The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-06-22
MIS- G EEL L n n "
4 Promise that was Kept.


One evening four German students at ua-
yarsity were enjoying themselves IN an upper
room of Il little hotel They had four lstru-
ments and were employing themselves III
making music after the hard labors of the DAY
There was "A pause in their muSl', but no SooH-
er had they ceas. d playing than they he;iru i'n
OLD man playing violin beneath Their wlliao 10
in the street. They went to the WINDOW anu
looked out, Watching him until he naa ceased
playing. One of them threw out a NIUE piccc
of money, and said TO him. laughii =. ~, ,,,,,
Here, poor Peter, tins is an VIC ii'''0 i"i 9''
now; come again some otiief uihc' 80.
Yes :" said another, "cone again in yeai
from now ,.., ,,a e. .
pieSen'' il, rne nluule of garden said the
fourth. so,,
q promise His long white HAIR shone prlghtiy
il the light of the lanterns which hung out a
a neighboring restaurant. lie looked up II
the window and said:
"Younc people are you in earnest in wha
Won say TO me? L hope you are not making
light of an old man.. .-.
Indeed we are III earnest, replied Ernest
with excited voice; and his three companions
called upon God 10 witness their seriousness,
Farewell, then, replied the old man
take my leave of you. One year from '9-uaS
at this same hour, expect me to come ',no PA "a
a tune beneath this window. fareweli, MY SiiI
upon, bless you in your kindness: ;, a.;
The Old man went off after INVOKING TINS
blessing upon them. The students closed tne
window, took their i,nvnS shran i nr fan,
I;vaIv tnnes seemed to forget all that had DC
cnrrsd Ernest said TO them, however, aftei
the snace of about half an hour: se,s 80
W IN seem TO be very quiet. cannot be, fol
have made a promise that Wouiu give some
thing which have not got. =
What promise?' answered one of his light
hearted companions. t# = tea y tft
..Tbe promise OF house and garden"
4 loud laugh was the response that he mel
with, and the students separated. They mel
again on the following evening, and during
their interview Ernest called to mind til,
promise OF the night before. They made ligh
of hlIn and told him that he was foolish to pay
any more attention to il. Then, said he: y
don't see where your conscienceS are, II you
can make a promise and break your word.
How can we fulfil any promise of tina
kind?' said Christopher. Our parents arc al
poor and have more than they can do to SEM
us to the university HOW tneh can they heil
Us to bny house and a garden for foolisl
old men? Good night comrades, l wish yol
AS pleasant Il sleep as shall havef
But this kind OF argument did not afiec
Ernest much for he could not help t-linkln:
that he was compelled to keep his bargain
lie was the poorest one OF the group, for hi
mother was a plain widow, and she made he
living by washing. The promise thus mad'
deeply affected him, and he lett the unlverslt!
ior "Ien t lido that had made To the al,
ne 49, :. ST. he bad fold her she RENTED
Keep it, my son, keep it, If it costs you you
life" .a..--..t.. 4 .
".rhat is what L will try to do, mother. and
hope shall have your prayers" -a.l d.
1850 81 +no,T ,nnst snr;nusly tbiolr !,
buying the old man a house and garden. H,
went 10 o neghboring village one day, ant
49, -, 80 tI,1,ns,nd ouiIdnrs Tbat was .
S i.u1a, ~ f - 800 Students 70 tninIE :,
AZ" So - - - ,1,,,, ,ba intluanca of Ernast
payln pa IN ,,ss ~ hoca,no corv;rca,
thc cthOA 49, sil.,.;N nv 60, u,.,I,-a
thaI ~ "aS 'neil 20 io 10 80, a., IL ~ -,
ihaG III one yea. iioli ny ~, ~ 80,
hiaue the oiu i''i cay ~ .',i nav i.i' a..
B3fueh, II IL was III theii po"ei W eo' ~ ~
MIN. So. TT. -,
Ihey flust lcpNo .c az sau pho
eeedihs ior 'ngn' lucy c'lne e,,' W uho o1ioiu
Sion 10 81 thtVnusn 'no o', . IN y,
concerts, iot ioi5 49, ~ 30; -, $50
De Ine oLhy wy 80, w .ii ,,,l.ra
Even ny poi'"'i-o -. a. -. -. - {, *
70 pe poor piosl0So w ~? ~ 80 So ~
they fesoFeu 70 w ~
thelr pooAs Pu. .eii ~
bags, ana SCI ou' on 10y W sNc -. ooieNi % ~
we NllllSes thioush "hieh 'iiNy iHi9"' P.''''
Ernest, before leaving, eAac1ed apfonise o
the man " no o"iieu ue I, Gnu 81 =" ny
ne ma iooheu d., tho nc ny 81 ott ~ " ~
der siA months " 'i,y 10y ,,'S - ~, ~
WouId PROMISE W va -, - ~ a., ~ ~ .,.'
time he might have 1t, though me money neee
not DC pau Gnuer d GU: " eeis ''is,t III
PASSED. py, ana e elo e'.'a SOY A. 80 -
on 'het way. Iheir eA ~. %, ne
puO thetf INCOME vac ~ ',, sr;i,
iuonthS i:nu :. is t Pss ~ ~ -. -, -
,ieN o"' iiUUiS 1900 ~ .tts..l /, - an -
IL was SieaC aue9'ioi isN i Nv W.
dialhiig ti'lteei nuhuieo oo"ts. W ,'t
Iuey ~eie spenu,ns ol,v 10y a' - 80
W" II, anu " iioote'al w - " 80
I" 10" n ~ 2 tts~rs " " -, aohaI - - -
aCtShu elio "G"ui7 "a I'M, -. 10 ~ ", q.
" 10 'i AtS 4 - 4T+a ~ ,IIai
1T 10 T.. % -, si', - ~ 49,
,ial5. s,ra,nnni,s tnok nlaee- and by and hJ !,
80, 49,, e. a.. ,,,,,.i, 4, be0I, 'riYe st,,.nts
r.. ti,od ,hnn7qalvaS yery carafiIlv fur i,,1,
$500 ~, tbi, saiet;os were ,erialniyI o.
. nv n,igb order pu5.inss. Z the course OF the
.;,;os ~ ,,as ,,oticed that the uobleman be-
nn,na yary sad His iaeo wore a melancholy
1,nnafsn'.a md those vino stood nearest HIM
PP iNi ,,1,-;,,1r1 -Nyhat cnuid hove Icaue ad
him t,,'ie meipna5oly at such a time as thai.
1na of The ',,,fras ti,ar these musicians had
nlavad was bis mother2s fayorite melody. she
Iaf otten snng IL to him MANY wears ago and
l." had not herd IL since linfil the sIufleuts
nIaved If II was enough to make him sorrow.
mi and il drew these Students to his heart IL
suob a way that he could not express his fael
mos. They had recalled to his memory a piece
of music which he had never been able to find
ina uy music sore, and " Inch 1t was worth .
Iorfp1a for him la hear f4~t 81 ---Es-
- 7 must now make INV story short. 5sTheI no
blen,an Icent the four students in his castle
tyyn weeks hecane acouaintad with them very
fnl.v and learned Their object in leaving the
1I,,yersiry, Ia owe coneerts. He supplied fLem
with three 1bnusand ouideus. and toid then, he
wouId nav their exnens.s at the university for
{,nr vhars and thar tia, " ,ui.yht have, fine nriy-
ilege of 1nakinr drafts ON nam at any time. A
Their fortune was better than they had rea-
b. son 10 .exn,cf Ernsst ha1 already written ID
Thr owner OF the house ane garden that he
rni1ht exnect the,n to take if SO that ii wa;
nov ENGAGED