The enquirer southerner., 1874-10-23
iI-G
guquirer- outl'erner.
4 i.tG3XD OF NORWAY.

Ling ayes ago, When the who G
Of rth ri Europe was suuk in bar
bar aJ,l lark i'oia w. II y"nng
and > .rn,i<Dj mud n was f,uaI al,
sunrise n.,pu thp ,l.ys"| c,:>r "f
Norway. There she ) D., Il and
looked wi4tfuilv "vt'r th retiring
waves which had left their trinoes
of si!very surf at h r small naked
feet.
The nigh5 hatl been stormy. aud
a vessel lay wrecked among the
rocks All the crew had persisted
but tbae gentle iady. The savage
people gathered about her, wons!er~
ing much at the rare fashion aud
the richness Of her flowing gar
ments, aud at her fresh and delicate
beauty, but most of all at the sweet
ness and dignity of her demeanor.
It was the maiden VINO became
the wife of Regnar, the young
Prince Of NORWAY; she was ot eqptl
birth with him, being a king 5
daughter, but obliged 10 A"e from
the usurper of her fa;rr's rhrone,
The Princess Gurith. for So sh,. was
called. was not an i'ioiater, yet tor
nearly year after her marriage
few pc sons but her husband knew
the name If her religion. They
soon learned, however. that it, her
it vas pure and peaceable, gentle
and easy 10 be cntrcated, full of
mercy and good traits, without par
tiali,y and without hypocrisy and
so she was loved by all and might
have been happy, had not Queen
Temora, the widow Of the kings
eldest son, visited the court of Nor
way. Now this Temora was very
beautiful, proud and reyengeful,
and so skilled in magic that by
many she was named the " Sorcer-
ess." Temora was queen in her
own right, of the far Orkney isle !;
and Notwithstanding her husband 8
sudden death she had cherished the
hope to reign in Norway also; for
Regnar, then the younger brother,
though now the heir, had wooed her
when, from ambition, she preferred
the elder prince.
When Temora came to court,
hiding her fiery passions with a
smiling face, and saw the beauty of
the innocent Gurith, and the infu~
ence she had won in the hearts Of
those around her, she devoted her
to ruin. 1t is said that she went
at midnight, far up among the hills,
into the depths of a black pine for
est, where stood rude but famous
temple of the idol Wooden (the ruins
are low scattered about the place, J
and there sprinkling her own blood
upon the altar, vowed to accomplish
a deep and horrible revenge. From
that hour she left no way untried to
reach the ends. At first she sought,
under the mask of friendship, to
introduce into the heart of Gurith
some dark suspicion of her hus-
bands faith and SO at length to
break that gentle heart; but the
young princess was above suspicion,
love and her perfect confidence in
him she loved were as breast plate
of adamant to her, from which
every weapon that was aimed against
it fell off, not only blunted, but
leaving no trace to show where it
had struck. Thus, Temora was
coufounded and perplexed, for she
had Judged the princess by her own
principles and feelings.
Still Notwithstanding all these
deep devices, the guiltless Lady
Gurith grew in favor and tender
love with all who knew her, and
the sorceress inwardly cursed her.
self when she beheld the effect o.
Gurith's presence upon the barba>
rous NOrwegians an effect fal
more grateful to q woman's heart
than the most awful influence of hel
own magic spells. When Guritl
came forth into the bahquet hall
they met her with q reverence only
next to alteration. Their brutal
manner caught for the time some
what Of her gentleness their fierce
disputing5 stopped; their coarse
jests and roars Of laughter sounded
more family the very minstrels
touched their harps more light,
and turned their war songs to /
more pIaintive lay, such as gentl'
woman loves to hear. But the Sc
crct of the influence was a myster,
to the consummate artfulness @
| Queen Temora she could not com
prehend that simple humility AM
unaffected kindness that can wi
their way to the most savage bosom
For instance, after battle, whe
the wounded were brought home,
band of warriors came forward t
the terrace on which Gurith an
Queen Temora sat surrounded b
their ladies. They had brough
> the richest spoil and laid it at tn
feet of the two princesses. Temol
, snatched at once a coronet of gems
and with naughty smile placed
upon her head. They who stood B
shuddered as they saw her brig
eyes flashing and the rich blush
pleasure On her cheek +; for fe
) dark drops clung to the threads
yellow hair upon her brow, al
trickled down her face. There W
human blood upon that coronet.-
Gurith had scarcely looked up'
the glittering baubles set befo
her she had seen a wounded sc