ead of a lawyer, as was his intention.

The next day, while preparations were going on for the funeral, the
brutal husband sought refuge from remorse in the bottle, so that for the
most part of the day he was hopelessly drunk. In this emergency Louise
(who was only fifteen) took the direction of affairs into her own hands.
The little ones had been crying all day for their mother, and would not
be even separated from the corpse. They were inconsolable, and at last
the youngest sobbed out, "Who will be our mother now?"

At this question Louise arose, and said, with deep and solemn
earnestness, "I will!"

There was something in her manner which struck the children with wonder.
Their tears ceased immediately. It seemed as if an angel stood beside
Louise, and said, "Behold your mother!"

"Do you not wish me for your mother?" she repeated.

The little ones ran into her embrace. She folded her arms around them,
and all wept together.

She had conquered the children with love, and they were no more trouble
to her. They all gladly gave the promise to look up to and obey her in
everything.

But a harder task was before her. Strangers were present who must soon
find out that her father was intoxicated, on this day of all others, if
she did not get him out of the way. She succeeded at last, after
infinite pains, and that so well that no one knew the state he was in,
and thus he was saved from the open disgrace that would surely have
followed him had it got about.

The sad duties of the funeral over, Louise Gerretz braced herself to the
task of looking after the numerous household affairs. Nor was this all
she had to do, for her father carried on the business of a miller, and
because of his drunken habits his daughter had the workpeople to look
after, and also the shop to attend to. But she was sustained by the
thought that her sainted mother was looking on her from heaven, and this
helped her to bear up during the trying times that followed.

She now determined that, if it were possible, her brother Paul--who,
afterwards following the usual custom amongst painters of the time,
changed his name to Rembrandt--should have every opportunity afforded
him of following his natural bent.

[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