Year: 1867




employing themselves in making music
after the hard Iabors of the day. There
was pause in their music, but no
sooner had they ceased playing they
heard an old man playing a voiiin be-
Meath their window in the street. They
went to the window and looked out,
watching him until be had ceased play
iug. One Of them threw out little
piece Of money, and said to him, laugh
ing; Here, poor Peter, this is all we
have for you now come again some
other time


Yes said another, come again in
year from now


'Then we will give you little house
for a present said the third


Yes, in the middle of a garden said
the fourth.


The old man was struck with won
der at such promise. His long white
hair shonc brightly in the light Of the
lanterns which hang out ut neigh
boring restaurant. He looked up to
the window and said, after a moments
reflection: Young people are you in
earnest in what you say to me
hope you are not making light of an
old man


Indeed we are in earnest replied
Ernest, with excited voice; aud his
three companions called upon God to
witness their seriousuess-


Farewell, them replied the old man,
/ take my leave Of you. One year
from to day, at this same hour, expect
me to come and play a tune beneath
this window. Farewell, may the Al
mighty One, whose name you have
called upon, bless you in your kind
ness


The old man went off after invoking
this blessing upon them. The students
closed the window, took their instru-
ments again in their hands, and after
playing 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, cannot be, for
| have made II promise that | would
! give something which have not got


What promise" answered one ofhis
! lighthearted companions.


The promise Of house and garden
\ loud largh was the response that
! he met with, and the students separa-
ted. 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 attention to it. Then
! said he: / don't see where your con-
sciences are, ifyou can make promise
and break your word


How can we fulfill any promise of
that kind p said Christopher. Our
parents are all poor, and have no more
than they can do to send us to the uni
vcrstv. How then can they help us
to buy a house and garden for a fool
ish ole man? Good night, comrades,
| wish you as pleasant a sleep as shall
have


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 moth
er was a plain widow, and she made
her living by washing. The promise
he had made deeply affected him, and
he left the university for q 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'll try to do, mother,
an& | hope [ shall have your prayers.


Ernest returned to the university
and told his friends that they must
seriously think of buying the old man
a house and garden. He went to Il
ncighboring village one day, and found
that he could get a neat little cottage
and garden for two thousand guldens.
That was a large sum for those poor
students to think of paying, but
through the influence Of Ernest the
other three gradually became con-
vinced that it was their duty to keep
their promise. The four resolved that
in one year from the time the pledge
was made 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
proceeding for them. They came to
the conclusion to go through the coun-
try 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 appeared
to be a poor prospect to get large
sum. Still they resolved to do their
best. They closed their books, put
their instruments in the little bags and
set out on foot to give concerts in the
villages through which they might