Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-10-27

the direction of her wiRhes. About q mile
from his home lived o Norwegian farmer
named Paul Gretna, who had daughter
named Ingerid. She was about Gunnar' 6
age, or perhaps q year younger, and had
reputation for beauty. She was soft,
dimpled little creature, with afectlonate,
blue ewes, q fresh infantine face and rosy
complexion. 1t was difficult to tell from
that face what manner of woman she might
grow to be; but il was fair to lnfer that she
would make a comfortable wife and q good
mother. She was blonde and attractive
personification of her sex; and that is, after
all, what most men want their wives to be.
A too distinct individuality is often an
element of disturbance.
Gunnar was, indeed, not the only one who
had discovered Ingerid's attractiveness.
His old friend and antagonist, Thorsten
Sletten, with whom he had fought at the
PRAYER meeting, was frequent visitor at
the Gretna farm, as were also half dozen
other lads, who made no attempt to dis
cuise their admiration for the daughter OF
the house.
This was the condition Of things at the
time, when the farmer Lars Randkleven,
invited his neighbors to celebrate his we'd
ding with Karen Holtsrud. 1t was large
wedding and both Gunnar and his mother
and Ingerid and her parents received invita-
tions The pastor married the couple in the
church at noon, and about 40 vehicles of all
sorts accompanied them to the bridal house,
All the picturesque costumes which in Nor
wav make such an occasion memorable, had
been dropped; but a master of ceremonies
there wSs who welcomed the bride and
groom and proposed their health at the feast
that followed. Beer flowed abundantly at
g.
pocket TASKS which were p ssed about from
hand to hand with a mock pretense of
secrecy. The pastor, who sat next to the
bride at the head of the table, was so
deeply absorbed in the eatables, to which he
did full Justice. that he affected not
to see the dangerous bottles that circulated
under his very nose. As it happened
Gunnar found himself next to a city-clad
stranger, in black broadcloth, resplendent
with a gold watch (Which he frequently
consulted), and rings and watch chain of
the same metal. This man turned out to be
a near relative of the groom, and prosper
Gus grocer IN Chicago. His name was Hans
Larsen, but in order to propitiate the native
ear he had changed it to John Lawson.
And what was more, he wore q mustache,
with a smart twist at the ends, and shiny
silk hat. His square face showed the Morse
peasant type plainly enough, but the ex-
preston had been sharpened, showing a
shrewdness and wide-awake enterprise
which are rarely found in the original.
"What is your name, if l may ask?" in
quired this dazzling individual, addressing
himself to Gunnar.
"Gunnar Matson."
"WhoSe son are you?'
81 am the son of Hans Matson; but he's
dead long ago."
''Hans Matson? What year did he come
to the United States?"
SIN 1864, think"
Exactly. knew him. He came in the
Cunarder Siberia"
81 think he did. Mother has mentioned
the name of that ship"
"And he is dead, you say?"
eyes"
"when did he die?"
about 1867 or 1861"
81 beg your pardon; but there you are
wrong; for am pretty sure I met him in
Chicago in ISL"
Gunnar gave start which came near up.
setting his chair. He stared at Lawson with
perplexed incredulous gaze
"Are-are you sure of it?" he managed at
last to stammer
''Cock sure; though own he was much
changed. His name-now what was his
name? Blasted if haven't forgotten it."
II wish you'd try to remember" the
young man urged tremulously. Lawson ate
on with puzzled frown on his face, as if he
was trying hard to recall the name.
Gunnar, his eyes 6ilsted with eagerness,
dropped his knife and fork and glanced
anxiously at his mother, who was conduct
ing sober conversation on the prospects of
the crops with a neighboring farmer.
I'll be parboiled if can get hold of that
name" calculated the grocer, in pretended
vexation; sit was rather a queer name.
PROBABLY it will occur to me one of these
days and then I'll let you know"