The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1874-01-15
FOR DEAR LIFE.

FOR DEAR LIFE.
Winter again, and the land is once
more wrapped in the same spotless
mantle, locked in the same icy fetters,
as it was that memorable winter SO long
ago when Eric and I had that fierce
wild struggle "for dear life." At this
season of the year the never quite dor
mant recollection revives, and I feel
all the horror of that midnight scene
rise and come back upon me, like q
ghost from the confines of the past. 1t
chills me with it's dread presence, until,
shivering in nerve and limb, rise and
draw nearer to the blazing hearth, heap
on some more pine logs, and strive in
the region of light and warmth to bid
it defiance.
In vain. Through the whir of my
spinning wheel comes the long-drawn
moan of the wind, whilst without the
snow falls as heavily as ever, adding
collation. to the already drear and
,Shbre landscape. Eric has gone to
=, the fold yard, as beseems thrifty
husbandman, to see altar the well-being
Of our kline. Would that he were back
to laugh off my fears, and exercise the
phantoms which rise thus unbidden
from the days that are now no more.
His hearty presence and joyous voice
are in themselves as potent against dis
traught fancies as the "sprig of rowan"
which the faithful wear for safeguard
against witchcraft and the evil eye.
Meanwhile, as I sit waiting with the
supper ready, and all things bright and
tidy, I must cen yield to the spell of
the place and hour, and listen to the
tale suggested by the wandering fancies
of old.
Now Years ave some thirty years ago
and we were keeping it right merrily
Mt the old manor house of Stor Aswan,
the home of my childhood, as it had
been that of my forefathers for many
generations. The pleasantest spot in
all the world, thought and still think,
= that quaint Norwegian homestead, with
its buff walls and birch. bark roof, which
succeeding summers had rendered ver-
dant with an evergreen thatch of moss
and lichens. just now, however, this
was not visible, for snow lay thickly
upon it, as it had lain for weeks past,
not only there, but upon all the coun-
try round. We were in the midst of
white sea, whose billows were the par
TALLY submerged hedges, that daily
grew less noticeable as the snow drifted
in and piled above them. The fr-trees
alone stood forth bravely, as if defying
this insidious foe, yet even their stately
branches trailed earthwards, and their
strong arms creaked and strained under
the ever-increasing load
1t was the hardest winter there had
been for fifty years-so the old folks
said-and they foretold its continuance
for some weeks longer. Other signs
were not wanting which more plainly
than aught else denoted the unusual
severity of the season. The focks of
wild fowl, usually SO shy and difficult
Of approach, came down from the. up
per meres, their accustomed haunts,
and strove with TIE tame denizens of
our own farm-yard for a share in their
midday meal. Hares and rabbits, i'm
PEELED by hunger, forgot their nature,
and stole up to our very doors, beg
ging with their large black eyes in a
piteous dumb fashion for relief. Herds
of reindeer also came south from Lap
land, seeking more genial pastures; and
it was rumored that less pleasant visi-
tors had recently been seen and heard.
The black pine forests of Salten had
again sent forth the grim, blood thirsty
pocl OF legionaries who for ages had
dot unmolested in it's dark fastness,
and the cry Of "wolf" was no longer, as
heretofore, an empty sound.
All this, however, did not affect any
of our party, who were all Norsemen
and maidens born, used to the cold,
full of health and spirits. I, Ella Bieorn,
daughter of the house, was the widest
of that mad circle who had assembled
at Stor Aswan that Christmas tide to do
honor to my betrothal to Eric Jarl, the
lover of my youth, ere long to be my
husband. AS soon as the birch-trees
put forth their first green tassels in the
early springtime, was to leave my old
home for new one; so now, surround.
ed by kipstold and neighbors, we were
keeping this last anniversary of my
spinsterhood in goodly fashion. We
revived many bygone pastime, and the
vast hall at Stor Aswan reechoed once
again to the shouts that greeted the in
coming of a mighty yule-log, and rang
with joyous laughter at the tricks and
So, in dancing, feasting, and merry
making, the week sped, until few
hours more would see us all scattered |
in various directions, to meet again we |
knew not when or where. For the last |
day, therefore, we had reserved the
chief pleasure, the crowning point of all |
our enioyment-a sleighing and skating |
party to Stor Aswan, mountain-en-
circled lake some ten miles further
north, the same from which our home
stead derived its quaint Runic name.
This was to be our vail or greeting to
the New Year-our welcome to the in
coming guest.
Brightly dawned the eventful morn
ing, clear and fair as heart could desire. |
Blue was the sky as q sapphire, whilst
the freshly-fallen snow sparkled and |
shone as though strewn with living |
gems. All nature seemed rejoicing like |
ourselves at the advent Of another !