And now the day had come; and with I don't know how few dollars in his pocket, his scant earnings, he had declared to his astounded parents his determination to fish and shoemake no longer, but to learn to be a painter. "A great painter,"--that was what he said. "I don't see the use o' paintin' picters, for my part," said the old man, despairingly; "can't you learn that, an' fish tu?" "Famous and rich too," said Elkanah half to himself, looking through the vista of years at the result he hoped for, and congratulating himself in advance upon it. And a proud, hard loot settled in his eye, which froze the opposition of father and mother, and was hardly dimmed by encountering the grieved glance of poor Hepsy Ann Nickerson. Poor Hepsy Ann! They had talked it all over, time and again. At first she was in despair; but when he laid before her all his dazling hopes, and painted for her in such glowing colors the final reward which should come to him and her in return for his struggles,--when she saw him, her love and pride, before her already transfigured, as it were, by this rare triumph, clothed in honors, his name in all mouths,--dear, loving soul, her heart consented, "ay, if it should break meantime," thought she, as she looked proudly on him through her tears, and said,--"Go, in God's name, and God be with you!" Perhaps we might properly here consider a little whether this young man did well thus to leave father, mother, home, his promised bride, sufficient bread-and-butter, healthy occupation, all, to attempt life in a new direction. Of course, your man who lives by bread alone will "pooh! pooh!" all such folly, and tell the young man to let well enough alone. But consider candidly, and decide: Should Elkanah have gone to New York? On the whole, _I_ think, _yes_. For,--He had a certain talent, and gave good promise of excellence in his chosen profession. He liked it, felt strongly impelled towards it. Let us not yet scrutinize too closely the main impelling forces. Few human actions originate solely in what we try to think the most exalted motives. He would have been discontented for life, had he not had his way. And this should count for something,--for much, indeed. Give our boys liberty to try that to which their nature or fancy strongly drives them,--to burn their fingers, if that seem best. Let him go, then; and God be with him! as surely He will be, if the simple, faithful prayers of fair, sad Hepsy Ann are heard. Thus will he, thus only can any, solve that sphinx-riddle of life which is propounded to each passer to-day, as of old in fable-lands,--failing to read which, he dies the death of rusting discontent,--solving whose mysteries, he has revealed to him the deep secret of his life, and sees and knows what best he may do here for himself and the world. But _what, where, who_, is Elkanah Brewster's world?