The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1870-03-04
PA, FRIDAY, MARCH 4, 1870.

wants and their families, who lived in
huts close by the farm house, formed
the whole population to be found for a
distance of several miles. Ingeleiv was
a true specimen Of Norwegian noun
tain beauty; tall in figure like her faith
er,with the same auburn hair, and blue
melting eyes, she presented picture
that an artist would have loved to
paint.
Twas beauty truly blent, whose red aud white
Natures own sweet and cunning hand laid on.
There was something, too, about her
that attracted my attention; perhaps it
was her bearing, approaching almost to
stateliness, that struck me. At all
events,she seemed immeasurably supe
rior to what Norwegian farmers
daughter usually is.
But before retiring to bed, my host
informed me, TO my surprise, that he
was lineal descendant of the great
Iiarald Haarfager ("fair haired.") His
family, he said with an air of conscious
dignity, had never mingled with any
who were not of royal blood. He was
the last of his race, and before he died, 4,
he hoped to see his daughter married to
a cousin of his, who lived l forgot
where.
How strange it all seemed to me |!
There, amid the fastness of the noun
tains, to meet with man who could
trace his descent from kings whose
names have left stamp on the page of
history. Turning these things over and
over in my mind, soon fell into a
peaceful slumber. How long slept l
know not, but was awakened by hear
ing the same plaintive sound of the
luur on the mountain side opposite.
sprang out of bed, and throwing the
window open, distinctly heard voice
calling or rather singing in melodious
key: "How is -" And here follow
ed word l could not catch; and then
another voice at a long distance off took
up the strain, and made some reply in
the same harmonious key. 1 listened
to hear it repeated, but all was still; so
again seeking my couch, resumed my
dream about monstrous salmon and
countless herds of reindeer.
Next morning was soon down; and
as Ingeleiv was laying out break fast
for me in the large kitchen, her father
came in from seeing after his farm, and
made earnest and polite inquiries about
the way in which I had passed the
night.
"Famously !" answered; "but some
of your people We're early astir, for /
could hear two voices ON yon Ter noun
tains as if after the cows" and putting
my hand to my mouth l initiated as
well as l could the sound had heard.
"Strange!" he answered, "for 1 have
no cattle on the mountain this summer.
Did you hear it, Inga ?" turning to his
daughter.
But Inga's averted face, which was
the color of scarlet, plainly showed me
that she did know something moreabout
it than her father knew. So thinking
it might be lover, and that they were
obliged to adopt this method of court.
ing, or of "luuring" each other,I quick
ly turned the subject and spoke of other
things. From that day, however, In.
geleiv avoided me. and thus depriving
me of any opportunity of finding out
the mystery of the luur.
l will not fatigue my readers by
dwelling on the sport | had with the
salmon, nor yet on the excursions
made after reindeer in company with
my host, who was clever hunter and
capital shot; suffice to say, thorough
ly enjoyed myself But alas it was
time for me to think of leaving; and 1
was the more sorry, because l could see
that Inga was evidently unhappy, and
wore about her pretty and formerly
cheerful face an air which betokened
great mental suffering.
1t was late in the evening when l
bade my kind friends adieu, for l wish
ed again to traverse that mountain val
ley by night. My skyts6oy (they call
them all boys in Norway,whcther they
be old men, or even of the opposite
gender,) or post-boy, was an intelligent
youth of two or three and twenty years.
"We soon became great friends, and in
less than half an hour he had commun-
icated the history of his life to me. ."He
had been educated as schoolmaster,"
he said, "but was now only laboring
servant on an adjacent farm"
Everybody seems to fall instead of
rise in these parts" ] thought to my
self, when he had concluded his tale.
Our road lay up steep rocky path.
Carl-such was the lads name-was
leading the pony in front by the bride,
while | as usual was sauntering behind
to catch last long look of the lovely
scene, when again was aroused from
my reverie by seeing him place his
hands to his mouth, and directing his
voice toward the mountains, send forth
a plaintive sound. In few seconds |
heard it thrown back from the rocks,
and should doubtless have thought it
was but the echo, had not the waving
of woman's garment two hundred
feet above my head attracted my eye.
81 will find out this mystery before l
80, saiu "iouu, ior, iHueeu, 81 ei-
crossed had / been with fishing and
shooting, that it had quite escaped my
memory. "Carl," l said, "what is
| that ?'
He seemed quite taken back at the
suddenncss of the question, but laugh.
ed it off by saying he was only calling
for amusement.
/
"But ! tell you, some one answered
you up yonder; and see, she is waving
her hand towards US. will so and see;
do you wait below"
And in few moments ! had clam.
bered up the hillside to where / had
fancied had seen the woman standing
She was no longer visible; but / OBJ