Baton Rouge tri-weekly gazette & comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1865-18??, 1867-04-16

! my .'S HA1nuiS guy ouo, whose name
| you have called upon, bless you il
your kindness !"
| The old man went off after in.
voking this blessing upon them. The
students closed the window, took
their instruments again in theil
hands, and after having played three
or four lively tunes, seemed to forget
all that had" occurred. Ernest said
to them, however, after the space OF
about half an hour, "You seem to be
very quiet. I cannot be, for I have
made a promise that / would give
something which I have not got
what promise 2" answered one of
his llght-hearted companions.
"Ihe promise of house and a
garden"
! A loud laugh was the response
that he met with, and the students
separated. They met again on the
following evening, and during their
interview Ernest called to mind the
promise of the night before. They
made light Of him, and told him that
he was foolish to pay any more at
tention to it. 'fThen," said he: II
don't see where your consciences are,
if you can make promise and break
your word"
."How can we fulfill any promise
OF that kind ? said Christopher. Our
parents are all poor, and have no
more than they can do to send us to
the university. How then can they
help us to buy a house and a garden
for foolish old man? Good night,
comrades, | wish you as pleasant a
sleep as | shall havep
But this kind Of argument did not
affect Ernest much, for he could not
help thinking that he was compelled
to keep his bargain. He was the
poorest one of the group, for his
mother was plain widow, and she
made her living by washing. The
promise he had made deeply affected
him, and he left the university for a
week, SO that he might-go home and
tell his mother the pledge that he
had made to the old musician. After
he had told her, she replied: "Keep
it, my son, keep it, if it costs you
your life.'
"That is what I will try to do,
mother, and I hope I shall have
your prayers"
Ernest returned to the university
and told his friends that they must
seriously think of buying the old
man house and garden. He went
to a neighboring village one day,
and found that be could get house
and garden for two thousand gull
dens. That was a large sum for
those poor students to think of pay
ing, but through the influence of
Ernest, the other three gradually
became convinced that it was their
promise. The four resolved that in
one year from the time the old man
should have his house and garden,
if it was in their power to get it
for him.
They must leave the university
a sad proceeding for them. They
came to the conclusion to go through
the country, and give concerts; for
really this. appeared to them to be
the only way possible to gain any
money. Even by pursuing this
course there appeared to be a poor
prospect to get large snm. They
closed their books, put their instru-
ments in the little bags, and set out
on foot to give concerts in the vii
lagos through which they might
pass. Ernest before leaving, exacted
a promise of the man who owned the
house and lot which he had looked
at, that he would not sell it under
six months to anybody; 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 slowly
proceeded on their way. Their ex-
penses were not heavy but their in
come was certainly small too. Nine
months and half passed by, and
still they had but little above seven
hundred guldens. 1t was question,
with them how the remaining thir.
teen could be raised. They We're
spending one day at a country town,
and a nobleman living in a large
castle few miles distant, was seek
ing musicians to attend the wedding
of his daughter who was to be mar
ried in three Or four days. Fortu-
nately enough for the students, the