Dries a farmer and a widower lives with his motherinlaw Grietje and his son Peter He falls in love with Minna a widow and marries her despite the opposition of his family and friends In anger his son Peter leaves home to enlist while Grietje takes up her residence in another cottage Six years pass during which Grietje becomes acquainted with Minnas daughter Dina Peter falls ill in Sumatra but after falling in love with Dina through the medium of photographs he recovers and is drafted home again to Holland He meets Dina and the two find that they truly love