Northern Ohio journal. [volume] (Painesville, Ohio) 1872-1896, 1874-01-03

ly SO shy and difficult of approach, came
down from the upper meres, their accus-
toned haunts. and stroVe with the tame
denizens of our own farm-yard for a
share in their midday meal. Hares and
rabbits, impelled by hunger, forgot
their. nature. and STOLE up to our very
doors. begging with their large dark
eyes In a piteous fashion for relief.
Herds of reindeer also came south from
I4apland, seeking more genial pastures :;
and iE was rumored that less pleasant
visitors had recently been seen and
heard. The black pine forests OF Salten
had again sent forth the grim blood
thirsty pack of legionaries who for ages
had dwelt unmolested in its dark fast
nessess, 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. /, 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, sur
by kinsfold and sneighbors, we
were keeping this last anniversary of
my spinsterhood In goodly fashion. We
revived many bygOne pastime, and the
vast hall at Stor Aswan re-echoed once
again to the shouts that greeted the i'm
coming of q mighty yule-log, and rang
with joyous laughter at the tricks and
antics of morris-dancers and mummers.
So, in dancing, feasting, and merry
making, the week sped, until few
hours more would see ussali scattered in
various directions, to meet again we
knew not when or where. For the last
day, therefore, we had reserved tue
chief pleasure, the crowning point of all
our enjoyment-a sleighing and skating
party to Stor Aswan. mOuntain-encir-
cled lake some ten miles further north,
the same from which our homestead de-
rived its quaint RunicAname. This was
to be our vail or greeting to the New
Year-our welcome to the incoming
guest. ; WfsE
Brightly dawned the eventful morn
ing, clear and fair as heart could desire.
Blue was the sky as sapphire, whilst
the freshly-fallen snow sparkled and
shown as though strewn with living
gems. All nature seemed rejoicing like
ourselves at the advent of another year,
and one already SO full of promise.
Without, the snow-bells tinkled and
chimed merrily, making the frosty air
ring again as the gaily-caparisoned hor-
ses paved and shook their heads, i'm
patient as their owners to be off. AT
length we started, Eric and / as hosts
being the last Of the party; for Of course
he was my charioteer. well remem.
ber my father standing at the door to
see US go. and as he tucked the bear-skin
rug more closely around me, bidding US
"retnrn early, and beware of the Salten
hounds" We laughed at the warming
then, but had awful cause to remember
it afterwards. hiH y. 3@st. h
OF that day I shall not speak; we
were ali young and in wild spirits, and
some of us in love. Need l say more
Amidst the many fair faces aud Slithe
forms that glided so, gracefully over ths
frozen mere, tireless through these long
hours, I was the fairest, !, black-eyed
golden-haired Ella Bieorn, was the ac.
knowlcdged belle and queen of the par.
ty, and Eric, my lover, the most stall
wart youth of the countryside. Bul
all things, even the pleasantest, mus
evening began to fall heavily, merging
leaden cloud, we began our journey
homewards. Tired out with my exer
tions, as soon as we started nestled
down amongst the soft furs in the
sleigh, and, rocked by its easy motion
soon fell asleep. How long slept,
knew not; but when / awoke it wa
showing fast, and the darkness so in
tense that we could not see hand
breath before US. called to Eric, whit
was driving, and asked if all was well
To which the answer came back, hal
deadened by the thick atmosphere, s<Al
well, but. for Gods sake try, to keeI
awake"
So aroused myself and sat up, know
ing that sleep in that bitter nightsai
might mean DEATH OF any other feal
had no thought, for my driver wa
skillful, whilst Thor and Odin, our tw,
sturdy little mountain ponies, knew
| their way home almost unguided., Sud
ienly, as listened vainly for the ech
of our companions bells, heard an
other sound come up with the wind
long-drawn hollow moan. Twice o
thrice it came at intervals, this weirt
noise, each time nearer and more dis
tinct. The third time the ponies ais
heard it, for they sprang forward witt
an impetus that almost shook me out 9
che carriage. Frightened. 1 said t
| Eric, What, o, what ia that?o And th
| answer came back short and stern
.'rhe Salten houndsr' ssE
Then began that terrible chase ssfo
lear lifeo which, though we shoul
both live for twice our allotted sp Al
we never could forget. Swiftly W
ped along, our steeds impelled by
| error as great as our own, until the
appeared almost to fly. Breathiessl
4 we hearkened, hoping even yet to leav
the enemy behind. But no; they tra1
eiled with us, gained upon us, neare
and yet nearer-their cry growing pei
eeptibly from an uncertain vague voie
of the darkness into the unmistakabl
wolf-like note. We knew from the d
rection from whence it came that the
were tracking US by scent; so now ou
last poor chance lay In the darkness {
the night and our nearness to Stor Al
wan. Eric still held the reins, and
covered down at the bottom of tt
sleigh and prayed more earnestly tina
had ever vet done in my life "for q
increase of the snow-drift, or augh
even "a miracle, If it might only sa,
u.s." 20 - aH 81 @es =rsss -
On, and on, for time that seemed il
terminable, yet might in truth ha,
been but few moments. Then Il
storm ceased, the moon emerged fro
her shelter. and we saw half mile
our rear dark line coming swiftly al
steadily down upon US. In the midd
# "a white plain, with no nook or co
ier visible wherein we could take re
uge, ahdA still xnearly Al leagueA fro
: nome. our case looked hopeless enong
50 our pursuers seemed to think
t they now caught sight Of ms for, Il
: first time, and ifting their black nu
! zles from the ground gave vent to
howl Of savage exultation. l cou