The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-01-27
A YOUNG VIKING,
From The Youths Companion. ]

| [From the Youths Companion.l
For several hundred years previous
to the conquest of England by Duke
William of Normandy, in the year
1866, the Northman vikings were the
terror of the entire European sea-
coast. The dwellers along the Eng.
Iish coast were perhaps the greatest
sufferers at the hands of these sea-
marauders, and hardly year passed
that did not witness the lying waste
of one or more peaceful communi.
ties. Near the mouth of the river
Humber, on the eastern coast, was
such hamlet, where the people lived
their quiet life as fishermen farmers ;
and in the spring prayed that their
crops might be unmolested by the
Northmen, and in the autumn that
the coming storms Of winter nniaht
blow the dreaded sails away from
their coast.
But one cold December day the
fierce invaders came. 1t was on the
afternoon of the Oath day of the
month the end of that day which,
ever since the second century, has
been the great church festi tal of the
Christian year. Two small but well
armed vessels bore down on the de-
fenseless village. Mailed men leaped
ashore; and the affrighted people
fleeing to save their lives, left their
slender possessions to the merciless
freebooters. mealtercation arose
among the chiefs of the Mortimer,
and a sudden departure was made be-
fore they had completed their plum
dering and burning. Several of the
buildings were left uninjured and
the villagers, who had been lowering
on the outskirts of their little settle
ment, hurried back as soon as the
vessels had left the beach. each hop
Ing to find that his own house had
been spared.
One of these was quiet, industri.
Gus man, who had been named by his
companions Silent Andrew. When
he, with his little boy, entered the
low doorway of their humble cabin,
somewhat apart from the rest, they
were astonished to see boy about the
age of their own little Andrew, fast
asleep on the rude bed in corner of
the room. One glance showed them
that the child was not of their own
race; and the richly embroidered,
close. fitting garmenls that he wore,
exactly resembling the dress of the
sea-kings, left no doubt that he was
child of that fierce northern race
from whom they had suffered much.
His costly garments indicated that
the boy was of noble birth; and it
was supposed that he had by chance
strayed into this solitary cabin. where
he had fallen asleep. and been left be-
hind in the hurried. auarreling de-
parture. Silent Andrew grasped his
own child's hand little more tightly
as he gazed at the sleeping form, with
a look that BODIED no good tC the
young stranger. HE is only a child,
but he is of VOLTS breed" he said.
1.-THE old ones have taken the whelp
with them on their savage hut, that
he may kill and tear we'll when he Is
older"
But the mothers heart warmed to-
ward the unprotected ch'ild, despite
the fierce race from which he came
and she said:
"He is young, husband his hands
are not yet red with blood and his
friendliness touches me-"
Then she looked at her own boy,
and added: "Perhaps he has moth
er; and even the wolfloves her young.
What 1T were little Andrew, here I"
"Why, woman" exclaimed the
man, catching at his wife's hidden
purpose, "thinkest thou to keep the
whelp with us"
She put her finger to her lips to
suggest quiet, for the sleeping boy
moved slightly, and whispered:
"Why not, husband We may
perhaps save him as brand from the
burning" And then she added, even
more solemnly: "And this is the
very night when the child Jesus came
like stranger to earth, just as this
little stranger comes to u.s."
The mans surprise subsidized as
quickly as it had arisen for the plan
was not impossible, and he looked
down at his own child, Little An
drew. delicate lad of ten years, with
light hair and rosy cheeks, was intel
ligent above his age, and he added
his wish by a nod of the head, as his
father gazed fondly down at him and
the decision was made.
So the VOunO NOrthnoon haoa,oa a