Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-06-20
AMERICAN STUDENTS IN GERMANY.
The Periis OF Taking Free Language
Lessons In the Professor's Family.

The Periis of Taking Free LanguaE,
Lessons In the Professors Family.
Only one American can remember whs
received an invitation 10 meet the family Of
the professor to whom his letter Of introduc
ton was addressed. And he happened TO b,
| both rich and well connected. His expert
ence was disastrous in spite OF its comic
aspect. The professor had three daughters,
all excellent girls, but, as is often the case
with excellent girls, not eminent for personal
attractiveness They were extremely cordial
to the young American, as was also their
papa and mamma My guileless friend sus-
peeted no Interior design, but was delighted
| at the rapid progress he made in German
under the care Of the three maidens. Know
ing nobody else in the city, and being little
shy Of the rough ways and drinking habits
OF the students, no found himself almost
daily drifting into the society Of the pro-
fessor's daughters. He made occasionally
with charming impartialityl tentative re-
marks 20 them Of tender or complimentary
character. He seemed 10 be under the inn
preston that remarks uttered in German
were a mere linguistic exercise like Sthe red
COW Of the grandmother in the green garden
of the rich COUNT Il would have surprised
him 20 be told that they might have per
sonal application and might lead 70 comph-
cations
He was however, soon TO have his eyes
opened. After having called with great
regularity upon the professors daughters
for couple Of months, he began to be
looked upon as member Of the family; and
once the mother of tho young ladies asked
him in strict confidence, OF course, upon
which of the three In particular he had fired
his heart. Some little unpleasantness had
arisen, she added smilingly, from the impair
tiality Of his attentions. My friend felt for
a moment, as II the ceiling had tumbled
down on his head; but, quickly collecting
himself, he replied, likewise in confidence,
that he was in a serious dilemma The
three young ladies were all so charming that
he felt himself equally attracted TO all
Would the frau professorin have the kind
ness TO grant him a week for meditation, at
the end OF which he would return and make
known TO her his choicei The frau profess
sorin found this proper and natural, and
granted the respite II Is needless to add
that the American has not TO this day made
up his mind He found 1t convenient 10 be-
take himself 30 another university shortly
after his interview with the frau professorin.
Another friend OF mine, though he was
not so well equipped with temporal advanta-
ges as the hero of the triple courtship, found
an object Of interest to his landlady's daugh-
ter. He was invited TO confidential coffeea
and literary tens, and concluded that as free
lessons in tho language these were not I'M
profitable Investments. Once, however, he
grew a little alarmed at the progress he was
making in the favor of the fair damsel. and
hit upon an easy way out of the difficulty.
He found among the remnants Of his past
follies the picture of beautiful American
actress This he framed handsomely and
hung it up on the wall over his bed Stimuli
taneously he invested in gold ring, which
he slipped upon the third finger of his right
hand. He received the congratulations of
the family upon his engagement, and was
henceforth no longer troubled with delicate
attentions; for the Germans have an enor-
NOUS respect for an engagement, and look
upon man who has thus advertised his Sc
lection as impervious to the charms OF all
other won, n,-Hjalmar II. Boyesens Let
ter