Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1892-01-23
A PERILOUS WOOING.

From the time that Aslang was quite
grown up there was no longer any peace
or quiet at Husaby. In fact, all the
handsomest young fellows in the village
did nothing but fight and quarrel night
after night, and 1t was always worse on
saturday nights. Aslang's father, old
Canute Husaby, never went to bed on
those nights without keeping on at least
his leather breeches and laying a good
5tout birch stick on the bed beside him.
'If have such pretty daughter" said
1ld Canute, 'I must know how TO take
care Of her"
Thor Nesset was only the son Of poor
cottager, and yet folks said that it was
ne who went oftenest to visit the farm
sr's daughter at Husaby. OF course, old
Janute wns not pleased to hear this. He
aid it was not true; that, at any late, he
lad never seen him there. Still they
smiled. and whispered TO each other that
4 he only had thoroughly searched the
iayloft, whittier Aslang had many an
arrand, he would have found Thor there.
Spring canie, and Aslang went up the
mountain with the cattle. And now,
when the heat of the day hung over the
valley, the rocks rose cool and clear
through the suns misty rays, the COW
bells tinkled, the shepherds dog barked,
Aslang sang her ''jodel' songs and blew
the COW horn, all the young men felt
their hearts grow sore and heavy rs they
gazed upon her beauty. And on the first
Saturday evening one after the other
they crept up the hill. But they came
down again quicker than they had gone
up, for Mt the top stood man who kept
guard. receiving each one who came up
with such warm reception that he all
hls life long remembered the words that
accompanied the action, "Come up here
again and there will be still more in store
for your
All the young fellows could arrive but
at one conclusion, that there was only
one man In the whole parish who had
such fists, and that man was Thor Mes
set. All the rich farmers daughters
thought IL was too bad that this cot
tagers son should stand highest in AS
lang Husaby's favor.
Old Canute thought the same when he
heard about Il all, aud said that II there
were no one else who could check him
he would do it himself. Now, Canute
was certainly getting on in years; still,
although he was past sixty, he often en-
joyed good wrestling match with his
eldest son whenever time indoors fell
heavy ON his hands.
There was but one path up TO the
mountain belonging to Husaby, and it
went straight through the farm garden.
Next Saturday evening, as Thor was on
his way TO the mountain, creeping care
fully across the yard, hurrying as soon
as no WAS well past the farm buildings
man suddenly rushed at him
"What do you want with meS" asked
Thor, and hit him such blow In the
face that sparks danced before his eyes.
"You viii soon learn that" said some
one else behind him, and gave him n
great blow in the back Of his neck.
That was Aslang's brother.
And here's the hired man." said Old
Canute, and attacked him also.
The greater the danger the greater
was rhor's strength. He was supple rs
willow, and hit out right manfully; he
dived and he ducked; whenever blow
fell II missed him. and when none ex-
pected II he would deal good one. He
stopped down, he sprang on one side,
but for all that he got terrible thrash
ing. Old Canute said afterward that
''ho had never fought with IA braver fell
low" They kept II up till blood began
10 flow, then Canute cried out, "Stopv
Then no added In a croaking tone, IF
you can get up here next Saturday, in
spite Of Canute Husaby and his men, the
the girl shall ho yoursl"
Thor dragged himself homo as best he
could. aud when he reached the cottage
went straight 70 bed. There was great
deal Of talk about the fight up ON Hus-
ably hill, but every one said, "Why did
he go there? Only one person did not
say so. aud that was Alsang. She had
been expecting Thor that Saturday
evening, but when she heard what had
happened between him and her father,
she sat down and cried bitterly, and
said 10 herself, "If may not have Thor
shall never have happy day again Ia
this world"
Thor staid Ia his bed all Sunday and
when Monday came he felt he must
stay ON where he WAS Tuesday oalne
and II was lovely day, II had rained
Ia the night; the hills looked so fraeh
and green, the window was open, sweet
odors wero waited In, the oowbells we're
tinkling on the mountain. aud far up
above solne one was "jodling," Truly.
II Il had not been for his mother, who
was sitting In the room, he could have
cried. Wednesday came and still he
staid in bed, ON Thursday. though, he
begin 10 think about the possibility Of