DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.62134#0161
A ST. NICHOLAS WITH HIS CHILDREN.
153
ing between the glittering trees, until they disappeared
behind a quaint group of houses : but as long as they were
in sight the girl never raised her head.
Returning home late in the afternoon I encountered a
group worthy of some modern Van Eyck. There is a
great school-house close to the Franciscan monastery which
I have already referred to. As I passed the school to-day
a crowd of little maidens came trooping forth; rosy-
cheeked, bright-eyed little maidens, bundled up in warm
cloaks and funny little fur-trimmed hoods. A cheery-
looking Franciscan was passing at the same moment as
myself. I had walked side by side with him for a minute
or two, and had remarked to myself what a pleasant coun-
tenance his was. The children seemed to know the
pleasant face well enough, for the instant they caught sight
of the friar one and all ran skipping towards him, and a
dozen little fat hands, one after another, were thrust
into his hand, and a dozen chubby faces, as of a dozen
cherubs in an old religious picture, were raised towards
his kind, beaming countenance. I smiled as I passed,
looking the good man full in the face; and he, smiling
half at me and half at the little ones, exclaimed in a
clear voice:—“Nay, nay, my children! Surely this is
enough !”
It was a group such as might have been painted for
St. Nicholas with his children.
I have been two afternoons this week sketching a quaint
bit of a room in one of the houses near the studio. When
I went to-day to complete my sketch, I saw a curious little
feature of catholic life. The first day when I had entered,
the old mistress of the little abode exclaimed :—“ Ah, I
thought the gracious Fraulein was the Franciscan
This was because I had knocked at the door before
153
ing between the glittering trees, until they disappeared
behind a quaint group of houses : but as long as they were
in sight the girl never raised her head.
Returning home late in the afternoon I encountered a
group worthy of some modern Van Eyck. There is a
great school-house close to the Franciscan monastery which
I have already referred to. As I passed the school to-day
a crowd of little maidens came trooping forth; rosy-
cheeked, bright-eyed little maidens, bundled up in warm
cloaks and funny little fur-trimmed hoods. A cheery-
looking Franciscan was passing at the same moment as
myself. I had walked side by side with him for a minute
or two, and had remarked to myself what a pleasant coun-
tenance his was. The children seemed to know the
pleasant face well enough, for the instant they caught sight
of the friar one and all ran skipping towards him, and a
dozen little fat hands, one after another, were thrust
into his hand, and a dozen chubby faces, as of a dozen
cherubs in an old religious picture, were raised towards
his kind, beaming countenance. I smiled as I passed,
looking the good man full in the face; and he, smiling
half at me and half at the little ones, exclaimed in a
clear voice:—“Nay, nay, my children! Surely this is
enough !”
It was a group such as might have been painted for
St. Nicholas with his children.
I have been two afternoons this week sketching a quaint
bit of a room in one of the houses near the studio. When
I went to-day to complete my sketch, I saw a curious little
feature of catholic life. The first day when I had entered,
the old mistress of the little abode exclaimed :—“ Ah, I
thought the gracious Fraulein was the Franciscan
This was because I had knocked at the door before