New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-07-28
FOR DEAR LIFE.

|
Winter again, and the land is once
more wrapped in the same spotless
mantle, locked in the same icy letters,
as it was that memorable winter so
long ago when Eric and had that
fierce, wild struggle for dear life" At
this season ofthe year the never quite
dormant recollection revives, and I
feel all the horror of thai midnight
scene rise and come back upon melike
a ghost from the confines of the past.
It chills me with its dread presence.
until. shivering in nerve and limb, I
rise and draw nearer to the blazing
hearth, heap on some more pine logs,
and strive In the region of light and
warmth to bid it defiance.
In vain. Through the whir of my
spinning wheel comes the long drawn
moan of the wind, whilst without the
snow falls heavily as ever, adding des-
olation to the already drear and SOM
bre landscape. Eric has gone to the
fold-yard, as beseems a thrifty hus-
bandman, to see after the well-being of
ourkine Would that he were back to
laugh off my fears and exercise the
phantoms which rise thus unbidden
from the days that are now no more!
His hearty presence and joyous voice
arein themselves as potent against dis
traught fancies as the 'ssprig OF rowan"
which the faithful wear as a safeguard
against witchcraft and the evil eye.
Meanwhile, as sit waiting with the
supper ready and all things bright and
tidy, Unjust cen yield to the spell OF
tale suggested by the wandering fan
cies of old.
New Years eve some thirty years
ago-and we were keeping it right
merrily at the old manor-house of
Stor Aswan, the home of my child
hood, as it had been that OF my fore
fathers for, many generations. The
pleasantest spot in all the world, |
thought, and still think. that quaint
Norwegian homestead, with its buff
walls and birch. bark roof, which sue
ceeding summers had rendered YER
dant with an ever green thatch of
moss and lichens. Just now, however,
this was not visible, for snow lay
thickly upon it, as it had lain COR
weeks past, not only there, but upon
all the country round. We were in
the midst of a white sea, whose bill
lows were the partially submerged
hedges, that daily grew less noticeable
as the snow drifted in and piled above
them. The fr-trees alone stood forth
bravely, as if defying this insidious
foe, yet even their stately branches
trailed earthwards, and their strong
arms creaked and strained under the
ever-in creasing load.
1t was the hardest winter that has
been for fifty years-so the old folks
said-and they foretold it's continu-
ance for some weeks longer. Other
signs were not wanting which more
plainly than aught else, denoted the
unusual severity Of the season. The
hocks OF wild fowl, usually SO shy and
difficult Of approach, came down from
the upper meres, their accustomed
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, tor
got their nature and stole up to our
very doors, begging with their large,
dark eyes in a pitious dumb fashion
for relief. Herds of raindeer also came
south from Lapland, seeking more
genial pastures; and it was rumored
that less pleasant visitors had recent
ly been seen and heard. The black
pine forests of Saltem had again set
forth the grim bloodthirsty pack of
DICTIONARIES who for ages had dwelt un-
molested in its dark Businesses and
the cry Of "wolf'' was not 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 as
sembled at Stor Aswan that Christ
mas-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 spring time
| was to leave my old home for new
one: so now surrounded by kingsfolk
and neighbors, we were keeping this
last anniversary OF my sisterhood in
goodly fashion. We revived many a
bygone pastlme, and the vast hall at
Stor Aswan re-echoed once again to
the shouts that greeted the incoming
of a mighty yule log, and rang with
joyous laughter at the tricks and an
tics of morris-dancers and mummers.
So in dancing, feasting and merry
making the week sped until a few
hours more would see us scattered in
various directions, to meet again we
knew not when nor where. For the
last day, therefore, we had reserved
the chief pleasure, the browning point
Of all our enjoyment sleighing ard
skating party to Stor Aswan, noun
tain encircled lake some ten miles
further north, the same from which
our homestead derived it's quaint Ru-
mic name. This was to be our vail of
greeting to the New Year-our well
come to the incoming guest
Brightly dawned the evenful morn
ing, clear and fair as heart could de-
sire. Blue was the sky as sapphire.
l