[Sidenote: "I will be a Painter!"]
But no sooner was the subject broached to M. Gerretz than his anger
blazed forth, and though Louise withstood him for some time, she felt
her cherished plans would receive no consideration whatever from a
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.
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