Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-10-28
A Little Morse Idyl.

It was on Christmas Eve that Gunna1
Thomson was born for of course the
boy was called Gunnar, after his grand
father. Thor came home from the
woods late that night. Gunhild was
standing in the door looking for him.
cit is cold tonight, MOTHER" said
he, pulling off his bear-skin mittens and
putting his ak up in it's Oh place under
the roof.
"You may we'll say SO, my son, said
Gunhild.
Thor fixed an inquiring look on his
mothers face. She read the look and
answered it before he had time to ask.
CA boy said She a beautiful
child"
CA boy" repeated Thor, and his
stern features frightened as he spoke
He took off his cap before he went in
that night. G1lnhild followed.
Wonderful child, indeed" said she,
"born on Christmas Eve" Then she
went out again, took a large knife, pol
ished it until it looked silver like. and
stuck it with the point in the door.
"Now, thank Cod" muttered she to
herself, the child is safe, and no hill
people will dare to change it,
Days came and days went, and a
month had passed. The child grew
and the mother failed and every night
when Thor came home from his work
he looked more troubled. Gunhild
saw it.
When spring has crossed the noun
tains she will get WE'LL" said she.
But spring came; the sun shone
bright and warm on the Yokel and the
western glaciers; the icy peaks reflected
its light into the narrow valley, and the
Yokel sparkled like crystal palace.
CHOW spring is coming" said Gun
hid.
1t was early in June, and springs
first flower came just in time to adorn
Bugit's coffin. All the neighbors were
at the funeral, and no man who saw the
dense crowd in the chrrchyard would
have supposed that this was the funeral
of houseman's WIFE, When the cere-
mony was over, the pastor came up to
shake hands with Thor and Gunhild.
GA hard loss, Thor" said the pastor.
GA hard loss, father" said Thor.
Unexpected 2"
Unexpected. Modher thought spring
would make her we'll His lip culver
ed, and he turned abruptly around.
'And spring did make her well,
Thor" said the pastor, warmly grasp
ing Thor's hand and giving it a hearty
shake
If the cottage of Henjumhel has ever
seen such wild deeds as it did while that
boy was growing up, it sure must have
been very long ago. For there was no
spot from the chimney-top to the cellar,
to which he did not scramble. "And it
ce rtainly is WONDER" said his grand
m other, g that he does not break hi
neck, and tear the house down ten
times day." The cottage contained
only one room, with an open hearth in
the corner, and two beds, one above the
other, both built between the wall and
posts reaching from the floor to the
roof. There was no ceiling, but long
smoky beams crossing the cottage. A
few feet above these were nailed dozen
boards or more, crosswise from one
rafter to another on the opposite side.
This is called Hemsedal, or the bed
where the strangers sleep. There the
beggar and the wanderer may always
find sack of straw and bed of pine
branches whereon to rest their weary
limbs. These beams were Gunnars
special delight. He was not many years
old before he could get up there by
climbing the door; each beam had its
name from stories which his grand
mother had told him, and he sat there
and talked with them for hours together.
On the one nearest the hearth was an
old saddle which had been hanging there
from immemorial times it's name was
''Fox," and on it he rode every day
over the mountains, seas and forests, to
free the beautiful princess who was
guarded by the Trold with three heads.
In the winter, as soon as the short
daylight faded, he would spend hours
in Hemsedal; and to his grandmother's
inquiry about what he was doing there,
he would always answer that he was
looking at the dark. Although Gun
bid never liked to have the boy sit up
there, and was herself frightened at the
strange things he said, she never dared
bid him come down; for her supersti-
tion peopled the cottage as well as all
nature around her with elves and fairy
spirits, whom she would not for any
price offend. They might, some time
in the boys life, Prove potent protec-
ton to him. 60 Go0a7aur. -
I. T.