Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1892-01-16

peth say, after the bolts and bars Of ths
front door had been withdrawn.
Yes. there is. / heard some one
never see another Christmas. thought
Thor.
As before mentioned. there was but
one path up to the Husaby hill, bat
surely any strong, able fellow must be
able TO get TO it. even though the di.
rect way were barred to him. For in-
stance, il he were to row round the
point yonder and fasten his boat at the
one side, il might be possible to climb up
there, although il was so very steep that
the goats had great difficulty in climbing
it, and they are not usually afraid of
mountain work.
Saturday came, and Thor went ont
early in the morning The day was
most beautiful; the sun shone so
brightly that the very bushes seemed
alive. Up ON the mountain many voices
were "jodling," and there was much
blowing Of horns. When evening came
he was sitting at his cottage door watch.
ing the steaming mist rise up on the hills
he looked upward--all was quiet: he
looked over toward Husaby farmland
then he jumped into his boat and rowed
away round the point.
Aslang sat before the hut; her DAYS
work was done; she was thinking Thor
would not come that evening, and that
therefore many others might come in-
stead, so she unfsstened the dog, aud,
without saying anything. walked further
on. She sat down so she could see across
the valley, but the mist was rising there
and prevented her looking down.
Then she chose another place, and
without thinking more about it sat down
30 that she looked toward the side where
lay the ford. 1t seemed to bring peace
10 her soul when she could gaze far away
across tho water.
As she sat there the fancy struck her
that she was inclined to sing, so she
chose song with LONG drawn notes,
and far and wide it sounded through the
mountains. She liked TO hear herself
sing, so she began over again when the
first verse was ended. But when she had
sung the second it seemed to her as
though some one answered from far
down below.
Dear me, what can that be ?" thought
Aslang. She stepped forward to the
edge and twined her arms around slen-
der birch which hung trembling over the
precipice, and looked down. But she
could see nothing; the ford lay there calm
and at rest; not single bird skinned
the water. So Aslang sat herself down
again, and again she began to sing.
Once more came the answering voice in
the same tones and nearer than the first
time.
That sound was no echo, whatever it
may be-" Aslang jumped to her feet
and again leaned over the cliff And
there down below, at the foot of the rocky
wall, she saw a boat fastened. 1t looked
like tiny nutshell, for it was very far
down. She looked again and saw fun
cap, and under it the figure OF man,
climbing up the steep and barren cliff.
Who can it be?" Aslang asked her.
self; and letting go the birch she stepped
back. She dared not answer her own
question, but she knew who it was. She
flung herself down on the greensward,
seizing the grass with both hands, as
though it were she who dared not lose
her hold for fear of falling. But the
grass came up by the roots; she screamed
aloud and dug her hands deeper and
deeper into the SOIL She prayed to God
to help him; but then it struck her that
this feat of Thor's would be calleG
tempting Providence, and therefore he
could not expect help from above.
"Only just this oncel" she prayed
Hear my prayer just this one time, and
help himl" Then she threw her arms
round the dog, as though it were Thor
whom she were clasping, and rolled her
self on the grass beside it.
The time seemed to her quite endless
Suddenly the dog began TO bark
"Bow wowi" said he to Aslang. and
jumped upon her. And aga }, "wow
wowl" then over the edge of the cliff a
coarse, round cap came to view, and
Thor wasin her armsl
He lay there a whole minute, and
neither of them was capable of utteriDg
syllable. And when they did begin to
talk there was neither sense nor reason
in any thing they said.
But when old Canute Husaby heard
of it he uttered remark which had
both sense and reason. Bringing his
fist down on the table with tremen-
dous crash, 4The lad deserves her." he
cried" the girl shall be his?v-Trans-
lated from the Norwegian of Bjornsterne
Bjornson.