Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1891-12-10
NORWEGIAN COURTSHIP.

Tall? Yes, very. She stood head
above the average man.
Slight? No. That is too poetical
word to be in any way applied to the
heroine of this little tale, whose lean,
scrawny figure looked for all the world
like a series of badly connected angles,
and whose STOPPING shoulders and mar
row chest were clad in a faded black
jacket.
This garment, with its rusty surface
and pulled seams, suited well the sad
looking woman into whose dreary life
came one little bit of color, which shall
try to describe.
Her face corresponded well with the
rest of her appearance, for it was faded
and worn, and surrounded by fringe OF
straight, dusty brown hair, pulled tight
ly back from the sallow, weary face,
whose one redeeming feature was the
eyes-dark gray, and oh, so sad!
She had that expression of wistful
waiting sometimes seen in. the eyes of a
faithful dog who has lost his master, and
seems ever to wait, always patiently. and
to watch ever expectantly for the beloved
face.
She was Norwegian, named Eta,
and lived in our family as cook for near"
ly a year.
Weeks passed by and early autumn,
which had brorght her TO us, shed leafy
tears, and departed suddenly, leaving
us all unprepateyt for winters advent,
which announced itself in a cold, dismal
rain.
Up to this time Eta had never re-
ceived letter or any communication
from the ontside world. She never left
the house, and scorned the idea Of an
afternoon out. However, on this drizzly
day, there was 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 q
voluminous pocket in her skirt
Now this pocket was a marvel in it
self, as it could hold myriads of things
Why, one day saw her produce a pill
low case, workbox, scissors aud brass
thimble at one fell swoop; at another
time-but / am wandering far away
from the letter and its consequences.
The mysterious epistle was seen sew
eral times again, and these glimpses
showed it to be worn and rumpled with
much reading. No doubt it would have
been read and reread out of existenc,
had not another, fresh and clean, re
placed the first.
This ! took from the postman, and 81
had Chance &c see Ine uneven, char
acterless writing, the Christiania post
mark and Norwegian stamp. 1t wa
followed week later by another, thel
another.
became interested, for felt was O.
the track of real, live romance.
The pale, tired face seemed to groN
brighter in those days, and for the tirs
time Eta made frequent trips to tn
city, returning laden with bundles
every size and description. All her spar
time was now emnloved ir ..u,rg - Gal
Goes and prints were made and lai
aside. For some reason or other Ell
was replenishing her clean but scant an
somewhat dilapidated wardrobe.
Another link in the chainl thought
and began to imagine the arrival OF
stalwart Norwegian lover left in NC
way two years before, when she nj
come to try her fortune in America.
Letters came more frequently, al
Eta grew correspondingly brighter al
cheerier-she even seemed to try to nc
herself more erectly, for often the be
shoulders were suddenly Strengthened
she went about her work. Her voi'
formerly 80 tired and hopeless, took OF
more cheerful tone.
Not the least remarkable of Eft
peculiarities was her manner OF spet
ing; slowly and lispingly came
broken English, which was at first
hard to understand. Such sad m
ture of her mother tongue and this ne
strange language, such verbal eombll
tions and misplaced plurals were ne
heard before.
About this time / mentioned my
manGlC nOUlOns W my noonOA, ooo
only laughed, being entirely unable
connect Etta's sad appearance wit
lover, Norwegian or of any other La
She called me romancer, but ! still
sure was right.
Sooner than expected came the cha
to vindicate myself. for the next da.
/ sat idly by the window, watching
passers by, my attention was attrat
by q queer little figure way down
street. which came on toward the nc
at rattling pace, gayly swinging . h
cane and putting vigorously OF M
moth cigar. At q distance 1t was
possible to tell whether he was DO.
saap~such . comical. Little figure he