Thus it was that his career was decided upon.
He was allowed to have a drawing teacher.

This was an elderly German, an immense old fellow, who wore a wig and breathed loudly through his nose.
His voice was like a trumpet and he walked with a great striding gait like a colonel of cavalry.

Besides drawing he taught ornamental writing and engrossing.

With a dozen curved and flowing strokes of an ordinary writing pen he could draw upon a calling card a conventionalized outline-picture of some kind of dove or bird of paradise, all curves and curlicues, flying very gracefully and carrying in its beak a half-open scroll upon which could be inscribed such sentiments as "From a Friend" or "With Fond Regards," or even one's own name.
His system of drawing was of his own invention.

Over the picture to be copied he would paste a great sheet of paper, ruling off the same into spaces of about an inch square.