The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1850-09-07
SMAN. OTTAWA ILL.,, SATURDAY, SEP TENDER 7, 1850

/
least, 20 they seemed in Elfnland where time
passes like the passing of a strain Of music that
dies but to be again renewed. Little thought had
she of the world above ground, for in the hil pal.
ace was continual pleasure, and nagnifccuce
wtbf Vi end. No remembrance Of lost kindred
troubled her, for she sat IN the Drouuing
and all the eltin people bowed down before the
wife o the mighty Kong Tolv
she might have lived 80 always, with no desire
ever to go back TO earth, save that one day she
saw trickling down through the paace.roof a
pearly stream. The elves fed away. for they
SAID 1t was some mortal weeping on the grassy
hill overhead. But llyldreda STAYED and looked
on until the stream settled into clear and pelucid
pool a sweet mirror it made and the Hill.
king bride ever loved to see her own beauty
So she went and gazed down into the shining
water.
There she bched-not the image Of the cfn
queen, but of the peasant maid, with her mantle
Of crimson w0OE her coarse dress and her black
ruciiX She turned away in disgust, but soon
her people brought her elfn mirrors. wherein She
could see her present self gorgcously clad. and
thousand times more fair. 1t kinded in her heart
a proud desire.
She said to her lord, "Let me 90 back for lit
tie while TO my native village, and my ancient
and my greatness. Let me enter sitting in my
gilded chariot, with the four white horses, snd
feel myself as queen-like as the lady once saw
beneath the lakewood
/ Kong 1olv laughed, and assentcd But" he
said, keep thy own proud self the while The
first sigh the first tear, and carry thee back in.
to the hll with shame
So Hyldreda left the fliry-palace, sweeping
through the village with a pageant worthy a
Il queen. Thus in her lnughtues, after seven
years had gone by size came to her mothers
door.
Seven wears. none Of Which bad cast one
shadow on the daughters beauty. But time and
grief together had bowed the mother almost TO
the verge Of the grave. The one knew not the
other, until little Eesa came between; little Resa.
who looked her sisters olGcu elf, blooming in the
sweetness Of seventeen. Nothing to her was the
magiiicence Of the beautiful guest; she only saw
/ lily ldreia, the lost and sound
! Where hast thou been said the mother. doubt
fully when in answer to all their care,ses, the
stately lady only looked on them with proud
smile. who gave thee those grand dresses, and
put the matrons veil upon thy hair Z
/ i am the Hill-king's wife, said lIylipdA y
dwell IN gorgeous palace, aud sit ON Il queen.
throne
God preserve thee = answered the mother
But llyldreda turned away, for Kong 1olv had
commanded her never To hear or utter the one no.
/ !y name. She began to inquire about her long.
iprgotton home, but haicalc!essly, rs il Size had
10 interest in it now
| And who was it, she asked, that wept on the
hill side until the tears dropped through, staining
/ my palace walls"
j. answered Resa blushng. and then Hyldre
da perceived that Young as she was. the girl wore
/ the mntrons hcadtirc. i, sitting there with my
/ babe, wept to think Of my poor sister who died
/ long ago and never knew the sweetness of wife
/ hood and motherhood And it almost grieycd
me, to think that my love had tlott0d out the bit
torncss OF her memory even from the heart u
Esbcrn Lynge'
! AT the name proudly laughed the elder sister
Take thy husband and be happy, girl; | envy
thee not; | am the wife of the great HilEknr
And does thy lord love thcci Does he sit be-
side thee at eve, and let thee lean thy tired heac
on his breast, rs Esbcrn does with mel An,
hast thou young children dancing about thy feet
and little blue-eycd one to creep doyclike Ia th>
heart at nights, as mine does Say, dear sister
art thou as happy as 7
| lIyldreda paused. Earths sweet ties arose be
fore her, and the grandeur of her lot seemed onl,
loneliness. Forgetting her lord, command. 81,
sighed, she even wept one rcgretiul tear: an,
that moment in her presence stood Kong Tolv
! Kill me, but save my mother, my sister erie,
the wife with broken heart. 1hc PRAYER wa
needless; they saw not tke Ellie king, and he mar
ked not thcm-he only bore away lyldrcdn
singing mockinGly in her ear something og th,
same rhyme which had bound her lis.
| Comr ainest thou here all drcarlic--
| Camcst thou not Of ,hys,N in the hill TO me
| And stoyrst thou here Thy lot To dep!orel
Camesl thou not OF thyseii IN at my door
When the mother and sister of Hyldrcda liftet
up their eyes, they saw nothing but Il cloud q
dust sweeping past the cottage door, they hrarl
nothing but the ancient cldcrtrce howlmg alou,
rs Its branches Were tossed about in Il gust O
wintry wind.
Kong Toly took back the hill lis mortal bride
There he set her in golden chair, and trough
to her iu drink a silver horn Of elm wine in the
which he had dropped au ear of wheat At tn,
hrst driught she forgot the village where she hat
| dwcIt-at the second, she forgot the sister who
had been her darug-at the third, she forgot IN,
mother who bore her. Again She rciuiccd in tn,
Elorles of the fairy place aud III the life Of never
oeasug pleasure.
Month ailhcr month rolled hy--by her scare,
counted or counted only in lest rs she woull
number handful of roses, all held so fast nm,
sure that none conld flll or fade or rs She woul,
mark one by one the little waves Of ryuc
whose source was cternally flowing
Hyldrcda thought no more otany earthly thing
until there came added to her own. n Young, new
life. When her beautiful babe halrclf halfmor
tal nestled in her woman's breast. it wakruc,
there the fountain ofhuman love, and Of long iur
gotten memories
d oh. let me 90 home oncc-onco more" sh,
mplorcd of her lord. Let me 90 To ask my
mothers forgiveness, and, above ALL to crave Ia,
church's blessing on this my innocent babe
Kong Iolv frowned, and then looked sad Fo
II Is the one great sorrow of the Ellie people tina
they with all others OF the cliu race are shut ou
from Heavens mercy, Therefore do they oitcr
steal mortal wives, and strive to have other chil
drcn clrlstcncd according TO holy rite in order I,
participate IN the blessings granted to the oit,prin.
OF Adam
DO rs thou wilt" the llill.kng answered "bu
know, there awaits penalty In exchange for
soul must be given life
Ills dark saying fell coldlv on the heart of In,
Young mother ltterrifcd her for "A time. but sool
the sweet strange wIcs Of her ulin bnbc beguilcc
her into renewed happiness 50 that her longm,
faded away.
The child grew not like n mortal child. A,
unpHrtlly hpuuiv Vngi lie f,rn ynnl.rnua ,,r,