Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-12-17
NORWEGIAN COURTSHIP.

Slight No. That il too pootical a
word to DO In any way applied 10 the
heroine Of this little tale, whose lean.
scrawny figure looked for all the world
like a series of badly connected angles,
aud whose stopping shoulders and mar.
row chest wero clad In faded black
jacket,
This garment, with its rusty surface
and pulled seams. suited well the sad
looking woman into whose drcary life
came one little bit Of color, which I shall
try to describe.
Her face correspondcd well with the
rest Of her appearance, for 1t was faded
and worn, and surrounded by fringe Of
straight, dusty brown hair. pulled tight
~ back from the sallow, weary face,
whose one rcdecming feature was the
eyos-dark gray, and oh, 80 sadl
She had that expression Of wistful
waiting sometimes seen In the eyes Of u
faithful dog who has lost his master, and
seems ever to wait, always patiently. aud
to watch ever expectantly for the beloved
face.
she was Norwegian. named Eta,
aud lived In our family rs cook for near
ly year.
Weeks passed by and early autumn.
which had brought her to us, shed leaiy
tears. and departed suddenly. lcayinh
US all unprcpared for winters advent.
which announced itself In cold, dismal
rain.
Up TO this time Eta had never re-
ceived letter or any communication
from tho ontside world. She never left
the house, aud scorned the idea Of an
afternoon ont. However, on this drizzly
day. there was n surprise, a great sur
prise. for Eta was discovered holding
an open letter tightly grasped In one
hand. But when she found herself re-
garded, It was hastily thrust into u
yoluminous pocket In her skirt.
Now this pocket was n marvel in t.
self. as It could hold myriads OF things.
Why, one day saw her produce pill
low case, a workbox, scissors and brass
thlmble at one fell swoop; at another
time-but l am wandering far away
from the letter and It's consequences.
The mysterious opistle was seen sew
eral times again, and these glimpses
showed 1t 10 be worn and rumplcd with
much reading. No doubt il would have
been read and reread out Of existence
had not another, fresh and clean, re-
placed the frat.
This 1 took from the postrnKn. and so
had a chance TO 40. the uneven, char
Rcterless writing. the Christiania post
mark and Norwegian stamp. II was
followed week later by another, then
another.
| became interested, for felt was on
the track OF u real, live romance.
The pale, tired face seemed to grow
brighter in those days. and for the first
tins Eta made frequent trips to the
city, returning laden with bundles OF
every die and description. All her spare
time was now employed in sewing. Call
Goes and prints were made and laid
aside. For some reason or other Eta
was rcplenishing her clean but scant and
somewhat dilapidated wardrobe.
Another link In the chainl thought /,
and began TO imagine the arrival Of u
stalwart Norwegian lover left In Nor.
way two years before. when sbo had
come TO try her fortune In America
Letters came more frequently. and
Eta grew correspondingly brighter and
cheerier-she even seemed 10 try TO hold
herself more ercctly, for often the bent
shoulders were suddenly Strengthened as
she went about her work. Her voice,
formerly 20 tired and hopeless. took on a
more cheerful tone.
Not the least remarkable Of Etta'a
peculiarities was her manner OF speak.
ing; slowly aud lispingly came tho
broken English, which was at first no
hard to understand. Such sad mix.
ture Of her mother tongue and this new,
strange language, such verbal combina.
tons and misplaced plurhs were never
heard before.
About this time mentioned my TO.
mantle notions 10 my mother. but she
only laughed, being entirely unable TO
connect Etta's sad appearance with a
lover, Norwegian or Of any other land.
She called me romanoer, but still felt
suro | was right,
Sooner than expected came tho chance
to vindioato myself, for the next day aa
sat idly by tho window, watching the
pasaers by, my attention was attracted
by u queer little figure way down the
street, which came ON toward the house
at a rafting pace, gayly swinging huge
cane and pulling vigorously ut mann.
moth cigar. At distance 1t was i'm.
possible TO tell whether he was boy OF
man, such comical, little figure he was,
dressed In = SNUFF col0red suit, with a
rose In his buttonhole and the tinlest
derby imaginable tilted over one ear.
Gazing laughingly at him, was just
telling my mother TO look at that absurd
little creature, wlfon what was our sur
prise 70 see Eta, the staid, the quiet
dash wildly across the lawn. rush down
to the gate, and throwing her arms
about the little fellows neck kiss him
FIRST on one check and then on the other.
The man, after few quiet hut ear
nest struggles, managed to free himself
from her long, thin arms, and looked up
Into her face, 70 high above him, with
pleasure surely, but without trace Of
loyerlike ardor
On closer Inspection It proved to he
such funny, rosy, childish face that 1,
was impossible to look at IL without
laughing, Eta seemed to find II so, for
smiling happily, she escorted him bacl
10 the house, her long arm linked IN hii
short one, almost lifting him from tn,
ground At every step, and presently W,
heard the low monotone of their voice