The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1871-01-20

FROM ScrtDner monthly.
l.
A hundred leagues north of the Arc
tic circle, there is an island that has no
business there. At least the legend
tells us that it has no business there.
At least the legend tells us that it was
taken there by q famous Goblin, who
ambitiously desired q private residence.
Further than this we have very little
accurate information. 1t is hardly to
be expected, however, that we can
have much accurate information about
gOblins in any case and, between you
and ME, the less we have perhaps the
better. Yet, about this particular Cob
lin there is no harm in knowing what
the legend tells us, nor in believing it.
Ii there is anything believe in, it is
what everybody else believes in; and
since everybody else believes in this
legend, l believe in il, certainly; and
since the hero of the legend is goblin,
I must, to be consistent, believe in COB
liDs generally. At least, if doubt should
cross my mind at any time, ii never
would in the Christmas time.
This is my position with respect to
the Goblin, and 1 take it fearlessly, de-
flying contradiction i believe he found
the island in the South, where he was
looking for it; 1 believe he kicked it
with his foot to loosen it, and thereby
made a deep mark in the side of it,
which they call a ford; / believe he
rove a rope in the end of it, and towed
it north in the nighttime, and before
the break of day. had made it fast just
where it is-a hundred leagues north of
the Arctic circle, in the chilly Arctic
Sea.
Still, would not believe q word of
this (nor would YOU did not the legend
SO particularly mention it; for it seems
incredible that so large an island should
be treated so, even by goblin. The
island is more than a hundred miles
long, north and south; quite fifty miles
wide, east and west; is one mile high
at its highest point, and more than half
a mile in at least a dozen places. There
never was another island like it, as |
believe. 1t has more tall cliffs, dark
caves, deep gorges, roaring rapids, and
wonderful waterfalls than anybody
would give it credit for, even were they
every one mentioned in the minutest
manner. But more than all, the island
is covered over with a great white sheet
of ice and snow, that is in places hum
dreds of feet in thickness, from which
streams of the same material come
pouring or sliding down into the val
Ieys, filling all but one of them almost
completely. These streams, or glaciers
as they are called, and the icy sea from
which they spring, are all 1--WE have the
legend for it fthe GOblin's work. He
could not bear the peace and quiet that
he found there for he loved the cold,
he loved the bowling winds, and he
held high revel in the darkness. He
found the island clothed with verdrue;
happy birds we've singing in the trees
butterflies were slipping honey from
the flowers, and the island was very
beautiful; seeing which he threw abroad
a whitening frost. He dropped the
SHOWS, and holding them from year to
year he formed them into ice, until the
island was covered with his chilly
handiwork.
He fixed his throne on Linmark's
field, the loftiest mountain peak. Be
tween the foot of this and another
peak there was a valley that
him greatly. This was the
valley already mentioned, into which
the streams of ice had not descended.
1t was the only part Of the island that
he could not master. He sent the gla-
ciers down, but they would not stay.
They melted and ran into the sea, the
various streams united forming Rothe
River. In the winter time he had his
way to some extent, for the SHOWS he
dropped lay in the valley; but no ice
would ever stay there, and his breath
would scarcely ever reach it, and even
then but lightly. When the summer
came the SHOWS aooAd disappear, and
the valley UOuld grow green, in spite
of him. The flowers bloOmed and
threw abroad their fragrance; the lit
tie trees put forth their foliage; the
sparrows came and chirruped among
their branches; the butterflies were gay
and thoughtless. and the bees were
gathering honey all the day.
So the Goblin could not altogether do
away with the islands southern char
acter. The valley bid defiance to his
skill and power, but he watched it
closely; and while he watched, some
human beings came to live there.
They We're Danes; and despite the
efforts that the Goblin made to thin
them off, they lived in peace and hap
piness for many and many year.
They built little village, and prosper
ed in their quiet way. Game was
abundant in the valley, and fish were
plenty i'm the sea while as for clothing,
bread and wine, and other necessary
comforts and conveniencies, they had
them as they wished, once a year, by
ship from Denmark.
In course of time there came to visit
them a young man from Copenhagen,
who was student and famous trav-
elIer. He was about thirty years of age
and his appearance altogether was at
tractive. His hair was light; his COM
plexion fair, though weather-beaten !;
his features regular, and his figure
graceful. You would at sight like eve
rything about him but his eye, which
was a most decided gray; and an eye
of that description you never like un-
less you have to; for you fancy, with
out exactly knowing why, that its own
er is not man you would care to pin
your faith to.
AS the ship which bore him approach
ed the island, furious storm came
sweeping down upon her. "See here" J"
said the captain of tie ship, "Paul Pew
erell, the Goblin's after yOu;" and the
captain buttoned up bis coat and look
ed uneasy.
Paul asked, "What goblin?'
1.-THE Goblin of the Ice, up there on
Linmark's field" replied the captain.
$50 that tall mountain Is the Lin
marks field, AMI in these driving
clouds which seem to linz the noun
tain with the sky is where the Goblin
lives; ell, captain""
"Such is the legend, Paul.
"What does he do ?" asked Paul, his
eve fixed on the m0untain-top.
The captain looked alOft, at the same
time pointing with his finger; and it
must have been q skeptical man indeed
who could have doubted that the Cob
lin had sent a chilly storm away upon
the sea to catch the ship, and was even
then weaving a web of crystals about
her, stiffening every rope and sail. But
Paul ,cas skeptical.
!. As the people on the ship looked OH
the mountain, they were confident they
saw something like q human face of
vast proportions fashioned i'm the clouds
of drifting snow. Paul laughed at
them.
The storm, though violent, was not
of long duration, and did no serious
damage to the ship or crew, further
than to make them uncomfortable
They reached their port, after some de-
lay, and Paul went at once ashore, new
er thinking Of goblins, but only Of the
purpose that had fetched him there.
That purpose he had not mentioned to
the captain, nor to anybody. He had