The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1866-12-27
:. .s o. e " WESTMINSTER MD. THURSDAY

Dy washing. iIhe- pre- mise that he
made. deeply affected him, aud he left
the university Ora week, SO that he
might go home and tell his mother the
| pledge,that he had made to the old mu-
! sician. After he had told her, she re-
/ piled; keep it, my son; keep it, if il
cost Jou your life. I"
/ Ernest returned to the university and
told his friends that they must serious.
/ ly think of buying the old man a house
and garden. lie went to neighboring
village one day, and found that he
Eeoul1 get neat little house and gar
| den for two thousand guldeus. That
was large sum for these poor students
to think of paying, but through the
i Influence OF Ernest the other three
! gradually became convinced that it
was their duty to keep their prom;se.-
The four resolved that in one year from
the time the pledge was made, the old
man should haze his house and garden
if it was in their power to give it to
him. A'7 i-i'f 's,'z s1sl
They must leave the university
sad proceeding for them. They came
to the conclusion to go through the
country and give little, concerts; for
really this appeared to them to be the
only way possible to gain any money.
Even by pursuing this course there APP
peared to bel a poor prospect to get a
large sum. Still they resolved to do
their best. They closed Their books
put their Instruments in little bags, and
set ont on foot to give concerts in the
villages through which they ymight pass.
Ernest, before leaving, exacted prom
Use of the man who owned the house and
lot which he had looked at that he
! would not sell it under six months to
any body and that if he would promise
to take it at the end of that time he
might have it, though the money need
not be paid under a year. Week after
week passed by, and the students Slow
ly proceeded on their way. Their ex-
penses were not heavy, but their income
was certainly very small too Nine
months and a half passed by, and still
they had but little above seven hun
drcd guldens. 1t was great question
with them how the remaining thirteen
hundred could be raised. They were
spending one day at country towa,
and a nobleman living in a large castle
a few miles distant was seeking niusi-
Clans to attend the wedding of his
daughter who was to be marriedin three
or four days. Fortunately enough for
the students, the nobleman employed
them for the occasion. The marriage
ceremonies took place, and by and by
it was time for the music to begin
The students had trained themselves
very carefully for that evening, and
their selections were certainly of a very
high order. During the course of. the
festivities it was noticed that the noble
man became very sad His face wore
a melancholy appearance, and those who
stood nearest to him saw him weeping.
What could have caused him to be mel
ancholy at such time as that? One of
the pieces that those musicians had
played was his mother favorite melody.
She had often sung it to him many
years ago, and he had not heard it since,
until the students played it. 1t was
enough to make him sorrowful, and it
drew these students to his heart in such
IA way that he could not express his.
feelings. They had recalled to his
memory piece Of music which he had
never been able to find in any music
store, and which it was now worth a
fortune for him to hear. Oh IS -q.a III
L must now make my story Short
The nobleman kept the four students in
his castle two weeks, became acquainted
with Them very fully, andlearned their
object in leaving the university to give
concerts. He supplied them with three
thousand guldens, and told them he
would pay their expenses at the univer-
sity for four years, and that they might
have the privilege Of making drafts on
him at any time. 5a9d - i4 igD!i jal
Their fortune was better than they
had reason to expect. q Ernest had al.
ready written to theowner of the house
and garden that he mightexpect him to
take it, SO that it was now engaged q
The students returned to the uniyer-
sity, and reached here just few weeks
before the end ofthe year when the
house must be ready for the owner
On the evening of the day when the old
nan promised to appear he stood below.
the window in the bright moonlight,
playing on his old violin He was true
to his word, and expected the promise
to be kept, The young men went down
to invite him up and told him all that
they had done. They showed him the
deed for his place and gave tito him.
On the foil wing day he formally took
possession oft, and they supplied it
with furniture aud groceries for house,
keeping. uss i. i,ss rsgo sal}
The young men felt. that they we're
amply repaid for their faithfulness to
| their word by the gratitude and joy Of
the old man. But they were notionly
repaid in feelings; they were more than
repaid even In money. III syisoIt5 s,ls
. Fourteen years after that time that
place came into their possession !; for
that old man had died and bequeathed
i - 70 tLa,o IN b;c rv;lJ That narf IF tho