The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-08-08


finding the beautiful woman whose
face he kept ever with his silver and
gold, and looked at il as IL it charmed
his life.
When il was February, at the same
time the ice was worst at our place, the
ship came 70 place in the United
States which was called Boston, hav-
ing caught many kepokak and sperm
whales When the oil was sold there
came to Jens for his share as much as
fifty pounds in English money, enough
to last him in Greenland three years.
The ships master gave to Jens per-
mission to go on shore every night
while they were in the place. Then It
was that he hoped to find the beautiful
woman and tell her his story.
When he came on shore and went
into the place he began to see that
there were no Greenland people, but
thousand everywhere of foreign people
and many of them black. So he went
about in long paths, full of men and
horses, and saw no face like the one he
sought until he came to a great store
house, with windows like the ice on
the brooks in the month Of September,
and lit with many lamps and bottles
full of red and blue fires. All the
storehouse was bright with bottles, and
Jens stopped before it, n 'f'
This is what he told us he'e, though
VIZ may not think he saw it rightly,
that in these windows stood more than
100 bottles, and on each was the face
of the beautiful woman, brighter aud
cleaner than on the paper he carried in
his bosom. "i.
When he saw this he stood still, even
as the hunters stand on the manupok
hunt for hours by the holes in the ice,
till the seal comes to sight. He was
made dumb by so many faces, which
was not strange il one alone could
make him forget his faith and coun-
try.
After long time, being forgetful of
people who were in the path, he found
men crowding around him, and they
asking him questions, could understand
nothing, but took the paper from his
bosom to show why he waited so. And
upon this all the people laughed in his
face till he thought them mad. They
heard him speaking in Danish words,
which he had learned in this country,
yet in all the number of people none
could answer him. So many stood
around him they pushed each other, and
pushed him till he grew very angry at
their rudeness, and when some man
with gold buttons over all his clothing
laid his hands upon him to drive him
on, Jens put the paper quickly away
and struck him in the face. Then he
was seized by others and drawn to a
dark room among more OF the same
kind, and lay there till the day after.
On that day came the man with gold
buttons and other men and led him to
place full of people, where he found the
master of his ship, and was set free
when he paid two gold pieces of United
States money.
The master of the ship saw the pa
per and laughed more than the othel
men, but was sorry for him that the
spell was upon his heart This he sale
to Jens-that in the whole world NJ
woman had ever been like the face hi
had, but men had made such face OF
paper because it was beautiful to lool
upon. Then he led Jens into many
storehouses, and in each showed hin
great numbers of bottles, all with tn,
same face turned to the light. Bu
Jens could not understand, nor can W,
who have heard the matter, and how
there conld be the face of woman il
so many places if she never had lived
We are sure some spell was upon tn
mind of Jens that he forgot thes
things as they were, and told then
another way.
When it was become summer a
Sukkertopen we saw that the Admins
traitor walked sometimes with Else tc
ward the place where the children an
| she herself looked for berries and littl
| flowers. There was one day, brigh
warm and mild, when with my chi
dren, l stopped by the side of broo
that we might gather berries for th
men. While we sat by the bushe
near the patch saw coming from tn
town Hialmar leading Else by he
hand. Then they passed by the plac,
over the brook, but stood still on tn
other side. / saw that the girls fac
was troubled, aud that Hialmar spok
many times to her, now holding he
hand in both his own.
Never had she been so fair befor,
Her hair glistened like gold in the SUI
and soon her face was lighted wit
such look as / have never seen agail
She wore at her throat the blue flow
ers of the moss plant, that seemed lik
her dear self, as she looked to tn
ground, scarcely lifting her eyes.
After some minutes she turned ht
face towards Hialmar and looked for
moment in his eyes, and gave him h,
hand which was free. Both of thel
he took in bis, but put them gentl
aside and drew her close in his arm
and covering her face with kisses, ii
Else drew away, looking on all sides, {
if afraid. Then they turned to the wa
they came and passed me again. Ver
much did ! think of this for two day
not believing any harm could come
her, but fearing for her sake. But {
the second day came Hialmar to h
house, and asked her in marriage fro
her mother Then we first heard
the cause that led her to forget Jer
and knew he was without blame. Th
was the best betrothal made by any
; the women in many years, and to ma
ry Hialmar was to be lady and Ii
without care.
w.
In the month of August all the pc
. pie went on Sabbath morning to 4
. church of Sukkertopen to see the we
. ding of Ilialmar and Else, Very ha
) py and beautiful she looked that da
so that we were proud of her and
joiced in her good fortune
Q When they had been married a
|. had turned away from the priest
t heard one who groaned behind us as
e in great pain. We looked to the dc
, ap1 Sau tho faaa oc Vo,s f,,ll of e.