen to my father" continued
the boy, passionately, clenching his fist,
" for will be painter, let him say
what he will But he threatens me
that if I run away he will punish my
sister every day till l return. My good
Louise, who has been a mother to us
all-how could l endure the thought of
her receiving my blows!"
"And l tell him." id the loving
sister, "that while l would be willing
to bear the blows, yet it would not be
right for him to disobey his parent; and
we must wait and hope for better
day"
Madame Herman felt the deepest in
terest in the young genius and his
loving Louise, and set her woman's
wits to work to help them.
"Paul Gerritz," she said to him one
day, " dost thou remember thy sainted
mothers face?
"Ah, lady," he cried, show could 1
forget face so deai?"
~ want you to paint portrait of
her just as you rem amber her." said
Paul's friend. And in few days. time
she supplied hi n with materials from
Leyden, so that his picture might be as
good as he could make it.
Paul now spent all his spare mo-
ments in the little loft over the mill
which was his studio, and Louise did
many task for him in order to give
him more time to paint. But it was
some m nths before he boy could take
it to his friend finished.
Madame Teresa was more than salts
lied-she was wonderstruck. Take it
home, my children she said, "and
)lace it where your father will see it as
he enters the house; but say nothing
about it,"
BY happy and most unusual chance
Jacques Gerritz came home sober that
evening, and when his eyes fell upon
Paul's painting he was completely over
whelmed. He burst into flood of
tears while gazing on the tender, re-
proachful eyes, the careworn brow and
sad mouth of the wife he had once de-
votedly loved. From that moment his
consent was gained to Paul's career as
an artist; and thus, not by unfilal con.
duct, not by deserving his loving sister,
but by the patient exhibition of his
genius, little Paul became the famous
painter called by his comrades, and
known to all the world, as Rembrandt